Wish list complete for the Bombers

Essendon’s Adrian Dodoro was once the AFL’s trade grinch.

Yesterday he made all of John Worsfold’s Christmas wishes come true.

He wandered into the trade period as the hardest list manager in AFL circles to trade with.

Not only did Dodoro shed that reputation, his club might have finally moved on from four years of ASADA-based issues in one trade period.

The symbolism was impossible to escape.

Not only has it amassed a seriously talented list, a club that had players fleeing years ago is now a destination club.

As Dodoro said as he walked out of the trade negotiations: “It’s just a great day for the club.”

“It just caps off a marvellous trade period for the club. It’s great players wanted to come to our club.”

Not only did Essendon secure all of Devon Smith, Adam Saad and Jake Stringer, it got them while retaining a first and second-round pick in next year’s draft.

In other words, it didn’t sell the farm for any of them.

It got the hard-running defender, it got the goalkicking midfielder, it got the second forward in Stringer who can release Cale Hooker into defence.

Bryce Gibbs, meanwhile, tried to describe how much he loved the Carlton football club yesterday, but the way his voice failed him said it all anyway.

The 231-game Carlton veteran was finally traded to Adelaide 11 years after they vowed to get him home and a season after an aborted trade.

Gibbs admitted yesterday after last year’s trade failed he had believed he would never get back to be closer to family during his footy career.

“Once it was done it hit home a little bit. I don’t usually get too emotional but it pulled on the heartstrings,” the 29-year-old said.