RICHMOND will pay a portion of Brett Deledio’s new contract at Greater Western Sydney, in what was a key element that secured the deal between the clubs.

Deledio has agreed to a new contract with GWS, in which he will be paid about $1.5 million over three seasons.

But the Tigers, who were due to pay Deledio more than $700,000 in 2017, will pay a substantial portion of the star’s new contract, which makes him a relatively cheap purchase for the Giants, purely in dollar terms.

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The Tigers did, however, gain a future first round pick — tied to Geelong’s ladder position — and a future third round from GWS for Deledio and have still saved themselves the bulk of Deledio’s contract for 2017.

This is the second time in recent years the Giants have landed an established star from a Melbourne-based club and negotiated to have a portion of the contract paid.

Collingwood paid a share of Heath Shaw’s massive contract when he signed on for five years in a swap for Taylor Adams in the 2013 post-season.

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The Tigers held out for the best possible compensation until late in the trade period in the hope that the Giants would land Adelaide’s Pick 13 from Carlton via a Bryce Gibbs trade — a deal that didn’t eventuate, meaning they received Geelong’s future first round and GWS threw in a future third rounder.

The Giants received Geelong’s future first rounder from Carlton, which had given it up for Caleb Marchbank, Jarrod Pickett and GWS’ future second rounder.

Deledio had hoped to join Geelong, which did not have the means to make a trade, and also met with the Western Bulldogs this week before settling on the Giants, who had the draft picks to consummate the deal but had a very tight salary cap.

The Giants off-loaded no less than nine players, in what removed a huge amount of money from their bursting salary cap for 2017.