Geelong have added another experienced player into their AFL mix with the Cats completing a trade for star North Melbourne veteran Shaun Higgins.
The gun midfielder, who will be aged 33 when the 2021 season begins, is off to his third club after the Kangaroos traded him to Geelong for pick 30.
A dual best-and-fairest winner at Arden St, the former Western Bulldog will help Geelong’s push to go one better after losing this year’s grand final to Richmond.
Higgins joins Hawthorn premiership hero Isaac Smith as veterans to have arrived at Kardinia Park during this off-season.
“Shaun is a very talented and accomplished player and he can fill a number of roles. We are looking forward to seeing him in Geelong colours,” Geelong list manager Stephen Wells said.
Higgins won’t be the last accomplished player to leave North with star forward Ben Brown’s trade to Melbourne imminent.
Earlier, Adam Saad finally became a Carlton player after the Blues and Essendon agreed on a trade for the dashing defender.
The Bombers have received Carlton’s prized pick eight as well as a fourth-round selection for Saad, who wanted out after three seasons at Essendon.
Along with the 26-year-old, the Bombers have also packaged up pick 48 and 78 to send to Carlton.
The rivals were at loggerheads over the former Gold Coast player since he requested a trade to Carlton on October 5.
“Few in the competition are better to watch when in full flight than Adam and we can’t wait to see his electrifying pace added to our backline,” Blues list manager Nick Austin said.
Essendon are boasting about having picks six, seven and eight after not having used a first-round selection since 2016.
“We now have three top-10 draft picks for this year’s AFL national draft, which is a very strong position to be in, particularly with the calibre of this year’s draft class,” Bombers list boss Adrian Dodoro said.
In other moves on Wednesday, Geelong speedster Nakia Cockatoo’s trade to the Brisbane Lions has been settled for a future third-round pick and the Cats’ Lachie Fogarty is off to Carlton.
A former No.10 draft pick, Cockatoo hasn’t played a game since 2018 but the Lions are banking on their good recent record of reviving the careers of injury-prone players.
Port Adelaide have secured versatile Sydney tall Aliir Aliir for a future second-round pick as the Power aim to build on a preliminary-final appearance this year.
Aliir toured the Power’s Alberton facilities on Monday and moves clubs after 64 games with the Swans.
Port are also looking to complete a trade for wantaway Essendon forward Orazio Fantasia.
Fantasia is determined to return to South Australia for the second year in a row but a deal between the Power and the Bombers is still a fair way off with just two days remaining in the trade period.
