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AFL trade deadline day: Bombers push to land star Brisbane Lion

Live coverage tracks Nick Blakey's expected move to North Melbourne as analysis examines the Pullman hotel fallout

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time1 min
Sources3 outlets
The AFL's trade deadline day is underway on October 14, with Essendon pushing to land a star premiership Lion from Brisbane and live coverage tracking the fallout of the Pullman hotel police investigation, including Nick Blakey's expected move to the Kangaroos.

Trade deadline day has opened across the AFL, with Essendon working to secure a star player from the Brisbane Lions before the window closes. The Bombers are pushing to land a premiership Lion, with the move a focus of the live coverage.

The live blog is also tracking the future of Collingwood's Ruby Schleicher, with reporters asking whether she has played her last game for the Pies.

In analysis published during the coverage, Jake Niall examined what he called the strange economy of the AFL. The police investigation into the Pullman hotel incident, Niall wrote, has conceivably cost Isaac Heeney millions of dollars through lost sponsors, while Nick Blakey has garnered millions from the same affair.

Blakey is set to follow in the footsteps of his father, John, in playing for the Kangaroos.

Deals must be lodged before the deadline closes, with updates continuing through the day.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The trade deadline is the last opportunity for AFL clubs to reshape their lists for the season ahead, and the Essendon-Brisbane deal would reshape both clubs' playing squads.
  • The Pullman hotel investigation is having commercial consequences for players, with analysis suggesting Isaac Heeney has lost sponsorship income while Nick Blakey has profited.
  • Nick Blakey's expected move continues a family link with North Melbourne dating back to his father's playing career.

Background

The AFL holds its trade period in October each year, giving clubs a window to move players between teams, usually in exchange for draft selections. Deadline day is the final cutoff for these deals. This year's period has been shaped by the Pullman hotel incident, which is under police investigation and, according to published analysis, has produced both losses and gains for the players involved. The Blakey family has a long association with North Melbourne, with Nick set to join the same club his father represented.

Key Perspectives

Essendon Bombers: The club is pushing to land a star premiership Lion from Brisbane, a deal that would strengthen its list if completed before the deadline. Brisbane Lions: The trade would see a premiership player leave the club, and its completion depends on Brisbane agreeing to release him. North Melbourne: The Kangaroos are set to gain Nick Blakey, who will follow his father John to the club. Critics/Skeptics: The police investigation into the Pullman incident remains active, and the analysis notes it has already altered players' commercial fortunes. The headline deal is not yet confirmed, and deadline-day trades can collapse before they are lodged.

What to Watch

  • Whether the Essendon-Brisbane trade is finalised before the deadline closes.
  • The fate of Collingwood's Ruby Schleicher, one of the key questions in the live coverage.
  • Any further developments in the Pullman hotel police investigation and their effect on player movements and sponsorships.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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