Geelong Trade Talk Day 4

Written By: Catman Forever on October 8, 2009 No Comment

In a busy day of trading the Cats added Marcus Drum from Fremantle, lost Shane Mumford to Sydney and secured four selections in the top 42 of the national draft.

Marcus Drum joins the Cats in return for pick 49 in the national draft. Drum has played 22 games for the Dockers since being tabbed at pick 10 in the 2005 draft. He debuted against Sydney in round 13 in 2006, and helped Fremantle reach the finals for just the second time. Drum won Fremantle’s Beacon Award for the best up-and-coming player after his debut season.

“We see Marcus as a versatile player that can fit into our structure,” Geelong’s general manager of football operations Neil Balme said. “He has played some good games at Fremantle and we feel that his best football is still ahead of him.

“Marcus is only 22, and is a quality person. He was a top 10 draft pick just four years ago, and has talent and a good work ethic, and sees the opportunity to play as the most important thing given our tight salary structure.”

The 22 year old Drum is the nephew of former Geelong rover (and Dockers coach), Damian Drum. When not playing for the Dockers, Drum lined up with Perth in the WAFL, where he played 39 games and kicked nine goals.

Drum stands at 191 cm, and was originally drafted after playing TAC Cup with the Murray Bushrangers.

Mumford has been traded to Sydney for pick 28 in the national draft. Mumford informed the Cats on Wednesday that he wished to continue his career with the Swans after receiving a huge offer for four years.
Had the clubs not been able to agree on a trade, Mumford would have been lost to the Cats with nothing in return as he was uncontracted and would have gone to Sydney in the pre season draft.

Mumford, who the Cats plucked from obscurity in Bunyip, follows former Cats David Spriggs, Paul Chambers and Henry Playfair as players that have been snapped up by the Swans in recent years.

“The reality is that we could not and would not compete with the dollars that Shane has been offered,” Balme said.

“It’s well known that we want to keep our group together and all of the players have accepted that to do that they have to forego bigger offers from other clubs to achieve that goal. Shane has chosen not do that that, and while we are disappointed to see him go, we will not deviate from our philosophy.”

Mumford has played 21 games over the past two years. He debuted against Fremantle in 2008 and played three games in his debut year. He played 18 games in 2009 but lost his place when Brad Ottens returned from injury. Mumford was an emergency for the grand final.

The Cats were also able to secure picks 40, 42 and 56 in return for pick 33 as part of a complicated multi team deal involving Port Adelaide, Hawthorn and Essendon.

Geelong will now have selections 17, 28, 40, 42 and 56 in the upcoming national draft.

Paper work on the deals will be completed on Friday, the final day of trade week.