Five Victorians will command the attention of Fremantle recruiters in the lead-up to the national draft on November 24 after a stunning 11th-hour trade yesterday pitchforked the Dockers into two picks in the top five.

Midfielders Luke Davies-Uniacke, Paddy Dow and Adam Cerra and midfielder-forwards Cameron Rayner and Jaidyn Stephenson are the players most recruiters believe will have their names called out first.

They are rated marginally ahead of a second group of about six which includes Bendigo key-position player Jarrod Brander, Peel power defender Aaron Naughton and young Victorian ruck-forward Sam Hayes, all of whom would help address Fremantle’s need for tall talent.

On a frantic final day of trading, 12 deals were signed off in the last hour. Overall, 28 players exchanged clubs, down from 38 last year.

Camera Icon Adam Cerra of Vic Metro. Credit: AFL Media

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Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett got his wish to return to Geelong from Gold Coast, Bryce Gibbs will head home to Adelaide from Carlton and Jake Stringer will reboot his career at Essendon after an ugly spat with the Western Bulldogs. But it was the Dockers’ trade coup that stunned the competition.

They turned Lachie Weller’s shock announcement that he wanted to leave the club while still contracted into the second pick, meaning they will take their strongest hand into a national draft since 1999 when they snapped up Paul Hasleby with the second selection and Matthew Pavlich with pick four.

It will be the first time the Dockers have had a choice inside the top five since 2009, when Anthony Morabito was snared with pick four.

Ironically, West Coast’s decision to trade next year’s first-round draft selection to the Suns to get five picks in the top 40 of next month’s draft made the Weller trade possible.

Camera Icon Luke Davies-Uniacke poses during the AFL Draft Combine at Etihad Stadium. Credit: Getty Images

The Suns, who had given Weller an undertaking he would make it to the Gold Coast, felt that after taking four top-10 draft choices last year with two first-round selections to come next year, they could afford to relinquish the second pick to land a ready-made player.

The Dockers read the play, pushed the issue and were rewarded in the dying minutes.

They also snared Brandon Matera after earlier securing Nathan Wilson and 57 from Greater Western Sydney for 71 and a future second-round choice. “It had to be pick No.2 for us,” Dockers list manager Brad Lloyd said. “We wanted a pick inside our No.5 because he is a talented young player. It worked out well.”

Camera Icon Paddy Dow of Vic Country in action during the 2017 AFL Under 18 Championships. Credit: AFL Media

The trade has made the national draft the key to Fremantle’s attempt to climb back on to the top rungs of the ladder.

This is the second in what has been labelled a four-draft list rebuild for the club. “It’s an unbelievable opportunity to pick from the top end of the draft,” Lloyd said.