Kersten, McCarthy, Pickett find new AFL homes

THEY were colts teammates at South Fremantle and now Shane Kersten and Cameron McCarthy will be reunited with Fremantle in the AFL from 2017 while another Bulldogs product Jarrod Pickett has found a new home.

The most productive AFL Trade Period in history concluded on Thursday. It began last week when the belated trade of promising forward McCarthy from the Greater Western Sydney Giants to the Fremantle Dockers was confirmed.

It took until the final day of the Trade Period on Thursday for the deals involving Kersten and Pickett to be finalised.

Kersten was involved in a deal taking him from Geelong to Fremantle where he will join McCarthy while Pickett requested a move from the Giants to Carlton. He received his wish and will now be playing with the Blues from 2017 onwards.

McCarthy was drafted to the Giants at the end of 2013 on the back of a standout National 18s Championships for Western Australia.

And in his 21 games in the AFL up until the end of 2015, he had shown good signs kicking 36 goals and there were certainly times last year when he was on the verge of being a breakout star.

However, he had a desire to return home to WA and requested a trade home to play with Fremantle. When that didn’t eventuate last year, he instead asked for and was granted compassionate leave by the Giants for all of 2016.

That saw him return to South Fremantle where while he wasn’t able to play in the WAFL, he trained hard throughout the season to keep his fitness up and tough sharp while also helping out with some coaching duties including sitting in the reserves coaches’ box on game day.

He finally was granted his wish to return home to play with the Dockers who he supported growing up when the deal went through last week. That saw the Giants give up McCarthy and picks 7, 35 and 73 in this year’s AFL Draft for Fremantle’s No. 3 selection.

McCarthy is now delighted to be officially a Fremantle player and it was a real feeling of relief afterwards following a difficult 2016.

“It has been a long year watching footy every week but I couldn’t be more excited to get back on a list and be part of the Fremantle Dockers and give it a real crack next year, and give it everything I have got,” McCarthy said.

“I am obviously very excited. It’s sort of a numbing feeling and it hasn’t really sunk in yet. Especially to be part of the Dockers, it’s a club I have supported since I was born and the whole family has.

“I’m looking forward to getting to the club and giving everything I’ve got and meeting all the boys and earning some respect off them. It’s like starting again when you are first drafted. I can’t wait to earn respect from everyone and give it a real crack next year.”

Kersten kicked five goals in South Fremantle’s colts premiership of 2011 to go with 26 for that season in just seven appearances. That was after a 30-goal effort in 2010 to win the Len Gilchrist Medal.

He was drafted to Geelong following that and has shown some encouraging signs as a hard working forward after making his debut in 2014. He has kicked 41 goals in 37 matches but was forced out of the Cats team that made a preliminary final in 2016.

He had his best AFL season up to that point kicking 22 goals in 17 matches and the 23-year-old is entering his prime as he arrives at Fremantle. The Dockers gave up pick No. 63 in this year’s draft in return for the forward.

Pickett burst onto the scene at WAFL league level late in the 2014 season. He ended up being taken by the Giants with the No. 4 selection in the 2014 draft but has failed to make his debut in the AFL the past two years.

The excitement machine requested a move to Carlton from the Giants and was granted his wish on Thursday going to the Blues along with Caleb Marchbank. GWS in return received picks 45 and 58 in this year’s draft and a round one selection for next year.

Next step in the off-season is the AFL National Draft on November 25. South Fremantle young guns Tim English and Shai Bolton look sure to go high in the draft and are certain top 20 picks, if not significantly higher.

Tyson Pickett, Chad Pearson and Jimmy Miller are other young Bulldogs right in the mix to be taken in the draft while it wouldn’t surprise to see the likes of Blaine Johnson or Mason Shaw receive another chance, or the dynamic Marlion Pickett to receive his first opportunity at the top level.