GWS forward Bobby Hill is no guarantee to be back at the Giants for the start of AFL pre-season training after being “upset” about his trade request to Essendon falling over.
Hill was determined to end up at the Bombers, despite being contracted at GWS next year, but the Giants shut down any negotiations well before Wednesday night’s trade period closed.
GWS were caught off-guard with the 21-year-old only informing them of his wishes to leave the club five days ago.
Player agent Colin Young, who works with Hill’s manager Andrew McDougall, said the reasons for the trade were to be closer to family in Melbourne, including St Kilda ace Bradley Hill.
Bobby Hill is with family in Perth where it is expected he will stay until after his partner gives birth to their child in December.
“I don’t think anything changes,” Young responded on Fox Footy when asked if Hill would want to be traded again next year.
“I think Bobby will be here (in Western Australia) until at least December; obviously Bobby’s pretty deflated right now.
“He’s obviously pretty upset because he had done a lot of work talking to relatives and in the Indigenous community in Melbourne.”
GWS refused to part with Hill, determined to retain the 30-game speedster as cover for suspended superstar Toby Greene.
Giants football boss Jason McCartney said the Bombers were unable to offer the club anything substantial for Hill and GWS were adamant on keeping him at the club.
“We rate Bobby really highly … obviously we haven’t got many small forwards on our list and Toby Greene will unfortunately be out for the first five games of the season,” McCartney told Trade Radio.
“We need Bobby at his best next year and we look forward to welcoming him back at the footy club with open arms.”
It was a busy, but ultimately fruitless trade period for the Giants, who failed to bring versatile tall Rory Lobb back to the club from Fremantle.
The Giants were interested in several Hawthorn stars, including Chad Wingard and Luke Breust, but they did not want to leave the Hawks.
Despite the prospect of trading out contracted big-names, Hawthorn ended up as a minor player in the trade period.
Geelong wingman Jordan Clark’s trade to Fremantle was finally agreed on in the last 30 minutes of the trade period.
The relationship between the former No.15 draft pick and the Cats became untenable and he ends up at the Dockers on a four-year deal back in his home state.
Contracted Port Adelaide ruckman Peter Ladhams, as well as the Power’s pick 16, is off to the Sydney Swans.
Port received pick 12 and a future third-round selection for giving up Ladhams, who played 32 games with the Power.
A number of fringe ruckman moved clubs, with Hawthorn veteran Jon Ceglar heading to the Cats.
But the Hawks were able to bring in another big man, securing Collingwood’s Max Lynch.
The Brisbane Lions boosted their ruck stocks by picking up Darcy Fort from Geelong.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sydney finalised the Jordan Dawson trade through gritted teeth, saying the deal with Adelaide doesn’t reflect the classy utility’s true value.
But the Crows had threatened to use the pre-season draft to secure the utility, so the Swans were left with little choice.
Dawson, who played 64 games for the Swans, wanted to return to SA for family reasons, with the Crows giving up a future first-round draft pick.
AAP
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