Another year, another trade period done.
Deadline day was just about as ridiculous as it comes with trades dropping left, right and centre in the final 10 minutes.
Bailey Smith’s move to Geelong was the headline act and it was one of the deals that didn’t get finalised until the end.
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There was also some bizarre posturing for Jake Stringer’s deal before the man known as “The Package” eventually signed with GWS.
Here’s some of the big talking points from the 2024 AFL Trade Period.
THE FINAL SCRAMBLE BORDERED ON CRAZY
Caleb Daniel, Bailey Smith, Luke Parker, Jake Stringer, Jack Macrae; they’re just a few names who everyone was waiting to land at other clubs.
But like a student with a university assignment, the clubs decided to wait until the last minute to finalise the deals.
”There has to be a way to make these transactions easier, it’s been like sitting in a dentist chair for two and a half weeks,” Kane Cornes said on AFL Trade Radio.
The camera from AFL Trade Radio continued to pan into the Bulldogs and Cats rooms.
Bailey Smith was the big deal waiting to get done.
With half an hour left, AFL.com.au’s Cal Twomey had reported there was no movement around various deals.
“Negotiations and back and forth and stand-offs are at probably a level we haven’t seen before … I’m saying it’s unprecedented,” he said.
Eventually, almost every deal was completed but it was simply ridiculous how long it took.
WHERE WAS THE TRUTH IN THE STRINGER SITUATION?
There was a constant ebb and flow with the Jake Stringer deal.
With only hours left in the trade period, the reports were the deal was off.
But then minutes later it was back on.
Stringer eventually landed at the Giants with the Bombers receiving pick 53.
Stringer’s manager Paul Connors denied the deal was ever off to AFL Trade Radio.
Twomey had an amicable back and forth with Connors and then Essendon list boss Matt Rosa cleared up what happened later.
“It got to a point last night where the Giants withdrew their interest and then it was revived later today,” he said.
HOW BAILEY SMITH EVENTUALLY LANDED AT THE CATS
It was a complicated process and one that went on forever.
But here’s how it happened.
https://twitter.com/FootyonNine/status/1846471159895699515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Geelong received Bailey Smith and pick 45 while the Bulldogs were given pick 17 and 38.
Carlton were then handed pick 38 while Matt Kennedy went to the Bulldogs.
St Kilda received Jack Macrae and traded out pick 45 to the Bulldogs. This is the pick that went to Geelong.
The Bulldogs have pick 17 and Kennedy while parting with Smith and Macrae.