The biggest stories of the 2019 AFL trade period
The trade period is over with some massive moves and huge list shake-ups, including in Adelaide where the Crows are set for a “steep fall”.
The AFL’s silly season has come and gone and despite days going by with nothing happening, the end of the trade period saw a flurry of moves.
There were some clear winners, led by St Kilda who took the cake by landing five targets.
There was also an awkward aftermath for Joe Daniher, whose attempt to move to Sydney dragged on through the period but fell over at the final hurdle.
ADELAIDE FIRE SALE
After the departure of coach Don Pyke, the stepping down of skipper Tayor Walker and the sacking of footy boss Brett Burton and senior assistant Scott Camporeale, the Crows cleared six veterans as they look to embark on a new era under new coach Matthew Nicks.
Eddie Betts (Carlton), Alex Keath (Western Bulldogs), Josh Jenkins (Geelong), Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast), Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Brisbane) and Sam Jacobs (GWS) are all now ex-Adelaide players and it spells danger for Nicks’ first year in the eyes of ex-Port Adelaide player Kane Cornes.
“I’ve supported their decision to have a list turnover,” Cornes told AFL Trade Radio. “They’ve given this list every opportunity to bounce back from 2017 and what happened there (a grand final defeat against Richmond) and they haven’t been able to do it in two years.
“The players that have left — are they really going to hurt? Probably not. Keath’s the only one that will.
“That’s fine and it’s fine to go to the draft but what you need as a new coach coming in is some players ...
“It could be a really ugly year for Adelaide next year. You lose Greenwood, Keath, Jenkins, Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Jacobs and Betts and you replace them with Billy Frampton and a couple of draft picks?
“Good luck competing next year. I see a steep fall down for Adelaide just because the depth won’t be there, particularly if they’re challenged by injury.”
DANIHER ‘DEBACLE’ KILLS BLOCKBUSTER MOVES
The Daniher non-trade will have a lasting effect for the Bombers, Swans and Blues.
Essendon was adamant it wouldn’t let Daniher go to Sydney cheaply and didn’t blink as the deadline passed.
The Bombers now have some fences to mend with their star forward, who was equally adamant he wanted to leave.
It also meant the Swans weren’t willing to let Tom Papley go to the Blues, as Carlton and Papley hoped, with the team unwilling to get stuck with another pick they didn’t necessarily want.
But the AFL world feels like it may be a bit awkward at Essendon
“It’s awkward, there will be nervous times when he goes back to the club,” Kane Cornes told AFL Trade Radio.
This #AFLTrade period has turned into a debacle … for several clubs. The Joe Daniher deal is apparently off the table while Sydney and Carlton have been left in limbo on other key trades. Latest here: https://t.co/tlMHRHCC3o
— Daniel Sankey (@Daniel_Sankey) October 16, 2019
Bombers list manager Adrian Dodoro said pick 5 was never on the table. He admitted it was pick 9 and a future pick.
“I spoke to Joe about an hour ago, obviously a bit disappointed but as you know with Joey, he’s a resilient young man and actually through this whole period we’ve grown to respect him a hell of a lot more for the person he is,” Dodoro said.
“He’s going to be disppointed as we speak but knowing him and his character, he’s going to come out a better stronger person. We absolutely love him and we think he’ll have a great season next year.”
Sydney Head of Football Charlie Gardiner said the Bombers were looking for a player.
“Essendon were really clear from the outset that they wanted a player who could replace Joe,” he said. “He’s a terrific player and a contracted player. We knew entering the negotiation that it wasn’t going to be straight forward because Joe is contracted and we respect that.
“Essendon were clear that they would like a player and we weren’t able to add a player that was of interest to them.”
Carlton was the collateral damage, stranded with two massive deals going by the wayside.
The Blues wanted to grab Swans forward Tom Papley and Suns star Jack Martin but neither deal eventuated.
It means Carlton nabbed Eddie Betts and back-up ruckman Marc Pittonet for the trade period.
Blues list boss Stephen Silvagni said there was still hope to get Martin in the pre-season draft.
“We thought we put a reasonable offer to the Gold Coast which wasn’t accepted. Obviously Jack is an uncontracted player so we still have an avenue to get him either in the national draft or the pre-season draft,” Silvagni said.
“We have the option to be able to do that. Whether he arrives at our club or not, time will tell. We still feel as though we are in a strong position.
“Obviously with Tom he is a contracted player and we worked really hard to get a deal done there. We always knew it was going to be difficult, a lot relied on the (Joe) Daniher deal to go through.
“Obviously (it is) disappointing. We were really respectful towards Sydney in that he is a contracted player. It didn’t work out but we have got to move forward.”
No not a good trade period...but of a shame. Loving Eddie at home too 💙
— Shelley Ware (@ShelleyWare) October 16, 2019
ST KILDA’S MASSIVE SHAKE-UP
St Kilda got Brad Hill, Paddy Ryder, Dougal Howard, Dan Butler and Zak Jones — all five of their targets — while losing Jack Steven, Blake Acres and Josh Bruce.
St Kilda great Leigh Montagna said the Saints needed to “shake up their list a little bit”.
“It’ll be a new-look team,” he said. “(But) they absolutely won this trade period.”
With the likes of Dylan Roberton, Jarryn Geary and Dan Hannebery set to come back, the Saints have made plenty of changes.
The club was a popular choice as the winner of the trade period.
Bravo to St Kilda. Good ins from the #AFLTrades
— John Donegan (@John__Donegan) October 16, 2019
Saints land all five targets. Masterful performance. #AFLTrade
— Ashley Browne (@hashbrowne) October 16, 2019
St Kilda- Trade period premiers 2019. pic.twitter.com/vRyCN1nyDW
— Shane McInnes (@shanemcinnes) October 16, 2019
🆠| 2019 PREMIERS (by month)
— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) October 16, 2019
February — Team Rampage (AFLX) ðŸ†
March — Adelaide (AFLW) ðŸ†
September — Richmond (AFL) ðŸ†
October — St Kilda (Trade Period) ðŸ†
✅ Brad Hill
✅ Zak Jones
✅ Dougal Howard
✅ Paddy Ryder
✅ Dan Butler
HAWKS LAND ANOTHER STEAL
Hawthorn have now landed two former No.1 draft picks from GWS after Jonathon Patton joined Tom Scully at the club.
The Hawks gave up a future fourth-rounder for each — or the trade equivalent of a bag of chips and a can of soft drink.
But while the Giants shifted plenty of personnel, they team have cleared out about $1.5 million worth of salary cap space.
TIM KELLY TO EAGLES
A year after West Coast and Geelong failed to strike a deal for Kelly, the clubs moved quickly.
The Cats got picks 14, 24 and 37 in this year’s draft and the Eagles’ first-round pick in the 2020 draft in return for Kelly.
ALL DEALS OF THE 2019 TRADE PERIOD
SATURDAY OCTOBER 5
— Richmond declines to match Gold Coast’s offer for restricted free agent Brandon Ellis. Ellis joins the Suns. Richmond receives a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time of the move, pick 39).
— Brisbane signs Adelaide unrestricted free agent Cam Ellis-Yolmen. Adelaide receives a third-round draft pick as compensation (at the time of the move, pick 47).
MONDAY OCTOBER 7
— Melbourne signs GWS unrestricted free agent Adam Tomlinson. Giants receive a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time of the move, pick 40).
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9
THURSDAY OCTOBER 10
— Brisbane signs Hawthorn unrestricted free agent Grant Birchall.
— GWS and St Kilda complete a pick swap. Saints obtain picks 12 and 18. Giants obtain picks 6 and 59.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 11
— Melbourne obtains pick 50 and Hawthorn’s future second-round pick. Hawthorn obtains Sam Frost, picks 42 and 61 and Melbourne’s future fourth-round pick.
— Melbourne obtains Ed Langdon, pick 26 and Fremantle’s future fourth-round pick. Fremantle obtains picks 22 and 79 and Melbourne’s future second-round pick.
MONDAY OCTOBER 14
— Carlton obtains Eddie Betts. Adelaide obtains Carlton’s future fourth-round pick.
TUESDAY OCTOBER 15
— Hawthorn obtains Jon Patton. The Giants acquire Melbourne’s future fourth-round pick.
— GWS Giants grab Sam Jacobs. Adelaide gets Melbourne’s future fourth-round pick (via GWS).
— Adelaide obtains Billy Frampton. Port Adelaide obtains Melbourne’s future fourth-round pick (via Adelaide via GWS).
— Gold Coast obtains Hugh Greenwood. Adelaide obtains a future third-round pick and a future fourth-round pick.
— Collingwood obtains Darcy Cameron and pick 62. Sydney obtains pick 56.
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 16
— St Kilda obtain Brad Hill and a future third-round selection. Dockers receive picks 10 and 58 in the 2019 NAB AFL National Draft, a future second-round selection and future fourth-round selection, as well as Blake Acres.
— Brisbane Lions secured Callum Ah Chee in exchange for giving up a future second round pick and a future fourth round pick.
— Gold Coast Suns obtain Zac Smith. Geelong obtain pick 58.
— Geelong Cats obtain Jack Steven. St Kilda obtain pick 58.
— Sydney obtain Lewis Taylor from Brisbane Lions after pick swap with Carlton. Swans send picks 54 and 63 to Carlton for pick 48. The Swans then traded pick 48 for Taylor.
— Carlton obtains Marc Pittonet and Pick 61. Hawthorn obtains picks 54 and 63.
— Essendon obtains Andrew Phillips and picks 61 and 72. Carlton obtains picks 57 and 70.
— Western Bulldogs obtain Josh Bruce. St Kilda obtains picks 32 and 51.
— Western Bulldogs obtain Alex Keath and a future third-round pick. Adelaide obtains pick 45 and a future second-round pick.
— Essendon obtains Tom Cutler and pick 64. Brisbane obtains pick 72 and a future third-round pick.
— St Kilda obtains Zak Jones, pick 56 and a future fourth-round pick. Sydney obtains Picks 32 and 76 and a future fourth-round pick.
— St Kilda obtains Dan Butler. Richmond obtains pick 56.
— Geelong obtains Josh Jenkins and Gold Coast’s future third-round pick. Adelaide obtains pick 37.
— North Melbourne obtains Aiden Bonar and a future fourth-round pick. GWS obtains a future third-round pick.
— James Aish was traded to Fremantle alongside pick 69 and a future 3rd round. Collingwood get future second and fourth-round picks.
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