In a major move during the 2024 AFL Trade Period, Melbourne Football Club and Essendon Football Club have executed a significant pick swap that could have wide-reaching implications for the upcoming AFL Draft.
Details of the Trade
On Monday, Melbourne sit on picks No.5 and No.9 in this year’s highly anticipated draft after completing the deal with Essendon. The trade sees Essendon part with their pick No.9 and a future third-round pick, while Melbourne sends a suite of selections and a future pick to the Bombers:
- Melbourne sends to Essendon:
- Picks No.28, No.40, No.46, No.54, and No.65 in this year’s draft
- First-round pick in 2025
This move comes after Melbourne earlier acquired pick No.46 from the Adelaide Crows in exchange for a future third-round pick. The Demons then included this pick in their package to Essendon.
Melbourne’s Strategic Positioning
With this trade, Melbourne now boasts an enviable draft hand, holding two top-ten picks (No.5 and No.9). This positions the Demons to potentially move even further up the draft board over the final days of the trade period. Clubs have until the draft in November to conduct pick swaps, allowing for further strategic manoeuvres.
Essendon’s Calculated Move for Isaac Kako
Essendon’s decision to trade away pick No.9 is a strategic effort to secure Isaac Kako, a highly rated Next Generation Academy (NGA) prospect. There was a risk that a rival club could bid on Kako before Essendon’s original pick, which would have required them to use pick No.9 to match the bid.
By accumulating multiple later picks and a future first-round selection from Melbourne, the Bombers are now better positioned to match any bids for Kako without sacrificing a top-ten pick. Additionally, Essendon now holds two first-round picks for next year’s draft—their own and Melbourne’s 2025 first-round pick—strengthening their long-term recruiting strategy.
Impact on the AFL Trade Landscape
This significant pick swap between Melbourne and Essendon is expected to have ripple effects throughout the league:
- Gold Coast’s Pick 13: The trade could influence the race for the Suns’ pick No.13, as clubs reassess their draft strategies.
- Dan Houston’s Future: The shift in draft picks may impact negotiations surrounding players like Dan Houston, with clubs adjusting their offers based on the new draft order.
- Other Clubs: Several teams had been eyeing Essendon’s pick No.9, anticipating the Bombers might trade it to facilitate their plans for Kako. With this pick now off the table, those clubs will need to explore alternative options.
Context of the Trade Period
The first week of the trade period saw minimal player movement, with only two players changing clubs. However, activity intensified on Friday when Hawthorn traded pick No.14 to Carlton, affecting potential deals involving players like Tom Barrass and Liam Baker.
The Melbourne-Essendon pick swap adds another layer of complexity and excitement to this year’s trade period, as clubs manoeuvre to optimize their draft positions and player acquisitions.
What’s Next?
With the trade period closing soon, clubs have limited time to finalize their strategies. Melbourne may leverage their strong draft hand to move even higher in the draft order or to negotiate for key players. Essendon, meanwhile, will focus on securing Isaac Kako and planning for the future with their additional first-round pick in 2025.
Fans can expect more movement and surprises as the trade period reaches its climax and teams position themselves for success in the upcoming season.
Stick around on BigFooty for more updates on AFL trade news and draft developments. What are your thoughts on the Melbourne and Essendon pick swap?
