It is certainly a risk when a player opts (or is told) to change their colours midway through their AFL career.
Some of these risks flop. Some don’t show their true worth until years down the track.
Some pay off in spades.
Today we’re focussing on the latter, as we put together Hawthorn’s best 22 players who spent time at other clubs before moving to Waverley and finding (or continuing) career best form.
Here we go…
Backline
Josh Gibson: Selected with Pick 7 in the 2005 Rookie Draft, an afro-haired Josh Gibson notched up 65 (somewhat modest) games as a Kangaroo, before requesting a trade to the Hawks.
Hawthorn saw untapped potential in the 25-year-old defender and, early on Day 1 of trade period, Gibson was exchanged for picks 25 and 41.
Three premierships, two Peter Crimmins Medals and an All Australian selection later, Gibson is considered one of Hawthorn’s best bargains in trade history.
Brian Lake: Already a two-time All Australian defender, if Lake had called time after his 10-year career with the Bulldogs, his contribution to the game would have been looked upon as a success.
The only thing missing? A premiership.
The full back requested a trade in 2012, and within hours of the trade period commencing, the paperwork was lodged, and Lake was already working to shed five kilos before his teammates returned for pre-season training.
Three years in the brown and gold, three premierships to his name.
James Frawley: In late 2014, with free agency still in its infancy, it came as a shock to many when the Demon’s All-Australian full back James Frawley decided to explore his options.
Hawks saw potential for the perfect transition plan, with Lake’s retirement imminent.
Frawley settled on the Hawks, with Melbourne unwilling to match his new suitor’s offer, and cashed in immediately with a premiership from his first campaign.
Halfback line
Ian Bremner: 1966 was Bremner’s first and last year at Victoria Park. After managing just one game as a Magpie, Bremner switched colours in ’67, and so began a long and decorated career in the brown and gold.
A tough and dependable half back flanker, Bremner hung up the boots after 10 seasons, 158 games and two premierships (1971, 1976) with the Hawks.
Len Crane: A run-of-the-mill half back flanker for South Melbourne, Len Crane wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire during his early playing days in the ‘40s.
But, a new decade saw new opportunities as Crane moved to the Hawks in 1951. 102 senior games later, the backman was widely considered one of the greatest defenders of the (then) modern era.
Ernest Utting: Ern Utting was a gutsy backman who showed plenty of promise in his junior days. However, in an era of Collingwood dominance (1919-1922), Utting struggled to show his wares in the black and white, and managed just 16 games across four seasons.
Three years later, Utting returned to the big stage as a member of Hawthorn’s inaugural VFL side. Despite limited team success, Utting finished his career with three top 10 placings in the Brownlow medal, two club best and fairest awards, and as the first Hawk to notch up 100 games in the brown and gold.
Centre
Russell Greene: One of the quirkier trades in AFL history, the St Kilda midfielder trained at Moorabbin as usual on the Thursday night ahead of his Round 9 clash against Footscray, before heading home to a message from Hawks Captain Don Scott.
36 hours later, he was running out to play for Hawthorn against North Melbourne at Waverley.
Read: Trade flashbacks – the Greene machine
Greene’s 120 games as a Saint were surpassed by his 184 games, three premierships (1983, 1986, 1988), Peter Crimmins Trophy and All-Australian selection that came during his eight and a half seasons in the brown and gold.
He hung up his boots on as sweet a note as they come – with a premiership from his final hit out.
Shaun Burgoyne: After nine seasons together in the black, white and teal, the Burgoyne brothers seemed to be Port Adelaide through and through. The pair played in the club’s inaugural premiership side in 2004, and were a feared combination running through the Power’s midfield.
However, the end of 2009 saw Peter’s retirement, and Shaun sent waves through the football world as he opted to look for greener pastures.
Three more premierships with the Hawks, Burgoyne (aka. Silk, aka. Mr Fix It) is now a prolific figure of the brown and gold – and he’s not done yet.
Joel Smith: Beginning his career in 1995 as a bright young prospect for St Kilda, Smith was widely deemed the future of the club.
But, after three seasons and 58 games, injury and contractual issues saw the versatile defender fall out of favour with the Saints, and the Hawks swooped.
Between 1998 and 2007, Smith ran out in the brown and gold number 11 guernsey 163 times, and earned himself a Peter Crimmins Memorial Trophy (2001) and two All-Australian selections (2001, 2003).
Half forward line
Trent Croad: Croad’s story is a little different.
Unlike the other players discussed, Croad did indeed start his AFL career in the brown and gold. He was selected with Pick 3 in the 1997 and, for the most part, lived up to the reputation that proceeded him.
When Croad was put on the trade table in 2001, Hawthorn fans were up in arms. More than 200 members gathered outside Glenferrie Oval in protest – but the deed was done.
Croad was offloaded to Fremantle, in exchange for picks one, 20 and 36 (Luke Hodge, Daniel Elstone and Sam Mitchell).
Two years later, a homesick Croad’s market value had slipped, and he was traded back to the Hawks for Pick 10. He made the most of his second stint in the club, adding 100 games, an All Australian selection, and a premiership.
Has there ever been a better trade?
Jack Gunston: Pick 29 in the 2009 draft, Gunston was touted as one of Adelaide’s most promising youngsters. Awarded the Mark Bickley Award as the Crows’ best young player in 2011, Gunston was stripped of the title upon announcing his wish to return to his home state of Victoria.
Three flags, four grand final appearances later – we’d say the decision paid off.
Brent Guerra: A modern-day journeyman, Guerra had starts at two AFL clubs before finding his way to Waverley. He was drafted to Port Adelaide with Pick 28 in ’99, where he managed 65 games across four seasons, and was touted as one of the league’s rising stars. Homesick, the Victorian requested a trade at the end of 2003, and began a 31-game spell at the Saints. But, form dissipated, and Guerra was delisted at the end of 2006.
Alastair Clarkson, with whom Guerra had had a connection with from their time together at Alberton, didn’t think the versatile forward/defender/wingman was done yet, and the Hawks threw him a life line.
At the end of 2013, Guerra retired as a 255-game, dual premiership player.
Forward line
John Barker: After being drafted to Fitzroy with Pick 25 in the 1992 draft, Barker spent three promising years at the club before its famous merge with the Brisbane Bears, and became one of just seven original lions who headed north. However, the warmer climates didn’t do the forward any good, and after just one season, eight games and a goal – he was traded to the Hawks.
In the 2001 semi-final against Port Adelaide, Barker ensured Hawks’ fans would never forget his name. A goal in the final term from Football Park’s ‘dead pocket’, to put the Hawks within four points. Another goal, with minutes to go, to put the Hawks in front and earn a preliminary final berth.
Relive.
Ben McEvoy: Selected with Pick 9 in the 2007 draft, it took only one season for the 200cm tall McEvoy to become St Kilda’s number one ruckman.
However, in 2013, the Saints were looking to rebuild their list, and the big man was sent to Hawthorn in exchange for young midfielder Shane Savage.
Following Max Bailey’s retirement, McEvoy quickly assumed the number one ruck post, and was rewarded with two premiership medallions from his first two campaigns.
Four seasons in, and fresh off a career-best finish in Hawthorn’s best and fairest award, McEvoy is only just getting started.
David Hale: Pick No.7 in the 2001 draft, the 201cm forward/ruckman came with plenty of promise.
His time at the Kangaroos reached a pinnacle in 2008, when he led the club’s goal kicking. However, 2009 saw Hale spend increasingly more time with the Kangaroos’ VFL affiliate, North Ballarat.
When all seemed to be heading in a downward spiral, he received a lifeline from the Hawks, traded in 2010 for a first-round compensation pick (received following Campbell Brown’s departure to the Suns), and the change of scenery sparked an epic return to form.
Five seasons and 108 brown and gold games later, Hale retired a triple-premiership player.
Followers
Paul Salmon: An Essendon immortal, Salmon spent 12 seasons at the Dons between 1984-1995, playing in both the ’85 and ’93 premierships. Standing at 206cm tall, ‘Fish’ could easily rotate between full forward and ruck and, along with Simon Madden, made up one half of the league’s most feared ruck combination.
However, Salmon’s career was riddled with injury, and by the end of the ’95 season (at the ripe old age of 31), he decided a fresh start was necessary.
So began a whirlwind five seasons at the Hawks.
Salmon revived career-best form; he won two best and fairest awards, received a 1997 All-Australian team selection, and was even named on the interchange of Hawthorn’s Team of the Century.
Salmon bookended his career by a brief return to Essendon in 2002, before finally calling time on his decorated career after 324 games.
Tom Mitchell: It has only taken one year in the brown and gold for Tom Mitchell to make his mark.
Drafted as a father/son selection to Sydney in 2011, Mitchell quickly earned his reputation as a ball magnet – famously collecting a record 64 disposals for Sydney’s NEAFL affiliate in 2014. The midfielder surprised fans when he requested a trade from the club at which his father played 170 games, and was traded to Waverley for Pick 14.
In 2017, Mitchell broke almost every disposal record imaginable on the way to his maiden All-Australian selection and club best and fairest award.
Stuart Dew: Nine seasons at Alberton Oval, Dew’s career with Port reaching a pinnacle when he played in the club’s inaugural premiership team in 2004. After two more strong seasons, Dew called it quits at the end of 2006.
Less than a year later, he announced his intentions to return to AFL football, despite having gained excessive weight, and despite not having played football at any level the previous year.
But Alastair Clarkson took a risk, selecting the then-120kg midfielder with Pick 45 in the 2007 draft. The risk paid off, as Dew put together arguably the best individual five minutes in grand final history, culminating in Hawthorn’s 2008 drought-breaking premiership.
Interchange
Jack Carmody: A feisty wingman, Carmody was an integral member of Collingwood’s ’35 and ’36 premiership winning sides.
But, with so much talent spilling out of Victoria Park, he struggled to maintain his place in the Pies’ best 22 and, come 1940, Carmody was running out in the brown and gold.
At his new club, he revived career-best form, and was named captain of the Hawks in 1942.
Carmody hung up the boots in ’46, following a 158-game career.
Michael Byrne: Byrne had played 56 games with Melbourne when, one game into his eighth season with the Dees, he switched his colours.
Byrne made his brown and gold debut in Round 3, 1982, and kicked eight goals straight in what would be his career-best haul.
He also holds Hawthorn’s unwanted record for the most behinds in a VFL/AFL game without a goal (0.8).
Byrne notched up 90 games for the Hawks, including the ’83 premiership, before heading north to finish his career as a Swan.
Harold Alibston: Brother of Alec and father of David, Harold Albiston actually started his career in the black and white.
He only managed one game for the Pies before defecting to Waverley Park, where he played 60 consecutive matches without missing a beat.
Matt Spangher: What would our team of trades be without mentioning the cult-hero himself, Matt Spangher?
One of the AFL’s most lauded journeymen, Spangher struggled at his first two clubs, managing a combined 32 games across seven seasons.
He was traded by the Swans for Hawthorn’s Pick 66 in the 2012 draft.
After witnessing premierships at West Coast (2006), Sydney (2012) and being named an emergency for Hawthorn in 2013, Spangher finally tasted sweet premiership success in 2014, and forever etched his name into the hearts of Hawks’ supporters.
Read: Which Hawks are currently out of contract?
Team line up
B Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, James Frawley,
HB Ian Bremner, Len Crane, Ern Utting,
C Russell Greene, Shaun Burgoyne, Joel Smith
HF, Trent Croad , Jack Gunston, Brent Guerra,
F John Barker, Ben McEvoy, David Hale
FOLL Paul Salmon, Tom Mitchell, Stuart Dew
INT, Jack Carmody, Michael Byrne, Harold Albiston, Matt Spangher
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