Roast David Walls -draft master but trade flop

[rgauci]

Todays pick swap blew me away, downgrading a 1st round pick by 7 spots, to upgrade a 2nd rounder by 10 spots, but also throw in a third for free while downgrading another blows my mind. It made me think, what's he done since becoming the head honcho since 2020 in the trade setting

2020 - Bizarre year, sold Hogan for a pack of chips, and made a number of picks swaps then didn't use them. Fail.

OUT Jesse Hogan

23

Jesse Hogan

Age

30

Ht

196cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.0

4star

K

9.3

4star

HB

5.7

4star

M

6.4

5star

T

1.4

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

10.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

4.3

3star

M

5.3

5star

T

0.0

1star

G

0.0

1star

D

13.0

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

6.4

5star

T

1.4

4star

G

1.8

5star

(GWS) -- IN pick 54 (Smith)
OUT Future R4 2021 (Frem) -- IN 56 (ontraded) and 63 (unused) -- from Adelaide
OUT picks 35 and 46 -- IN pick 29 (ontraded) - from Brisbane
OUT picks 30 and future R3 2021 (Frem) -- IN pick 27 (O'Driscoll) and 59 (unused) - from Collingwood
OUT picks 46 -- IN picks 53 (unused) and 57 (unused) - From Collingwood

2021 - Absolute highlight of Walls career, acquired J.Cark for 1x2nd and 2x 3rd round picks, did a clever pick swap with Gold Coast to acquire Wil Brodie as a salary dump and drafted Matt Johnson as a result. Obtained a top 10 pick for Cerra.

OUT 2022 R4 pick and 2022 R2 pick -- IN Wil Brodie, pick 19 (Johnson), 61 (Benning) & 69 (unused)
OUT Cerra -- IN Pick 6 and 2022 R3 from Carlton
OUT pick 27 and 2022 R3 future 3rd -- IN pick 22 from Collingwood
OUT pick 22 and 2023 R3 (Carlton) -- IN Jordan Clark

6

Jordan Clark

Age

25

Ht

185cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.7

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.3

3star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

MG

172.0

3star

D

12.5

3star

K

8.5

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.5

2star

MG

172.0

3star

D

12.2

3star

K

10.4

4star

HB

1.8

2star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.4

4star

2022 R4 pick (Geelong - unused)

2022 - Amazing to acquire Jackson, but otherwise not much to write home about. Lowlight was acquiring JOM for the cost of a future 2nd and Meek, closely followed by Blake Acres

13

Blake Acres

Age

30

Ht

193cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

8.9

3star

HB

8.6

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

3.2

5star

CL

1.9

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

7.7

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.0

3star

D

8.2

2star

K

3.8

2star

HB

4.4

4star

M

1.2

2star

T

2.4

4star

CL

1.8

4star

for a future 3rd. Reasonable return for Logue, Tucker and Lobb.

OUT Blake Acres

13

Blake Acres

Age

30

Ht

193cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

8.9

3star

HB

8.6

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

3.2

5star

CL

1.9

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

7.7

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.0

3star

D

8.2

2star

K

3.8

2star

HB

4.4

4star

M

1.2

2star

T

2.4

4star

CL

1.8

4star

-- IN 2023 R3 Carlton (ontraded)
OUT Logue + Tucker + 2023 R3 (Frem) -- IN R2 & R3 2023 (concession picks North), R4 2023 (North)
OUT 2023 R4 (Fremantle) -- IN Corbett (GCS)
OUT Picks 13, R1 and R2 2023 (Frem) -- IN Jackson, pick 44 (Knobel), pick 67 (Wagner)
OUT Lobb -- IN Pick 30 (ontraded), 2023 R2 (Western Bulldogs - ontraded)
OUT Meek, 2023 R2 (Western Bulldogs) -- IN O'Meara + 2023 R4 (Hawthorn - ontraded)
OUT 2023 R4 (Hawthorn) -- IN Pick 43 (Emmett)

2023 - Got a good return for losing a soon to be delisted free agent in Shultz (contract was up in 2024) and made the most of Henry leaving.

OUT Pick 23 and 2024 R2 (Frem) -- IN 2024 R1 (Port)
OUT Schultz - IN pick 34 (ontraded) and 2024 R1 (Collingwood)
OUT Henry and 2024 R4 (Frem) -- IN 2024 R2 (Saints - Nicholls) 2024 R4 (Saints - Carr)
OUT Pick 46 and 60 and 63 -- IN Pick 38 (Murphy) from Gold Coast
OUT Pick 38 and 2024 R3 (Frem) --IN Pick 35 (Simpson)

2024 - Hefty price, but excellent player is Shai, though hasn't reached super heights in 2025. Will hopefully improve with team cohesion next season.

OUT pick 10 , 11 and 18 IN - Bolton, pick 14 (Reid) and R3 2025 from Richmond
For those playing at home Richmond selected Hotton, Faull and Trainor who've all played this year, but not at Murphy Reid's standard.

2025 - Will need to confirm the pick swap with Brisbane and Eagles, seems ridiculous

OUT Liam Reidy, picks 53 and 71 -- IN picks 50 and 68 from Carlton
OUT Picks 12, 33, 44, 50 -- IN Picks 19, 23 (ontraded), 46 from Brisbane
OUT picks 23 -- IN Judd McVee from Melbourne
OUT Wil Brodie - - IN pick 103 from Port


It isn't a great read with hindsight, a number of pick acquisitions that went unused. A number of bizarre give aways like Jesse Hogan

23

Jesse Hogan

Age

30

Ht

196cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.0

4star

K

9.3

4star

HB

5.7

4star

M

6.4

5star

T

1.4

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

10.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

4.3

3star

M

5.3

5star

T

0.0

1star

G

0.0

1star

D

13.0

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

6.4

5star

T

1.4

4star

G

1.8

5star

, Blake Acres

13

Blake Acres

Age

30

Ht

193cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

8.9

3star

HB

8.6

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

3.2

5star

CL

1.9

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

7.7

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.0

3star

D

8.2

2star

K

3.8

2star

HB

4.4

4star

M

1.2

2star

T

2.4

4star

CL

1.8

4star

, Lloyd Meek and some fairly average acquisitions like O'Meara and Corbett. There is a counter balance by adding top end players such as Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

24

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

, Jordan Clark

6

Jordan Clark

Age

25

Ht

185cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.7

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.3

3star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

MG

172.0

3star

D

12.5

3star

K

8.5

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.5

2star

MG

172.0

3star

D

12.2

3star

K

10.4

4star

HB

1.8

2star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.4

4star

and Shai Bolton

15

Shai Bolton

Age

26

Ht

176cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

9.2

4star

HB

3.5

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.8

4star

D

9.2

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.0

1star

to the list.

EDIT
Updated 2025 trades

 

[s_wd6]

Lol at us trading in all those picks in 2020 in preparation for a bid after what happened with Henry just for both of them to go in the 50s

 

[Superkoops]

Todays pick swap blew me away, downgrading a 1st round pick by 7 spots, to upgrade a 2nd rounder by 10 spots, but also throw in a third for free while downgrading another blows my mind. It made me think, what's he done since becoming the head honcho since 2020 in the trade setting

2020 - Bizarre year, sold Hogan for a pack of chips, and made a number of picks swaps then didn't use them. Fail.

OUT Jesse Hogan (GWS) -- IN pick 54 (Smith)
OUT Future R4 2021 (Frem) -- IN 56 (ontraded) and 63 (unused) -- from Adelaide
OUT picks 35 and 46 -- IN pick 29 (ontraded) - from Brisbane
OUT picks 30 and future R3 2021 (Frem) -- IN pick 27 (O'Driscoll) and 59 (unused) - from Collingwood
OUT picks 46 -- IN picks 53 (unused) and 57 (unused) - From Collingwood

2021 - Absolute highlight of Walls career, acquired J.Cark for 1x2nd and 2x 3rd round picks, did a clever pick swap with Gold Coast to acquire Wil Brodie as a salary dump and drafted Matt Johnson as a result. Obtained a top 10 pick for Cerra.

OUT 2022 R4 pick and 2022 R2 pick -- IN Wil Brodie, pick 19 (Johnson), 61 (Benning) & 69 (unused)
OUT Cerra -- IN Pick 6 and 2022 R3 from Carlton
OUT pick 27 and 2022 R3 future 3rd -- IN pick 22 from Collingwood
OUT pick 22 and 2023 R3 (Carlton) -- IN Jordan Clark 2022 R4 pick (Geelong - unused)

2022 - Amazing to acquire Jackson, but otherwise not much to write home about. Lowlight was acquiring JOM for the cost of a future 2nd and Meek, closely followed by Blake Acres for a future 3rd. Reasonable return for Logue, Tucker and Lobb.

OUT Blake Acres -- IN 2023 R3 Carlton (ontraded)
OUT Logue + Tucker + 2023 R3 (Frem) -- IN R2 & R3 2023 (concession picks North), R4 2023 (North)
OUT 2023 R4 (Fremantle) -- IN Corbett (GCS)
OUT Picks 13, R1 and R2 2023 (Frem) -- IN Jackson, pick 44 (Knobel), pick 67 (Wagner)
OUT Lobb -- IN Pick 30 (ontraded), 2023 R2 (Western Bulldogs - ontraded)
OUT Meek, 2023 R2 (Western Bulldogs) -- IN O'Meara + 2023 R4 (Hawthorn - ontraded)
OUT 2023 R4 (Hawthorn) -- IN Pick 43 (Emmett)

2023 - Got a good return for losing a soon to be delisted free agent in Shultz (contract was up in 2024) and made the most of Henry leaving.

OUT Pick 23 and 2024 R2 (Frem) -- IN 2024 R1 (Port)
OUT Schultz - IN pick 34 (ontraded) and 2024 R1 (Collingwood)
OUT Henry and 2024 R4 (Frem) -- IN 2024 R2 (Saints - Nicholls) 2024 R4 (Saints - Carr)
OUT Pick 46 and 60 and 63 -- IN Pick 38 (Murphy) from Gold Coast
OUT Pick 38 and 2024 R3 (Frem) --IN Pick 35 (Simpson)

2024 - Hefty price, but excellent player is Shai, though hasn't reached super heights in 2025. Will hopefully improve with team cohesion next season.

OUT pick 10 , 11 and 18 IN - Bolton and pick 14 (Reid) from Richmond
For those playing at home Richmond selected Hotton, Faull and Trainor who've all played this year, but not at Murphy Reid's standard.

2025 - Will need to confirm the pick swap with Brisbane and Eagles, seems ridiculous

OUT Picks 12, 33, 44, 50 -- IN Picks 19, 23 (ontraded), 46 from Brisbane
OUT picks 23 -- IN Judd McVee from Melbourne
OUT Liam Reidy, picks 53 and 71 -- IN picks 50 and 68 from Carlton


It isn't a great read with hindsight, a number of pick acquisitions that went unused. A number of bizarre give aways like Jesse Hogan, Blake Acres, Lloyd Meek and some fairly average acquisitions like O'Meara and Corbett. There is a counter balance by adding top end players such as Luke Jackson, Jordan Clark and Shai Bolton to the list.

Good summary. Worth pointing out that the Jesse Hogan trade out was a salary dump. GWS picked up his salary in full. I thought that third round pick we acquired ended up being used to match a bid on Brandon Walker at 50.

Also there was the future third round pick added to the Shai Bolton trade. That Future third round pick makes me think there has to be a Future pick involved in this WCE and Brisbane pick swap shenanigans.

 

[Alfonz]

Todays pick swap blew me away, downgrading a 1st round pick by 7 spots, to upgrade a 2nd rounder by 10 spots, but also throw in a third for free while downgrading another blows my mind. It made me think, what's he done since becoming the head honcho since 2020 in the trade setting

2020 - Bizarre year, sold Hogan for a pack of chips, and made a number of picks swaps then didn't use them. Fail.

OUT Jesse Hogan (GWS) -- IN pick 54 (Smith)
OUT Future R4 2021 (Frem) -- IN 56 (ontraded) and 63 (unused) -- from Adelaide
OUT picks 35 and 46 -- IN pick 29 (ontraded) - from Brisbane
OUT picks 30 and future R3 2021 (Frem) -- IN pick 27 (O'Driscoll) and 59 (unused) - from Collingwood
OUT picks 46 -- IN picks 53 (unused) and 57 (unused) - From Collingwood

2021 - Absolute highlight of Walls career, acquired J.Cark for 1x2nd and 2x 3rd round picks, did a clever pick swap with Gold Coast to acquire Wil Brodie as a salary dump and drafted Matt Johnson as a result. Obtained a top 10 pick for Cerra.

OUT 2022 R4 pick and 2022 R2 pick -- IN Wil Brodie, pick 19 (Johnson), 61 (Benning) & 69 (unused)
OUT Cerra -- IN Pick 6 and 2022 R3 from Carlton
OUT pick 27 and 2022 R3 future 3rd -- IN pick 22 from Collingwood
OUT pick 22 and 2023 R3 (Carlton) -- IN Jordan Clark 2022 R4 pick (Geelong - unused)

2022 - Amazing to acquire Jackson, but otherwise not much to write home about. Lowlight was acquiring JOM for the cost of a future 2nd and Meek, closely followed by Blake Acres for a future 3rd. Reasonable return for Logue, Tucker and Lobb.

OUT Blake Acres -- IN 2023 R3 Carlton (ontraded)
OUT Logue + Tucker + 2023 R3 (Frem) -- IN R2 & R3 2023 (concession picks North), R4 2023 (North)
OUT 2023 R4 (Fremantle) -- IN Corbett (GCS)
OUT Picks 13, R1 and R2 2023 (Frem) -- IN Jackson, pick 44 (Knobel), pick 67 (Wagner)
OUT Lobb -- IN Pick 30 (ontraded), 2023 R2 (Western Bulldogs - ontraded)
OUT Meek, 2023 R2 (Western Bulldogs) -- IN O'Meara + 2023 R4 (Hawthorn - ontraded)
OUT 2023 R4 (Hawthorn) -- IN Pick 43 (Emmett)

2023 - Got a good return for losing a soon to be delisted free agent in Shultz (contract was up in 2024) and made the most of Henry leaving.

OUT Pick 23 and 2024 R2 (Frem) -- IN 2024 R1 (Port)
OUT Schultz - IN pick 34 (ontraded) and 2024 R1 (Collingwood)
OUT Henry and 2024 R4 (Frem) -- IN 2024 R2 (Saints - Nicholls) 2024 R4 (Saints - Carr)
OUT Pick 46 and 60 and 63 -- IN Pick 38 (Murphy) from Gold Coast
OUT Pick 38 and 2024 R3 (Frem) --IN Pick 35 (Simpson)

2024 - Hefty price, but excellent player is Shai, though hasn't reached super heights in 2025. Will hopefully improve with team cohesion next season.

OUT pick 10 , 11 and 18 IN - Bolton and pick 14 (Reid) from Richmond
For those playing at home Richmond selected Hotton, Faull and Trainor who've all played this year, but not at Murphy Reid's standard.

2025 - Will need to confirm the pick swap with Brisbane and Eagles, seems ridiculous

OUT Picks 12, 33, 44, 50 -- IN Picks 19, 23 (ontraded), 46 from Brisbane
OUT picks 23 -- IN Judd McVee from Melbourne
OUT Liam Reidy, picks 53 and 71 -- IN picks 50 and 68 from Carlton


It isn't a great read with hindsight, a number of pick acquisitions that went unused. A number of bizarre give aways like Jesse Hogan, Blake Acres, Lloyd Meek and some fairly average acquisitions like O'Meara and Corbett. There is a counter balance by adding top end players such as Luke Jackson, Jordan Clark and Shai Bolton to the list.

I doubt 2020 was Walls. All google searches I've done related to Hogan/GWS have Bell being front and centre. Even if Walls was supposedly doing it after being promoted to List Manager in 2020, we all know Bell is a control freak and would have been making the calls.

With hindsight, JOM/Meek is the only fail in my book for Walls, and that is hardly grounds to make him out to be the "trade flop" you and others are suggesting.

Jackson, Bolton, Schultz, Clark are all wins. Lobb, Henry, Logue, Tucker ... got as much as we could hope for, and overall I would call that group of trades a win. Acres and Corbett and late pick swaps ... who cares?

McVee in isolation is a decent value trade that could get better with time and be on par with Clark. And with the pick swaps, I would bet there is an extra pick coming our way that has not been reported.

But by all means, melt and vent away. It is your right as a Freo supporter.

 

[Andy Brennan]

So 4 out of 6 years he has brought in a best-22 player by trade. Not bad.

His drafting is certainly better having drafted: Chapman, NOD, Walker, Treacy, Amiss, Erasmus, Johnson, Worner, Wagner, Draper, Simpson, Reid.

Don't ignore what he's done with free agency and SSP as well: McDonald, Sharp, Voss, Dudley.

13 players in the team for the final against GC came from this list. That's more than half the team.

In other words: LEAVE WALLSY ALONE!

 

[s_wd6]

He’s a good list manger. He’s an awful negotiator with trades. Both can be true

 

[Midnite65]

He’s a good list manger. He’s an awful negotiator with trades. Both can be true

People act on here like it is Walls only that is the sole trade master for Freo, Garlick and co would be all over any trades we do and would give the sign off before he proceeds so it is a joint effort and not just Walls.

 

[King Huskii]

My brother Wallsy reminds me of Action Bronson. He's always cookin' up something delicious. You'll just have to wait.

 

[Sully90]

Agree his trades leave alot to be desired but Hogan is a bad example. Had zero trade value by the end. Constantly in the news for off field reasons and had just had a career low in terms of games played, goals scored and a number of other stats.

 

[Bradesmaen]

So 4 out of 6 years he has brought in a best-22 player by trade. Not bad.

His drafting is certainly better having drafted: Chapman, NOD, Walker, Treacy, Amiss, Erasmus, Johnson, Worner, Wagner, Draper, Simpson, Reid.

Don't ignore what he's done with free agency and SSP as well: McDonald, Sharp, Voss, Dudley.

13 players in the team for the final against GC came from this list. That's more than half the team.

In other words: LEAVE WALLSY ALONE!

Throwing out names of players doesn't make them all elite.. The ones in bold are why we are still treading water. That and our useless coach.

 

[_007_]

Just need to take the negotiations off him and let him focus on the draft and talent ID.

 

[fleur]

Good idea to demonise him based on assumptions and second guessing I reckon

 

[mayne iac]

Did Walls pick Murphy Reid ?
Asking for a mate of mine.

 

[s_wd6]

Did Walls pick Murphy Reid ?
Asking for a mate of mine.

Seriously though would we have picked Reid if Allan and Berry were still on the board? We were linked to them very heavily

 

[rgauci]

Did Walls pick Murphy Reid ?
Asking for a mate of mine.

That aligns with the title.

 

[malpaso]

Some very well-credentialed list managers and draft experts in here...

 

[MadMac]

Throwing out names of players doesn't make them all elite.. The ones in bold are why we are still treading water. That and our useless coach.

Still as brutal as ever, you’re not mellowing any time soon

 

[mayne iac]

Seriously though would we have picked Reid if Allan and Berry were still on the board? We were linked to them very heavily

I guess none of us here in bigfooty land can answer that, only the freo footy dept can answer.

 

[MadMac]

Some very well-credentialed list managers and draft experts in here...

If this last pick swap goes through as reported yesterday then you don’t have to be a draft expert or a list manager to see that the pick swap makes no sense whatsoever. 33,44 and 50 for 46 is lunacy any way you twist it

 

[freo84]

Seriously though would we have picked Reid if Allan and Berry were still on the board? We were linked to them very heavily

Yes. We had Reid as our first choice.

 

[Kapow!!!]

Throwing out names of players doesn't make them all elite.. The ones in bold are why we are still treading water. That and our useless coach.

Just curious: Did you mean to bold Dudley and not Voss in that example? You've had some interesting takes in the past but mostly I can kinda almost...ish see where you're coming from (not necessarily agree but also not going out of my way to argue either) except that one example.

 

[freo84]

Clark, Jackson and Bolts were good.
The Schultz trade was great.

We've got a list that's in great shape.

 

[mayne iac]

Clark, Jackson and Bolts were good.
The Schultz trade was great.

We've got a list that's in great shape.

Don't be so reasonable, go get your pitchfork and tow the line

 

[freo84]

Don't be so reasonable, go get your pitchfork and tow the line

 

[go_the_dockers]

Clark, Jackson and Bolts were good.
The Schultz trade was great.

We've got a list that's in great shape.

No idea how people still think the Bolton trade was good.

His year was very disappointing, he would be close to our top paid player and can't even make the top 10 of the BnF.

He kicks close to 1 in 3 goals he attempts. Can't hit 30m easy passes to forwards.