There are 29 former GWS Giants players on other club lists for 2017

THE joke about Carlton becoming the GWS reserves is well worn (but still funny). But they aren’t the only one — how many former Giants does your club have?

Giants young guns in 2014 Kristian Jaksch, Matt Buntine, Joshua Kelly, Tom Boyd, Will, Hoskin-Elliott, Adam Tomlinson, Aidan Corr, Liam Sumner. Picture: Craig Greenhill

THE joke about Carlton becoming the GWS reserves is well worn (but still funny). But they aren’t the only one plundering the AFL’s expansion clubs.

The Giants have managed to create a revolving door of top-end recruits coming into the club at the draft, leaving for other teams in return for more first-round picks.

Amazingly, there are 27 former Giants on the lists of other clubs for next year — and nine ex-Gold Coast players as well.

Giants young guns in 2014 (from left) Kristian Jaksch, Matt Buntine, Josh Kelly, Tom Boyd, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Adam Tomlinson, Aidan Corr and Liam Sumner. Picture: Craig Greenhill

The numbers also shine a light on the contrasting fortunes of the two newest clubs in the comp.

Of the Giants’ 25-man squad for their first AFL game in Round 1, 2012, 12 are no longer at the club — and eight of them are now at other teams. Just four have left the system altogether: Chad Cornes, James McDonald, Steve Clifton and Israel Folau.

Of the Suns’ inaugural 25-man squad against Carlton in Round 2, 2011, seven are at rival teams and another 12 have retired or been delisted.

The Suns almost lost another star when Gary Ablett requested a trade back to Geelong — a move that still could happen.

Every club has taken advantage of the go-home factor or players being tempted by bigger contracts or the lure of club success — or a combination of all three.

Adam Treloar in action for the Giants. Picture: Toby Zerna

Some have taken the extreme path — Carlton is Exhibit A — while rising Melbourne teams Melbourne (four former Giants) and St Kilda (two ex-Giants, two ex-Suns) are also cashing in.

For some teams there are some extra degrees of separation; the Swans’ one former expansion club player Shaun Edwards was traded from the Giants to Essendon then delisted before being picked up by Sydney in last year’s rookie draft.

Similarly, West Coast ruckman Jon Giles has trekked all over the country and was on the list of three other clubs, including GWS, before landing at the Eagles.

And while both expansion teams have been happy to plunder nearly every other club including their cross-town rivals, there are no former Giants on the Gold Coast list and no ex-Suns in western Sydney.

So which former Giants and Suns are at your club? And which is the only Victoria team without either?

ADELAIDE

GWS: Curtly Hampton

Gold Coast: —

BRISBANE LIONS

GWS: Jake Barrett

Gold Coast: —

CARLTON

GWS: Kristian Jaksch, Jed Lamb, Caleb Marchbank, Rhys Palmer, Andrew Phillips, Jarrod Pickett, Lachie Plowman, Liam Sumner

Gold Coast: Daniel Gorringe

The Giants’ first three picks from the 2014 draft are all now at other teams — Paul Ahern (pick 7, North Melbourne), Jarrod Pickett (pick 4, Carlton) and Caleb Marchbank (pick 6, Carlton).

COLLINGWOOD

GWS: Taylor Adams, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Adam Treloar

Gold Coast: Henry Schade

ESSENDON

GWS: James Stewart

Gold Coast: —

FREMANTLE

GWS: Cam McCarthy

Gold Coast: Harley Bennell

GEELONG

GWS: —

Gold Coast: Zac Smith

HAWTHORN

GWS: Jono O’Rourke

Gold Coast: Jaeger O’Meara

MELBOURNE

GWS: Tom Bugg, Sam Frost, Pat McKenna, Dom Tyson

Gold Coast: —

Dom Tyson played 13 games for GWS before moving to Melbourne.

NORTH MELBOURNE

GWS: Paul Ahern

Gold Coast:

PORT ADELAIDE

GWS: Jack Hombsch

Gold Coast: Charlie Dixon, Nathan Krakouer

RICHMOND

GWS: Anthony Miles, Jacob Townsend

Gold Coast: Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy

Dion Prestia joined Richmond in the 2016 trade period.

Josh Bruce was a defender at the Giants before St Kilda turned him into a star full-forward.

ST KILDA

GWS: Josh Bruce, Jack Steele

Gold Coast: Tom Hickey, Mav Weller

SYDNEY

GWS: Shaun Edwards

Gold Coast: —

WESTERN BULLDOGS

GWS: Tom Boyd

Gold Coast: —

Tom Boyd celebrates a goal for the Giants Picture: Phil Hillyard

Boyd in celebration mode again for the Bulldogs on Grand Final day. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

WEST COAST

GWS: Jon Giles

Gold Coast: —

Gold Coast — Round 2, 2011

B: Seb Tape, Nathan Bock, Campbell Brown

HB: Jarrod Harbrow, Karmichael Hunt, Nathan Krakouer

C: Trent McKenzie, Daniel Harris, Michael Rischitelli

HF: Daniel Stanley, Charlie Dixon, Alik Magin

F: Jared Brennan, Zac Smith, Brandon Matera

Fall: Josh Fraser, David Swallow, Gary Ablett

I/C: Marc Lock, Josh Toy, Harley Bennell, Dion Prestia

Emg: Mav Weller, Michael Coad, Daniel Gorringe

GWS Giants — Round 1, 2012

B: Tomas Bugg, Phil Davis, Adam Kennedy

HB: Jack Hombsch, Tim Mohr, Will Hoskin-Elliott

C: Rhys Palmer, Callan Ward, Chad Cornes

HF: Nathan Wilson, Israel Folau, Stephen Coniglio

F: Curtly Hampton, Jeremy Cameron, Devon Smith

Fall: Jon Giles, Dylan Shiel, James McDonald

I/C: Jacob Townsend, Toby Greene, Adam Tomlinson, Dom Tyson

Emg: Steve Clifton, Tom Downie, Sam Reid