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JOEL Patfull is officially a Giant after the official paper work was lodged on Friday to send the key defender from the Brisbane Lions to Greater Western Sydney.
AFL.com.au reported on Thursday that the Lions and Giants had reached an in-principle agreement for the two-time Lions best and fairest winner to head to the Giants in exchange for pick No. 21.
That deal was officially completed on Friday, setting the stage for the Lions to send that pick to Geelong for midfielder Allen Christensen, who wants a move to a Queensland club.
Patfull, 29, has a year remaining on his current contract, but told the Lions he would move to Sydney post-football and was open to an earlier move to the Harbour City.
Patfull said he was looking forward to the next two seasons at the Giants.
"For me to add a bit of experience and leadership to the GWS backline is something I'm looking to do and it's really exciting for the next couple of years," Patfull told NAB AFL Trade Radio on Friday afternoon.
"I think I've made the right decision."
Patfull said he would relish playing alongside disgruntled Western Bulldog Ryan Griffen, who yesterday expressed his desire to join the Giants.
"It definitely would be a big advantage for the club, someone with that experience and obviously (he's) a fantastic player," he said.
Lions talent acquisition and retention manager Peter Schwab said it was a mature negotiation between all parties.
"We have one of the youngest lists in the competition so losing the experience of Joel is a loss for us, but a second-round selection gives us the opportunity to pick up a young guy who may be the next Joel Patfull and can play for 10 years," Schwab said.
Patfull's manager Shane Casley confirmed on NAB Trade Radio the defender had signed a two-year deal with the Giants.
"We thank Brisbane for their efforts in trying to make this deal happen for us and I'm sure Brisbane have come out of it quite well as well," Casley said.
"We sort of had some chats to the Swans, probably going back six to eight weeks ago, just to see if there would be any interest and there certainly was.
"I think though the right fit for Joel was to go to GWS and from our point of view they were probably the ones that could make the deal happen more so than Sydney so that was the one we pursued more vigorously."
The former Port Adelaide rookie has played 182 games since making his debut for the Lions in 2006, and won the club's 2012 and 2013 best and fairest counts.
Patfull finished third behind Tom Rockliff and Dayne Zorko in this year's club champion count.
Securing pick No.21 could be vital to the Lions as they attempt to broker trades for Christensen and Collingwood's Dayne Beams.
Shortly after the trade was completed, Geelong football manager Neil Balme told NAB AFL Trade Radio that the Cats would be happy to accept pick No.21 for Christensen.
