GWS midfielder Tanner Bruhn has returned to his native town of Geelong to play with the Cats. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
After a slow day of trading on Thursday, there were more crickets chirping on Friday with just one player switching clubs.
GWS youngster Tanner Bruhn, who looked about as happy as someone finding out they need a root canal when he was drafted by the Giants two years ago, has gone back home to Geelong.
In exchange, GWS received pick 18, which means they now have a staggering five picks in the top 20 of this year’s draft, having already got picks three, 12, 15 and 19.
With inspirational Geelong captain Joel Selwood retiring, 20-year-old Bruhn will look to grab a position for himself in the Cats’ vaunted engine room.
Although he has only gone past 20 disposals on two occasions from his 30 games at the Giants, Geelong will be banking on rapid improvement once they insert the former No.12 pick into their star-studded on-ball division and surround him with some of the best midfielders in the game.
“I’m excited to be joining the Cats and getting back home to Geelong and continuing the next chapter of my career,” Bruhn said.
“I’d like to thank the Giants, players, staff and supporters for my time at the club, I thoroughly enjoyed my two years and I wish everyone at the Giants every success.”
GWS football manager Jason McCartney said the club was excited to add to its stockpile of top picks for this year’s draft.
“It’s disappointing, particularly given the disruptions of the past two seasons, to lose Tanner back to Victoria only two years after drafting him,” McCartney said.
“But ultimately we’re pleased to add another top pick and we wish Tanner well in the future.”
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Meanwhile, an extremely lopsided pick swap look place as well with Geelong acquiring pick 25 from the Lions in exchange for picks 38, 48 and 55, a future second-round pick and a future fourth-round pick.
The Cats will be hoping to use pick 25 in a trade for promising Collingwood forward Oliver Henry, while the Lions continue to beef up their swag of picks as they look for a way to get a deal done for star Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley.
In this trade period so far, in addition to the haul they just raked in from the Cats, Brisbane have also obtained picks 21, 35, 36 and 56. They also have their “natural” pick No.34.
The stockpiling of picks will also help them match bids for father-son duo Will Ashcroft, who is destined to be the No.1 pick, and Jaspa Fletcher.
In other tidbits, Essendon are reportedly interested in recruiting out-of-contract Carlton midfielder Will Setterfield and Hawthorn sharpshooter Jack Gunston will now have to get to Brisbane via a trade after the free agency window closed on Friday.
PLAYER MOVEMENTS
**Pick 25 (BL) traded to Geelong in exchange for picks 38, 48 and 55, future second-round pick and future fourth-round pick.
14. Tanner Bruhn (GWS) traded to Geelong in exchange for pick 18.
13. Josh Corbett (GC) traded to Fremantle in exchange for future fourth-round pick.
12. Tom Berry (BL), pick 46 (BL) and future second-round pick (BL) traded to Gold Coast in exchange for picks 25, 36 and 56.
11. Ben Long (StK) and future fourth-round pick (StK) traded to Gold Coast in exchange for pick 32.
** Brisbane Lions traded pick 15 to GWS in exchange for pick 21 and future-second round pick.
9/10. Griffin Logue (Fre), Darcy Tucker (Fre) and future third-round pick (Fre) traded to North Melbourne in exchange for future second-round pick, future third-round pick and future fourth-round pick.
8. Zaine Cordy (WB) joined St Kilda as an unrestricted free agent.
** Melbourne traded picks 33, 43 and 53 to Port Adelaide in exchange for pick 27.
7. Liam Jones (Carl) joined Western Bulldogs as an unrestricted free agent. Carlton received pick 49 (AFL) as compensation.
6. Daniel McStay (BL) joined Collingwood as an unrestricted free agent. Brisbane Lions received pick 35 (AFL) as compensation.
5. Blake Acres (Fre) traded to Carlton in exchange for future third-round pick.
4. Jayden Hunt (Melb) joined West Coast as an unrestricted free agent. Melbourne received pick 52 (AFL) as compensation.
3. Tim Taranto (GWS) traded to Richmond in exchange for pick 12 and pick 19
2. Bobby Hill (GWS) and pick 40 (GWS) traded to Collingwood in exchange for pick 43 and future second-round pick
1. Karl Amon (PA) joined Hawthorn as an unrestricted free agent. Port Adelaide received pick 27 (AFL) as compensation.
*picks are as they are at time of trades
