AFL trade period LIVE updates: Blakey makes his first public comments on Pullman saga following trade

Outgoing Sydney defender Nick Blakey has apologised for his role in the Pullman Hotel scandal which rocked the Swans’ finals campaign after securing a trade to North Melbourne.

The Kangaroos have effectively given up two first-round picks and a future second-round selection in a complex trade to secure Blakey, an All Australian defender two seasons ago.

Blakey, 26, heads to the club where his father, John Blakey, won two premierships in the 1990s.

He was one of five Sydney players handed season-ending suspensions for their part in a wild night of partying in August after the Swans’ victory over Essendon in round 23, just two weeks out from the start of the finals series.

A separate Victoria Police investigation is ongoing after three women, working as exotic dancers, variously alleged they were sexually assaulted and touched inappropriately without consent.

No charges have been laid, and all five Swans players who served season-ending suspensions denied criminal wrongdoing. One of those players, Riley Bice, is no longer subject of the investigation and is being treated as a witness.

Blakey’s apology came in a statement from North Melbourne marking his move to Arden Street. They are the first comments he has made on the saga since a joint statement released by the Swans days after the saga broke.

“I want to say that I’m sorry for the events that led up to my exit from Sydney,” Blakey said. “I know I have to win back the trust of the broader community, football and otherwise.

“Now I have the opportunity to move forward and I want to thank North Melbourne for helping me find a fresh start.

“I’m grateful I have landed at a place that has such deep connections to me and my family.

“There is so much potential in this group and I’m looking forward to getting to work to help take North Melbourne forward.”

North gave up picks six and 47 in this year’s draft, a second-round pick next year plus first- and second-round picks in 2028 in return for Blakey, pick 52 this year and Sydney’s second-round pick in 2028.

It is an acrimonious departure from the Swans for Blakey. Pointedly, there were no tributes from the Swans’ top brass in their statement announcing the departure of a life member and academy graduate who played 173 games for the club and was an All Australian in 2024 and best and fairest runner-up in 2023.

“This trade with North has significantly improved our draft hand,” Swans list manager Chris Keane said.

“Having a pick inside the top 10 is extremely valuable and not something we have had for a number of years, so we will get to work on landing the best player available.

“We thank Nick for his contribution to our football club since being drafted in 2018 and he leaves our club as a life member having played over 150 games.

“On behalf of the Club I wish Nick all the very best as he continues his career at the Kangaroos.”

Carlton and Collingwood have struck a deal for ruckman Flynn Riley to become a Magpie. The Blues get the Pies’ future third-round selection from 2028. Riley has a three-year deal at the Pies, with the option for a fourth.

North Melbourne are now left with picks 33, 49, 74 and 84 this season as they look at ways of bringing in a selection that will convince Adelaide it’s worth their while to trade out contracted key defender Nick Murray.

The Crows basically want a pick inside the top 20 if they’re to trade out Murray, but the Kangaroos only have next year’s first-round pick to put on the table at this stage.

Given the Tasmania Devils have a mortgage on next year’s draft, 2027 first-round picks from a team expecting to play finals won’t be worth the price on the box, and the Kangaroos will need to do better.

The Crows are entitled to see North Melbourne as a definite threat to their finals spot next season, too, so losing one of their key defensive stocks to the opposition without a good return is not viable.

Of course, the Kangaroos weren’t necessarily anticipating Blakey nominating them when committing to Murray, although they had him on their radar soon after the Pullman scandal, so their position is defendable.

The remaining card up their trade sleeve is Josh Goater, who will be traded to Hawthorn, who have picks 29, 37 and 71 in their hand. It’s hard to see the trade making a huge dent in what the club can offer the Crows, but another pick inside 40 would at least give them a fighter’s chance of creating something for Adelaide to at least consider with 30 hours remaining.

Zane Duursma is now a Demon. North Melbourne and Melbourne have agreed on a trade involving the No.4 pick from the 2023 draft.

Melbourne’s pick No.33 was the centrepiece of the trade.

North get picks 33 and 49, while the Demons get Duursma and 52.

Richmond are well in the hunt to get pick five, which Port Adelaide received as compensation for losing Zak Butters.

The Tigers have offered their future first round selection, which would help the Power get points for Zemes Pilot and Louis Salopek, who have committed to the club as academy and father-son prospects next season.

Port can cover the expected bid for Doug Cochrane at No.1 as they already hold picks seven and 12, so they want to maximise the value of one of their top-10 picks to get points in for 2027.

If the Tigers succeed – and they have competition from other clubs – they would have picks two and five this year, adding to their stockpile of young talent ahead of Tasmania’s entry.

Despite the constant speculation about Dan Houston’s future at Collingwood, he is set to remain at the Magpies in 2027 unless there is some massive, unforeseen twist in the 36 hours remaining in this year’s trade period.

Not only has Collingwood list boss Justin Leppitsch again publicly denied there has been any move on Houston, it has been a consistent refrain from his management and the club despite all the noise that the Saints may make an approach.

Sources at other clubs say the Saints toyed with the thought at some stage post-season but nothing has come to fruition, and the latest mail is they won’t be going there even though their bid to get Nick Blakey on board failed.

They have two strong picks in No.10 and 16 and added Sam Marshall to the midfield, retained Alix Tauru, and need cash to keep Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera as he comes out of contract at the end of 2027.

Essendon’s interest in Western Bulldogs midfielder/forward Laitham Vandermeer has cooled as they focus on attempting to land Lions defender Keidean Coleman.

The Bombers had expressed some interest in Vandermeer, but it had not progressed far. They have also decided not to take their interest in Geelong’s Gryan Miers any further. They’re looking to go to the national draft and trial the odd SSP prospect as they reset.