Whilst the Cats have long been known for their incredible knack of identifying young talent and then developing them, the success of the Cats trading is also something to behold.

We look at the best of the Cats traded in players and picks from the last 25 years.

1. Picks 15 (David Spriggs), 17 (Ezra Bray), 47 (Corey Enright) and Cameron Mooney for Leigh Colbert, picks 53 (Clayton Lasscock) and 67 (Robert Shirley) in 1999
The Cats were able to turn the devastation of losing captain Leigh Colbert into part of the nucleus of the club’s greatest ever era. Enright, who will go down as one of the Cats, if not the AFL’s, greatest backman and the heart and soul of the Cats, Mooney, were instrumental in taking the Cats to their premiership glory. The duo will finish with Carji’s, over 500 games, more premierships than most clubs and multiple All Australians.

2. Pick 31 (Paul Chapman) for Michael Mansfield in 1999
Mansfield was 10 years and 181 games into his career with the Cats when he was swapped for pick 31 in the 1999 draft. The Cats selected Chapman who would become one of the club’s greats. 251 games, Carji Greeves medal, Norm Smith, three premierships and All Australians just some of his incredible resume.

3. Brad Ottens for Picks 12 (Danny Meyer) and 16 (Adam Pattison) in 2004
Many say this was the trade that gave the Cats the key piece to premiership success. Initially recruited to fill a forward role that had been missing since the retirement on Gary Ablett Snr, Ottens would play the majority of his blue and white career as a ruckman. The much liked big man played in three flags and despite missing significant chunks of some of those years will go down as one of the Cats greatest ruckmen.

4. Tom Harley for Pick 37 (Adam Morgan) in 1998
Another who had a start and then went on to become a star was Harley. Just one game for the Power (ironically against the Cats) before Harley was traded to the Cats for pick 37.  The rest is as they say, history. 197 games, two time premiership captain and an All Australian.

5. Pick 17 (James Kelly) for Clint Bizzell in 2001
The exciting Bizzell sort a trade to Melbourne where he would go on to play 75 games in the red and blue. The Cats in return picked James Kelly who would go on to play in three Cats flags and an All Australian selection in 2011.

6. Pick 24 (David Wojcinski) for Marty McKinnon in 1998
The Cats gained the pick for Wojcinski as well pick 17 and Scott Bamford and Tristan Lynch in exchange for half forward Marty McKinnon who the Cats swapped for pick 18 in 1995. Wojo would become one of the Cats most exciting triple premiership players and finished with 203 games.

7. Picks 40 (Allen Christensen), 42 (Nathan Vardy) and 56 (Josh Cowan) for picks 33 and 97 in 2009
The Cats were the catalyst for a massive four team trade that saw player and pick movement between Essendon, Port Adelaide and Hawthorn. The Cats went down the draft order for 33 to 40 but picked up 42 and 56 to go with them. The Cats drafted Christensen, Vardy and Cowan to the club. With Christensen a member of the Cats 2011 premiership side and Vardy and Cowan both highly touted despite injuries the Cats were clear winners out of the trade. 

8. Ken Hinkley from Fitzroy for Pick 48 (Scott Jordan) in 1988
Hinkley, the boy from Camperdown, was reluctant to take the step from country footy to the big sticks. Finally convinced by Fitzroy to do it in 1987, Hinkley was unhappy and immediately wanted to leave. Convinced by the Cats to move to the regional town, Hinkley flourished and went on to play 121 games in the blue and white and was a Carji Greeves medallist, dual All Australian and third in the 1992 Brownlow Medal.

9. Brenton Sanderson from Collingwood for Pick 47 (Robbie Ahmat) in 1994
After playing a total of 10 games in three years at the Crows and Pies, Sanderson was traded to the Cats for pick 47 in 1994. The environment suited Sanderson who would go on to play 199 games in the blue and white hoops. A Carji Greeves medallist and Australian representative.

10. Liam Pickering, Leigh Tudor and Darren Steele from North Melbourne for Pick 123 (Marty Christensen) in 1992