Nick Blakey

No player came back for Nick Blakey: "list spots is clearly one, going to the draft is another," Sydney's Chris Keane said. They wanted an early pick "before the Tassie concessions kicked in", and it opens free agency, which they "haven't really been active in" for a decade.

Matthew Roberts, Riley Bice and Jake Lloyd can play Nick Blakey's roles now he's at North Melbourne, Sydney's Chris Keane said, leaving the call to Dean Cox. He added that Harry Kyle, Will Edwards, Jesse Dattoli and Billy Cootee "were able to step in and look at the level".

Lachie Whitfield, Jayden Short and Dan Houston came up, but St Kilda didn't pivot after missing halfback Nick Blakey, Lenny Hayes said. He rates Jack Sinclair, out for the back half of the year with a serious calf injury, "the second greatest small defender in the competition".

Nick Blakey and Geelong barely got started. Cats list boss Andrew Mackie said talks with Blakey were "pretty short... we spoke to Robbie and Nick briefly, but it sort of quickly morphed into the Kangaroos deal was pretty significant."

Gryan Miers was "not very close" to a Bulldogs trade, Geelong's Andrew Mackie said, despite "some interest". He's contracted for a couple of years. Contract and draft-pick terms, not Nick Blakey's past, ended the Cats' interest once North Melbourne moved fast, Mackie said.

Nick Blakey's wish to leave proved "a bit more real than we first realised", Sydney's Chris Keane said. The North Melbourne deal brought pick 6, and Keane is "really comfortable just sitting there, but we're open to all options", including packaging picks to move higher.

Nick Blakey met St Kilda as a possible running defender alongside Jack Sinclair and Brad Hill, but Lenny Hayes said the Saints moved on: "he's a fair way down the track with North Melbourne." Asked about moving up or splitting picks 10 and 16, Hayes didn't commit.

Nick Blakey chose North Melbourne, Brady Rawlings said, and a deal is done with Sydney on an eight-year offer. The board signed off on the money, tenure and first-round picks. Blakey asked to meet North among other clubs, and the family link "went in our favour."

Nick Blakey: Essendon has discussed the Sydney star internally but hasn't met him, Matt Rosa said: "We haven't had an indication off Nick's management that he's looking to leave Sydney." He called new performance boss John Longmire "a calming influence over the whole club."

Harry Cunningham has a Sydney offer but "a little bit to work through," Chris Keane said, expecting more clarity in coming weeks. On Nick Blakey, contracted five more years: no trade pursued, a deal "significantly challenging", and staying in 2027 is the likeliest outcome.