So how did we get here? This whole exchange period is a fascinating exercise in exchange values. Hawthorn had two tasks – accumulate and commit resources, and convert them to what Gold Coast wanted. In doing this, they undertook several trades, each of which was lopsided against them but got closer to what they needed.
Stepping back, Hawthorn traded pick 14 for Tom Mitchell and then more than an entire draft for O’Meara. Hawthorn spent the trade period converting their second (36), third (54) and fourth (72) round picks, Brad Hill (who netted pick 23), and next year’s first round pick (~14), into pick 10 and the future GWS second rounder (~pick 33).
Trades that made this happen:
- Brad Hill for 23
- St Kilda’s three for one pick swap
- A pick swap with Carlton for GWS’ future second round pick
The Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis trades did not materially improve Hawthorn’s position but presumably helped from a list management perspective.
As such, they go into the upcoming National Draft with their first pick at 88, and next year their first pick is their own second round selection (~32). They’ve also obviously shed Jordan Lewis and Sam Mitchell with an indecent looking urgency.
We’ve discussed O’Meara’s value before, settling on a discount on his initial draft pick as a valuation. Here’s how the final trade looks, bearing in mind the three previous trades all went substantially against Hawthorn in value terms:
Verdict: Pretty fair in isolation, but this trade cannot be viewed in isolation. Hawthorn took resource-conversion hits in trades with Fremantle, St Kilda and Carlton to make this happen.