What was the most significant move your club made in the most recent off-season?
Halfway through the season, we have taken a look at list management moves, specific staff alterations, and even broader off-field changes at all 18 clubs.
See our thoughts below:
Taking Riley Thilthorpe
It was uncertain to many outsiders what Adelaide was going to do on draft night last year.
Initially, Riley Thilthorpe wasn’t considered to be in the top four or five and there were a number of other names being linked with the Crows at pick 2.
However, he was never too far from the conversation and the Crows opted to go local.
The move has proved to be a shrewd one already as he is destined to be a quality player and is exactly what the club needs.
At this early stage he looks the pick of the 2020 top 10, apart from Essendon’s impressive Nik Cox, and is showing great signs of development for a key forward which more often than not takes some time.
Thilthorpe is the type of player to build a forward line around and the Crows would be fairly happy with how it has played out so far.
Andrew Slevison
Luring Joe Daniher north
The Lions took a punt on key forward Joe Daniher in free agency, and it’s instantly paid off.
There were never any question marks surrounding the big man’s talent, but after his body allowed him to play just 15 games in the previous three seasons at Essendon, there were concerns that the same would continue up north.
Luckily for Brisbane, they have one of the best medical teams in the competition to rely on, and Daniher is yet to miss a beat since joining the club.
The star forward has played all 12 games this season, kicking 19 goals and reeling in 62 marks.
While his scoreboard impact hasn’t been massive, his addition has freed up Eric Hipwood and Daniel McStay, who are both in strong form at the midway point of the season. He has also helped out Oscar McInerney in the ruck.
Daniher may just prove the missing link for the Lions come September.
Lachlan Geleit
Putting the chips in on 2021
It hasn’t worked given Carlton is out of the race at the bye, but clearly their biggest decision of the off-season was going all-in on making finals this year.
The club traded a top 10 draft pick to bring in Adam Saad from Essendon while signing GWS’ Zac Williams as a free agent.
After years of heavy drafting, the Blues targeted ready-made stars to add some run and carry.
Saad has done his job and lived up to the billing as an attacking defender, while the midfield experiment with Williams ended early in the season after niggling injuries impacted his fitness.
Where Carlton goes from here is anyone’s guess. The club is currently conducting a review into its football department and faces a similar decision in the upcoming off-season.
Nic Negrepontis
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Finding quality in the middle of the draft
Coming into the season there was much hype surrounding first-rounders Ollie Henry, Fin Macrae and Reef McInnes, but it’s been the Magpies' later picks in the draft that have impressed most.
Caleb Poulter (pick 30) and Beau McCreery (pick 44) came to the club with far less fanfare than the first-round trio, but have both shown they’re key pieces for the Magpies moving forward.
Poulter has made a wing position his own while McCreery is a coach’s dream with his ability to hit the scoreboard with a thirst to apply pressure like his life depends on it.
If Henry, Macrae and McInnes start coming along as Collingwood hopes, this draft haul could help fast-track the rebuild at the Holden Centre in the wake of Nathan Buckley’s departure as coach.
Lachlan Geleit
Top draft talents and a trade bargain
There’s much to be said for how Essendon has rejuvenated its list this year and that’s primarily come on the back of two things – top draft picks performing and Nick Hind filling the Adam Saad void almost seamlessly.
While we’ve only seen defender Zach Reid once this year, both of the club’s other first round draft picks in Nik Cox and Archie Perkins have slotted in and while they may not be dominating games yet, they’ve both added a different dynamic to side in their short careers so far.
What was less expected this year was how well Nick Hind would slot in at half-back, effectively nullifying the fears that the Bombers would struggle to replace Saad’s run and carry.
Hind joined the club in a last-minute bargain-basement trade from St Kilda last season and has hardly put a foot wrong in his first year at the Bombers.
Essendon remains firmly in development mode, but a combination of elite young talent and shrewd trading has seem them improve more than many expected this year.
Laurence Rosen
Finding Josh Treacy in the rookie draft
Fremantle may have found a gem in the rough in Josh Treacy.
The key forward kicked three goals on the weekend and has looked an impressive prospect.
Treacy will take some time to develop, but has shown enough signs to excite Dockers fans.
The best bit is they found him in the Rookie Draft after he was passed over by the entire competition.
Treacy co-captained Bendigo in 2020 and had a strong bottom-age year before COVID got in the way.
The teenager has played six games this year, but booting three goals on the Western Bulldogs in the absence of Matt Taberner was impressive.
At 193cm, he has the mobility to fit in alongside Taberner and Rory Lobb and could be the final piece of the forward line puzzle.
Nic Negrepontis
Jeremy Cameron makes his mark
The Cats wasted no time last off-season making a splash by recruiting Shaun Higgins and Isaac Smith, but it is the recruitment of Jeremy Cameron that has revolutionised how Chris Scott’s sides shapes up forward of centre.
Cameron’s ability to push up the ground to provide a target as well as being as effective closer to goal has been a key standout so far this year.
There’s a real sense at Geelong that they’re quietly building into the year and how Cameron continues to combine with Tom Hawkins in the second half of the season leading into finals could shape just how far they go in September.
Laurence Rosen
Much-needed stability
It was a stable off-season for Gold Coast as they look to build cohesion by keeping their core crop of youngsters together.
Player retention has been an ongoing problem for the Suns since its inception, but the club finally looks to have a platform at which to build upon.
Peter Wright (Essendon) was the sole departure in the trade period with Oleg Markov (Richmond) and Rory Atkins (Adelaide) their major arrivals.
Jack Lukosius, Izak Rankine, Ben King, Matthew Rowell and Noah Anderson – all first-round selections in the 2018 and 2019 National Drafts – are integral to the club’s future.
Elijah Hollands – selected with pick No.7 in the 2020 draft – is yet to play this season due to an ACL injury he sustained last year.
It’s clear the Suns are willing to bide their time with dynamic Murray Bushrangers midfielder/forward after two years investing heavily in the draft.
Alex Zaia
Putting faith in Hogan
The Giants surprised some when they were first linked with Jesse Hogan last year as it was becoming apparent that his unsuccessful stint at Fremantle was coming to an end.
Many were curious as to where the enormously talented yet troubled forward would end up.
He had shown a lot during his time with Melbourne before injury and off-field issues saw him head back home to Perth, but his two years with the Dockers were fruitless with his body and mind again letting him down.
While GWS did not take a chance in the form of a trade or paying over the odds, they did put faith in recruiting Hogan.
He has only played two games in orange and charcoal to date - kicking four goals in each - but at full fitness he brings plenty to a side that lost Jeremy Cameron to Geelong in the same off-season.
It may not be viewed as necessarily the absolute best piece of recruiting, but it was significant that the Giants opened their arms to Hogan.
Andrew Slevison
Going all-in on the future
Hawthorn traded for Tom Phillips and Kyle Hartigan, used their first top 10 draft pick in a long time and named a new captain in the off-season.
However, their biggest decision was committing to a rebuild, after spending most of 2020 denying it.
Jeff Kennett has been vocal in voicing the plan, saying they will be hitting the next two drafts hard before hopefully climbing back up the ladder.
Hawthorn currently holds the second pick in the 2021 National Draft, which would be their highest selection since taking Jarryd Roughead in 2004.
The Hawks have a plan and they are sticking to it. Finding that direction was their biggest off-season move.
Nic Negrepontis
Mark Williams' massive impact
The recruitment of Mark Williams has been spoken about by almost every Demons player and coach interviewed this year and what he’s added in terms of training standards and foot skills can’t be understated.
A large part of Melbourne’s rise this year has been the lifting of standards across the board and that largely comes down to Williams, who has come in and challenged the playing group to reach greater heights.
Simon Goodwin has benefitted too from having a premiership coach alongside him, with the experience Williams has provided proving invaluable.
Laurence Rosen
Snaring Jaidyn Stephenson for peanuts
This trade seemed heavily weighted in North Melbourne’s favour at the time and nothing we’ve seen so far in 2021 would change that.
Stephenson has averaged 19 disposals per game for the Roos and kicked 10 goals playing primarily through the midfield.
While the Roos have struggled, the addition of the former top 10 draft pick has dropped a great asset into their laps.
And it only really cost them pick 26.
Stephenson is currently on the sidelines with a hairline fracture in his left wrist and is expected back in the next few weeks.
Injury aside, the 22-year-old has already shown enough to get Kangaroos fans up and about.
North Melbourne pouncing and taking advantage of the situation looms as a big win.
Nic Negrepontis
Bargain Aliir trade
Port Adelaide recruited Aliir Aliir to address a specific need down back.
Standing at 194cm, the imposing presence of Aliir has solidified the Power’s defence and given coach Ken Hinkley greater tactical flexibility.
The intercept defender was prised out of Sydney with a year to run on his contract in exchange for a future second-round pick.
Aliir has hit the ground running at Alberton and has been spoken about as a potential All-Australian.
The 26-year-old is ranked in the top 10 in the AFL for total contested marks and intercepts and is yet to miss a game so far in 2021.
A big tick for Port Adelaide’s recruitment team.
Alex Zaia
All quiet on the premiership front (or is it…?)
By doing not much last off-season, the Tigers actually did plenty.
The back-to-back premiers had a first-round selection in the 2020 draft, but traded away their pick to Geelong.
Richmond didn’t need too much for their list at the time so opted to look to the future by strengthening their draft hand for this year which includes two picks in each of the first, second and third rounds.
It provides the club with a great opportunity for list alignment at the conclusion of the 2021 season or gives them the option to trade for any available established players they may be interested in.
Things were fairly quiet on the premiership front last off-season but their draft activity (or lack thereof) was fairly significant, even if it wasn’t much to the naked eye.
Bringing in son of a gun Maurice Rioli Jnr to spark the imagination of the Tiger army was also a symbolic moment.
Andrew Slevison
Higgins comes home
St Kilda’s decision to top up with players from other clubs during the off-season hasn’t worked.
But Jack Higgins has been an exception.
Higgins, 22, joined his boyhood club from Richmond in search of more opportunities at senior level after playing 43 games in three seasons at Punt Road.
The energetic small forward has been one of very few positives the Saints can take out of what has been a disappointing season so far.
Ranked first for tackles inside 50, second for goals (17) and third for score involvements at the Saints, Higgins has been a good addition with still plenty of upside to his game.
His general play (23 disposals, 12 marks and 12 score involvements) was excellent in the loss to Sydney despite finishing with 1.6.
Alex Zaia
Trading for Hickey
The Swans landed an absolute steal when they traded effectively a third and fourth round pick for ruckman Tom Hickey.
Hickey, 30, has enjoyed the best patch of his journeyman career with the Swans, helping revamp their impressive on-ball brigade.
While he doesn’t often dominate hitouts, Hickey’s best trait is his follow up work and ability to win clearances at ground level.
After playing only three games for West Coast last year, Hickey has been a top five ruckman in 2021 and has played a crucial role in leading the Swans to a stunning 8-4 record at the halfway point of the season.
Hickey's acquisition is shaping up as the shrewdest off-season move by any club.
Lachlan Geleit
Witherden moves west
The Eagles have probed the depth of their defensive stocks as the season has worn on. A knee injury has limited four-time All-Australian Jeremy McGovern to just one game since Round 6, while premiership captain Shannon Hurn missed five rounds with a calf injury.
Regarded as an “old man injury,” the latter portends a passing of the baton behind the ball at Lathlain Park. Josh Rotham may be the natural successor to Hurn, with aerial presence and a booming kick, particularly if Harry Edwards can relieve him of roles on key forwards.
One piece of business at the end of last season looms large, however. With Brisbane having informed young defender Alex Witherden it may be in his best interest to look elsewhere, the Eagles swooped with a late pick.
The country Victorian is a speedier, less commanding presence than Hurn, but at 22 years of age and with 64 games under his belt, he helps Adam Simpson’s side to compete now, and balances their list profile in the long term.
Nathan John
Trading for Treloar
The most optimistic of Dogs fans could hardly have envisioned the scenario list manager Sam Power was presented by Collingwood last October: a blue-chip midfielder in his prime, with a third of his salary paid, in an exchange facilitating the recruitment of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
Treloar is one of few midfielders in the competition who looks truly at home both pre and post-clearance. He can win the ball on his knees and feed it out, while his acceleration, shifts of angle and penetrative kicking make him as comfortable on a wing.
The 28-year-old has been a flexible figure for Luke Beveridge. He started on the wing, and spent more time in the furnace after Josh Dunkley’s shoulder popped out. His capacity to get a hot ball into the hands of a runner has been missed since he suffered a syndesmosis injury in Round 10.
There are further-reaching ramifications for Treloar’s recruitment, too. The former Pie and Giant has forged an inseparable friendship with Dunkley; the pair are as likely to share a holiday as share a cuddle after a goal.
Just months after he pushed for a move to Essendon, “the bromance” could see Dunkley make The Kennel his forever home.
Nathan John