2020 Trade & Free Agency Spotlight | Lachie Hunter
Written by Joseph Addamo
Throughout the 2020 off-season, Blue Abroad will be providing content to cover everything you need to know about the Carlton Football Club.
Looking to take the next step in 2021, the success of this off-season’s recruiting is critical. We will be looking at various opposition players on the open market that could add another dimension to the current crop of players.
This is the Blue Abroad Trade & Free Agency Player Spotlight for the Western Bulldogs’ #7 – Lachie Hunter.
WHO IS LACHIE HUNTER?
Junior Club: Western Jets, U18
AFL Selection: Pick 49 (FS Selection), 2012 AFL National Draft by the Western Bulldogs
Age (@ Round 1, 2021): 26
Height: 183cm
Weight: 82kg
Position(s): Midfielder
Career Games: 138
Career Goals: 61
WHAT IS LACHIE HUNTER’S STRONGEST ATTRIBUTE?
Lachie Hunter is undoubtedly one of the competition’s most prolific ball-magnets. His ability to gets his hands on the football and bring his teammates into the game is the standout of his footballing attributes.
In his career to date among midfielders, Hunter rates as elite for uncontested possessions per game (17), effective disposals (17.8), effective kicks (8.5) and marks (5.2). He also ranks above average for overall disposals (24) and disposal efficiency (74.4%), metres gained (350.2), inside 50s (3.5) and score involvements (5.3).
While Sam Walsh bloomed in his second season as Carlton’s accumulator, the addition of Hunter would only serve to free up Walsh’s ability to influence further. The Walsh-Hunter tandem being fed by the likes of Patrick Cripps and Will Setterfield would be one that causes headaches for opposition sides.
WHERE WOULD LACHIE HUNTER FIT IN CARLTON’S STARTING 22?
Hunter would slot straight into Carlton’s engine room. Unlike a big-bodied inside midfielder to help Cripps, Hunter would sit at the outside of contests and stoppages using his ability to gather the loose ball.
At 26 years old, with a Premiership and Bulldogs Best & Fairest under his belt already, he fits the age and experience profile Carlton are searching for precisely. Working with elite midfielders in Tom Liberatore, Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Josh Dunkley (among others) for the majority of his career has served his own game well. The knowledge and traits gained from these types is what Carlton’s younger crop would obtain most value out of.
WHAT IS LACHIE HUNTER’S CONTRACT STATUS?
The potential for a Lachie Hunter negotiation would loom as one of the more interesting that could play out in the 2020 offseason for the Blues.
Off-field indiscretions aside, Hunter is highly regarded at the Bulldogs with his father-son connection forever tying him symbolically to the club. He’s also contracted to 2024 and, much like with the Tom Papley negotiations of 2019, will require a very good deal to prise him out of the Bulldogs.
However, his drink driving incident and being stripped of the vice-captaincy earlier this season has lent itself to the idea that the Bulldogs may be willing to part ways with Hunter, if the right deal came along. In addition, at this year’s draft, the Bulldogs are likely going to have to match a bid for their NGA and 2020 Number 1 Draft Prospect Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. Without a second round pick currently at their disposal, it would appear that they would be seeking picks for points stockpiling in line with this.
The power may sit with the Bulldogs from a contract perspective, but Carlton’s draft war chest and the ability to enable the Bulldogs to bid for Ugle-Hagan may shift some of the leverage their way.
REALISTIC ACQUISITION RATING
5 / 10
PREDICTED TRADE & CONTRACT VALUE
In the below scenario, the hypothetical would be for Carlton to downgrade their current Pick 7 in a trade deal with Brisbane for their Picks 18 and 19. Pick 18 and Pick 27 would value Hunter at a total of 1,687 draft points, which is the combined equivalent of Pick 7 at this year’s draft.
