Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Injury-plagued defender Jordan Ridley has crossed from Essendon to Geelong, as West Coast’s pursuit of Cats livewire Gryan Miers hits a dead-end.
After being denied a trade last year, 27-year-old Ridley got his wish for a fresh start after Essendon and Geelong agreed to a deal on Wednesday.
Geelong gave up utility Jack Bowes, a 2027 first-round pick and 2028 second-round pick to get Ridley through the door.
Pick No.60 and a 2028 fourth-round selection will come back to the Cats from the Bombers.
Ridley, who was signed with Essendon until the end of 2029, arrives at the Cattery after managing just 26 games in his past three seasons following recurring injuries.
The intercepting defender won Essendon’s best and fairest in 2020 and was selected in the 40-man All-Australian squad that season.
Essendon have not sat on their hands since the trade period opened on Monday, executing a trade to send Zach Merrett to Hawthorn after denying the former captain a move last year.
At 28, Bowes joins his third AFL club after he was drafted by Gold Coast with pick No.10 in 2016.
The 152-gamer landed at Geelong in 2022 in a “salary-dump” trade, with the Suns handing over Bowes and pick No.7 for a future third-round pick from the Cats.
Bowes was a regular in Geelong’s side across his first three seasons and played in their 47-point loss to Brisbane in the 2025 grand final.
But he fell out of coach Chris Scott’s favour this season, featuring in just nine AFL games.
Crafty forward Miers, meanwhile, is set to stay at Geelong despite undergoing a medical with West Coast before heading on an overseas holiday.
His manager Liam Pickering on Wednesday categorically ruled out a move to the Eagles and said he was unlikely to play for anyone but Geelong next season.
“It’s not happening. Gryan is not going to West Coast,” Pickering told Trade Radio.
The Cats have already recruited ex-GWS skipper Toby Greene as a free agent and are trying to thrash out a deal for contracted St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall.
Marshall wants to get to Geelong after falling behind Tom De Koning as St Kilda’s first-choice ruckman and playing predominantly forward-ruck in 2026.
The 30-year-old did not attend the Saints’ best and fairest on Monday night as he tries to push his way out of Moorabbin for a second straight year.
