Trade to haunt Hawthorn with highly-touted Noah Anderson ineligible as a father-son pick

Hawthorn’s desire to find a replacement for ageing star Dermott Brereton 25 years ago will come back to haunt them at this year’s national draft.

Noah Anderson, son of Hawthorn 1989 flag hero Dean Anderson. Picture: AFL Photos

Hawthorn’s desire to find a replacement for ageing star Dermott Brereton 25 years ago has cost them father-son rights to Dean Anderson’s brilliant son Noah.

Anderson, the St Kilda football director, played 83 games for Hawthorn before being traded to St Kilda (67 games) but needed to have played 100 games at either club for father-son status.

Oakleigh midfielder Noah Anderson this week firmed as one of the top two picks in the draft with a stunning four-goal, 26-possession game — and 200-ranking points — in Round 1 of the AFL’s under-18 competition.

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Anderson still admits he carries the scars of the dramatic Hawthorn trade after playing in two premierships with the club, including four goals in the legendary 1989 Grand Final.

“It was unusual. I was playing regularly in the seniors and four years in a row I had been thereabouts in the top 10 of the best-and-fairest but we were a good team and most of our midfielders were state players,” he said.

“We had a dearth of top-end talls with Chris Mew and Derm ageing and that was the genesis of it. We were rich in some areas and poor in some others.”

Noah Anderson is firming as a top-two draft selection this year. Picture: AFL Photos

The Hawks traded Anderson and Chris Witttman for the pick used to secure St Kilda tall Tim Allan, who would play only 11 games at Hawthorn before moving to Geelong.

“I was very invested in the club with the premierships and seven seasons there, it was tough. It was difficult and unexpected,” he said.

“It didn’t work out well and with a few things that went on afterwards, the spirit got sucked out of the place really quickly.

“I enjoyed St Kilda and met great people there. But part of my footy died when it happened. I gave everything at St Kilda but I was never the same player.”

Dean Anderson (second from left) with Hawthorn teammates John Platten, Jason Dunstall and Andy Collins.

Brereton and Anderson remain firm friends, the five-time premiership star interrupting his golf game on Thursday to confirm his ageing body was the catalyst for Hawthorn’s direction at the time.

As for his son, Anderson has already made clear that his status as St Kilda’s football director will have no impact on future recruiting decisions.

“I don’t want to jeopardise his opportunities so that’s all declared,” he said.

“(Father-son) eligibility was only 50 games when I left. I did consider the father-son thing at the time, and I could have stayed,” he said.

“I wasn’t sacked but I was shown that hand and St Kilda were going OK at the time so I chose to leave.”