HAWTHORN has secured dual All Australian defender Brian Lake on the first day of the Gillette AFL Trade Period, with the Hawks and Western Bulldogs swapping a clutch of NAB AFL Draft picks as part of the deal.
The Hawks gave the Bulldogs their first two selections (currently No. 21 and No. 41), while the Bulldogs exchanged their second round selection (currently pick No. 27).
Gillette Trade Period hub
The deal leaves the Bulldogs with three picks (No.5, No.6 and No.21) in the first round of the 2012 NAB AFL Draft.
Lake is three games short of 200 and returned to form with the Bulldogs in 2012 after a series of injuries derailed his career.
The 2007 club champion turns 31 in 2013 and was set to become a free agent next season.
His manager Marty Pask told Gillette Trade Radio it was a win-win deal.
"Pretty happy for Brian and Brian's pretty excited," Pask said.
"It's good for the Bulldogs to consolidate themselves in the first round with three picks now.
"Brian's a free agent next year, so it was a chance for the Western Bulldogs to have some control over what compensation pick they're going to get.
"He's put in 197 games, played in three preliminary finals, won a best-and-fairest, All Australian, and he's going to allow the club now to consolidate itself in the national draft."
Hawthorn general manager of football operations Mark Evans said Lake would complement the grand finalist's backline "extremely well".
"His experience will be highly valuable to our group of relatively young defenders and he will add greatly to our side’s depth," Evans said.
Brian Lake no longer has to deal with playing on Lance Franklin. Picture: AFL Media
Evans told 3AW's Sports Today the club was satisfied with its medical assessment of Lake and although he had signed a two year deal with the Hawks, they were hopeful his career would extend beyond that period.
"[A] 30-year-old should have a different pre-season to a 21-year-old and if he is sensible across there and managed well across there you would expect him to have a good two to three years," Evans said.
Bulldogs List Manager Jason McCartney said the trade placed the club in an unprecedented position as it enters the draft with six picks inside the first 50.
"Given the stage Brian’s career is at, we see this as a very good proposition for the club," McCartney said.
"We thank Brian for his contribution."Nathan Schmook is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nathan
