DESPITE protracted talks, key defender Alex Keath has finally landed at the Western Bulldogs in the final 30 minutes of the Telstra AFL Trade Period.
The two clubs were long split on what Keath was worth in a trade, with a deal eventuating which saw the Dogs also gain a future third-round pick from the Crows. Adelaide receives pick No.45 and a future second-round selection.
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Keath had a breakout season at the age of 27, playing 18 games to take his career tally to 30, including two matches which resulted in three Brownlow votes apiece.
The defender was originally on Gold Coast's list as a 17-year-old pre-selection in 2010 before the Suns entered the competition, but gave football away to focus on cricket.
He played for Victoria before moving to South Australia, after which the Crows eventually signed Keath in the 2016 rookie draft.
"Alex will be a welcome addition to our backline as a key position player," Western Bulldogs head of recruiting Sam Power said.
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"He had a strong finish to 2018 and carried that through into 2019 where he established himself as a regular at AFL level.
"Alex is someone who reads the play well and is good in the air. He is courageous, good in the contest and someone who helps his teammates on the field.
"As someone who came into the AFL system late, we feel that Alex has plenty of football ahead of him and that his best is still to come."
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The two clubs were at an impasse earlier in the day, with Adelaide list manager Justin Reid suggesting that the trade was looking unlikely as they struggled to come to an agreement.
Keath's manager Neil McMullin told News Corp: "There is no way Alex will be at the Crows next year."
The Dogs have struggled at times in their backline this year, needing a big-bodied defender to support the work of Zaine Cordy, Jackson Trengove and Lewis Young.
They've now bolstered their key position stocks, with Keath joining former Saint Josh Bruce at Whitten Oval.
