Hun ranks every 2019 trade deal

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... 295368629f

"Every 2019 AFL trade deal ranked from 1-29

Who landed the biggest steals and who would have their time over 12 months on from the 2019 trade frenzy? Every trade rated including some surprising calls on last year’s biggest deals.
Al Paton, News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
Subscriber only
|
October 29, 2020 10:49am


Twenty-nine players swapped clubs in last year’s trade frenzy and there were lots of predictions and hot takes about who won and lost.

Twelve months on is a good time to re-evaluate those verdicts. Here’s how we rate every deal based on what the recruits delivered in their new colours and the value of the deal (a player who cost a third-round pick is ranked higher than a player with similar stats that cost a first-round selection).

Note that we’re only counting players who moved in the free agency and trade periods, so delisted free agents picked up later (like Jack Newnes) and the pre-season draft (Jack Martin) fall outside the scope of this list. Sorry, Blues.

1. Dan Butler from Richmond to St Kilda for pick 56

One of the great trade steals. Carlton also showed interest in the speedy goalkicker but the Saints did a deal on the final day of the trade period and reaped the benefits of the one of the more remarkable career turnarounds in recent memory. Butler lost his spot in Richmond’s team to Shai Bolton in 2019, kicking five goals in seven senior appearances. In 2020 only five players in the AFL kicked more goals. The Tigers used the pick to recruit the as-yet unsighted Bigoa Nyuon.

Watch the 2020 Toyota AFL Finals Series on Kayo with every game before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

2. Dougal Howard and Paddy Ryder from Port Adelaide to St Kilda

Full deal: Howard, Ryder, pick 10 and future fourth-round selection in exchange for picks 12 and 18 and future third-round pick

The Saints take out the quinella, no surprise when smart trading helped them jump from 14th to sixth on the ladder. Howard was a quiet achiever, holding down full-back and finishing third in the best-and-fairest, while Ryder almost won an elimination final off his own hands. Most of the live picks involved in the swap were on-traded in other deals, with Power recruit Miles Bergman (who is yet to debut) the only survivor.

3. Hugh Greenwood from Adelaide to Gold Coast for future third and fourth-round selections

A clear win for the Suns with Greenwood becoming a clearance beast after moving into the centre square full-time, boosting his SuperCoach average by more than 20 points a game. The move also sparked an entertaining Twitter war mid-season between Greenwood and Crows board member Mark Ricciuto.


4. Ed Langdon from Fremantle to Melbourne

Full deal: Langdon, pick 26 and future fourth-round pick in exchange for pick 22, 79 and a future second-round selection

The Demons had a mission to get specialist wingmen at the end of 2019 and Langdon delivered, playing 17 games and averaging 20 disposals to finish fourth in the best-and-fairest. That’s a big tick. The second-round pick the Dockers received last year ended up at the Crows who used it to recruit midfielder harry Schoenberg.

5. Zak Jones from Sydney to St Kilda

Full deal: Jones, pick 56 and future fourth-round pick for picks 32, 76 and future third-round pick

More success at the trade table for the Saints with Jones adding dash and a hard edge to the midfield over 16 games. The Swans used one of those picks in last year’s draft — on troubled youngster Elijah Taylor.

6. Marc Pittonet from Hawthorn to Carlton

Full deal: Pittonet and pick 61 for picks 54 and 63

Looked a recruiting masterstroke when first-choice ruckman Matthew Kreuzer went down injured one game into the season. Pittonet started in a blaze of glory with 14 disposals, 23 hitouts and 134 SuperCoach points. He couldn’t maintain the rage, but the 24-year-old played 13 games — after managing seven in four years as a Hawk — and is likely to be the Blues’ No.1 ruckman next year, partnering Tom De Koning. Hawthorn used one of those picks last year to recruit forward Josh Morris (four games).


7. Grant Birchall from Hawthorn to Brisbane (no free agent compensation)

An absolute steal based on a pure cost-benefit analysis. The four-time premiership Hawk didn’t set the world on fire stat-wise but if you said this time last year he would play 16 games and help steer the Lions to a preliminary final — for no cost — you would take it every day of the week. And he’s expected to play on next year. Another tick for Brisbane medicos.

8. Alex Keath from Adelaide to Western Bulldogs for pick 45 and future second-round pick

The key defender played 18 games and finished sixth in the Dogs’ best-and-fairest, so you can’t complain too much about that. But his disposal and mark numbers were well down on his past two seasons at the Crows as he was asked to play a key stopping role. If the Dogs can find a defensive gorilla it will free him up to use his intercepting skills. The Crows used pick 45 on Lachlan Gollant, one of their few rookies who didn’t get a look-in at AFL level in 2020.

9. Brandon Ellis from Richmond to Gold Coast (free agent — compensation pick 39)

You know what you are going to get with Ellis and he delivered exactly that, with his hard-running producing numbers almost identical to his past few seasons at Richmond. Finished fifth in the Suns’ best-and-fairest. The Tigers used the compo pick on untried youngster Noah Cumberland.

10. James Aish from Collingwood to Fremantle

Full deal: Aish, pick 69 and a future third-round pick for future second-round and future fourth-round picks

Aish’s decision to follow former Magpies assistant coach Justin Longmuir to the Dockers was a success, playing 16 games (his most since 2014) and averaging 16.6 disposals, slightly up on last year despite shorter games. One aim next season will be to kick a goal, something he hasn’t done since 2018.

11. Tim Kelly from Geelong to West Coast

Full deal: Kelly, a third-round pick and pick 52 in exchange for picks 14, 24, 37 and a future first-round selection

The biggest deal of 2019 is marked harshly because of the huge cost. Kelly didn’t turn the Eagles into a premiership team, as many predicted, in the first season of his five-year deal. He had a solid season, playing every game and averaging 20 disposals. That was down on his numbers as a Cat and while shorter games offer some explanation, one stat that jumps out is his five goals for the season after booting 24 in both 2018 and 2019. Geelong is looking like a clear winner from the deal, making the Grand Final and entering the post-season with an arsenal of high draft picks — one of which could deliver Jeremy Cameron.


12. Sam Frost from Melbourne to Hawthorn

Full deal: Frost, picks 42, 61 and future fourth-rounder for pick 50 and future second-rounder

Frost doesn’t feature in the best players too often but he was a solid member of the Hawks backline in 2019, finishing seventh in the best-and-fairest. Will have more responsibility next year following the retirement of James Frawley and with James Sicily out with a knee injury.

13. Callum Ah-Chee from Gold Coast to Brisbane Lions for future fourth-round selection

Another shrewd pick-up by the Lions, who haven’t had many trade misses of late. His disposal numbers were down from his final year at the Suns but he established himself in the best 22 of a top-four team, playing a career-high 18 games with the highlight his 11 intercepts against Carlton in Round 18.

14. Brad Hill for Blake Acres

Full deal: Hill, future third-round pick for Acres, pick 10, 58, future second-round and future fourth-round pick

The least successful of St Kilda’s five 2019 trades, which is something we didn’t think we’d be saying this time last year considering he was the most expensive of the Saints’ recruits. Had some brilliant moments but he won on average 10 fewer disposals a game than last year and missed the top 10 in the B&F. Acres had another injury-plagued year but finished the season in strong form.

15. Eddie Betts from Adelaide to Carlton for future fourth-round selection

Do you assess Eddie purely on his on-field performance? He played 15 games (tick), but his 13 goals was his lowest return in 16 AFL seasons. On the other side of the coin, he produced a matchwinning tackle against Geelong and brought smiles to plenty of Blues (and neutral) fans. And he didn’t cost much. Will go around again in 2021.


16. Darcy Cameron from Sydney to Collingwood

Full deal: Cameron and pick 62 for pick 56

Cameron was in and out of the Magpies’ side all year but finished with 10 games and played a key role in the Pies’ incredible elimination final win, taking the final centre bounce against Nic Naitanui. Still not entirely clear if Nathan Buckley will persist with three giants in Brodie Grundy, Mason Cox and Cameron in the same side in 2021. Cameron cost effectively nothing since both clubs passed on the draft picks they received in the deal.

17. Adam Tomlinson from GWS Giants to Melbourne (free agent — compensation pick 40)

The second part of Melbourne’s wingmen trade strategy didn’t match the returns of fellow recruit Ed Langdon. Tomlinson was dropped after Round 5 before returning in Round 10 to play the last nine games of the season. Will be hoping to boost his disposal average (12.5) in 2021, the second year of his four-year deal.

18. Josh Bruce from St Kilda to Western Bulldogs for picks 32 and 51

Bruce had a day out against North Melbourne in Round 5, kicking six goals, but not much else seemed to go right in his first season as a Dog. Played 17 games but finished with just 14 goals, down from 36 last season and 11 fewer than Dogs’ leading goalkicker Mitch Wallis. The Saints sent pick 32 to Sydney as part of the Zak Jones deal and used the later pick to select Ryan Barnes (one game).


19. Lewis Taylor from Brisbane Lions to Sydney for pick 48

Former Rising Star winner had fallen off the AFL radar at the Lions but made a reasonable fist of his second chance, playing nine games and booting six goals in his first season as a Swan, three of them coming against Essendon in Round 2.

20. Cam Ellis-Yolman from Adelaide to Brisbane (free agent — compensation pick 49)

Ellis-Yolmen’s finals series summed up his season. He was in and out of the Lions team all year, played Round 18, was dropped for the qualifying final then won back his spot for the prelim, but managed just 12 disposals against the Cats. Overall he played nine games at an average of 11 touches (down from 23.5 in his last as a Crow), not what he or Brisbane would have been hoping for. Has time to improve after signing a three-year deal.

21. Jack Steven from St Kilda to Geelong for pick 58

Stevens hoped to resurrect his career at the Cattery but his year started with a mysterious stabbing and ended with a hamstring injury in a scratch match that ruled him out of the finals series — and a possible first Grand Final appearance. In between he played nine games, averaging 16 disposals and kicking one goal. Steven and the Cats will be looking forward to a fresh start in 2021. At least he didn’t cost them much.


22. Andrew Phillips from Carlton to Essendon

Full deal: Phillips, pick 61 and 72 for picks 57 and 70

Phillips has been a back-up ruckman for most of his AFL career and that continued in 2020, playing five games spread out between Round 5 and 17. Set to be the understudy to boom youngster Sam Draper going forward. The pick swapping was all a bit pointless — neither club used any of those selections on draft night.

23. Sam Jacobs from Adelaide to GWS Giants for future fourth-round selection

His first appearance for the Giants in Round 1 was his best — 10 disposals, 28 hitouts and 134 SuperCoach points. Helped cover a ruck hole but played only seven games for the year, including just four after Round 3, and retired at the end of the season.

24. Tom Cutler from Brisbane Lions to Essendon

Full deal: Cutler and pick 64 for pick 72 and future third-round pick

Injuries plagued the long-kicking wingman’s first season at Tullamarine, playing eight games and averaging 14 disposals a game. Contracted until the end of 2021.

25. Aiden Bonar from GWS Giants to North Melbourne

Full deal: Bonar and future fourth-round pick for future third-round pick

The Roos hoped Bonar would shine with more senior opportunities but it didn’t really work out that way. He managed just six games and failed to surpass 12 disposals in any of them. At 21, he has time on his side but needs to get a move on.

26. Jon Patton from GWS Giants to Hawthorn for future fourth-round pick

Even the Hawks’ famed medical department couldn’t end the former No.1 draft pick’s injury curse. Patton managed just six games and three goals and will be hoping to finally get a decent run at it in 2021.

27. Billy Frampton from Port Adelaide to Adelaide for future fourth-round pick

Squeezed out by talls like Peter Ladhams and Todd Marshall at Alberton, Frampton didn’t make the Power pay in five senior appearances for the Crows, booting five goals for the season.

28. Josh Jenkins from Adelaide to Geelong

Full deal: Jenkins and future third-round pick for pick 37

Just one game this year for Jenkins, who suffered from some back problems but was playing scratch matches late in the season and couldn’t push past Esava Ratugolea in the selection queue — and even Esava wasn’t getting a game. Where does he fit into the Cats’ long-term plans?
.

29. Zac Smith from Geelong to Gold Coast for pick 58

Smith’s homecoming wasn’t exactly a 2020 fairytale as he played the entire season in the NEAFL. With Jarrod Witts holding a stranglehold on the No.1 ruck spot and the Suns’ emerging talent, his future is uncertain."

[Enrico_Misso]

18 and 21 confuse me.

Are they saying they were ranked as the 18th and 21st best deals from whose point of view?
From our point of view would make sense.
I don't think the Dogs or Cats would be overly happy with either deal!

[kosifantutti]

18 and 21 confuse me.

Are they saying they were ranked as the 18th and 21st best deals from whose point of view?
From our point of view would make sense.
I don't think the Dogs or Cats would be overly happy with either deal!

I assumed it was from the perspective of the team receiving the player(s). In which case they should have had Hill and Acres twice. Maybe with Acres showing more than Hill.

Good to see the Swans choosing Elijah Taylor with the pick for Zak Jones.