Hawthorn’s rivals will have to step up in trade, free agency, writes Jon Ralph

BRAD Scott, Damien Hardwick, Ross Lyon and John Longmire might have watched Saturday’s Grand Final with a feeling of despair, writes Jon Ralph.

BRAD Scott, Damien Hardwick, Ross Lyon and John Longmire might have watched Saturday’s Grand Final with a sinking feeling of despair.

Hawthorn’s chief rivals have thrown so much at Hawthorn these past few years and yet almost nothing has stuck.

So their best tactic was to outlast Hawthorn and hope one day Sam Mitchell and co. progressed to a walking frame and gave the other teams a chance.

Good luck with that, boys.

Hawthorn’s four oldest players were in their best eight despite stifling heat and four gruelling weeks of finals, with Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge and Shaun Burgoyne all contracted for next year.

Even the bloke they want to pension off — Brian Lake — took five contested marks, the most for a Hawthorn player in a final in 17 seasons of Champion Data history.

The message is loud and clear — if you want to come and get Hawthorn you better come out with all guns blazing.

On Monday week a trade period that has effectively been going for weeks officially starts and runs until Thursday October 22.

Those teams — North Melbourne, Richmond, Fremantle, Sydney and anyone else who believes they are a contender — haven’t got a day to waste.

James Frawley wins his first premiership in his first year with Hawthorn.

What is increasingly clear is they need to make major acquisitions to their lists if they are to stop a rampant Hawthorn coasting to an extraordinary four-peat.

Geelong has until this Friday’s free agency kick-off to workshop a deal with Adelaide for Dangerfield, their must-have off-season acquisition.

Officially the Cats can offer him a free agency deal from this Friday to Sunday October 18, but the clubs could instead broker a pure trade from next Monday on.

The Cats believe Adelaide won’t match their bid, but if they do have to give up picks and players it would still be worth whatever the cost is.

Richmond is now out of the race for Harley Bennell, as the Herald Sun’s Jay Clark reported exclusively.

But after overlooking him and missing out on GWS star Adam Treloar and Port Adelaide smooth mover Hamish Hartlett, what is plan D for the Tigers?

Fremantle hopes to pry Cam McCarthy out of GWS. Picture: Phil Hillyard

One club insider said last week the chatter between clubs about star players still contracted is mind-blowing, with Tom Boyd/Ryan Griffen-style bombshells still yet to come.

Does Richmond list manager Blair Hartley have an open cheque book to chase and drag down a big name Cyril Rioli-style?

Ross Lyon still wants GWS tall Cam McCarthy and bad boy Bennell, despite triggering an internal recruiting review when the Colin Sylvia trade went pear-shaped.

Secure both of those and they are in the mix again, regardless of Matt Pavlich’s intentions.

The Western Bulldogs have the game to win finals but need a ruckmen to allow Jordan Roughead to play back, or a key defender to allow him to play ruck.

Adelaide has known for weeks or even as much as a year that it has a Patrick Dangerfield-sized hole in its salary cap, so what surprises does it have in store?

Does West Coast ruckman Callum Sinclair’s stinker against Hawthorn dissuade Sydney from its interest in a Lewis Jetta swap for him.

And the biggest one?

Is Hawthorn crying poor about its lack of salary cap and draft selections or will it trump its rivals on a star as it did with James Frawley a year to this day last year.

The season is over but the next 17 days might just shape Hawthorn’s remarkable tilt at history.

Originally published as Hawthorn’s rivals will have to step up in trade, free agency, writes Jon Ralph