By Peter Ryan, Michael Gleeson, Marc McGowan and Jake Niall
Collingwood have gone all in on winning next year’s flag after securing Port Adelaide’s dual All-Australian Dan Houston under premiership coach Craig McRae’s “players, not picks” philosophy.
The Magpies struck a deal with Port Adelaide and Gold Coast on Tuesday after a preliminary deal was shelved on Monday night when Port refused to sign off on it.
Port Adelaide’s Dan Houston (second from left) will be in Collingwood’s black and white next season. Credit: AFL Photos
Under the revised agreement, the Magpies – under the direction of first-year list manager Justin Leppitsch – landed defenders Houston and free agent Harry Perryman and handed over their future first-round selection and pick 36.
They remain without a pick until selection No.52 in this year’s national draft, which recruiters rate as a strong one. That pick 52 will come up the draft board to be somewhere in the 40s after father-son and academy bids absorb other clubs’ picks.
The Magpies also traded out their future first pick for Lachie Schultz during last year’s trade period. They are likely to have access to father-son prospect Tom McGuane at the end of 2025, however, and are considering bringing in Tim Membrey – who is yet to re-sign with St Kilda – as well as delisted Saint Jack Hayes to the club. They re-signed veterans Scott Pendlebury, Jeremy Howe and Steele Sidebottom for 2025.
John Noble wants a trade from Collingwood to the Suns. Credit: AFL Photos
The decisions are consistent with the direction McRae forecast last month in a radio interview: “I don’t want picks, I want players,” McRae told SEN.
In the rejigged three-club deal finalised mid-afternoon on Tuesday, Collingwood received Houston and pick 58, Gold Coast received Collingwood’s and Port Adelaide’s future first-round picks, pick 39 and former Magpie John Noble.
Port Adelaide received picks 13, 29, 36 and 50, as well as three players – former Suns Jack Lukosius and Rory Atkins, and Collingwood forward Joe Richards.
There had been no change in the make-up of the deal from the previous night. Having initially walked from what had been poised to be agreed upon the Power explored whether they could get a better deal from North Melbourne, or squeeze more out of Collingwood or Gold Coast, but eventually realised this deal was the best they could get and came back to agree terms.
Atkins had a year remaining on his deal with the Suns but was traded to remove his salary from their books as Gold Coast prepare to land Richmond best and fairest Dan Rioli in exchange for picks six and 23.
Collingwood’s arch-rivals Carlton went in the opposite direction as they convinced West Coast to trade pick three for the Blues’ picks 12 and 14 as well as small forward Matt Owies.
Eagles CEO Don Pyke defended the trade on the basis that it allowed West Coast to secure Liam Baker after making a commitment to trade him in, with Pyke saying they expected to still land a good player with pick 12.
Carlton list manager Nick Austin was rapt to have a top-three selection, which could see them draft the Oakleigh Chargers’ Finn O’Sullivan if he is still available at that pick.
The club turned pick 12 and a first- and second-round future pick into that selection after trading with the Hawks.
Carlton’s Matt Owies and Richmond’s Liam Baker will both play with the Eagles in 2025 Credit: The Age
Hawthorn are expected to offer a future selection in the first- and second- rounds attached to the Blues or the Hawks as part of a deal for the Eagles’ Tom Barrass, while the Dockers have picks 10 and 18 on offer to Richmond for Shai Bolton.
If the Bolton and Rioli trades proceed as expected, the Tigers will finish the trade period with picks 1, 6, 10, 14, 20, 23 and 24 for second-year coach Adem Yze to develop after losing premiership Tigers Bolton, Baker and Rioli.
Smith deal to go to wire
The move of Bulldog midfielder Bailey Smith to Geelong is expected to go down to the wire on the final day of trade period. Geelong formally offered pick 17 for Smith to the Bulldogs last week, and the two clubs have been discussing the trade this week as the Bulldogs hope to gain a return that is roughly the equivalent of pick 10 for the 23-year-old. If a trade cannot be finalised by the deadline, Smith could enter the national draft and the Bulldogs would get nothing for losing the player.
Wanting a new home: Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith is planning on joining GeelongCredit: AFL Photos
The Bulldogs have expressed interest in Carlton’s Matt Kennedy and contracted Giant Xavier O’Halloran, and are in discussions with St Kilda, which is looking to add three-time All-Australian Jack Macrae to their list for pick 47.
North Melbourne remain interested in Bulldogs best-and-fairest winner Caleb Daniel with the player open to a move ahead of the trade deadline.
Melbourne are keen to secure hard running Lion Harry SharpCredit: Getty
The Kangaroos floated pick 25 in return for Daniel and pick 48 earlier in the trade period as they looked to zero in on the Bombers pick nine, which was eventually traded to Melbourne.
Pick 25 could be the basis of a deal for the defender who is contracted until 2026.
A Sharp deal for Demons
Brisbane running machine Harry Sharp was traded to Melbourne late on Tuesday for pick 49 and an exchange of future third-round selections, with the Lions receiving a future pick tied to Essendon and the Demons receiving the Lions’ future third-round pick.
The Lions had initially rejected the Demons’ pick 49 offer before Melbourne traded a suite of picks to Essendon for the in-demand No.9 selection. Brisbane would have accepted pick 40, but Melbourne traded it to the Bombers.
Sharp projects as now Crow Alex Neal-Bullen’s replacement on the Dees’ half-forward line, but the Lions did a pick swap with St Kilda on Tuesday in a signal they were willing to keep him.
Eventually, however, they came to an agreement with Sharp – who set the draft combine’s two-kilometre time trial record in 2020 – joining Melbourne on a three-year deal. The 21-year-old played 16 games for the Lions and was an emergency in the grand final.
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