The AFL Trade Period finally wrapped up on Friday, leaving us to pick up the pieces. Here’s how each club fared.
Adelaide
Acquired: Eddie Betts, James Podsiadly
Departed: Bernie Vince
Draft Picks: 23, 46, 82, 100
The Crows stumbled after their forward line lost Kurt Tippett to the Swans this time last year, then Taylor Walker to an early season injury. Betts should complement a healthy Taylor, who had emerged as one of the AFL’s premier forwards by the end of 2012, perfectly for a forward line expected to return to full effectiveness next season.
Brisbane
Acquired: Jackson Paine, Trent West
Departed: Sam Docherty, Billy Longer, Jared Polic, Patrick Karnezis, Elliot Yeo
Draft Picks: 7, 22, 25, 28, 33, 34, 63, 81
With guys lining up to get out of the door, it’s hard to praise the Lions’ off-season in the slightest. Among those were some interesting young prospects while the incoming duo of Paine, who has played less games than all of those that departed, and the below average Trent West does little to motivate the club’s support base. Brisbane’s heap of draft picks suggest the rebuild is only now getting underway.
Carlton
Acquired: Dale Thomas, Sam Docherty, Andrejs Everitt
Departed: Eddie Betts, Shaun Hampson
Draft Picks: 13, 39, 51, 69, 87, 105, 123
The reunion of Daisy and Mick is a cute storyline and both Docherty and Everitt may prove helpful with expanded roles, but where’s the key forward? A couple of makeshift options were out there. There is also the fact the Blues’ have a tough start to next season when they face four 2013 top eight sides multiple times.
Collingwood
Acquired: Jesse White, Taylor Adams, Patrick Karnezis
Departed: Heath Shaw, Dale Thomas
Draft Picks: 6,10, 67
After sending Darren Jolly and Alan Didak packing, Collingwood lost two quality pieces that had done their time at the Magpies and were set on playing elsewhere in 2014. The Pies will be interesting to watch- they have to quality draft picks, added some young, quality pieces and some additional firepower to place next to the often wayward Travis Cloke up front.
Essendon
Acquired: Paul Chapman, Shaun Edwards, Kurt Aylett
Departed: Stewart Crameri, Scott Gumbleton
Draft Picks: 26, 55, 66, 102
Other than Chapman in a new uniform, the additions aren’t much to get excited about. Both Edwards and Aylett are untested at senior level and Chapman- who missed the majority of last season- will be 32 by the 2014 rolls around. How much of a factor will losing forward options Crameri and Gumbleton be?
Fremantle
Acquired: Colin Sylvia, Scott Gumbleton
Departed: Viv Michie
Draft Picks: 17, 37, 58, 73, 91
If you had to pick at Fremantle’s makeup last season, it would be the forward line (although it dramatically improved over the back end of the year). Despite being a survivor of some 50-odd operations and reconstructions, Gumbleton has maintained his potential label. Whether he provides Freo with the big option they need is another question. Sylvia has the potential to thrive under Lyon, but could just as easily remain a middle of the pack, former third overall draft pick.
Geelong
Acquired: –
Departed: Paul Chapman, Josh Hunt, James Podsiadly, Trent West
Draft Picks: 16, 36, 41, 54, 64, 72, 84
Geelong were always looking to bring on the young talent in their VFL ranks or risk losing the kids. Chapman’s 20-touch, four-goal effort against Port in the semi-final wasn’t enough to secure the veteran a spot for a final season so he moves to even less of a premiership ‘contender’. The club is renowned for their ability to pick and develop talent so the loss of premiership experience shouldn’t be so hard to stomach.
Gold Coast
Acquired: –
Departed: –
Draft Picks: 5, 20, 27, 61, 79
The Suns seem content with their 2013 development and will head into next season with a relatively unchanged list and a couple of new toys to test out.
Greater Western Sydney
Acquired: Heath Shaw, Shane Mumford, Josh Hunt
Departed: Taylor Adams, Dom Tyson, Kurt Aylett, Shaun Edwards, Josh Bruce, Sam Darley
Draft Picks: 1, 2, 14, 29, 48, 76, 78
The three premiership players will added a bit of ‘know how’ to GWS’ upcoming roster while picks one and two (which they eventually decided to hang to) should consist of even more talent. There’s still a long way to go, but the Giants are making smart, calculated strides.
Hawthorn
Acquired: Ben McEvoy
Departed: Lance Franklin, Shane Savage, Xavier Ellis
Draft Picks: 24, 38, 56, 59, 74
Can the Hawks get by without Buddy? You’d think so considering he had a fairly poor season by his standards and Jarryd Roughead was actually the better of the two all season. McEvoy is a great addition to the ruck.
Melbourne
Acquired: Bernie Vince, Dom Tyson, Viv Michie
Departed: Colin Sylvia
Draft Picks: 9, 40, 57, 94
The Dees had to part with a bunch of quality draft picks, but landed three midfielders who will make a difference in 2014. A solid off-season for Melbourne.
North Melbourne
Acquired: Nick Dal Santo
Departed: Luke Delaney
Draft Picks: 8 (father-son Luke McDonald), 30, 47, 65, 77
Dal Santo’s career has stumbled a bit in the past two seasons, but he’s still a star and could help see North well into the eight after years of just missing out.
Port Adelaide
Acquired: Jared Polec, Matt White
Departed: –
Draft Picks: 21, 45, 52, 70
The Power are a little quicker and a bit more skilled and the two moves plus inside development should see the club build on a surprise season.
Richmond
Acquired: Shaun Hampson
Departed: Matt White
Draft Picks: 12, 50, 68, 86
Pretty quick trade period for the Tigers other than gifting Ivan Maric with a nice backup.
St Kilda
Acquired: Shane Savage, Luke Delaney, Billy Longer, Josh Bruce
Departed: Ben McEvoy, Nick Dal Santo
Draft Picks: 3, 18, 19, 95
The Saints had an awful 2013 and then went and gave away two All-Australian contenders with the plan to add some size to the defence and get the rebuilding show on the road.
Sydney
Acquired: Lance Franklin
Departed: Shane Mumford, Jesse White, Andrejs Everitt
Draft Picks: 15, 32, 44, 53, 71
Nabbing Buddy was genius, even if it only pays off for the half the period of his contract. The Swans could have added a couple more premierships by that time anyway. Stopping Franklin and Tippett will be a nightmare for opposition coaches. The losses of depth players White and Everitt, and possibly Lamb to come, may hurt a bit, but this team is stacked.
West Coast
Acquired: Xavier Ellis, Elliot Yeo
Departed: –
Draft Picks: 11, 31, 43, 49, 62
Yeo could end up being something while Ellis had fallen out of the Hawks’ top 22 a couple of seasons ago, but was added for no cost.
Western Bulldogs
Acquired: Stewart Crameri, Sam Darley
Departed: –
Draft Picks: 4, 42, 60, 96
Crameri will help the Dogs forward line, but pick four is the probably the prospect fans should get excited about.
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