We are deep into the 2023 AFL trade period and some big deals have already gone through, with the likes of Brodie Grundy and Taylor Adams ending up at the Sydney Swans already, whilst Tom Doedee has found himself at Brisbane.
There are many potential deals still on the table with this exchange window threatening to go down to the wire through to next Wednesday's deadline.
This year's trade period draws some comparisons to the off-season of 2020, where massive deals, plenty of trade requests and some shock moves eventuated all the way through to the final hour.
An unexpected Adam Treloar to Western Bulldogs trade was finalised in the final minute of the trade period, whilst a potential Josh Dunkley to Essendon trade request failed. GWS spearhead Jeremy Cameron headlined the player movement space in his venture to Geelong, whilst veteran Shaun Higgins landed at his third AFL club in also landing at Kardinia Park.
Jye Caldwell's move from GWS to Essendon, Jack Higgins' from Richmond to St Kilda, and Aliir Aliir's from Sydney to Port Adelaide also eventuated.
Three years on, we look back at four of the biggest trades of the 2020 AFL trade period to see how they have played since.
Jeremy Cameron
GWS Giants to Geelong
Geelong received: Jeremy Cameron, 2x 2021 second-round picks
GWS received: Picks 13, 15, 20 and 1x 2021 first-round pick
In another trade that went down to the wire, Jeremy Cameron became a Cat after nine seasons with the Giants. Geelong paid a high price for Cameron, sending Picks 13,15 and 20 to GWS in exchange for Cameron and two future second-round selections after the Giants matched Geelong's bid for the restricted free agent.
It's one of the biggest trades in the AFL given Geelong took a risk and parted way with so many first-round picks, but it is one that has paid great dividends for the Cats. Cameron's first season at Geelong was interrupted, playing just 15 games, but 2022 and 2023 have shown that Cameron remains one of the competition's best key forwards.
The partnership of Tom Hawkins and Cameron is troubling for opposition teams and with the pair both in form last year they were crucial in Geelong's premiership run, finishing joint third in the Coleman Medal with 132 goals between the pair. 2022 was undoubtedly Cameron's best season personally, becoming a premiership player, earning his third All-Australian blazer and maiden Carji Greeves Medal.
This season, Cameron raced out of the blocks kicking 34 goals in the first nine rounds, before he was held goalless for the first time in Round 10.
1. Adam Treloar
Collingwood to Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs received: Adam Treloar, Picks 26, 33 and 42
Collingwood received: Pick 14, 1x 2021 second-round pick
Treloar was traded to the Western Bulldogs in the final minute of the trade period despite having five years remaining on his deal at Collingwood. The Bulldogs gained Treloar along with Picks 26, 33, and 42, whilst Collingwood received Pick 14 and a future second-round selection.
The Western Bulldogs were the clear winner of this trade, with Collingwood having to pay out close to $1.5 million of the midfielder's contract at the Bulldogs, despite offloading Treloar in an effort to clear up salary cap space.
Whilst impressive at both Collingwood and GWS, Treloar has continued to improve since landing at the Bulldogs. This season he averaged 29.3 disposals, 5.7 clearances, and 5.3 tackles per game, earning himself a sixth-placed finish in this year's Charles Sutton Medal.
