GWS Giants

GWS to trade Hopper, Taranto in seperate deals, expecting high pick for wantaway Bruhn: AFL trade news

“It’s obviously disappointing from our point of view but all we can do at the moment is work to the rules.”

Published by
Danielle Sorati

GWS are expecting several trades to be completed early on in this year's draft period as the club faces an exodus of players to Victoria.

Jacob Hopper, Tim Taranto, Bobby Hill and Tanner Bruhn are all set to be playing elsewhere next season, with Hill's deal to Collingwood all but done on day one.

The Giants are confident Taranto and Hopper will get to Richmond in the early stages of the trade period too, but will have talks with the Tigers in seperate deals for the players, allowing the club to trade for players alongside picks.

"We can have those discussions about whether or not a player is involved. We're not set one way or the other," GWS National Recruiting Manager Adrian Caruso said on Monday.

"Separating those deals means that there's flexibility to look at something like that."

BALLARAT, AUSTRALIA - JULY 11: Jacob Hopper of the Giants in action during the round 17 AFL match between Greater Western Sydney Giants and Gold Coast Suns at Mars Stadium on July 11, 2021 in Ballarat, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Bruhn looks set to head to Geelong after just 30 games with the Giants since being drafted in 2020.

The Giants are keen to get a first round pick back in exchange for their young midfielder, with talks between the two clubs set to ramp up this week.

Despite Bruhn set to depart after just two seasons with the club, the Giants aren't concerned about their ability to retain interstate talent.

"We understand that it's a business," Caruso said.

"We've got these draft picks and we use them and draft players that we think we'll be able to keep at the club long-term.

"A couple of years down the track if they want to leave it's obviously disappointing from our point of view but all we can do at the moment is work to the rules as they are and hopefully some changes can be made in the coming years."

While plenty of Giants are heading elsewhere in the coming week, young Demon Toby Bedford has requested a trade to join the club, with Caruso saying that they will commence preliminary talks with Melbourne soon.

The AFL trade period commenced on Monday and will run through until Wednesday, October 12.

Published by
Danielle Sorati