Revisiting the 2017 AFL trade period report card one year on

A YEAR ago Port Adelaide got an A-plus for its trades and West Coast was missing in action — or so we thought. How do your club’s deals look 12 months on?

Essendon trade acquisitions Devon Smith and Jake Stringer.

A YEAR ago Port Adelaide got an A-plus for its trades and West Coast was missing in action — or so we thought. How do your club’s deals look 12 months on?

With the benefit of one season’s worth of hindsight we thought it was a good time to take a close look at last year’s trades and revisit who really won and lost.

IT’S ON: ULTIMATE FREE AGENCY GUIDE

LIMBO: KELLY KEEPS CATS GUESSING ON TRADE

SHIEL DEAL? GIANTS’ BOLD BID TO NAB No.1 PICK

Spoiler alert: Port doesn’t look so good now. How do all the other 17 clubs fare? Read on.

ADELAIDE

GAINED: Bryce Gibbs, Sam Gibson

LOST: Jake Lever, Harrison Wigg, Charlie Cameron

WE SAID THEN: “Premiership window still wide open”

NOW: One more A-grade midfielder was thought to be the missing piece of the Crows’ premiership puzzle. But it’s rarely that simple.

Gibbs had a good year, averaging 26 disposals, five clearances and 104 SuperCoach points. Is that worth picks 10 and 16? Not sure.

Tom Doedee covered Lever’s absense but Gibson played just five games and Cameron was a big loss as Adelaide slipped out of the top eight.

GRADE: B-

Brisbane recruits Luke Hodge and Charlie Cameron.

BRISBANE LIONS

GAINED: Charlie Cameron, Luke Hodge

LOST: Josh Schache, Tom Rockliff

WE SAID THEN: “While No.12 is a high price to pay for Cameron, the Lions envisage him evolving into a damaging midfielder”

NOW: Two high-quality pick-ups. Cameron made the short-list for Mark and Goal of the Year before injury ended his season early while Hodge played 19 games and will go around again next season.

On the other side of the ledger, Rockliff doesn’t look nearly as big a loss as he did 12 months ago while Schache needed a new environment. The Lions know what they’re doing.

GRADE: B+

CARLTON

GAINED: Matt Kennedy, Darcy Lang, Matthew Lobbe

LOST: Bryce Gibbs

WE SAID THEN: “Take a bow, Stephen Silvagni.”

NOW: The Blues would prefer to wait a few more years before casting judgment on their 2017 acquisitions, but on one year’s output they didn’t hit paydirt.

Kennedy was seen as a midfield star just looking for opportunities but battled injuries and form in 12 games, averaging 17 disposals. Darcy Lang played 11 matches (av 14 disposals) while the steak knives in Lobbe turned out to be a steal, covering for the injured Matthew Kreuzer late in the season.

Meanwhile, Gibbs left a huge hole in the midfield and his loss was compounded by Sam Docherty’s knee injury.

Just two wins tells the story, but the Blues are playing the long game. One of the two draft picks they received for Gibbs was used on Lochie O’Brien. The other was on-traded to the Bulldogs but Carlton has the Dogs’ second-round pick this year (24) to show for it.

GRADE: C

Matthew Kennedy battled in his first year at the Blues.

COLLINGWOOD

GAINED: Sam Murray

LOST: —

WE SAID THEN: “Barely a trade player. Will go all out for Tom Lynch next year.”

NOW: What a rollercoaster this trade has been.

Initially Magpie fans were fuming after giving up a future second-round pick for a running defender who couldn’t get a game at Sydney.

However, a month into the season, Sam Murray was among the favourites for the Rising Star and it looked like the Magpies had pulled off a steal.

The good times didn’t last though with Murray dropped to the VFL after Round 9.

Four weeks after his a season return to the seniors he allegedly failed a drug test and now faces the prospect of a four-year ban. It is unlikely he will ever pull on the black and white jumper again. At least he didn’t cost too much.

GRADE: D

ESSENDON

GAINED: Devon Smith, Adam Saad, Jake Stringer

LOST: —

WE SAID THEN: “Adrian Dodoro should hit the Crown Casino poker tables because nobody played their cards better.”

NOW: That assessment stacks up very well with all three performing at or above expectations. Somehow the Bombers still went backwards in 2018 (on the ladder, at least) but you can’t blame their three trade recruits.

Adam Saad, traded for a second-round draft pick, had more running bounces than anyone else in the comp, adding more dash to the back half. Essendon gave up picks 25 and 30 for Jake Stringer, who took a while to find his feet but ended up winning Essendon’s goalkicking.

And Smith was arguably the recruit of the season. After not being able to break into the Giants’ team last September he remodelled himself as a tackling maniac, ranking No.1 in the AFL for tackles and pressure points and also kicked 17 goals and claiming the Bombers’ best-and-fairest in his first season — a great result for pick sliding 14 spots in the draft order.

GRADE: A+

Essendon trade acquisitions Devon Smith and Jake Stringer both had great seasons.

FREMANTLE

GAINED: Nathan Wilson, Brandon Matera

LOST: Harley Balic, Lachie Weller, Hayden Crozier

WE SAID THEN: “Freo’s best trade period in years — possibly ever”

NOW: Wilson was a great pick-up, leading the Dockers for kicks, rebound-50s and metres gained. Matera not so much, finishing the year with 13 goals from 18 matches.

But none of the departures hurt too much and the biggest win was getting pick two for Lachie Weller, which the Dockers used on future star Andrew Brayshaw.

GRADE: A

Gary Ablett celebrates a goal against his old team at Metricon Stadium.

GEELONG

GAINED: Gary Ablett

LOST: Steven Motlop, Darcy Lang

WE SAID THEN: “The Cats admit they ‘gave up a bit’ for Gazza ... but the premiership window has to be open now.”

NOW: ‘Was the Gary Ablett trade a success?’ is one of the biggest unanswered questions of 2018.

If you’d been told in October last year he would play 19 games, average 29 disposals (No.1 at the Cats) and kick 16 goals, you’d put your house on Geelong at least finishing top four if not winning the flag. Funny game, footy.

Lost Motlop for nothing but that didn’t bite them too hard and Lang battled at the Blues.

Overall ended up ahead but this year will be very interesting.

GRADE: B+

GOLD COAST

GAINED: Harrison Wigg, Aaron Young, Lachie Weller

LOST: Adam Saad, Gary Ablett, Brandon Matera

WE SAID THEN: “Spun the Weller trade by selling the acquisition of future first and second-round picks in separate deals.”

NOW: Better make those future picks count because Weller didn’t live up to his billing, at least in year one at the Suns, averaging 20 disposals and kicking four goals.

Aaron Young was OK, kicking 20 goals, while Wigg broke his ankle in pre-season training and is still yet to play an AFL game.

Of the departures Ablett was still Ablett, Saad was great at Essendon and Matera didn’t do a lot at Freo.

Got pick 19 as part of the Ablett deal and used it on Will Powell, one of the biggest draft bolters of all time. Jury’s still out on that one.

GRADE: D

Lachie Weller carries the burden of Gold Coast’s shock trade.

GWS GIANTS

GAINED: —

LOST: Devon Smith, Matt Kennedy, Nathan Wilson

WE SAID THEN: “The Giants are confident their young list can improve on back-to-back prelims.”

NOW: The Giants were sellers, not buyers, and Smith and Wilson in particular were substantial losses. But they would be happy with their draft haul one year on.

They used the pick 11 they received for Smith on promising midfielder Aiden Bonar, pick 28 (received from Carlton for Kennedy) on defender Sam Taylor and the late selection they got from Freo in the Nathan Wilson trade on young goalkicker Zac Langdon. And they have the Dockers’ pick 23 this year as well.

GRADE: B

HAWTHORN

GAINED: Jarman Impey

LOST: Luke Hodge

WE SAID THEN: “A bit of a snoozefest on the Hawks’ trade table.”

N OW: Hodge wasn’t going to play for the Hawks this year anyway but you’d have to say he had a bigger impact than Impey, who cost Hawthorn pick 34 and a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft (the Hawks got a pick back, which they used on Dylan Moore).

Impey played every game, averaging 16 disposals and 3.3 tackles.

GRADE: C

MELBOURNE

GAINED: Jake Lever, Harley Balic

LOST: Jack Watts

WE SAID THEN: “The Demons hope Jake Lever’s progress towards becoming a premium defender continues after paying such a high price”

NOW: The decision to part ways with Watts caused plenty of angst but was vindicated as he played at Port Adelaide pretty much exactly as he did at Melbourne — with frustrating inconsistency. And the Dees used the pick 31 they received from the Power in the deal on mature-ager Bayley Fritsch — huge tick.

Harley Balic didn’t work out but he only cost pick 66 (Tom North) and Lever showed signs he will justify his pick 10 price tag before busting his shoulder. The Crows traded that pick to Carlton as part of the Bryce Gibbs deal. The Blues used it to recruit Lochie O’Brien.

GRADE: A

Jake Lever was just hitting top form when injury struck.

NORTH MELBOURNE

GAINED: —

LOST: Sam Gibson

WE SAID THEN: “Spent most of the year chasing Dustin Martin and Josh Kelly. When they fell through they turned to rebuilding through the draft.”

NOW: Gibson seemed unlucky but North was able to get games into younger midfielders and still moved up the ladder. The Roos passed on the pick 91 they received in the deal.

Turns out the they were biding their time for what promises to be a monster trade period this time around.

GRADE: B

PORT ADELAIDE

GAINED: Tom Rockliff, Steven Motlop, Jack Watts

LOST: Jackson Trengove, Jarman Impey, Brendon Ah Chee, Logan Austin, Aaron Young, Matthew Lobbe

WE SAID THEN: “October premier.”

NOW: Oh dear.

That rating may have been a tad premature, although to be fair it was looking OK when Port sat in the top four after Round 16.

Let’s deal with the departures first. You wouldn’t say any burnt them too badly although Trengove, Impey, Austin and Young all played some handy footy in 2018.

Now for the recruits. Rockliff was one of the biggest disappointments of the year as his SuperCoach average plummeted from 96 to 75, his lowest return since his debut season.

Watts and Motlop were also both significantly worse statistically than last year, although Motlop will live in club folklore for his Showdown matchwinner.

Port also loaded up on mature-age rookies and delisted free agents but none of Dom Barry, Trent McKenzie, Lindsay Thomas or Jack Trengove did a lot to help them win games.

They’ve also landed themselves in a huge list management pickle — having gone all in last year and failed, what do they do now?

GRADE: E

Jack Watts received two Brownlow votes in Round 1 but ended the year in the SANFL.

RICHMOND

GAINED: —

LOST: —

WE SAID THEN: “Laid low but got involved in some savvy pick swaps.”

NOW: Stayed under the radar, only getting involved in a couple of trade exchanges that netted picks 20 and 25 — ruck/forward Callum Coleman-Jones and athletic swingman Noah Bolta. Neither have seen any senior action yet but Richmond people are very excited about their progress in the VFL.

GRADE: B-

ST KILDA

GAINED: Logan Austin

LOST: —

WE SAID THEN: “Another year rolls by without a big fish so they need sharp improvement from within.”

NOW: Got Austin basically for nothing and he showed a bit as a key defender in his seven games. Gave up a second-round pick this year to move up the order 11 months ago and nab Oscar Clavarino, who we haven’t seen yet at senior level.

The Saints will be hoping he’s good because this year they haven’t got a draft pick between 3 and 57.

GRADE: C-

SYDNEY

GAINED: —

LOST: Sam Murray

WE SAID THEN: “Clearly backing its star-studded list for another flag tilt.”

NOW: The future second-round pick they got for Murray is No.34 this year thanks to the Pies’ remarkable season — and that will probably be pushed back a few more spots once free agency compensation picks come into the equation.

GRADE: C

WEST COAST

GAINED: Brendon Ah Chee

LOST: —

WE SAID THEN: “Given where they are at, Eagles fans probably would have liked to see a bit more shuffling of the deckchairs.”

NOW: So it turns out one of the masterstrokes of last year’s trade period was a deal we barely noticed at the time.

The Eagles did a pick swap with Gold Coast, handing over pick 50 and a future first-round pick in exchange for picks 21, 26 and 37 and Gold Coast’s future second-round pick.

Finishing positions this year mean those picks in November’s draft are only a few spots apart (the Suns now have pick 18 and West Coast has pick 20, so no big loss there) and the Eagles picked up three locals with their extra selections, including Grand Final hero Liam Ryan.

Using the AFL’s draft points value system, the Eagles ended up 1744 points ahead on the deal — the equivalent of pick 6.

They got Ah Chee (eight games) in a swap of third and fourth-round picks this year.

GRADE: A

Josh Schache kicked 17 goals in 13 games this season. Picture: Michael Klein

WESTERN BULLDOGS

GAINED: Jackson Trengove, Hayden Crozier, Josh Schache

LOST: Jake Stringer

WE SAID THEN: “Securing pick 16 in the final hour and Schache in the final minute converts the period from a C- to a B+”

NOW: All three recruits made a contribution but none dominated; Crozier (eighth) was the only one of the trio to finish in the top 10 in the best-and-fairest.

Schache has the most upside. He grew in confidence as the season progressed and kicked at least one goal in all but one of his 13 games.

Stringer was always going to be a handy pick-up for Essendon but he couldn’t stay at the kennel after his public bust up with coach Luke Beveridge and the Dogs received picks 25 and 30 from Essendon in the deal. One of those draft selections went to Brisbane as part of the Schache deal and the other ended up at Carlton in a swap that allowed the Bulldogs to select Ed Richards at pick 16.

GRADE: B

MORE AFL TRADE NEWS