Richmond forward Mabior Chol has become the first player to switch clubs in the 2021 trade period after he officially joined the Gold Coast Suns on Friday, while former Adelaide Crow Jake Kelly has joined Essendon.

The 24-year-old Chol joins Gold Coast on a four-year deal after 31 games in six seasons at the Tigers, with Kelly moving to Essendon on a three-year deal after 110 games in eight seasons at the Crows. Both players are unrestricted free agents meaning their former clubs can’t match the deal to force a trade.

Chol did not play in a premiership with Richmond with his only final being in 2020 when he replaced the injured Tom Lynch against the Brisbane Lions.

He joins former Tigers Brandon Ellis and Oleg Markov on the Suns’ list with the clubs having exchanged several players over recent years, including Corey Ellis and Anthony Miles who went from Richmond to Gold Coast, while Tom Lynch and Dion Prestia went from the Suns to the Tigers.

Kelly, the son of Magpie premiership player and leading player agent Craig Kelly, and the brother of Collingwood’s Will, played for Adelaide in the 2017 grand final and has been a courageous defender at the Crows. He will also benefit from the coaching of part-time development coach and former Tiger champion full-back Alex Rance, who has joined Essendon’s coaching panel.

Sydney’s George Hewett is expected to join Carlton early in the trade period and the Swans will not match the offer to the restricted free agent.

Carlton, meanwhile, have moved to open contract negotiations with Sam Walsh, 21, in the hope of signing the star midfielder to a long-term deal.

Walsh, who finished fourth in the Brownlow Medal count, is not off contract until the end of next season but the Blues and Walsh’s manager Scott Lucas are likely to accelerate talks closer to Christmas. Lucas said the “uncertainty” over the coaching at Princes Park through the year had been an issue but that was now resolved, with Michael Voss taking charge.