NORTH Melbourne ruckman Hamish McIntosh has joined Geelong on a three-year contract in exchange for the Cats' second-round NAB AFL Draft pick, currently No.36.

McIntosh, 28, has played just eight games in the past two seasons, following surgery on both his Achilles tendons in 2011 and LARS surgery to artificially replace his right posterior cruciate ligament two months ago.

He joins the Cats after 107 matches with North, having been taken with pick No.9 in the 2002 draft.

In a busy day for Geelong, the 2011 premiers, secured Jared Rivers from Melbourne and also finalised the Josh Caddy deal.

To complete the Caddy trade, the Cats gave Gold Coast their first-round compensation pick they received for Gary Ablett at the end of 2010. Their pick 56 for this year's draft is also going to the Suns. 

North football chief Donald McDonald said the Roos were sad to see McIntosh go.
 
"Obviously it's disappointing to lose Hamish but we wish him all the best for his future and acknowledge the significant contribution he's made to our football club," McDonald said.

McIntosh was named in the All Australian squad in 2007 and 2009 and in 2010 formed a strong ruck duo with Todd Goldstein, but since McIntosh's bad run with injury, Goldstein has assumed the mantle as North's No. 1 ruckman.

The pair was reunited in five of this year's first seven rounds, but Goldstein struggled to adjust and was briefly dropped to the VFL after round four.

McIntosh's manager, Tom Petroro of Stride Sports Management, said recently McIntosh's decision to seek a trade had been prompted by the realisation his ruck partnership with Goldstein was no longer effective.

But at Geelong McIntosh has a great opportunity to step into the No. 1 ruck role.

After three-time premiership star Brad Ottens' retirement at the end of 2011, Trent West, 25, shouldered the Cats' ruck load in 2012, with occasional support from Orren Stephenson (eight games) Dawson Simpson (two) and Nathan Vardy (two).

McIntosh passed a Geelong medical examination before his trade.