AFL
2 months ago
The 7 traded players who will have an immediate impact in 2025
By SEN
With the trade period done and dusted, the focus now turns to the fallout of all the deals.
Garry Lyon and Kane Cornes have taken a look at the players they believe will have a major impact at their new club in 2025.
Lyon chose five with Cornes adding a further two.
“Five players at the end of all this, I think, can have a real meaningful impact on the clubs that they've arrived at,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.
Dan Houston (Collingwood)
“Dan Houston helps Collingwood, I don't think there's any doubt about that,” Lyon continued.
“He's a star. Now, you can argue about what they're doing in terms of players over picks and all that stuff.
“But he is a star and will have an impact.”
Shai Bolton (Fremantle)
“Shai Bolton changes Fremantle for mine. I don't think there's any question.
“I think he checked out halfway through the year (at Richmond).
“I thought he had a real disappointing back half of the year when I compared the way he finished the season with Liam Baker, but he will change Freo.”
Tom Barrass and Josh Battle (Hawthorn)
“I’ve got both of them at Hawthorn - Barrass and Battle.
“Now Barrass certainly. Battle, you can argue.
“But I think what they do to that side, and given the flexibility of James Sicily, who I rate so highly, that changes them even more.”
Daniel Rioli (Gold Coast)
“I’ve got him in there changing, perhaps attitude and mindset, and the way they attack from the back half.
“Perhaps he can help things be a bit more aggressive around Gold Coast.”
Cornes added a further two players who he feels can impact greatly next season.
Liam Baker (West Coast)
“Because he went to West Coast, it’s not going to matter, but Baker is a good addition,” said Cornes.
“He's not going to help them go from two wins to 11, but he's going to be an important player at that footy club for the next five to six years for a variety of reasons.
“He’s an excellent player, gives them some flexibility and leadership.”
Bailey Smith (Geelong)
“I would think Bailey Smith.
“If they can get him through a full pre-season and get him right, I think he does help Geelong with the midfield issues that they have.
Lyon added: “I agree the best version of him, but I want to see it coming off 12 months out of footy.
“But I haven't got Bailey Smith on the basis that he's been a year out, so I'm not prepared to say he's going to walk in and change things immediately.
“He may. By Round 3, I might go, ‘Yep, he's back’, because I know he can play footy, but he's coming off an ACL.”
Image from Fremantle FC on X.
