Jeremy Finlayson is headed to Port Adelaide from GWS, while former Saint Luke Dunstan has joined Melbourne.
Day three produced the most action of the 2021 AFL trade period to date, with two players finding new homes and a whole swag of draft picks changing hands.
Resurgent but out-of-favour St Kilda midfielder Luke Dunstan joined Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent on a reported two-year deal, while GWS forward Jeremy Finlayson crossed to Port Adelaide on a three-year contract in exchange for the Power’s future third-round pick.
And late in the piece, a four-club mega pick swap took place with the Saints receiving picks 62 and 66, as well as a future fourth-round pick, from Adelaide; the Crows acquiring pick 33 and a future first-round selection from the Demons as well as pick 75 from the Western Bulldogs; the Dogs obtaining picks 23 and 44 from the Crows on top of pick 45 from Melbourne; and the Demons snaring pick 17 from the Dogs, pick 37 from Adelaide and pick 49 from the Saints.
Not only does that trade help the Bulldogs stockpile points to match a potential bid on father-son prospect Sam Darcy, but it would also appear to help Adelaide’s cause to acquire Sydney’s Jordan Dawson as the Crows now have a future first-round pick to offer the Swans.
The Swans are adamant that only a first-round pick would suffice in any deal for Dawson and have stated they’re prepared to lose him for nothing by sending him to the pre-season draft.
While the Crows now don’t have any picks between four and 33 at this year’s draft, a 2022 selection could appease Sydney. The Crows have already ruled out giving them their prized first selection No.4 overall.
Dunstan had a peculiar year. After managing just one game in the first 10 rounds, he was recalled in round 11 and went on a career-best tear, gathering 11 Brownlow votes in his next six games and finishing the year with an average of 25 disposals per game.
Captain Jack Steele was the only Saint to finish ahead of Dunstan in this year’s Brownlow Medal count with 25 votes, while Steele and Brad Crouch were the only players at the club to average more touches than the new Demon. But his papers had been stamped at Moorabbin for some time by former coach Brett Ratten.
At 26, and with 116 games under his belt, Dunstan will add welcome grit and experience to the reigning premiers’ midfield depth with Nathan Jones and Aaron vandenBerg both no longer at the club.
Melbourne list manager Tim Lamb said Dunstan “fits the bill perfectly”.
“Luke is a proven performer at the highest level and finished this season in exceptional fashion,” he said. “We think Luke’s best football is ahead of him and just as importantly, Luke is a terrific cultural fit for our club.”
Finlayson heads to the Power on a three-year deal, and he will add more depth to their key forward stocks with Charlie Dixon, Mitch Georgiades and Todd Marshall already established members of their line-up.
The acquisition adds more intrigue to ruckman Peter Ladhams’ future. The 23-year-old is keen to leave Port Adelaide, despite having a year still to run on his contract, frustrated at being behind Scott Lycett in the ruck pecking order at the Power.
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And while Power footy boss Chris Davies remains optimistic that Ladhams will stay at Alberton, the increase in competition for big man spots courtesy of Finlayson’s arrival might only strengthen his desire for a change of scenery.
Sydney appears to be the most likely destination for Ladhams if he is to move, after Hawthorn pulled out of the race for his signature.
“It’s a massive club, been around for more than 150 years and I know how much the fans love it over here,” Finlayson told 5AA. “I’ve never really played at a big club like Port Adelaide, so if I get a chance to play in front of their fans at Adelaide Oval, it will be very exciting.”
The 25-year-old played 66 games and kicked 90 goals, including three bags of five, in seven seasons with the Giants.
Meanwhile, Hawthorn tall Tim O’Brien looks set to join the Bulldogs as a free agent, and Geelong list manager Stephen Wells remains confident that back-up ruckman Darcy Fort will remain at Kardinia Park next year.
But he admitted the Cats have inquired about Hawthorn’s Jonathon Ceglar in case Fort did end up at another club, with Brisbane seemingly the frontrunner for his services.
Ceglar has been told by the Hawks to actively pursue his options despite still having a year to run on his contract at Waverley Park.
Elsewhere, Gold Coast is reportedly closing in on a trade with Fremantle that will see Will Brodie and pick 19 end up in the Dockers’ grasp. The move could provide the key for the Jordan Clark deal as Freo could on-trade pick 19 to the Cats.
But Brodie’s teammate Darcy Macpherson looks set to rebuff a move to North Melbourne and remain with the Suns next year, according to Fox Footy.
There are still plenty of other players expected to switch clubs over the next week, with Fremantle’s Adam Cerra nominating Carlton as his preferred next club and North Melbourne veteran Robbie Tarrant set to join Richmond.
Jack Gunston, Sam Powell-Pepper, Mitch Wallis, Sam Petrevski-Seton, Jake Melksham, Mason Cox, Jarrod Brander, Callum Coleman-Jones, Trent Dumont, Patrick Lipinski, Lewis Young and Max Lynch are just some of the other players whose names have also been thrown up in trade discussions.
COMPLETED DEALS
1. Jake Kelly (Adelaide) joined Essendon as an unrestricted free agent. Adelaide received pick 42 (AFL) as compensation.
2. Mabior Chol (Richmond) joined Gold Coast as an unrestricted free agent. Richmond received pick 38 (AFL) as compensation.
3. George Hewett (Sydney) joined Carlton as a restricted free agent. Sydney received pick 39 (AFL) as compensation.
4. Collingwood traded a future second-round pick, a future third-round pick and a future fourth-round pick to Gold Coast in exchange for picks 22, 46, 58, 79 and a future fourth-round pick.
5. Geelong traded Nathan Kreuger and pick 55 to Collingwood in exchange for pick 41.
6. GWS traded Jeremy Finlayson to Port Adelaide in exchange for a future third-round pick.
7. Luke Dunstan (St Kilda) joined Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent. St Kilda’s compensation TBC.
8. St Kilda received pick 62 (Adelaide), pick 66 (Adelaide) and future fourth-round pick (Adelaide); Adelaide received pick 33 (Melbourne), future first-round pick (Melbourne) and pick 75 (Western Bulldogs); Western Bulldogs received pick 23 (Adelaide), pick 44 (Adelaide) and pick 45 (Melbourne); Melbourne received pick 17 (Western Bulldogs), pick 37 (Adelaide) and pick 49 (St Kilda).
