Out of favour Crow Billy Frampton has been traded to Collingwood for a future third-round pick (Image: AFL; Design: Will Cuckson)
Out of favour Crow Billy Frampton has been traded to Collingwood for a future third-round pick. It came in a flurry of deals on Tuesday that came through following Monday night’s mega trade.
The Crows swingman only managed six games under Matthew Nicks with the club prioritising youth through their rebuild as well as the emergence of bookends Jordan Butts, Nick Murray and Riley Thilthorpe. The 25-year-old will be hoping to re-invent his career at the Pies.
Frampton found his home in defence in 2022 where he hit career-best form before being dropped after Round Eight, which was his final game for the club.
He played his career-best game in Round Six against the Bulldogs at MARS Stadium in a game heavily affected by the wind. He finished the day with 26 disposals, seven rebound 50s and nine marks. He also led the game with 10 intercept possessions as the Crows beat the Dogs by a solitary point.
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Collingwood’s home for re-established defenders
Frampton looks to be next in Collingwood’s lineage of players that are brought in to become an intercepting tall to play behind the ball and flourish.
Before him, Jordan Roughead averaged 3.9 marks and 1.49 rebound 50s through 138 games at the Bulldogs. Following his trade in 2018, he played 63 games with Collingwood over four years and saw the rebirth of his career behind the ball. Over the twilight of his career, he proved a key pillar of the Magpies’ defence, increasing to 5.2 marks and 2.6 rebound 50s per game.
Frampton has only played 24 games over his eight-year career but will surely become a mainstay member of the Magpies’ back six.
Collingwood General Manager of Football Graham Wright was excited when talking about Frampton’s potential role.
“Billy’s height and versatility are quality attributes that we think add to our list,” he said.
“The exciting part about him is he’s yet to reach his footballing potential and at 201 centimetres tall, he’s able to play a multitude of roles.”
How will he impact Collingwood’s line-up?
After the trade of Brodie Grundy to Melbourne, maximising the number of players that can pinch-hit in the ruck will become essential for the Magpies moving forward. Frampton will fit in well with the Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox combination that Collingwood relied on for the back half of the 2022 season.
In Frampton’s 15 games in the SANFL, he averaged 21 disposals and 7.8 marks per game, in addition he had 7.7 rebound 50s. Meanwhile, the Magpies were ranked last for rebound 50s last season with 27.6 per game and were one of only three teams to have below 30.
Frampton’s inclusion should take the pressure off Darcy Moore as the only established key defender and would mean that Brayden Maynard won’t have the problem of playing undersized. If he can continue his SANFL form next season, Frampton could be one of the recruits of the season, brought into a Collingwood side that already looked dangerous in 2022.
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