Jack Hombsch is back in South Australian colours, albeit different ones, after being traded today.
After the tepid stalemate that was Monday, the trade rivers began to flow today – but the floodgates haven’t opened just yet.
Two trades were done today as the Saints got one of the two big men they were aiming for, and Port Adelaide pulled a surprise coup to snatch two players from the clutches of the Greater Western Sydney camp.
Although the documentation wasn’t officially lodged, the Tom Hickey to St Kilda deal was completed in all other manners this afternoon. The Saints had been chasing Hickey throughout the trade period, but were reluctant to give up the first round draft pick Gold Coast were asking for (having already given up their other first round pick to GWS). In the end, both sides got what they wanted – the Saints giving up pick 13, their Brendan Goddard compensation pick, as well as picks 37 and 57 for Hickey, pick 26 and pick 47.
St Kilda head of football Chris Pelchen and Gold Coast equivalent Marcus Ashcroft both expressed their happiness at the deals. The Saints have a 201cm, 21 year old back-up for Ben McEvoy while the Suns have a pick back inside the top 15 after trading their pick 2 for 17 year old Jack Martin earlier in the trade period.
While that deal was expected to come to a conclusion at some point this week, there was one that wasn’t by most of the football community. Port Adelaide grabbed what appears on paper to be an absolute bargain, snagging 19 year old key defender Jack Hombsch and NT Zone selection Jake Neade from GWS for pick 29.
Hombsch, an SA native, wasn’t really talked about as a trade prospect, but it appears more has been going on behind the scenes than we realised. Ken Hinkley’s arrival at Alberton has been well welcomed, with two possible replacements for ex-players Troy Chaplin and Danyle Pearce coming shortly after they departed.
No news from the Giants camp as to why they seemed to let Hombsch go apparently cheaply, but expect more to be revealed in the coming days.
The Kurt Tippett and Cam Pedersen deals had another slow day, with the latter possibly even going backwards. After receiving a worse than expected compensation pick for losing Brent Moloney and Jared Rivers, Melbourne might not have enough to offer the Kangaroos to get the Pedersen deal across the line. If a deal can be done with the Lions for Stefan Martin then it might be back on, but currently it seems clubs are at an impasse as for how to proceed.
While on the Demons, it was reported that delisted Port Adelaide midfielder David Rodain was seen touring their facilities as Victorian clubs look to see if he is worth scooping up as a delisted player.
North Melbourne still have quite a few deals alongside the Pedersen trade that they are looking to get done also. As well as looking at homesick Port Adelaide defender Ben Jacobs, they have made inquiries about Gold Coast half-back Taylor Hine. Add to this departing players Matt Campbell and Cruize Garlett and it seems set to be a busy few days at Arden St.
No news on the West to East and vice versa crossings (Koby Stevens of the Eagles and Jamie Cripps of the Saints) came through today either.
Join Bigfooty News for the last three days of what will no doubt be a hectic race to the finish line in the 2012 trade period.
