Jason Horne-Francis has landed at Port Adelaide and GWS have got their hands on the No.1 draft pick in one of the most complicated trade deals in AFL history.
The Giants traded out picks three and 12 to shuffle up the draft order, while North Melbourne coughed up the top pick and last year’s No.1 selection Horne-Francis.
The Kangaroos received picks two and three in return, as well as a future first-round choice that is tied to Port Adelaide.
The Power received small forward Junior Rioli from West Coast, who also traded out pick two and get picks eight and 12 back.
A raft of later draft picks have also changed hands in the convoluted deal, which was ticked off by league officials late on Monday.
It was initially blocked because of Port Adelaide’s bid to trade future first and second-round picks.
But the restructured deal now has the Power receiving future second and third-round picks to satisfy AFL draft criteria.
South Australian product Horne-Francis has signed a deal tying him to Port Adelaide until the end of 2028, joining the midfield unit alongside Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines, Zak Butters and Connor Rozee.
“Jason is a highly talented player who we know will complement our developing and exciting midfield group,” Port Adelaide list manager Jason Cripps said.
“He is competitive and aggressive, and we like his power and explosiveness as well as his ability to go forward and hit the scoreboard.”
Rioli, who starred in West Coast’s 2018 premiership side, has inked a four-year deal with Port Adelaide.
Separate deals on Monday resulted in premiership ruckman Luke Jackson moving from Melbourne to Fremantle and prized forward Izak Rankine joining Adelaide from Gold Coast.
The Crows sent pick No.5, a future third and future fourth-round selection to the Suns for South Australian forward Rankine, pick No.46 and a future fourth-round selection.
Adelaide delighted in finally securing Rankine, who requested a trade in August, on a three-year contract.
“Izak is a highly talented footballer with great foot speed, is dangerous around goal and has tremendous game sense,” Crows list boss Justin Reid said.
In exchange for West Australian talent Jackson, plus picks 44 and 67, the Dockers coughed up pick 13 plus their future first and second-round selections.
Melbourne had originally received pick 44 from GWS in a swap for small forward Toby Bedford.
Jackson, the No.3 pick in 2019, requested a long-expected trade home to Western Australia last month after 52 games for the Demons.
The 21-year-old had said he was open to joining either WA club but Fremantle always appeared favourites over West Coast to secure his services.
“During that bye break I met with (West Coast) and they did a really good pitch. It was nice to get to know them,” Jackson told reporters on Monday.
“But when I met with Freo, I kind of knew that was the place I wanted to be playing at. It felt right.”
Melbourne will now move on to securing Collingwood’s two-time All-Australian Brodie Grundy as Jackson’s replacement.
Essendon landed Carlton on-baller Will Setterfield on Monday afternoon, sending the Blues a future fourth-round pick in exchange for the big-bodied midfielder and pick No.68.
Fringe Melbourne forward Sam Weideman is reportedly poised for a fresh start at Essendon under new coach Brad Scott, likely moving for a future third-round pick.
FULL MEGA-TRADE DETAILS
NORTH MELBOURNE
Trade out: Jason Horne-Francis, pick No.1, 2023 third-round pick (tied to Fremantle)
Trade in: Picks No.2, 3, 40, 43, 2023 future first-round pick (tied to Port Adelaide)
PORT ADELAIDE
Trade out: Picks No.8, 43, 53, 57, 2023 first-round pick, 2023 second-round pick, 2023 third-round pick
Trade in: Jason Horne-Francis, Junior Rioli, 2023 second-round pick (tied to Collingwood), 2023 future third-round pick (tied to Fremantle)
WEST COAST
Trade out: Junior Rioli, picks No.2, 40
Trade in: Picks No.8, 12, 2023 second-round pick (tied to Port Adelaide), 2023 third-round pick (tied to Port Adelaide)
GWS
Trade out: picks No.3, 12, 2023 second-round pick (tied to Collingwood)
Trade in: pick No.1, 53, 57
