The Age’s Rohan Connolly has listed his ‘top five busts’ in the history of trades and player movement.
5. Graham Teasdale (South Melbourne to Collingwood)
Teasdale was more than just a questionable Brownlow outfit. He grew unhappy at South Melbourne and desperately sought a trade to Collingwood for the 1982 season. He was hampered by knee injuries and after collecting only four kicks in his first game for Collingwood he never fired a shot.
4. Andrew Lovett (Essendon to St. Kilda)
After losing the 2009 Grand Final to Geelong the Saints conceded that they needed more pace. It was a match made in heaven with Lovett growing tired of Essendon. It turned out to be one of the bigger busts in football history. The Saints gave up pick 16 (ironically, the Bombers used it on Jake Carlisle – now a Saint) and Lovett never played a game and watched as St Kilda drew the Grand Final before losing the decider. Surely he would have made them a one-point better team – at the very least!
3. John Pitura (South Melbourne to Richmond)
Look away Tigers fans, this one isn’t pretty. Due to a rough relationship with the board, the talented midfielder desperately wanted out of South Melbourne to the Tigers. He got his wish and it only cost Richmond a Brownlow medallist, a runner up Brownlow medallist and an eventual 100-gamer in Graham Teasdale, Brian Roberts and Francis Jackson. Pitura played only forty games in three seasons.
2. Israel Folau (GWS)
In Folau’s own words, "to be honest I didn’t think I’d play that many games." He wasn’t wrong. He was used as a marketing tool, and an expensive one at that. Reportedly being paid $6 million over four seasons which equates to close to $250,000 per game he played. He quietly went to Rugby Union at the end of his contract.
1. Neville Fields (Essendon to South Melbourne)
The ripple effect of midfielder Neville Fields leaving Essendon is still being felt by Sydney today. The Swans effectively traded all four Daniher brothers, and in turn, current day player Joe Daniher (father-son draft pick), who would make a handy addition to any football side. Fields played 60 games for South Melbourne, as the Daniher’s collectively played 770 matches between them. Ouch.