West Coast fans are fuming over the trading of their No.3 AFL draft pick and chief executive Don Pyke concedes it’s “not going to be popular with everyone”.
But Pyke has called for patience and perspective, saying they were honouring their commitment to Liam Baker and noting that this year’s draft is rated highly for its depth of talent.
Carlton scored a massive win on Tuesday when the first major deal of the AFL trade period finally dropped, securing the No.3 pick from the Eagles in the three-way deal.
Richmond star Baker was granted his wish and goes to West Coast, who also recruit Blues small forward Matt Owies in the deal.
With the Wednesday 7.30pm AEDT trade deadline looming large, it remained unclear on Tuesday whether the Dan Houston trade could be revived.
Houston was set to leave Port Adelaide and go to Collingwood in a three-club trade involving Gold Coast, but the Power pulled out of the deal on Monday night.
Instead, Baker and the No.3 pick headline the first significant player deal since the trade period started eight days ago.
As part of the deal, Carlton give up pick No.12, plus the No.14 selection they secured last Friday in a trade with Hawthorn.
That trade of the No.14 pick had put Baker’s move to the Eagles in some doubt, with Fremantle making no secret of their interest in him.
But he will end up at his preferred destination – the club Baker supported before joining Richmond – with the Tigers receiving the 14th selection from Carlton.
Fellow Richmond players Shai Bolton (Fremantle) and Daniel Rioli (Gold Coast) also have asked for trades.
The Eagles receive Baker, Owies, pick 12 and a later draft pick in return for sending the No.3 selection to the Blues.
“If you look at the deal in isolation, the slide from three to 12 and using 14 to get Liam Baker looks a bit odd,” Pyke told SEN, as the airwaves were lighting up in Perth with talkback calls from aggrieved Eagles fans.
“But for us it was part of a bigger play we had around Liam and the commitment we made to him to bring him to the club. So we were fulfilling and honouring that commitment as well as sliding back in a draft we believe has got some depth.
“I guess it’s not going to be popular with everyone. But we’re going to get a good player, we believe, at 12. Not as good as we would get at three, we recognise that.”
The Blues are expected to use the No.3 pick to recruit midfielder Finn O’Sullivan, a highly-rated midfielder who has made a big impression on recruiters despite an injury-marred year.
Owies is another big winner in the deal, securing a multi-year contract, while the Eagles slide from No.3 to No.12 in the draft.
Suns player Jack Lukosius wants to join Port and was another player in the now-paused Houston trade.
Bailey Smith hopes to join Geelong from the Western Bulldogs, but there has been no breakthrough on those talks.
