More top crop for GWS

By Will Dempsey

The GIANTS completed another draft coup in trade week, swapping 17 year old Western Australian key forward Jesse Hogan for picks 3 and 13 from Melbourne. It gives them selections 1, 2,3,12 and 13 in next month’s draft selection.

Last year the expansion club had 11 of the first 14 choices. The growing bonanza has increased fears the league’s 18th team will be fast-tracked to superpower status.

The GIANTS will reap bumper salary cap concessions of up to $1 million a season for the next seven years, as well a larger list than the rest of the competition until 2019.

GWS has utilised another rule that gave the club control over 10 players who had previously been on an AFL list or had nominated for a draft. Through this they secured pick 12 from St Kilda for WAFL star Tom Lee.

GWS Football Manager Graeme Allan said the GIANTS were delighted with the state of their list after executing strategy’s to secure the countries best young talent.

“That was the strategy from day one, at the start of last year’s draft process, to get a lot of early picks,” Allan said.

“Stephen Silvagni and Paul Brodie have done that and the club is very happy and proud of their efforts.

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.”

GWS GIANTS Gillette AFL Trade Period activity to date:

Exchanged first pick in the mini-draft (Jack Martin) to Gold Coast in return for selections two and 63 at NAB AFL Draft.

Exchanged Tom Lee (previously listed player) and selections 24 and 43 in NAB AFL Draft to St Kilda in return for selection 12.

Exchanged second pick in the mini-draft (Jess Hogan) to Melbourne along with selection 20 in NAB AFL Draft and Dominic Barry (NT Zone selection) in return for selections three and 13 at the NAB AFL Draft

No tick for Tippett

Adelaide Crows are yet to accept a deal from the Sydney Swans for star forward Kurt Tippett who has declared he wants to return to his city of birth.

It’s rumored that the Swans have offered a lucrative four year deal at a million dollars a season to lure the signature of the tall forward.

First day of trade talks ended in a stalemate, with the Crows not agreeing to the Swans initial proposal of ruckman/forward Jesse White in exchange for Tippett.

Sydney is weighing up their draft picks and players available for a trade that will lure the Crows into releasing Tippett. 

Talks of an immediate trade would only occur through the likes of Sam Reid or Heath Grundy been offered to the Crows. There are no signs at this stage that the Swans will sacrifice a premiership player for trade with Tippett.