If Gillon McLachlan suddenly decided to implement a mid-season trade period this year, what would happen?
What sort of attainable player does your club need right now? Which area does your club need to address for the second half of the season?
We’re prefacing this by saying that none of the clubs are giving up anything significant in regards to draft picks or trading players.
It’s also more looking to analyse what clubs are lacking at this point of the season, but can’t really fill without looking elsewhere.
This is not to be considered in the same category as the trade period at season’s end. The trades are also just hypothetical and we are in no way suggesting these players are on the trade table.
This is a quick fix for the here and now and must be treated as such by only taking into account the trading of what would be considered nominal assets.
See your club below:
Key defender
The Adelaide Crows are desperate for a tall defender.
On too many occasions this season, Adelaide’s defence has failed to stand up against the competition’s best forwards.
Key defender Jordon Butts has been copping the brunt of these forward avalanches as the 32-gamer lines up on the likes of Tom Lynch, Aaron Naughton, Harry McKay and Peter Wright each week. It is a lot to ask of a player who’s just 22.
Allowing Kyle Hartigan to walk at the end of 2020 for a fourth-round pick, in hindsight, is proving to be a costly decision by Adelaide’s list management.
Lewis Melican for Sydney looks a good fit for the Crows. The 194cm key defender is currently plying his trade for the Swans in the VFL.
The 25-year-old has played some strong games at AFL level, and he does look a suitable hypothetical option for the depleted Adelaide backline.
He was a rookie seleciton so would not cost the Crows much.
Hugh Fitzpatrick
Running defender
Brisbane may have the most well-rounded list in the AFL (Melbourne aside), making this choice a hard one in terms of list needs.
While the Lions are strong down back, one area which isn’t an obvious strength is pace off half-back.
Dayne Zorko featured in that role early in the season but has since shifted back into more of a utility role across the ground, at the stoppage and even up forward.
Off the other back flank is Daniel Rich, and while he’s an elite user and a great rebounder, he doesn’t possess blistering leg speed to break the lines.
Along with Rich, Brandon Starcevich and Noah Answerth play differently, taking on accountable, defensive roles.
Although Keidean Coleman can overlap and break the lines, another player in his mould could be of great use for Chris Fagan.
A player like Richmond’s Daniel Rioli fits this profile perfectly, but there’d be no chance of the Tigers letting him walk.
A more gettable option that has been short of opportunity and form in 2022 is Gold Coast’s Oleg Markov, who has found himself out of favour on occasion this season.
Lachlan Geleit
Key forward/ruck
The Blues’ key position stocks have been absolutely ravaged so far this season.
Harry McKay, Marc Pittonet, Mitch McGovern, Oscar McDonald and Luke Parks are injured, Caleb Marchbank is still finding fitness in the VFL and Alex Mirkov isn’t ready.
This leaves Jacob Weitering, Lewis Young, Tom De Koning and Charlie Curnow as the only available key position players on their list.
Ideally, they would love a key position player who can slot in at either end of the ground and pinch hit in the ruck if needed, but to be a little more specific, someone who could provide a contest inside 50 and backup in the ruck would be the best case scenario.
Hayden McLean is a hypothetical example at the Swans who has played eight games this year, but isn’t in their best side with everyone healthy. He’d slot into this Carlton side (without McKay or Pittonet) as a secondary key forward pinch-hitting in the ruck.
Levi Casboult is another who would have been handy … had the Blues not delisted him.
Nic Negrepontis
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Key defender
Collingwood were already struggling with key defender depth and that list need has been exacerbated by Friday’s retirement of Jordan Roughead.
Without Roughead, the departed Irishman Mark Keane and injured duo Charlie Dean and Jack Madgen, the Pies are seriously thin down back.
Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe are quality talls, but for them to show their best attributes they'd prefer to play alongside a lockdown type, allowing them to peel off and effect multiple contests.
One option that’s been squeezed out of his senior side is Adam Tomlinson, with the 194cm backman a proven one-on-one defender during his time at the Giants.
While Tomlinson has also proven an ability to peel off his man and take plenty of grabs, he’s also comfortable in a more accountable role.
Although Dean looks set to play once he reaches full fitness, Tomlinson would be an ideal candidate for Collingwood in the meantime.
In saying that, Melbourne would be reluctant to let him go as the ex-Giant is the ideal foil for the likes of Steven May, Jake Lever and Harrison Petty.
As a result, Collingwood would also take a look at similar options in Brisbane’s Jack Payne and Hawthorn’s Kyle Hartigan.
Lachlan Geleit
Inside midfielder
Essendon’s current woes start in the midfield and they remain in desperate need for something different right at the coalface.
The likes of Zach Merrett and Darcy Parish are prolific ball gatherers, but at the moment remain mostly outside midfielders who don’t win enough of their own contested footy.
The Bombers’ dearth of hard-nosed inside players has been further exacerbated with both Kyle Langford and Will Snelling missing most of the season through injury.
Could someone like out of favour Carlton midfielder Paddy Dow be an option for the Bombers? He’s impressed at VFL level this year and would be able to come in immediately and do a job for the Dons.
Laurence Rosen
Key forward
Fremantle’s long standing battle with key forwards continues and if they could snare some depth, it would go a long way, particularly with draftee Jye Amiss now sidelined.
Matt Taberner is their spearhead, but is clearly injury prone, while Rory Lobb has had a decent season, averaging 1.6 goals per game. Josh Treacy can play tall, but is more suited to being the third banana.
The Dockers would want to add another viable key forward option to their list as a depth option in case of injury.
Someone like Melbourne’s Sam Weideman or a Jake Riccardi, who has been thrown around by GWS, would be a decent contingency plan for a team hoping to push deep into September.
Nic Negrepontis
Consistent midfielder
The Cats are well stocked in the key positions, but it’s in the midfield where they’ve struggled this year.
Joel Selwood has been the club’s best on-baller for the majority of the season, an indictment on the midfield stocks given he is nearing 34 years of age.
Patrick Dangerfield has been out of form and battling injury, Mitch Duncan and Cameron Guthrie haven’t produced the consistency of years gone by and Brandan Parfitt is yet to come on as much as Geelong would have liked.
A consistent, big bodied, younger midfielder would be perfect for the middle of the season as some of the club’s stars find their feet again.
If the Cats had have gone after forgotten Sun and current Dockers star Will Brodie at the end of last year, he would have perfectly filled the need.
Someone like Brisbane’s Rhys Mathieson would be an ok selection as a player that can adequately play a role in the midfield and have a crack.
Seb Mottram
Key defender
Sam Collins has been a warrior down back for the Suns this year, but he needs help. For two and a bit games this year that’s been in the form of Rory Thompson, however, the injury-prone key back is now facing a stint on the sidelines with yet another knee injury.
Collins is the club’s premier one-on-one defender, but without help, Charlie Ballard is required to punch above his weight and take the second key forward.
Before Thompson played his first game in Round 8, the club had conceded the fourth most points across the competition.
Now the club needs a second key defender more than ever. Jack Payne probably gets squeezed out of the Lions' best side, but is a very capable defender.
The Suns would also look to poach one of Joel Hamling or Griffin Logue from Fremantle, with the Dockers blessed with some of the best defensive depth in the competition.
Seb Mottram
Forward depth
The Giants have been struggling to score consistently this season, averaging 77 points per game.
Yes, they put up 138 against West Coast last week, but everyone has been doing that of late. It was just their second score over 100 for the season.
They have posted scores of 75, 73, 54, 53, 60 and 35, and their leading goal kicker is Harry Himmelberg with 18. He found himself in defence last weekend.
Jesse Hogan is dangerous when he plays, but is in and out of the team, and needs continuity. Toby Greene is a star, but is he the guy to build a forward line around given his stature?
With all this in mind, GWS could do worse than search for forward depth.
Darcy Fogarty is struggling to make an impact at Adelaide and could be shaken up if he were to move to another club. The Giants could play him deep, with Hogan roaming and Greene both leading up and at the fall of ball, provided the Himmelberg to defence experiment endures.
Geelong talent Esava Ratugolea is another name the Giants might look at in this hypothetical situation, but he is currently sidelined with an ankle injury and is unavailable for the next few weeks.
Melbourne forward Sam Weideman could also be a potential option for GWS.
While Greene, Hogan and Himmelberg form a fairly dangerous trio when all are up and about together, their good games together are few and far between.
The Giants could do with a fresh face in attack to help spark things under Mark McVeigh, even after they went to town on the Eagles.
Andrew Slevison
A ruckman
The Hawks will likely take zero, that’s right, zero recognised ruckmen into Saturday night’s clash in Darwin against Gold Coast.
All three big men on the Hawks list are unavailable through injury or concussion.
Max Lynch will be back in a week but there is some chance that neither Ned Reeves or Ben McEvoy will make it back at all this year. So if the Hawks had the chance to trade mid-season, would they consider a play for Todd Goldstein?
If they were to beat the Suns, they’d be turning for home at 5-6 and be an outside chance to play finals.
Perhaps they look at Goldstein and throw in a future fourth round pick to the Kangas for what would effectively be a half-year loan arrangement.
Given this is a development year for the club, chances are they will use the mid-season draft to find a fourth ruckman to complete the season, but the trade option would be intriguing if available.
Ash Browne
Back-up ruckman
On face value, Melbourne looks and primed to win back to back flags after an unbeaten start to the season.
Their defence is set, midfield operating at a level above most teams and have a litany of forward options.
But what would happen if one of Max Gawn or Luke Jackson go down?
Melbourne’s ruck stocks are perhaps the only area where they’d like to strengthen if a mid-season trade period took place right now.
Looking at the ruck options across the competition who aren’t playing senior footy right now, St Kilda’s Tom Campbell or even Western Bulldogs’ Jordon Sweet could be an option to fill the back-up ruck void at the Dees.
Laurence Rosen
Key defender/youth
What would North Melbourne look to add in the hypothetical upcoming mid-season trade period to try and douse the fire?
Would they look to continue adding youth and try and pinch a youngster on the outer somewhere like a Paddy Dow at Carlton or a Fischer McAsey at Adelaide? Potentially.
What the Roos really need right now though is key defensive depth. Ben McKay has been in and out with injuries, leaving Josh Walker and Aidan Corr as the only two on their list and neither are really suited to taking the opposition’s best forward.
Someone like Caleb Graham at the Suns wouldn’t cost the club much and could at least give them another option in defence. Hawthorn’s Kyle Hartigan would be a veteran option.
Neither move the needle for the struggling Roos, but they may help plug the hole and stem the bleeding.
Nic Negrepontis
Midfielders
Port Adelaide’s midfield depth was a concern heading into 2022 and it remains a worry approaching the midway mark of the season.
Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines is the Power’s premier on-baller while veteran Travis Boak is back in the midfield having spent time across half-forward.
Sam Powell-Pepper, Willem Drew, Connor Rozee, Karl Amon and Zak Butters have all attended their fair share of centre bounces.
Power champion Kane Cornes says his former club must bolster its midfield in this year’s trade period.
“They were short two midfielders going into the season, it was an area they just didn’t address in the trade period,” Cornes told AFL.com.au.
“They probably need a bit more outside run and ball use.”
“Port Adelaide just have to address it in the trade period, it’s costing them.”
Geelong’s Quinton Narkle has been on the fringes for much of the year and could be an option for Port’s recruitment team.
Narkle is into his fifth season at AFL level, playing just 37 games.
The 24-year-old midfielder comes out of contract at end of the season.
Alex Zaia
Inside midfielder
Richmond’s defence is in good shape, the forward line, when Tom Lynch returns from his hamstring, is fairly dangerous and the ruck stocks are solid.
There is one area that the Tigers could use some help in and that is around the contest and at the stoppage in the midfield.
Midfielder/forward Shai Bolton and ruckman Toby Nankervis are two of the side’s best three contested players this season, with veteran Trent Cotchin the other.
Adding an inside beast to combat the bigger bodied midfield units at the top of the table could be a helpful move for the Tigers.
There aren’t too many of them around who aren’t already playing regular senior footy, but some names spring to mind.
Matt Crouch has been somewhat out of favour at Adelaide this year, but they would demand too much from the Tigers to make it a feasible trade. He is also expected to return to the Crows’ best 22 very soon.
Regardless, he is the type of player who could be handy for Damien Hardwick’s midfield for the here and now as the recent three-time premiers strive to mix it with the competition’s top teams.
GWS’ Jacob Hopper would be the dream, but that’s drawing a long bow.
Melbourne’s Luke Dunstan is another inside mid that is not playing regular senior football, however, the Demons find him useful whenever one of their first-choice mids are out of the side.
It’s not a major point of need for the Tigers, especially with promising youngster Thomson Dow gaining some experience in the ones this year, but it is an area they could look at if a hypothetical mid-season trade period were to take place.
Andrew Slevison
Wingman
St Kilda could do with a speedy outside runner who kicks the ball well.
Daniel McKenzie and Mason Wood are the Saints’ current wingers and while they’ve done a solid job, an upgrade in that position is sure to be on the club’s agenda.
Brad Hill was recruited to Moorabbin as a star wingman from Fremantle, but has since found new roles as a high half-forward and across half-back.
The Saints are one of multiple Victorian clubs reportedly showing interest in Port Adelaide winger Karl Amon.
Amon, an unrestricted free agent, was linked with a return to Melbourne in 2019 – with St Kilda a rumoured suitor – before signing a three-year extension with the Power.
The 26-year-old was one of the best wingers in the competition last year, earning a spot in the All-Australian squad of 40.
Amon, who’s played 112 games for Port, possess qualities that would add to St Kilda’s midfield mix, but he is more likely to move at season’s end and not right now.
Perhaps Adelaide’s Lachie Sholl or Melbourne’s Oskar Baker would present as immediate options for the Saints.
Alex Zaia
Key forward
Despite their recent performances, the Sydney Swans line-up is well stocked meaning they aren’t desperate for someone in an upcoming hypothetical mid-season draft.
In saying that, if they were to be greedy, they’d love another key forward target to assist veteran Lance Franklin and developing young gun Logan McDonald.
Their need for another forward option was on show in their Round 10 loss to the Blues as they constantly bombed the ball to Franklin for a return of just two goals.
There are several key forwards that fit their needs, Sam Weideman from the Demons, Darcy Fogarty from the Crows or Jake Riccardi from the Giants.
All three have plied their trade in the reserves for most of their careers, making a fresh start a suitable option.
Hugh Fitzpatrick
Midfielders
At the moment, West Coast would be happy to get anyone through the doors who can restore a bit of spirit in their side, but they do need to find someone to rejuvenate their aging midfield.
Luke Shuey, 31, Jack Redden, 31, and Elliot Yeo, 28, all look to be slowing down after struggling with injuries and as a result, the team is now ranked 16th in total clearances after 10 rounds.
There’s a raft of young out-of-favour midfielders they could try and poach from other clubs, but one who would excite Eagles fans is Geelong midfielder Quinton Narkle.
Luring Narkle, 24, home to Perth would help reinvigorate their struggling engine room, and his freakish tendencies would be a welcome sight for an unhappy supporter base.
Carlton’s Paddy Dow would be a great get, with the 22-year-old racking up plenty of touches in the VFL, but another young midfielder that is struggling to lock in a spot is Collingwood youngster Finlay Macrae.
The 20-year-old has been a solid performer in the VFL this year, averaging 21 disposals and he’s only featured in Craig McRae’s side once in 2022, after playing nine games in his first season.
If Macrae can grow into the ball magnet that his older brother Jack is, there wouldn’t be too many clubs who’d pass on the opportunity to have him in their midfield, but you would imagine the Pies would persist with him.
Sam Watson
Key defender
The Doggies could really do with another big body down back.
Their need for a key forward is clear, but that should be fulfilled with the return of Josh Bruce in the next four to five weeks, so defence is where they should look.
Alex Keath has been a solid contributor down back, but he’s struggled with injuries in recent years, and it’s obvious Luke Beveridge doesn’t have immense faith in Ryan Gardner, who was dropped for last year’s Grand Final.
They could look at Hawthorn’s Kyle Hartigan, with the 30-year-old playing just one senior game for the Hawks this year.
While he doesn’t look to be in Sam Mitchell’s plans in 2022, he did feature in Adelaide’s 2017 Grand Final side, so he’s proven he can play a role in a successful team in the past.
Or they could also target someone like 25-year-old Lewis Melican, who is yet to get a game for Sydney this season.
Sam Watson