Busy day of trades has stars on move
ADELAIDE forward Mitch McGovern, Sydney speedster Gary Rohan, Port Adelaide star Jared Polec and St Kilda ruckman Tom Hickey have all found new AFL homes.
Hickey’s shift to West Coast is the latest deal to be completed on a busy third day of the league’s trade period.
The Eagles, desperate to beef up their ruck depth given Scott Lycett’s departure and Nic Naitanui’s knee injury, off- loaded pick No.39 and a future fourth-round pick in exchange for Hickey, pick No.60 and a future fourth-round pick.
The Blues acquired McGovern and a future third-round pick from the Crows.
Adelaide’s compensation for losing the 23-year-old McGovern was the Swans’ first-round pick (No.13), a future fifthround selection from Carlton plus SANFL talent Shane McAdam (one of the Blues’ pre-draft access picks).
Sydney received picks No.26 and No.28 from the Blues, and No.40 from the Crows. The Swans also completed deals with North Melbourne and Geelong, essentially trading Rohan for hard-running Ryan Clarke from the Kangaroos.
The Cats swapped pick No.61 for Rohan. The Swans then on-traded that fourthround selection to North in exchange for Clarke. Port parted with Polec, Jasper Pittard and pick No.48 in exchange for the Kangaroos’ pick No.11 and a future fourth-round selection.
Yesterday’s trading activity began with Brisbane offloading picks No.24, No.58 and No.79 to Gold Coast in exchange for selections No.32, No.41, No.44 and No.77.
The Lions, who signed Geelong’s Lincoln McCarthy on Monday, are ramping up their pursuit of Fremantle’s reigning best and fairest Lachie Neale.
Brisbane may use the additional pick to help ensure they ward off rival bidders and recruit academy prospect Connor McFadyen in the draft. INGHAM ultra distance runner Sarah Foster finished in third place in the women’s section of the 274km Grand to Grand Ultra marathon in America’s Grand Canyon. It is the only self-supported foot race in North America, which means competitors carried their own food, water, sleeping bags and other necessities for eight days. Last year Foster, who was raised on a cane farm at Hawkins Creek and now helps manage Esmeralda Station, won the women’s section of the 250km Big Red Run across the Simpson Desert. She placed fourth overall.
Brinn recognised
HARDWORKING Centrals Trinity Beach midfielder Josh Brinn was awarded the club’s Best and Fairest award for season 2018. After spending 2017 with Cairns City Lions, the defensively minded Brinn returned to Crathern Park this season and was a welcome addition to their engine room. Brinn was also included in the Cairns Post Team of the Year, which was awarded on Crathern Medal night.