Inner sanctum video reveals how Carlton and Adelaide agreed to blockbuster trade on draft night

It was the trade bombshell that shocked many on draft night and a new behind-the-scenes video has revealed exactly how Carlton pulled off the live pick trade deal with Adelaide to secure midfielder Liam Stocker.

It was the trade bombshell that shocked many on draft night and a behind-the-scenes video has revealed exactly how Carlton pulled off the deal to secure midfielder Liam Stocker.

The Blues had held discussions with Adelaide in the lead-up to the draft about a potential swap if a player, later revealed to be Stocker, was still available at either the Crows’ pick Nos.16 or 19.

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As Stocker, who Carlton had rated at the sixth-best player in the draft, continued to slide down the order, the possibility of the trade coming to fruition grew.

That’s when Blues list boss Stephen Silvagni got to work.

Silvagni and list manager Michael Agresta floated the possibility of approaching Port Adelaide, who rejected the trade offer for pick No.18, before the Adelaide deal was confirmed.

Liam Stocker receives his Carlton guernsey from Chris Judd minutes after the blockbuster trade went down. Picture: Getty

The Blues had to nervously wait for clubs to use picks Nos.14-18 before agreeing to the deal.

“We’re not doing it until we know we can get him,” Silvagni says in the video on Carlton’s AFL website.

“Yeah at the minute, yep, he’s still there.

“We don’t want to do the trade, we’ve just got to make sure the kid is still there at that pick.

“If our player gets taken before (pick) 19, we don’t want to do the deal.”

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Carlton held their cards close to their chest, not revealing who the player was they were targeting.

But Silvagni made it clear if the player, Stocker, was no longer available, the deal was off.

“We’re not going to divulge who the player is because you’ve got pick 16,” Silvagni said with a wry grin.

“We don’t want to do the deal unless we’re going to get our player at (pick) 19.”

Stocker (right) and No.1 pick Sam Walsh at Ikon Park. Picture: Michael Klein

Once Port Adelaide selected Xavier Duursma at pick No.18, just seconds after rejecting Carlton’s trade offer, the Blues and Crows signed off on the trade over the phone.

“Fine, we’ll do the deal,” Silvagni said to Adelaide list boss Justin Reid.

“Swap the first rounders (next year).”

Agresta called the AFL to log the deal and minutes later, Stocker was officially a Blue.

The Blues traded their 2019 first round pick for the Crows’ pick No.19 and their 2019 first-round pick to secure the talented midfielder.

“We had him at six,” coach Brendon Bolton said.

Stocker’s hero and Carlton champion Chris Judd rushed to the stage from the Blues’ draft bunker to present him with his guernsey, capping off a surreal night for the Sandringham Dragons product.

“He’s a good get, mate,” Silvagni said to Bolton.

And with a small fist pump from Silvagni, the Blues’ big first-round at the draft was done.