Trade period went into overdrive on Friday, with centrepiece deals delivering Zak Butters to the Western Bulldogs and Ben King to Hawthorn. Five clubs, 20 draft picks and two other players were involved in a convoluted side deal that helped convince Port Adelaide they didn't need to match the Dogs' offer for Butters. Andrew Wu and Sam McClure explain how the side deals work and why footy fans should be cynical about them, but acknowledge that will matter little to the Bullldogs or Hawks, who are both now among the leading premiership fancies for 2027.

Trade period went into overdrive on Friday, with centrepiece deals delivering Zak Butters to the Western Bulldogs and Ben King to Hawthorn. Five clubs, 20 draft picks and two other players were involved in a convoluted side deal that helped convince Port Adelaide they didn't need to match the Dogs' offer for Butters. Andrew Wu and Sam McClure explain how the side deals work and why footy fans should be cynical about them, but acknowledge that will matter little to the Bullldogs or Hawks, who are both now among the leading premiership fancies for 2027.

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The best footy writers from The Age and Sydney Morning Herald bring you the weekly lowdown on all things AFL.
If you like the pod, please take the time to rate &amp; review us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. We love to hear from you and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find us.
And, why not become a subscriber? Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Becoming a subscriber also gets you exclusive behind-the-scenes content and invitations to special events. Click on the links to subscribe <a href="https://subscribe.theage.com.au/">https://subscribe.theage.com.au/</a> or <a href="https://subscribe.smh.com.au/">https://subscribe.smh.com.au/</a>

News, analysis and insight on the AFL from The Age sports team.