THREE weeks ago, an unfamiliar method of player movement began in the AFL.
On Friday, Clinton Young will join Brendon Goddard, Quinten Lynch, Shannon Byrnes and Brent Moloney as players to move during the first Gillette AFL Free Agency Period.
The Age reports that Young has walked out on Hawthorn to join Collingwood on a three-year deal.
His decision will have to be formalised before Friday's 5pm free agency deadline.
Port Adelaide was reported to have tabled a competitive offer for Young, but the opportunity to remain in Melbourne on terms superior to what he had been offered by the Hawks enticed him to become a Pie.
The move comes after the Magpies declared earlier this week that Chris Dawes' trade to Melbourne would likely signal the end of their involvement in the free agency/trade period.
"I think we're pretty much done and dusted," Walsh told SEN radio on Wednesday morning, when asked if they still had Young in their sights.
The Adelaide Advertiser believes Adelaide will sign off on a trade it did not want to consider a week ago that will see Kurt Tippett move to the Sydney Swans on Friday.
It has been reported the Crows will accept out-of-favour forward Jesse White and the Swans' first round NAB AFL Draft selection for Tippett, who chose the Swans as his preferred home despite initially signaling a desire to return to Queensland.
On Thursday, Melbourne's Jared Rivers and North Melbourne's Hamish McIntosh officially joined Geelong.
Rivers, an unrestricted free agent, agreed to a two-year contract while McIntosh signed a three-year deal after being traded for the Cats' second-round draft selection, which is currently No.36.
The Age says the Cats will absorb the final year of McIntosh's North Melbourne contract, and that the Kangaroos will now move to front-load a number of deals with players out of contract next year.
After trading for McIntosh and young Gold Coast player Josh Caddy, the Cats will have just two live selections in the November draft.
AFL.com.au reported on Thursday evening that mature-aged Geelong ruckman Orren Stephenson is likely to be an unlucky casualty of McIntosh's recruitment.
In other news, smooth-moving David Rodan could be headed back to where his AFL career began - Punt Road.
The former Tiger, who has been delisted by his second club Port Adelaide, is interested in a return to Richmond, which hasn't ruled it out.
The Australian has reported Melbourne will remain an active participant in the final eight days of the trade period despite landing Dawes this week.
The Demons still have North Melbourne utility Cam Pedersen and Essendon forward Scott Gumbleton in their sights.
The Age believes Pedersen will likely become a Demon in exchange for the Rivers compensation pick, and the Roos will welcome Port Adelaide youngster Ben Jacobs for Matthew Campbell, who wants out of Arden Street, and a second round pick.
The Bombers said on Wednesday they expected the injury-prone Gumbleton to join David Hille in accepting new deals to remain at Windy Hill, although the Western Bulldogs have reportedly tabled a two-year deal for the former.
Friday afternoon will also reveal the compensation clubs will receive for losing players via free agency.
Chris Knights, Troy Chaplin, Danyle Pearce and Tom Murphy are the other players who have successfully changed clubs via free agency this month.
Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.
