How Crows were burnt by disgraced AFL legend

Wayne Carey was poised to beryllium a Kangaroo for beingness earlier his scandalous matter with champion person Anthony Stevens' woman caused his exit from the club.

After spending a twelvemonth distant from the crippled successful the United States, Carey announced his volition to instrumentality to the crippled successful 2003.

Widely considered by galore to beryllium the top subordinate to ever play the game, a fig of suitors lined up for Carey's services earlier helium chose to articulation Adelaide.

The Crows, who were conscionable 4 years removed from back-to-back flags, had hoped Carey would propel them to a 3rd and sent the No.2 prime and the No.18 prime to the Kangaroos successful exchange.

On the incorrect broadside of 30, Carey struggled to recapture the heights helium reached during the mid-90s, but inactive managed to footwear 56 goals crossed 2 seasons.

On the flip side, North Melbourne selected Peel Thunder imaginable Daniel Wells, who coiled up a two-time champion and fairest victor astatine the nine successful a 258-game vocation that ended successful Collingwood.

After kicking a career-high 34 goals successful the 2003 play for Hawthorn, Jade Rawlings was keen connected joining his brother, Brady, astatine North Melbourne.

The Bulldogs, who held the No.6 prime successful the nationalist draught and the No.1 prime successful the pre-season draft, dealt No.6 to the Hawks who sent backmost a 19-year-old subordinate who was taken 65th wide successful erstwhile year's draft: Lochlan Veale.

The full commercialized was fundamentally a sham constructed truthful the Hawks would cease negotiations with North Melbourne and Rawlings would extremity up astatine The Kennel via the pre-season draft.

Veale, fundamentally the pawn successful the deal, was delisted without playing a crippled successful 2004 and admitted that helium was upset astatine the trade.

"I inactive ticker the footy, but those blokes (from the Veale deal) haven't had overmuch luck," helium told the Herald Sun.

"At the commencement it was beauteous hard. I was conscionable uncovering my feet aft a twelvemonth determination and had conscionable got backmost from a footy travel with Hawthorn and recovered my feet, made bully friends with each the boys, and past thought, 'Gee, I person got to bash it each implicit again'.

"That was a depressing clip oregon annoying time, erstwhile you deliberation you person got to bash each this again."

In their last summertime earlier entering the AFL, Perth's newest nine Fremantle embarked connected a raid connected Essendon.

Fremantle was to beryllium coached by erstwhile Claremont manager Gerard Neesham, and Neesham was keen to enlistee immoderate of his aged charges.

The Dockers were thrilled to lure Essendon trio Todd Ridley, Tony Delaney and Dale Kickett to the club, with each 3 having played astatine Claremont.

In speech for losing Ridley, Delaney and Kickett, Essendon was fixed Fremantle's archetypal circular prime (No.4) successful the 1994 nationalist draught arsenic good arsenic a concession selection.

Essendon selected Scott Lucas with the No.4 prime successful the nationalist draft, earlier arranging an statement with Fremantle that would let it to prime highly-touted youngster Matthew Lloyd with the concession selection.

Lloyd and Lucas would spell connected to harvester for 1397 goals and 540 games, playing cardinal roles successful Essendon's 2000 premiership win.

Meanwhile, Ridley (21 games), Delaney (28 games) and Kickett (135 games) failed to acceptable the satellite alight.

What a blunder.

Unfortunately losing Lloyd and Lucas was not the lone blunder from Fremantle successful the summertime of '94.

As a portion of their last off-season earlier entering the AFL, Fremantle had the close to enlistee an breathtaking young guardant named Andrew McLeod who had acceptable the SANFL alight successful that year's expansive final.

However, Fremantle didn't precisely complaint McLeod, trading his rights to the Adelaide Crows successful speech for a young guardant by the sanction of Chris Groom.

Groom lone managed 7 games for the Dockers earlier his vocation was brought to an extremity by persistent genu injuries.

McLeod would spell connected to go 1 of the Adelaide Crows' all-time top players.

Moving to a halfback role, McLeod piled up 340 games, 2 Norm Smith Medals, 2 premierships, 5 All-Australian jackets and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

McLeod aboriginal revealed that Neesham was astatine the centre of Fremantle's decision, saying helium felt insulted and belittled by the newly-appointed coach.

Another year, different Fremantle commercialized blunder successful the off-season.

After losing retired connected Lloyd, Lucas and McLeod earlier entering the AFL, 7 years aboriginal the Dockers passed up 2 much aboriginal Hall of Famers.

Fremantle was astatine its lowest ebb astatine the crook of the period and was rewarded with the prized No.1 prime successful the 2001 'Super Draft' aft finishing with a paltry 2-20 record.

However, alternatively of making that selection, Fremantle decided connected trading the prime to Hawthorn.

The last bones of the woody saw Fremantle person Trent Croad and Luke McPharlin, portion Hawthorn received picks 1, 20 and 36.

Taken No.1 was Luke Hodge, portion the Hawks struck much golden with No.36, taking Sam Mitchell.

Hodge coiled up playing 346 games, winning 4 premierships, 2 Norm Smith Medals and made 3 All-Australian teams. Mitchell played 329 games, and won a Brownlow Medal.

To marque matters worse for Fremantle, Croad played conscionable 2 seasons for the club, earlier citing homesickness and re-joining Hawthorn astatine the extremity of 2003 wherever helium would go an All-Australian (2005) and yet played successful Hawthorn's archetypal premiership nether Alastair Clarkson successful 2008.

It was the commercialized saga that captured the hearts of fans during the 2020 commercialized period.

After the Magpies were bundled retired of the finals, rumours circulated astir Adam Treloar wanting to determination to Queensland aft his spouse Kim Ravaillion signed a woody with Super Netball broadside Queensland Firebirds.

However, it soon emerged that the agitating for a commercialized was wholly from Collingwood's side, with Treloar wanting nary portion of the move.

Collingwood had recovered itself successful wage headdress hellhole and needed to shed wealth fast, and moving Treloar's five-year, $900,000 per twelvemonth woody was the easiest mode to bash so.

The saga went close down to the ligament earlier Treloar was yet moved to the Bulldogs successful the last infinitesimal of the commercialized period.

When the woody was finalised, Collingwood fans were livid with the paltry return the nine received for a antheral who'd averaged a league-high 32.9 disposals per crippled 12 months earlier.

Collingwood yet received prime 14 and a aboriginal second-round prime portion the Bulldogs added Treloar to its' packed midfield on with picks 26, 33 and 42.

To marque matters worse for Collingwood, contempt trading Treloar, the nine was still forced to wage $300,000 of his $900,000 per year connected the remainder of his five-year deal.

Richmond during the mid-2000s was arsenic acold distant from a premiership dynasty arsenic you could imagine.

A nine mired successful mediocrity, the Tigers decided to propulsion the trigger connected bringing Bulldogs halfback Jordan McMahon to the club.

After being picked 10th wide by the Dogs successful the 2000 draft, McMahon fetched the Bulldogs prime 19 successful the 2007 draft.

That prime of people became Callan Ward, who has gone connected to beryllium 1 of the astir rugged midfielders successful the AFL.

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they excessively didn't get to spot the champion of Ward arsenic helium was poached by the GWS Giants to beryllium 1 of their inaugural captains successful 2011.

Ward became a exemplary of consistency aft being drafted, expanding his disposals mean successful each of his archetypal 5 seasons earlier averaging astatine slightest 20 touches per crippled from 2011 to 2018.

McMahon coiled up playing conscionable 34 games for Richmond crossed 2 seasons and it is ironic that his Tigers item came via a game-winning extremity successful the infamous tanking lucifer against Melbourne successful 2009.

Frustrated with a deficiency of accordant playing time, Carlton winger Shaun Grigg requested a commercialized to Richmond astatine the extremity of 2010.

Despite being drafted 19th wide successful the 2006 draft, Grigg had managed conscionable 43 games successful a mediocre Carlton side.

Eventually, the winger secured his determination to Punt Road and instantly became a exemplary of consistency.

Grigg played successful 20-plus games successful 7 of his archetypal 8 seasons with the nine and averaged implicit 20 disposals per crippled successful each season.

He was a cardinal performer successful the drought-breaking Richmond premiership broadside successful 2017, averaging 23.1 disposals per crippled portion besides playing immoderate cardinal ruck minutes.

The subordinate Carlton got successful speech for Grigg was a young midfielder by the sanction of Andrew Collins.

Unfortunately for Carlton, Collins did not person astir arsenic overmuch occurrence for the nine arsenic Grigg did astatine Richmond, managing conscionable 11 games earlier being delisted astatine the extremity of 2013.

Geelong person go experts successful the off-season successful caller years and it is 1 of the ways the nine has been capable to enactment adjacent the apical of the ladder.

After missing the finals successful 2015 with a disappointing 10th-placed finish, the Cats were capable to rebound by adding Patrick Dangerfield.

Twelve months later, Geelong landed 1 of the cardinal pieces of its existent backline, Zach Tuohy, successful a bargain deal.

Tuohy had go 1 of the large Irish AFL occurrence stories, playing 120 games for the Blues aft being picked 73rd successful the 2010 rookie draft.

Geelong gave up youngster Billie Smedts, a 2017 first-round prime and prime 63 successful the 2016 draught successful speech for Tuohy and Carlton's 2017 second-rounder.

After managing conscionable 38 games successful six seasons astatine the Cattery, it was thought that a alteration successful scenery would assistance bring retired the champion successful Smedts.

However, that would beryllium not to beryllium the lawsuit arsenic helium managed conscionable 9 games earlier being delisted by the Blues astatine the extremity of the season.

Sometimes it tin beryllium those commercialized deals not done that tin beryllium costly, conscionable inquire Port Adelaide.

After being drafted by Port Adelaide arsenic an 18-year-old successful 1998, Nick Stevens had go 1 of the Power's astir prolific midfielders.

However, astatine the extremity of the 2003 season, the Victorian autochthonal expressed a tendency to instrumentality to his location state, nominating Collingwood arsenic his nine of choice.

Stevens was coming disconnected a stellar play wherever helium had averaged an adjacent career-high 24.1 disposals per crippled successful 23 appearances, and Port weren't prepared to merchantability him for pennies connected the dollar.

The Power asked for 1 of Alan Didak, Simon Prestigiacomo oregon Richard Cole positive a draught prime from Collingwood, a woody the Pies weren't prepared to motion disconnected on.

"We're not going to beryllium bent implicit successful presumption of accepting thing that is not fair," Port manager Mark Williams said astatine the time.

Eventually, Port ended up being the large loser arsenic Stevens discontinue the nine and enactment his sanction into the pre-season draught wherever the Blues snapped him up with the No.2 pick.

Stevens played successful 104 games for Carlton, and was handed the club's vice-captaincy successful the last 3 seasons anterior to his status successful 2009.

Shaun Burgoyne retired arsenic a Hawthorn fable this twelvemonth aft an unthinkable 407-game career, but helium could person been astatine the nine a decennary earlier.

After dominating the 80s, Hawthorn had slipped into a play of mediocrity pursuing their 1991 premiership win.

By the clip 2000 came around, the Hawks were looking to ascent the ladder and were convinced they needed a seasoned ruckman.

The Hawks paid what ended up being a hefty terms to bring dual-premiership ruckman Shaun Rehn implicit from Adelaide.

While Rehn had enjoyed a beardown vocation with the Crows, adjacent making 2 All-Australian teams, helium had undergone 3 large genu surgeries by the clip helium arrived astatine Glenferrie Oval arsenic a 29-year-old.

Hawthorn decided to nonstop prime 12 successful the 2000 draught for the Crows successful speech for Rehn, a prime that coiled up being dealt to Port Adelaide for Matthew Bode.

Port Adelaide selected Burgoyne with the pick, and saw him blossom into an All-Australian and a premiership player.

However, it is hard to spot Hawthorn arsenic a existent loser due to the fact that of Burgoyne's 250 games and 3 premierships for the nine aft joining successful 2010.

After winning the club's maiden premiership successful 2004, Port Adelaide decided that it needed immoderate zip disconnected halfback.

Enter Hawthorn's Nathan Lonie, who was known alongside his duplicate Ryan, for being a booming near ft footwear susceptible of drilling goals from good extracurricular the 50m arc.

Lonie wasn't a atrocious subordinate for Port Adelaide, arsenic helium became a regular first-team subordinate for Mark Williams, but it was what the Power gave up successful speech that hurts.

Port decided to woody its 2005 first-round prime (No.14) to Hawthorn successful speech for Lonie.

That prime became four-time premiership Hawk Grant Birchall, who would morph into 1 of the AFL's premier halfbacks implicit the adjacent decade.

Lonie played conscionable 40 games for Port earlier retiring astatine conscionable 25 years of property astatine the extremity of 2008.

Birchall coiled up playing 287 vocation games for some Hawthorn and Brisbane, playing successful 4 premiership teams and making an All-Australian squad successful 2012.

Imagine an All-Australian ruck tandem of Brodie Grundy and Nic Naitanui putting it down the throats of West Coast's midfielders.

That's the anticipation the Eagles passed connected erstwhile it traded the No.18 prime successful the 2012 draught for Collingwood's Sharrod Wellingham.

Wellingham, a Perth native, had go 1 of Collingwood's astir breathtaking young players aft being picked 10th successful the 2007 rookie draft.

After making his debut successful 2008, Wellingham became a mainstay successful Collingwood's team, playing 24 matches successful 2010 erstwhile the 'Pies claimed the flag.

Wellingham looked acceptable to detonate retired west, but ne'er truly blossomed similar galore expected.

His archetypal play astatine the nine was jeopardised erstwhile helium wounded his ankle portion utilizing a trampoline during the pre-season, and helium was ne'er capable to scope the heights expected.

Wellingham was delisted by West Coast astatine the extremity of 2017 aft 79 games for the nine astatine conscionable 29 years of age.

In comparison, Grundy has go a behemoth for Collingwood.

The 203cm large antheral is 1 of the AFL's champion large men, a two-time nine champion and fairest victor and a two-time All-Australian.

Geelong were the feel-good communicative of the 2004 season, making an improbable tally to a preliminary last and astir ending Brisbane's expansive last streak.

While the Cats had assembled the talented young halfway that would spell connected to triumph a premiership 3 years later, determination was 1 gaping hole: a bully ruckman.

Enter Richmond prima Brad Ottens, who had go disillusioned with beingness astatine Punt Road.

After being picked 2nd wide by Richmond successful the 1997 draft, Ottens had blossomed into an All-Australian by 2001, kicking 46 goals.

However, his signifier plateaued successful the seasons that followed, prompting a alteration of scenery.

Ottens was dealt to Geelong successful speech for picks 12 and 16, which became Danny Meyer and Adam Pattison. Those players combined for 92 vocation games.

Success wasn't instant for Ottens, who struggled successful his archetypal play and was a changeless root of disapproval from the media.

In a career-defining moment, the media scrutiny caused Cats manager Mark Thompson to tee disconnected astatine reporters.

"For immoderate silly reason, you radical privation to assassinate him," helium said.

"It's conscionable rubbish. You people, each of you, ALL OF YOU, permission him alone!"

Ottens would decorativeness up a storied portion of Geelong's nine past playing successful 116 games and 3 premierships earlier retiring successful 2011.

Josh Kennedy has go truthful synonymous with the Sydney Swans' occurrence implicit the past decade, it's hard to retrieve that helium started his vocation astatine Hawthorn.

The lad of Hawthorn royalty, Kennedy was taken 40th wide by the Hawks nether the father-son regularisation successful the 2006 draft.

However, coming up successful a star-studded Hawks squad featuring the likes of Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis successful the midfield, Kennedy struggled for crippled time.

After managing conscionable 13 games successful 3 seasons, Kennedy accepted a three-year woody from the Swans successful the summertime of 2010 and instantly exploded into a A-grade midfielder.

Kennedy and Hawks teammate Ben McGlynn were some sent to Sydney successful speech for picks 39, 46 and 70 successful an unthinkable triumph for the Swans.

Since arriving successful Sydney, Kennedy has been the exemplary of consistency, and has ne'er averaged beneath 20 disposals per crippled successful the 12 seasons since the trade.

He was a cardinal cog successful John Longmire's 2012 premiership broadside and has 3 All-Australian jackets. Kennedy has besides captained the Swans since 2017.

Imagine Essendon prima Zach Merrett thrown into a midfield featuring the likes of Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Tom Liberatore.

With Essendon successful the midst of the supplements ungraded and knocked retired of the 2013 finals series, promising guardant Stewart Crameri wanted out.

After coming up done the club's VFL affiliate, Crameri was the Bombers' starring goalkicker successful his last 3 years earlier being traded to the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs coughed up prime 26 successful the 2013 draught successful speech for the cardinal forward, a prime which Essendon utilized to prime Zach Merrett.

While Crameri was by nary means a flop astatine the Bulldogs, wherever helium kicked 69 goals successful his archetypal 2 seasons astatine the club, Merrett has turned into a prima for Essendon.

In a cruel twist, Crameri besides missed retired connected the Bulldogs' 2016 premiership triumph aft being 1 of the 34 Essendon players suspended by WADA.

The ultra-consistent midfielder has already notched up 165 vocation games, 3 nine champion and fairest awards and 2 All-Australian jackets.

He is wide considered to beryllium Dyson Heppell's successor arsenic Essendon's adjacent captain.