Bailey Smith to Geelong Cats as flurry of deals ends AFL trade period

Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith will go to Geelong after a last-gasp AFL trade was struck.

With about five minutes left before the 7.30pm AEDT deadline on Wednesday night, news came through that the deal had been struck after months of expectation.

Also in the last hour of the trade period, Essendon forward Jake Stringer was offloaded to GWS after it had appeared that deal had fallen through.

Tom Barrass goes from West Coast to Hawthorn, Luke Parker and Jacob Konstanty have departed Sydney to join North Melbourne, and Caleb Daniel also joins the Kangaroos from the Bulldogs.

In other late trades, James Peatling heads from GWS to Adelaide and Jack Macrae finally has his wish, of leaving the Bulldogs for St Kilda.

Also on Wednesday, Daniel Rioli’s reunion with coach Damien Hardwick at Gold Coast means Richmond now boast a whopping eight picks in round one of the AFL draft.

The Tigers confirmed Rioli’s trade to the Suns on Wednesday afternoon, shortly after they also sent fellow premiership player Shai Bolton to Fremantle.

Richmond scored the No.6 and 23 round-one picks for Rioli, while also sending later picks to Gold Coast.

The Bolton deal was even more lucrative for Richmond in terms of draft picks, scoring the No.10, 11 and 18 selections, while they sent No.14 to the Dockers.

The Tigers had received the No.14 pick in Tuesday’s bumper three-club trade where they lost Liam Baker to West Coast and Carlton scored the No.3 draft pick from the Eagles, much to the consternation of the WA club’s fans.

As of Wednesday, Richmond have the first, sixth, 10th, 11th, 18th, 20th, 23rd and 24th picks - all in the first round.

The Dockers initially offered Richmond picks No.10 and 18 for Bolton, but the Tigers wanted picks No.10 and 11.

West Coast put pressure on Fremantle by again inquiring about Bolton, forcing the Dockers into action.

Bolton is set to sign a five-year deal with Fremantle, and his impending arrival means the Dockers will start 2025 as one of the premiership favourites.

The 25-year-old won flags with Richmond in 2019 and 2020 during his 135-game career at the Tigers. Bolton kicked 43 goals and averaged 17.5 disposals and 3.6 clearances during his All-Australian year of 2022.

Rioli, 27, has played 183 games for the Tigers and was a member of their three premiership teams between ‘17-20, which Hardwick coached, as well as winning this year’s club best-and-fairest award.

Bolton and Rioli join Baker and Jack Graham in departing the Tigers.