GWS GIANTS’ Trade Period

This article first appeared on afl.com.au

The Greater Western Sydney GIANTS secured six selections in the first two rounds of the NAB AFL Draft and picked up Hawthorn Premiership defender Stephen Gilham as the Gillette AFL Trade Period ended on Friday.

The GIANTS secured five of the first 13 selections at this year’s NAB AFL Draft early on in the Trade Period.

The GIANTS exchanged first pick in the mini-draft (Jack Martin) to Gold Coast in return for selections two and 63 at NAB AFL Draft and exchanged Tom Lee (previously listed player) and selections 24 and 43 in NAB AFL Draft to St Kilda in return for selection 12.

In a deal with the Melbourne Football Club, they also exchanged the second pick in the mini-draft (Jesse Hogan) along with selection 20 in the NAB AFL Draft and Dominic Barry (NT Zone selection) in return for selections three and 13 at the NAB AFL Draft.

This means the club will have the first three selections in November’s Draft followed by picks 12 and 13.

GIANTS List Manager Stephen Silvagni said the club was pleased with the outcome of all mini draft trades and was thrilled to have again secured the first three selections in the upcoming NAB AFL Draft.

“We are focused on securing the best young talent available to ensure the long term success of the GIANTS. To have five of the first 13 selections, on top of the 11 first round picks we had last year, puts us in the position to build on an already exciting young list,” he said.

“We have a number of young players who have already shown exciting potential, with a record eight NAB AFL Rising Star nominees in 2012. We have already re-signed seven of them to long term contracts as well as a number of other players and the addition of more talented young players will take us another step closer to ultimate premiership success.”

GIANTS defender Jack Hombsch and Northern Territory zone selection Jake Neade then joined  Port Adelaide in return for pick 29 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft.

Hombsch is a graduate of the AIS-AFL academy and joined the GIANTS as a pre-selected 17 year old in 2010. The 19year old played nine AFL games for the GIANTS in 2012.

Neade is a small forward from the Northern Territory who is currently attending St Patrick’s College in Ballarat. The GIANTS were able to trade Neade under the club’s list establishment zone selections.

And in a trade with the Hawks on the final day, the GIANTS also received Gilham along with selections 28 and 65 in the NAB AFL Draft in exchange for NT Zone Selection Jed Anderson and picks 29 and 68.

Drafted in 2002 by Port Adelaide with selection 16, Gilham made his AFL debut in 2005. He then moved to Hawthorn where the key defender played 98 games for the Hawks, most notably at full back in their 2008 Premiership.

At the conclusion of the Gillette AFL Trade Period, the GIANTS have secured selections 1, 2, 3, 12, 14, 28, 65, 69, 86, 104 and 122 in next month’s draft.

List Manager Stephen Silvagni said that the GIANTS were delighted to have secured an experienced player in Gilham and also strengthened the club’s position at the end of the trade period.

“By recruiting Stephen we bring in another mature body to strengthen our defence. As a Premiership player for the Hawks, he comes out of a successful club and will be a good role model for our young players,” he said.

“We are very pleased with our position at the end of this trade period. With the draft picks we have been able to secure we are now in a strong position to pick up some quality players to complement the talent already on our list. We are focused on securing the best young talent available to ensure the long term success of the GIANTS.”