→
If footballing dreams are lived out in September, they are first shaped in October and November.
asserted
they → live → October
If you nail an offseason it can set you up for years to come.
asserted
it → nail → years
If you stumble it can hurt for even longer.
asserted
it → stumble → ?
Instead of list-cloggers and fringe players that sometimes monopolise trade chatter, this year's crop is full of proven stars.
asserted
crop → monopolise → stars
Lachie Neale, Scott Pendlebury, Jesse Hogan, Toby Greene, Zak Butters, Rowan Marshall and Ben King all found new clubs, amongst a host of others.
asserted
Neale → find → others
It'd be hard to find a trade period with a better combined resume than the one we've just seen.
asserted
we → find → one
The 2026 trade period has seen 23 trades and seven free agency moves take place, with 30 players finding new clubs for season 2027.
asserted
players → see → season
The dealing isn't done yet, with more picks set to change hands before and during the draft.
asserted
picks → do → draft
Most AFL grand finals are blow outs well before the final siren, and most trade periods have deals that hang in the balance until the final minutes.
asserted
that → have → minutes
Little suspense was left by the time the last day rolled around, while the ending to that grand final was one that will be remembered for years to come.
asserted
that → leave → years
While winners or losers of the offseason often take years to fully work out, the direction each team is taking is usually much clearer after the final trade is called.
asserted
trade → take → years
Dogs taking a big bite
asserted
Dogs → take → bite
Each trade period it seems like at least one side pushes firmly towards the present over the future.
asserted
side → seem → future
Last year the Saints were the most aggressive side, bringing in a host of players to hopefully kickstart their resurgence up the ladder.
asserted
Saints → bring → ladder
All up the Dogs brought in four new players, the most of any club this offseason.
asserted
Dogs → bring → club
There are some slight queries about how Butters will fit alongside Marcus Bontempelli and Ed Richards, but with the Dogs captain turning 32 next year this potentially sets the midfield group up for contention over the next half decade.
asserted
this → be → decade
The Bulldogs' best over the past three seasons has rivalled practically any other side.
asserted
best → rival → side
The time is now for them to take the next step.
asserted
them → take → step
Geelong's acquisition of proven talent in Toby Greene, Jordan Ridley and Rowan Marshall looks like providing the most upside next year, while Hawthorn will also be quietly confident in Zach Merrett and Ben King.
asserted
Hawthorn → prove → Merrett
At the other end of the "win now" scale, the preliminary finalist Swans will be forced to retool without Nick Blakey and Joel Amartey, and GWS have made the call to get younger with the loss of Toby Greene, Jesse Hogan, Kieren Briggs and Lachie Whitfield.
asserted
GWS → win → Greene
Whispers about a Nick Blakey move became increasingly loud as the offseason progressed.
asserted
offseason → become → move
The chatter about his discontent in Sydney didn't abate, and quickly the defender became the focal point of an otherwise quiet second week of the period.
asserted
defender → abate → period
It's uncommon that a 26 year old who is arguably the best player in a valuable role becomes available on the trade market.
asserted
who → become → market
In all, no club this century has traded more pick value for a single player than North has just traded for Blakey.
asserted
North → trade → Blakey
The trade takes them out of multiple drafts.
asserted
trade → take → drafts
If North Melbourne were to win the 2028 premiership, the value of the picks traded would still outweigh what Adelaide traded for Wayne Carey way back in 2002.
asserted
Adelaide → win → 2002
Beyond the stated cost above, it also has deprived them of another top draft pick — the likely early 20s they would have received in compensation for Essendon's upcoming bid on Dougie Cochrane.
asserted
they → state → Cochrane
North Melbourne had hoped to pair Blakey with Adelaide's Nick Murray to bolster their defence, but that fell through at the deadline.
asserted
that → hop → deadline
It could be a bigger loss than it appears.
uncertain
it → appear → ?
North's defensive stocks are some of the weakest in the league, and their ability to transition the strongest part of their back half game.
asserted
ability → transition → game
As predicted here before the trade period commenced most clubs were very cautious of the value of next year's draft.
asserted
clubs → predict → draft
One of the clearest examples was offered by Melbourne early in the trade period in their public negotiations for newly minted Demon Zane Duursma.
asserted
One → offer → Duursma
"We offered (pick) 47, we also offered a 2027 'future two', or 2028 'future two'," Melbourne list boss Tim Lamb told the media.
asserted
Lamb → offer → media
That pick 47 is notionally a third round selection, indicating that the drop in value increases to about a round for the next two drafts, which are compromised by the new Tasmania team being handed high picks.
asserted
team → indicate → picks
This was even clearer in the trade that took place between Richmond and Port Adelaide, with the Tigers sending pick 22 this year alongside their round one, two and three picks next year for Port Adelaide's fifth pick.
asserted
Tigers → take → pick
This reflected the general trend of how picks traded hands.
asserted
picks → reflect → hands
Only clubs who have clear father-son or academy talents seemed to be on the hunt for picks next year, with other clubs pushing for lower selections this year or selections in 2028 instead.
asserted
clubs → have → 2028
Port Adelaide were the keenest to get 2027 draft picks through the door.
asserted
Adelaide → get → door
That's no shock, given they have up to four tied talents.
asserted
they → give → talents
In fact, every club bar possibly Sydney to invest in next year's draft have prospective father-son or academy talents likely to be selected in the upper reaches of the draft.
uncertain
club → invest → draft
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia