Lever, Schache, Wilson, Weller, Matera, Cameron, Gibbs, Ablett all wanted to go home and finally, tediously, got there. Most got there without rancour, others like Lever left with the captain gratuitously sledging them on the way out. (We can only imagine Walker's disgust at Bryce Gibbs).

Not all homecomings are equal. Go figure this. Nathan Wilson wanted to go home, and there was one club for him. He is 25, fast and plays a role every team wants. GWS got a future second-round pick.

Charlie Cameron wanted to move to be close to family in Queensland. He is a fast, high-pressure, goalkicking forward and everyone wants one. Adelaide got pick 12.

Lachie Weller wanted to move back to the Gold Coast. He is a tidy midfielder with a bit of class who was pick 13 a couple of years ago. The Suns gave up pick two and there was a fiddle around with inconsequential picks.

How is Wilson a future second-round pick if Weller is pick two? And Cameron pick 12?

Gold Coast paid over the odds for Weller or, put another way, Gold Coast finally landed a top player they know is a top-end talent and, critically, actually wants to be there.

Weller is a proven talent worthy of top 10 and there are no guarantees on the teenager they would get being worth the pick, or more to the point, wanting to stay. On a day when their highly paid bought-in former captain bade farewell and another No.2 pick left the nearby Lions after just two years for considerably less than pick two you can understand the Suns' logic.

Yes the Suns might have walked him through the pre-season draft for nothing next year but a lot can change in 12 months and here they had a top-10 talent wanting to play for them. He will be a 10-year player.

The problem for the AFL is that the Suns had to do that deal which in truth few other clubs would have done. Freo threw up a deal that appeared to be so ambit it looked like a hissy fit and they ended up getting it. That is excellent work from the Dockers because in the end the Suns had to do it.

With every trade comes a message of intent, be it a fiddle of picks or a targeted chase. Essendon and Port traded cannily for a shot at the flag.

The Bombers landed their three targets and look good. Well depending on what strings are attached still for Jake Stringer. Turn him around and they landed the bargain of the trades.

Then again, if the Dogs turn around homesick Josh Schache they will have won even bigger.

Port did well with their trio of free agents and trades - Jack Watts, Steven Motlop and Tom Rockliff. They look imposing. Like the Bombers, their message is clear - we are in contention.

Gary Ablett back at Geelong says the same thing. It was amusingly clear to Saints midfielder David Armitage, who offered the wry observation: "Can't wait to play against the Geelong midfield #saidnooneever."

Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Ablett. That is a midfield to rival Michael Voss, Jason Akermanis, Simon Black and Nigel Lappin for best of the modern era. At least it is on paper for this is Gary II, who might play forward as much as mid and not Gary I, but still ??? it's Gary Ablett.

The Cats might prefer their team to be likened to the West Coast one constructed around Chris Judd, Ben Cousins, Daniel Kerr, Dean Cox: a terrifying midfield and an able supporting cast. The Cats have traded for a shot at the flag.

Adelaide traded in Gibbs and you could also see their plan. They gave up a bit too much for him - effectively a 20-year emerging star key back for a midfield champion who is 29 at the start of next season and a few late draft picks - but the plan was clear. We are chasing a flag. There was admittedly also a sense that they owed it to Gibbs for not getting the deal done last year and finally the father-son pick they should have had landed at home.

So what does Gibbs' departure say of Carlton? Is it another backwards-to-go-forwards step? And if that is the case what does that mean for young coach Brendon Bolton's tenure?

Trading Gibbs was indisputably the right move for the Blues but it does raise a short-term on-field question. The top five in Carlton's best and fairest (average age nearly 29) were older than the top five at any other club this year. They have been held up by older players and it is time the next generation comes through.

Gibbs went out for Matt Kennedy, Darcy Lang and a pick 10. It's a good deal.

Kennedy was a pick 13 just two years ago and played 16 games this year. He doesn't run especially well but he is a powerful, see-ball-get-ball midfielder and excellent stoppage player. He will help Patrick Cripps and Marc Murphy. Lang is still a bit of an unknown but he has pace, and then they get pick 10.

Carlton did a salary dump to get Matthew Lobbe in for that moment when Matt Kreuzer breaks down. They take his excessive salary and so get him for an irrelevantly late draft pick.