Nick Blakey, one of five Sydney players embroiled in the Pullman Hotel scandal, has been granted his wish to join North Melbourne with a blockbuster trade. On the penultimate day of the trade period, the Swans offloaded Blakey, draft pick No 52 and their 2028 second-round selection, in exchange for a glut of picks.
The Kangaroos shipped picks No 6 and No 47, a 2027 second-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick to get the deal done on Tuesday.
Blakey had five years remaining on his Swans deal but requested a trade following a fracturing of his relationship with the club. The 26-year-old star met with Geelong, St Kilda and Gold Coast but had his head turned by North’s reported eight-year offer worth more than $11m.
Blakey acknowledged the circumstances which led to him missing Sydney’s finals series, which eventually led to him leaving the club. He, along with four other players, were stood down by the Swans for breaching club standards after a post-AFL match party in East Melbourne.
Those suspensions are separate from an ongoing police investigation into an alleged sexual assault at the hotel.
“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.”
Blakey played 173 games for Sydney after arriving at the Swans as an academy product with pick No 10 in the 2018 draft. He was also eligible to join North Melbourne or Brisbane as a father-son selection through his father John, who played 224 games for the Kangaroos including their 1996 and 1999 premierships.
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After Blakey’s move, the Kangaroos completed a trade to send former No 4 pick Zane Duursma to Melbourne. The 21-year-old forward was traded to the Demons along with pick No 52 in this year’s draft for picks No 33 and No 49.
North will now turn their focus back to bringing Nick Murray to Arden Street after the young Adelaide defender requested a trade.
As the trade deadline approaches, deals are yet to be orchestrated for Lachie Whitfield, Jayden Short, Keidean Coleman, Jack Viney, Trent Rivers. The trade period closes on Wednesday night.
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