TOM Lynch and Dylan Shiel are stars, but what difference will Dan Hannebery make at St Kilda — and has Collingwood landed the steal of the trade period?
Jay Clark and Scott Gullan list the 20 players who will make the biggest immediate impact at their new club.
UNSIGNED: UNCONTRACTED PLAYERS STILL UP FOR GRABS
REPORT CARD: BUCKY’S TRADE WINNERS AND LOSERS
INSIDE STORY: HOW BLUES STALKED SHIEL DEAL
1. Chad Wingard (Hawthorn)
Watch Alastair Clarkson sprinkle his magic dust with one of the most talented, evasive and creative forwards in the game. Clearly, Wingard’s attitude or work ethic hasn’t been perfect over the past two years, but the upside here is immense. He’s a special goalkicker who could help revamp an ageing forward set up. But there is also considerable risk, which makes it the play of the trade period because the Hawks paid a huge price, forking over a first-round pick, a second-round pick and beloved youngster Ryan Burton for him.
2. Dylan Shiel (Essendon)
John Worsfold has everything he needs to win Essendon a flag next season. The Bombers’ bookends are top-shelf, they have speed and talent in the forward half, and last week they landed the superstar onballer, Dylan Shiel, they need to ride shotgun alongside Zac Merrett.
If he’s groin is OK, Joe Daniher would also have spent the past few days doing cartwheels too, because Shiel is a jet bursting out of congestion. After 15 years without a finals win, it’s time this club did something about that September stench. No more excuses, Bombers.
3. Tom Lynch (Richmond)
A very Clarkson kind of move. Two years after winning a flag with a speedy forward line, Damien Hardwick is about to change the set up to accommodate the arrival of spearhead Lynch. It’s going to give Jack Riewoldt a key forward co-pilot and Dustin Martin another clunking set of big mitts to target on the lead. Good luck standing in Lynch’s way. The Tigers want a dynasty.
4. Dayne Beams (Collingwood)
Can you have too much talent in the midfield? Probably not, but it will be interesting to see how Nathan Buckley juggles the superstar talent in the engine room now that Beams is back in the fold. They are going to dominate games out of the middle all season if Brodie Grundy stays healthy. Daniel Wells and Jordan De Goey should thrive as mobile goalkickers in the forward half.
5. Jesse Hogan (Fremantle)
Fremantle has been craving a hulking spearhead like Hogan for years. Finally, they will have a strong-bodied marking target to help slam on a winning score each week. Ross Lyon and the Dockers will be feeling the pressure to rise up the ladder next year and Hogan’s arrival could hardly be more perfect as he targets 60-plus goals next season.
6. Steven May (Melbourne)
Melbourne needed an anchor down back. Oscar McDonald has toiled manfully and Jake Lever plays an interceptor role as the third banana but May is the one who will take the best forward each week. It’s a ruthless move from Simon Goodwin to swap Hogan out for May but it will give the Demons arguably the best backline in the competition to help smash the longest premiership drought in the game.
7. Mitch McGovern (Carlton)
The Blues have been crying out for a ready-made key forward to lead its rise out of the AFL doldrums. Like his brother, Jeremy, Mitch’s hands are some of the best in the game and we all remember that incredible mark against Collingwood which nutted the Pies after the siren. But he has also teased us a bit, too, in his time at Adelaide. They have been a dour footy team, the Blues, but McGovern helps their scoring power.
8. Lachie Neale (Brisbane)
Clearly, Neale thought he was joining Beams when he originally plotted his move east to Brisbane. Instead, Neale will replace him in the midfield and, in the process, step out of Nat Fyfe’s shadow at Fremantle. The move should help highlight Neale’s true standing as one of the best 10 ballwinners in the league. But will it be enough to get the Lions into the eight?
9. Tom Scully (Hawthorn)
It’s still a bit unbelievable that the Hawks landed this man for the cost of a Bertie Beetle showbag. OK, it was a future-fourth round pick, but Scully’s ankle is either shot forever, or it’s one of the biggest trade period bargains in years. Scully is one of the most dedicated and professional athletes in the game so it will be a huge surprise if his commitment combined with the recuperative powers of the Hawthorn medicos don’t make this move a big win.
10. Kade Kolodjashnij (Melbourne)
Rebounding wingman is going to look good receiving running handballs from Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney and Angus Brayshaw on the MCG. He’ll add some outside dash and kicking class moving the ball inside forward 50m. That’s why they went for Andrew Gaff, but were delighted to end up snaring the former Sun.
11. Luke Dahlhaus (Geelong)
This move is perfect for the Cats because Dahlhaus will bring the defensive-mindedness which will compliment Gary Ablett and Patrick Dangerfield in the forward half. If those two are the ying, Dahlhaus is the yang. His tackle pressure will quickly become very important for Geelong as Chris Scott looks to add a harder edge in the forward half. Expect the Dog to recapture his best.
12. Jared Polec (North Melbourne)
The Roos certainly dusted off the wallet to get the Port Adelaide midfielder. Polec is a metres gained star and his outside run and carry will complement perfectly North’s in and under kings led by Ben Cunnington.
13. Scott Lycett (Port Adelaide)
Port has been in desperate need of a back-up ruckman for a couple of years and hit the jackpot by getting one in with a premiership medal around his neck. When Paddy Ryder is out the whole Port structure falls apart with key forward Charlie Dixon and swingman Justin Westhoff forced into the ruck. Lycett is also a more than capable forward which ticks another important box.
14. Dan Hannebery (St Kilda)
Class and leadership. Two things which St Kilda lacked badly this year. They get both with the recruitment of Hannebery but the more pressing issue is whether they will get to see the best — or even 80 per cent of the best version of the three-time All-Australian midfielder whose past two seasons have been marred by injury.
15. Jordan Roughead (Collingwood)
An absolute steal by the Pies. Two years ago Roughead was a key player in the Bulldogs’ premiership win. Will provide back-up for Brodie Grundy in the ruck but more importantly can be used as a key defender, which is what Collingwood desperately needs.
16. Aaron Hall (North Melbourne)
If North can unlock the good version of Hall then it’s a goldmine. He’s an excitement machine when he’s on but those days were getting fewer and fewer during the last 12 months at Gold Coast.
17. Ryan Burton (Port Adelaide)
A very handy steak knives for Port to get in the Wingard trade. Finished second in the Rising Star award last year as a defender. Port will look to use the 21-year-old in the midfield and forward, which is where he played as a junior.
18. Will Setterfield (Carlton)
Highly regarded youngster who went at No.5 in the 2016 draft. Is good in close and will certainly fill the role of at least taking some of the heat off new captain Patrick Cripps.
19. Marcus Adams (Brisbane)
A very good get by the Lions as Adams is a intercept-marking machine when he’s on the park. That’s the key point as he was injury prone for much of his short career at the Bulldogs.
20. Alex Fasolo (Carlton)
It’s been a while since we’ve seen any excitement out of Faz and Carlton’s forward line definitely needs some. Should enjoy being the opportunist buzzing around talls McKay, Curnow and McGovern.
