There was a time in life when I would just switch off after the final siren of the AFL Grand Final. The race had been won, and the best team held the cup aloft. That was enough for me.
However, as footy increasingly becomes a year-round sport, I have found myself very interested in the post-season comings and goings. Not so much the rumour mill – I’ll leave that to the newsbreakers of the world. However, I do like to examine the deals that have been done, and as I type this, there have been several players who have already left their clubs and signed on with new ones.
Who are they? What have they cost? And what compensation, if any, does the team they left get?
For those people who switch off, even just a little, they can find themselves lost in the shuffle, out of the loop, and a little bamboozled by all the comings and goings. I know – I was that person.
So, to make things easier, your old pal, HB, will list them here for you, as of Monday the 6th of October.
Before I begin, and if you already know this stuff, you can skip it, but I often get comments asking why such-and-such team would let a player go.
Well, at this stage, the players mentioned are free agents. They can pick and choose where they want to go, with one difference.
An Unrestricted Free Agent can go wherever he likes and the club he is leaving has no say in it. They will be compensated by the league, which is a stupid rule, and compromises the whole free agency process, as well as further compromising an already-compromised draft, but it is what it is.
A Restricted Free Agent can also choose where he wants to go, but if his current club so chooses, they can match the offer from the new club… and force them to trade for him. This rarely happens, as clubs don’t play this type of hard ball, and more often than not, allow the player to go off tho their new home.
Got that?
Cool – let’s jump on in.
JACK SILVAGNI TO ST KILDA
WHAT DID IT COST?
Well, the answer here will be common in the first stages of the trade/free agency period, as all players moving at this point are either restricted or unrestricted free agents. So, it costs the Saints nothing.
WHAT DO THE BLUES GET?
Due to the nature of the deal, the Blues have received an end-of-first-round pick… which at the time was Pick 19. It has already blown out to pick 21, as there are other compensation picks being awarded.
Pretty crap, huh?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE SAINTS?
It gives them a really solid, versatile defender. JSOS can play tall or medium, and in a pinch, has shown the ability to swing forward and create a problematic matchup inside 50.
The downside here is that Jack has only played 20+ games twice in his career, with 16 games the best over his last two seasons. Still, in a defence that struggled for height, he will help… somewhat, I but I still get the feeling that the Saints need either Dougal Howard to have an injury-free season, or they have to pick up a decent key defender to stand in the hole and allow Wilkie and Silvagni to go to work.
JAMES WORPEL TO GEELONG
WHAT DID IT COST?
Nothing, as above. He is a former Geelong Falcon, and he is going “home”. Hell, I tipped this a couple of years ago and got called out on it. Lucky I am a patient man…
WHAT DO THE HAWKS GET?
Not that much. Worpel is not a marquee player, and his deal with the Cats reflects this. As such, the Hawks picked up an end-of-second-round compensation pick, which was pick 39, but is now 41. Blegh!
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE CATS?
Worpel’s game is on the inside, and with Danger starting to tire, he slots right in alongside Tom ‘Atkins as a midfield workhorse, ready to feed the footy out to Max Holmes and everyone’s favourite Cat, Bailey Smith.
On Danger, his Preliminary Final effort was monstrous, but he couldn’t back it up. Worpel provides the constant presence in there that allows Danger, in the twilight of his brilliant career, to pinch hit and not have to do the crashing and bashing to get the Cats over the line. An astute pickup from Geelong, as always.
TOM DE KONING TO THE SAINTS
WHAT DID IT COST?
Nada, nothing, zero… a free hit for the Saints. Except for the mountains of cash they’re paying him, I guess.
WHAT DO THE BLUES GET?
Something decent.
The Saints opened the warchest (maybe they borrowed it from North Melbourne, who used to open it a lot and never pay anyone) and shelled out big bucks for TDK. That means the compensation for the Blues was always going to be good.
It gets a bit messy, as the Blues traded away their first pick, but the league awarded them a compensation pick right after where that original pick should have been, landing them pick nine in this year’s draft. That’ll be very handy if they want to prise someone out of another club…
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE SAINTS?
The jury is out, but the majority seem to think the incoming ruck changes will greatly advantage athletic rucks who like to leap at the footy, and that is De Koning’s wheelhouse.
He is very good overhead, runs like a gazelle. Forget his last half of 2025 – he’d already checked out of Carlton – and have a look at the first half of his season. In six of his first 12 games, he picked up games comprising 20+ disposals and 20+ hit outs.
That’s a difference-maker.
The only problem is that it appears as though it is going to cost the Saints Rowan Marshall, who I have always thought was a pretty good ruck, in his own right.
SAM DRAPER TO BRISBANE
WHAT DID IT COST?
Nothing. Notice a pattern, here? As I said – free agents only, so far.
WHAT DO THE BOMBERS GET?
Similar to the Silvagni compensation at Carlton, the Bombers snag an end-of-first-round pick, and that currently sits at Pick 20.
Sadly, it leaves them with a massive hole in the ruck, as Todd Goldstein has applied for the pension, and Nick Bryan is recovering from an ACL injury.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BRISBANE?
The Big O hangs them up, and Draper waltzes on in to take his place alongside Darcy Fort. The saloon doors are swinging at Brisbane.
Assuming he gets fit and stays fit (I have always wondered whether Draper works hard enough), he will be a huge addition to an already-powerful team. He is an upgrade on Fort, and will give the Brisbane mids plenty of first use.
JACOB WEHR TO PORT ADELAIDE
WHAT DID IT COST?
Another free agent moving, so there is no cost to Port.
WHAT DO THE GIANTS GET?
Bugger all, which means he’s not exactly breaking the bank for Port to acquire him.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR PORT?
Hmmm, he’s not a game changer, by any stretch. Handy out on a wing, or a flank, but with four seasons under his belt, he is ready-made and will give Port more run and carry. It will be interesting to see whether he is one of those players who thrives with a little more opportunity, or perhaps we’ll find out exactly why those opportunities were not forthcoming at GWS.
CHARLIE SPARGO JOINS NORTH MELBOURNE
WHAT DID HE COST?
Another free agency pick up – costs North nothing.
WHAT DO THE DEES GET?
Spargo gets a nice payday, which means the Dees pick up an end-of-second-round selection, which will be in the 40+ region. I see it as a win for them.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO NORTH?
Well, it gives North another small forward to play with, as the addition of Jacob Konstanty last year added pace and pressure, but the bloke could barely hit the ocean from the beach both with his kicking at goal, and field kicking, as well.
Spargo has struggled to crack the Dees’ best team, playing largely behind Kozzie Pickett, so we can see this move for what it is – opportunity to play senior footy.
Check back here for updates as the days progress… and then watch me have to type like a maniac on the last day of trade period to update all the deals that have been stalled for two bloody weeks.
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
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