IT WAS a frantic trade period for Hawthorn but it ended in success just before yesterday’s 2pm deadline, securing Jaeger O’Meara from the Gold Coast Suns.
After appearing as though a suitable trade may not be completed, the Hawks came up with a deal which satisfied the Suns and saw the 2013 Rising Star winner arrive at Waverley.
“I think we all know the time pressure brings expediency into all the conversations so everyone’s on that time deadline and we all know what we have to do by that period otherwise it falls over,” Hawthorn Recruitment and List Manager Graham Wright told 1116 SEN radio this morning.
Wright was quick to hose down talk of a ‘rebuild’ at Hawthorn, but said the club was in the process of turning its list over whilst trying to remain at the pointy end of the ladder.
“I wouldn’t have thought we saw it as a rebuild – we see it as a regeneration in a way and then we go again.”
“I think what we’d be saying is we’re going to be bold and we’re going to keep attacking, keep being innovative and try as hard as we possibly can to get as high on the ladder as we can.”
Wright also said with Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis and Bradley Hill leaving the club, Hawthorn’s younger brigade now have a chance to move forward in their journey as AFL footballers.
“We’d be expecting some of our young guys make leaps in their development over the summer,” he said.
“There’s some clear air there for a lot of players to step up.”
With the trade period now finalised, take a look back at Hawthorn’s completed trades and free agency signings.
Summary
IN: Ty Vickery (Richmond, restricted free agent), Jaeger O'Meara (Gold Coast), Tom Mitchell (Sydney Swans), pick 88, 2017 second-round pick (Carlton)
OUT: Bradley Hill, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis, picks 14, 36, 54, 72, 2017 first-round pick and 2017 second-round pick
2016 draft picks: 88, 90, 108
Full list of 2016 trades
Trade 1
Hawthorn: Pick 23
Fremantle: Bradley Hill
Trade 2
Hawthorn: Pick 52, Pick 70, Pick 88
West Coast Eagles: Sam Mitchell, Pick 54, Pick 72
Trade 3
Hawthorn: Tom Mitchell, Pick 57
Sydney Swans: Pick 14, Pick 52
Trade 4
Hawthorn: Pick 10, Pick 68
St Kilda: Pick 23, Pick 36, 2017 first-round selection
Trade 5
Hawthorn: Pick 48, Pick 66
Melbourne: Jordan Lewis, Pick 57, Pick 68
Trade 6
Hawthorn: 2017 second-round selection
Carlton: Pick 48, Pick 66, Pick 70
Trade 7
Hawthorn: Jaeger O’Meara
Gold Coast Suns: Pick 10, 2017 second-round selection
