Adelaide, 1994
Chris Groom to Fremantle for Andrew McLeod
The Crows convinced Fremantle that Darwinian McLeod, who had qualified as a zone selection for the AFL's newest club, was the right swap for forward Groom. The 21-year-old had played 12 games for the Crows and added seven at Freo before a move to North Melbourne for two more. Dogged by knee troubles, his career struck contrast with McLeod's, who earned Norm Smith Medals in Adelaide's premiership triumphs of 1997 and 1998 and plenty more accolades.
Brisbane Bears, 1993
Pick seven (Chris Johnson) to Fitzroy for Alastair Lynch
Brisbane secured the high-profile Lynch on a risky 10-year contract while the Lions used their first-round selection on Johnson, then a noted junior goalsneak. Johnson eventually found his way to the Lions when the clubs merged in 1996, making his name as a creative defender. Although Lynch battled injuries and illness, missing most of 1995 with chronic fatigue syndrome, the arrival of Leigh Matthews coincided with a massive change of fortune. A key member of the 2001, 2002 and 2003 premiership sides, he retired in 2004 after 306 games and 636 goals.
Carlton, 1998
Picks 22 (James Begley) and 53 (Troy Schwarze) to St Kilda for Matthew Lappin and 58 (Ian Prendergast)
Lappin had played 55 games including a grand final when he became a Blue. Carlton parted with picks 22 and 53, which the Saints used to secure Begley and Schwarze, but landed 58 as well. Begley played 36 games before moving to Adelaide while Schwarze got to 71. Skinny forward Lappin played in Carlton's losing grand final, won the AFL's best mark in his first year and led the club's goalkicking in 2001 (49) before winning All-Australian selection amid his 196 games in the navy blue.
Collingwood, 1996
Ben Wilson, Mark Orchard, and picks 14 (Brett O'Farrell) and 33 (Will Sangster) to the Sydney Swans for Anthony Rocca
He always wanted to be a Pie and, after two years with the Sydney Swans, Rocca was signed by Collingwood in a convoluted deal that loaded his former club with two-gamer Wilson, midfielder Orchard and draft picks 14 (O'Farrell) and 33 (Sangster). O'Farrell played eight matches for the Swans before crossing to Hawthorn and ruckman Sangster only got on the park twice. Orchard finished his career at the Magpies, while 31-year-old Rocca continues after 238 games and 411 goals for them.
Essendon, 1994
Tony Delaney to Fremantle for pick four (Scott Lucas)
Delaney had played 15 games in two years for the Dons, until Fremantle decided he was a good fit for its inaugural squad. So good, in fact, that Freo offered pick No. 4 for him. The Bombers accepted and took Lucas in the '94 pool. Delaney spent five years at Fremantle, restricted to 28 games, before packing for St Kilda. Lucas formed a potent forward combination with Matthew Lloyd, played in the club's 2000 premiership and has won two best and fairest awards.
Fremantle, 2000
Jess Sinclair and picks six (Dylan Smith) and eight (Daniel Motlop) to North Melbourne for Peter Bell
After Gerard Neesham branded him too slow and shipped him to North Melbourne, Bell eventually forgave and forgot. He had played 123 games for the Roos, including two flags, and was their new best and fairest. To lure him back, Fremantle involved Collingwood and the Sydney Swans in a convoluted deal that saw Sinclair and draft picks six (Smith) and eight (Motlop) land at Arden St. Smith was disappointing while Sinclair was trusty in his 142 games with the Roos. Skipper by 2002, Bell was something else – club champion in his first year and again in 2003 and 2004.
Geelong, 1998
Pick 37 (Adam Morgan) to Port Adelaide for Tom Harley
The Cats' first premiership in 44 years was led by defender Harley, who probably never thought he would captain a side let alone hold aloft the premiership cup. Geelong's opponent that day was Port Adelaide, a club that saw no place for him on its list at the end of 1998 after one game. The Power accepted No. 37 in exchange, which they used to secure key position player Morgan, who managed just three games for the Power before being traded to the Bulldogs.
Hawthorn, 1995
Paul Barnard and Sean Wellman (Adelaide) to Essendon and Darren Jarman and Essendon's pick 45 (Scott Hodges) to Adelaide for Paul Salmon
The Hawks landed giant premiership forward Salmon from Essendon as consolation for losing Jarman, keen to return to South Australia. Salmon had booted 509 goals from 209 games but, as a Hawk, was committed to the ruck. The club reached the finals in 1996 and Salmon claimed its best and fairest awards in 1997 and 1998. The deal had suited all clubs; Jarman was brilliant for the Crows while Essendon got its miles from Barnard and Wellman.
Melbourne, 1994
Phil Gilbert to Fremantle for Jeff Farmer
Fremantle had a hold on schoolboy Farmer when it joined the competition in 1994. His goal sense and flair was obvious as a junior, however a tough, ready-made defender was a priority. Enter Gilbert, who had kept Hawthorn spearhead Jason Dunstall to three goals on debut and had shown grit in 24 other games. Gilbert played 14 more games, while Farmer gave the Dees 118, 259 goals and the forward spark for a grand final berth in 2000. At the end of 2001, Freo decided they wanted him back.
North Melbourne, 1997
Wayne Schwass to the Sydney Swans for Shannon Grant and pick 27 (Brad Stephens)
Parting with the popular Schwass was a tough call, after the 29-year-old wingman had won two Syd Barker Medals (1994-95) and played in the Roos' 1996 premiership team. Grant, 20, wanted to return to Victoria and had shown great promise in three years with the Swans. In 1999, his second year with the Roos, Grant captured the Norm Smith Medal. Two years later he claimed a B&F and he continued to present as one of North's best big-game players until his retirement after 301 matches.
Port Adelaide, 2001
Picks 31 (Joel Reynolds) and 47 (Andrew Welsh) for Damien Hardwick
Hard nut Hardwick arrived just before his twilight, but the Power defence was far better for his experience. A premiership player and All-Australian in 2000, a tightening salary cap was behind the trade that sent two draft picks the other way. After 40 games in two seasons, injury kept Hardwick to 14 in 2004, but his last three were stirring. Port Adelaide claimed its maiden flag with a big win over the Brisbane Lions and Hardwick played a key negating role to close his career.
Richmond, 2003
Draft picks six (Kepler Bradley) and 20 (Sam Butler) to the Western Bulldogs for Nathan Brown
It kick-started the infamous 'Veale deal' for the Bulldogs but, from the Tigers' perspective, parting with selections six and 20 for clever goalkicker Brown was no worry. After finishing 13th, Richmond wanted a high-profile recruit and got its man. Just as he was nearing his best in 2005, a sickening leg break and related injuries made it difficult for Brown to find consistency for the next two years. It seems his fortunes have turned; the 30-year-old kicked 35 goals in 18 games in 2008 as the Tigers finished ninth.
St Kilda, 2000
David Sierakowski and pick 18 (Daniel Kerr) to West Coast for Fraser Gehrig
The return to Victoria of Gehrig after 115 games with West Coast was a coup for the wooden spooners, who mustered 40 goals from ruckman Peter Everitt in a disappointing season. Grunt was needed in attack and, though he was a rangier, running-type for the Eagles, he soon settled inside 50 at Moorabbin. From 2003 to 2007 he led the Saints' goalkicking, peaking at 103 in 2004 and won the Coleman Medal that year and the next.
Sydney Swans, 2001
Picks 13 (Nick Dal Santo), 17 (James Kelly) and 45 (Nathan Clarke) to St Kilda for Barry Hall
Simply, the Swans hadn't recovered from the retirement of Tony Lockett. Hall, effective though fiery, played in the Saints' grand final loss to Adelaide in 1997 but felt he needed a change after three more seasons. Lockett played a role in convincing him. Hall led the Swans' goalkicking in his first season and, despite tribunal raps, became crucial to the side's fortunes. He still is. A key to the 2005 flag, if not for a hefty lay-off this year he would have made it seven straight years as chief marksman.
West Coast, 1992
Scott Watters and Tony Begovich for pick No. 1 (Drew Banfield)
Somehow, the Eagles managed to cap a premiership by coaxing the Swans' first pick in the draft. If not for injury, midfielder Watters could have played in that flag win and, after 49 games, agreed to try his luck in the east. Nine-gamer Begovich joined him. Local boy Banfield was always in the Eagles' sights and they obviously had a sense of what was coming. The durable midfielder-turned-defender retired after the club's 2006 premiership with 265 games, a club champion award and the '94 flag to his name.
Western Bulldogs, 2006
Pick 34 (Chris Schmidt) to the Brisbane Lions for Jason Akermanis
The peroxided triple-premiership player had a falling out with the Lions in 2006, and a bargain deal soon followed. Rodney Eade and the Bulldogs pounced on Akermanis, a perfect fit for a young squad that wanted to bridge the gap with the upper bracket of the competition. Akermanis played 19 games in his first season as the Dogs finished 13th, but settled in 2008, playing every match and kicking 49 goals. The Dogs got to a preliminary final, while Schmidt was delisted by the Lions after two games.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
