Former Swan Will Hayward cleans up at Carlton’s best-and-fairest awards with three trophies

Former Carlton star Charlie Curnow’s immediate impact at Sydney was undeniable, winning this year’s Coleman Medal, scoring an All-Australian blazer, and coming third in his new club’s MVP awards.

But the Sydney players who joined Carlton at the end of last year — Will Hayward and Ollie Florent — also had a profound impact at their new club, with Florent coming second in Carlton’s best-and-fairest awards and Hayward taking home a whopping three trophies.

7NEWS sports reporter Tom Morris said Hayward had “made the ultimate first impression” at the Blues.

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And AFL champ Tom Mitchell, who started his career at the Swans and went on to win a Brownlow at Hawthorn, said it was “huge”.

“You can talk about on-field influence, which he definitely did have as well, but let’s go through the awards … he cleaned up,” Mitchell said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.

“So there’s the three there: best clubman, coaches’ award, Spirit of Carlton award.

Will Hayward and Ollie Florent embrace after Carlton’s Wildcard win over Melbourne at the MCG. Credit: Getty

“What a huge impact that is from Will Hayward.

“We know how good he is on the field, but to have that impact off the field, particularly in your first year at a club, that’s huge.”

Player agent Liam Pickering was also floored.

“Massive. Best clubman in your first year, that’s awesome,” Pickering said.

Morris added: “That’s a shining example of why that trade worked for probably both clubs.”

The mega-deal that got Curnow to the Swans included Hayward, Pick 11, a 2026 first-round selection and a 2027 first-round selection.

Sydney received Curnow, Pick 31, Pick 42 and a 2027 second-round selection.

Florent wasn’t part of the Curnow deal, but Sydney sent him to the Blues for virtually free (a future third-round selection). That decision was considered at the time to relieve Sydney of some salary cap pressure. The Swans were also well covered for running half-backs.

Later on The Agenda Setters, 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary said the Swans were only able to get Curnow across the line in the last 15 minutes of the trade period after they added a future first-round selection to the mix.

After a slow start, Charlie Curnow really got going for the Swans. Credit: Getty

Geelong was also chasing Curnow but Sydney won out with the better offer.

“He had four years left on his deal at Carlton. He made his way to the Sydney Swans. They added the extra year and he got a five-year extension,” Cleary said.

“And then his first season he wins a Coleman Medal for the third time … an extraordinary season, finished with 75 goals.”

Pickering said it was too early to tell who won the trade.

“I mean, Sydney got themselves to a prelim with a 75 goal season from Charlie, so that’s a big tick. Carlton are on the rise, and you look at the top 10 (in the best and fairest), Florent was second, Will Hayward didn’t make the top 10, but got all those other awards,” he said.

“Also Ben Ainsworth (ex-Gold Coast) was in the top 10 as well. So I think both teams would be quite happy at the moment.”