AFL trade period live: Ben McKay signs with Essendon, North get pick three

The AFL world has been left seeing red after North Melbourne pulled off the compensation heist of the decade for a wantaway star.

Kane Cornes and Collingwood's Jack Ginnivan.

Day two of the AFL Trade Period has been slightly less busy than the opening day but there have been plenty of questions asked around the draft compensation for Ben McKay.

Demons premiership midfielder James Harmes moved to the Western Bulldogs late in the day but McKay’s move from North Melbourne to Essendon had the AFL talking after the Kangaroos were handed the third pick in the draft as compensation.

It now means the Kangaroos currently have picks 2, 3, 15 and 21.

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North had stated they wouldn’t let McKay go unless they received pick three as compensation.

On Tuesday the AFL confirmed the club was receiving pick three for the defender who will now join Essendon, signing with the Bombers on a six-year deal after eight years at Arden Street.

The decision didn’t go down well.

Speaking on Fox Sports’ Trading Day, Dermott Brereton said it was all well and good for McKay to make the deal, it left a sour taste in the mouth.

“Nothing against the kid (McKay) but if you actually look at the fairness of the competition, even in his own draft year, I’ve listed five key position backs who were miles ahead of him,” Brereton said.

McKay was selected No. 21 in the 2015 Draft, a class which had the likes of defenders Carlton’s Jacob Weitering, Sydney’s Aaron Francis, Richmond’s Daniel Rioli and Tom Doedee, who was traded from Adelaide to Brisbane on day one.

Brereton continued: “He’s entering the sweet spot now as a 25-year-old … But do you see enough to suggest he should be earning this much money?

“He ain’t worth a pick 3. This is all done on faith.

“North Melbourne are getting overs for what they’re letting walk out the door – massive overs.

“You say, did they deserve that (pick 3) if they are letting somebody not worth this walk out the door … and they receive pick 3 for it, that is unfair to all the other teams that precede after (in the draft order).

“This is glaring (as a flaw).”

Ben McKay will have a target on his back. Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

He added it’s “massive overs” and that it’s “unfair” for letting a player who's not worth a pick 3 to earn a pick 3 as compensation.

Commentator Anthony Hudson said Essendon had “played the system” to offer a deal big enough to ensure North landed pick 3, but Brad Johnson argued the deal put a target on McKay’s head.

“We talk about the deal and the clubs here, but the player – the player himself hasn’t won too many games of footy, hasn’t achieved too much in the game so far – all of a sudden six-year deal, prized recruit at Essendon,” he said.

“He’d want to turn heads day one now that he’s walking through those doors.

“That’s what the Essendon faithful are looking for.”

The decision to award the third pick to North Melbourne didn’t sit well with footy fans, with one fan on social media calling it a “joke of a system”.

My god https://t.co/u0G5AJTqAY

— Will Schofield (@WillSchofield) October 9, 2023

One X user wrote: “North getting pick 3 as compensation for voluntarily not retaining Ben McKay is hands down the most ridiculous, absurd, incomprehensibly dumb thing I have ever seen happen in any sporting league ever.”

Another added: “A disgrace that the system can allow this. Bloke ain’t worth an end of first round pick ordinarily.”

A third labelled the decision “beyond cooked”.

McKay is on his way for a massive coup in return. Photo by Michael Klein.

SEN’s Nic Negrepontis suggested a cap on the compensation available in order to “save the system from being a farce”.

“The best pick a team should receive as free agency compensation is ~Pick 20,” Negrepontis mused.

“That simple cap would save the system from being a farce. Should’ve happened after the James Frawley one.”

North are expected to stack their draft hand further in pursuit of ultimately landing vaunted prospect Harley Reid, who is expected to go number one in the draft.

West Coast currently hold the top pick, but have been reported to be open to trading the pick for the right combination, being keen on young Claremont utility Daniel Curtin.

The club’s list manager Rohan O’Brien said last week it would take “something pretty special” for the club to trade away the pick.

On day one, Todd Goldstein became a Bomber through free agency on a one-year deal, while Port Adelaide winger Xavier Duursma requested a trade to Tullamarine.

The Western Bulldogs completed a swap with Gold Coast that landed them the fourth pick in the upcoming draft – the Suns acquired picks 10, 17 and a future first-rounder for pick 4, 46, 51 and a future third-rounder.

3.30pm - Premiership Demon traded to Dogs

Demons midfielder James Harmes has been traded to the Western Bulldogs for a future third round draft pick.

Harmes had several clubs interested but went to the Dogs, heading the to the club with a year left on his deal.

The 28-year-old had played 152 games for the Demons since being selected as the No. 2 pick in the 2014 rookie draft, adding nine senior games in 2023.

He was a member of the club’s 2021 premiership side.

1pm - Pies offer to Schultz revealed

Collingwood has put a four-year offer on the table for Fremantle's Lachie Schultz.

The contract offer includes a trigger for a fifth season as the club looks to lure the Dockers forward away.

The deal was first reported by AFL Media’s Callum Twomey, though the Magpies still crucially need to broker a trade for the small forward, who’s contracted at the Dockers for next season.

The 25-year old sent shockwaves through the club when he asked to be traded to the Magpies to return to Victoria for family reasons.

But as Twomey noted, the price to acquire the goalkicker will be “high” and it could hinge on Collingwood getting Pick 25 from the Swans for Taylor Adams to add to the premiers’ picks 19 and 38.

Schultz wants to return home. (Photo by Martin Keep/Getty Images)

11.30am - AFL fans blow up over North compensation

North Melbourne requested it and the AFL have delivered.

The Kangaroos stated they wouldn’t let star defender Ben McKay go unless they received pick three as compensation.

On Tuesday the AFL confirmed the club was receiving pick three for the defender who will now join Essendon, signing with the Bombers after eight years at Arden Street.

The Kangaroos now hold picks two, three, 15 and 21 in the upcoming draft, on top of the AFL’s assistance package delivered to the club earlier this year.

The decision to award the third pick to North Melbourne didn’t sit well with footy fans, with one fan on social media calling it a “joke of a system”.

My god https://t.co/u0G5AJTqAY

— Will Schofield (@WillSchofield) October 9, 2023

One X user wrote: “North getting pick 3 as compensation for voluntarily not retaining Ben McKay is hands down the most ridiculous, absurd, incomprehensibly dumb thing I have ever seen happen in any sporting league ever.”

Another added: “A disgrace that the system can allow this. Bloke ain’t worth an end of first round pick ordinarily.”

A third labelled the decision “beyond cooked”.

SEN’s Nic Negrepontis suggested a cap on the compensation available in order to “save the system from being a farce”.

“The best pick a team should receive as free agency compensation is ~Pick 20,” Negrepontis mused.

“That simple cap would save the system from being a farce. Should’ve happened after the James Frawley one.”

McKay is on his way for a massive coup in return. Photo by Michael Klein.

North are expected to stack their draft hand further in pursuit of ultimately landing vaunted prospect Harley Reid, who is expected to go number one in the draft.

West Coast currently hold the top pick, but have been reported to be open to trading the pick for the right combination, being keen on young Claremont utility Daniel Curtin.

The club’s list manager Rohan O’Brien said last week it would take “something pretty special” for the club to trade away the pick.

“Obviously having Pick 1 is a good opportunity, so we’ll see what unfolds through the trade period,” O’Brien said on SEN WA Breakfast.

“To be honest, it feels like we’re likely to keep it unless something pretty special comes along.”

10:30am – Cornes calls for clubs to poach Ginnivan

Kane Cornes has called on clubs to pick up fringe Collingwood cult forward Jack Ginnivan, as the trade period continues to heat up.

The calls come as star Fremantle forward Lachie Schultz joined the production line of young Dockers that are on the search for pastures greener, reportedly requesting a trade to his native Victoria, and specifically to the newly-crowned premiers.

Ginnivan is out of contract at the end of next year, as is Schultz.

Cornes rates the young Pie, and says his best football lies elsewhere.

“There’s a lot of knockers on Ginnivan, and I understand why, but he is a small forward who kicked 40 goals in his second year,” Cornes said on AFL Trade Radio alongside Brad Johnson.

“And if you look through the list of small forwards who kicked 40 plus goals (this season), there is a small handful.

“This year, Charlie Cameron, 59, he’s the league’s best small forward I think right now, Luke Bruest kicked 47, and Jamie Elliott kicked 39.

Ginnivan could be pushed out this trade period. Picture by Michael Klein

“There’s two small forwards this year that kicked 40 plus, and you’ve got Jack Ginnivan sitting there, who’s 21 years of age, sitting there and waiting to be presented with an opportunity that is compelling.

“His best football, I don’t think is going to be played in that Collingwood side, he’s going to be a good depth player, he’s going to be in and out like he was this year, particularly with Schultz coming in, and he’s 21 years of age, and kicked 40 goals!

“Someone who needs a small forward, go and get him!”

Johnson added that Ginnivan, who has earned cult status with his bubbly personality and bagful of goals in a breakout performance on Anzac Day in 2022, was only going to improve on the early promise he’s shown.

“You can see that his game is going to evolve,” Johnson said.

“We know that there’s parts of his game that needs straightening up, but he’s 21, that’s going to happen.

“When he’s 25, we’re hopefully talking about a different Jack Ginnivan that’s a solid, strong, competitive player that’s still kicking his 40 to 50 goals every year.

“If he can do that consistently he ends up kicking a lot of goals across his career.”

Schultz wants to return home. (Photo by Martin Keep/Getty Images)

Fremantle confirmed in a statement earlier this week that Schultz had requested a trade, but that he was a required player.

“Fremantle can confirm Lachie Schultz has today inquired about the possibility of returning to Victoria for family reasons,” the statement said.

“Schultz is a required player who still has a year to run on his contract.”

Ginnivan looms as the big loser if Schultz moves to the Magpies and he could find even himself on the trade table.

“I think the fallout will reflect upon Jack Ginnivan,” journalist Jon Ralph said earlier in the week on Fox Footy’s Trading Day.

“He’s a contracted player but with a list that has Bobby Hill, Beau McCreery, Jamie Elliott and then Schultz in front of him … A big decision ahead.

“A big name there (Schultz) that I think would fit perfectly.”

Former Hawthorn sharpshooter Ben Dixon said Schultz would slot in ahead of Ginnivan in the pecking order at Collingwood.

“The good teams just need to top up that little bit more to get the edge on the competition,” he said.

“Put a Schultz in that forward line, it’s pretty damaging.”