THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2009

[Demonland 73,139]

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2009: THE WEEK BEFORE by The Oracle

THE EARLY BIRDS AND THE BROCKEN-HEARTED

The AFL official exchange period doesn't start until next week but this does not mean that the various clubs' football departments have been inactive. The truth is that for several months they have been putting in the hard yards in preparation for next week's football equivalent of the cattle market.

The activity in contracting existing players, contacting player managers and discussing potential trades always goes on well before the official business commences but this year we've had news that some deals are already done and dusted.

Writing in the Australian on 10 September, Greg Denham reported that "... disgruntled Tigers defender Andrew Raines will attempt to kick-start his career in Brisbane later this year."

He added:

"The first trade deal on October 5 will be between Richmond and Brisbane, which has agreed to exchange a third-round national draft selection for Raines, 23, who has not played for the Tigers since round nine. A spate of injuries and a lack of form has contributed to Raines playing just five games over the past two seasons, after he did not miss a senior game in 2006 and 2007."

A second deal was announced last week and this one was a little closer to home. The Melbourne Football Club announced the departure of midfielder and one time captaincy aspirant Brock McLean to Carlton in exchange for the Blues' first-round national draft selection (11).

The story came out in the midst of grand final week and it barely caused a ripple with the general football public more interested in the premiership aspirants and the antics of a drunken Brendan Fevola both during and after the Brownlow Medal presentation.

In another time the McLean news would have been a bombshell but most Demons supporters took it in their stride. McLean wanted to leave and Melbourne agreed to a trade without blinking an eye. That's what happens these days. The trading of players between clubs has now become business as usual.

But it was only a month ago that McLean made a significant contribution to Melbourne's Debt Demolition Fund. How could this have happened?

Well, it didn't really happen overnight. McLean's star has waned considerably since he almost single-handedly destroyed St. Kilda in an elimination final back in 2006. On the field, he struggled with fitness and form. The player who was never fleet of foot seems to have slowed appreciably, his marking is just so-so and the depth and penetration of his kicking seems to have deserted him somewhat.

Off the field McLean had his issues as well, starting with some well publicised booze-fuelled fights on a post season tour overseas and ending with his attendance at a gangland figure's funeral. In between, there were some issues with his vehicle and, though none would be considered as indictable offences on their own, they were slowly mounting up and were never going to help his cause in terms of the club captaincy. In an on line discussion among fans on the future of the club captaincy held a week before McLean's departure, he failed to gain a mention.

The lack of enthusiasm for McLean and the club's quick decision to loosen its ties with the still young midfielder would also be connected with the fact that Melbourne holds the first two draft picks at the forthcoming national draft and those selections are likely to be on ball types who are swift and skillful. On top of that, the club has some emerging midfield talent of quality taken with early picks in recent years and coming up through the ranks.

For McLean's sake it is to be hoped that without having the inevitable first tag and with a full pre season behind him, he can fulfil his early potential at Carlton.

The sad aspect of the AFL trades is that players who were once heroes to young kids who proudly wore the club jumper with the number 5 emblazoned on their backs move on without much notice. Brock McLean was a hero to many of us for six seasons and 94 matches and in a few month's time will be wearing a navy blue guernsey and earning our derision and scorn.

And in exchange for McLean who was taken at number 5 in 2003, the Demons have acquired selection 11 in November's national draft. Such is the nature of the trade period that there's no guarantee they hold onto that until Friday week when the AFL cattle market closes.

In between, it's going to be business as usual.

The Oracle's Trading Chronicles continue next Saturday and will right through the exchange period.

[rumpole 522]

Good stuff.

Look forward to more over the trades.

[Demon Head 292]

Not a ripple over Brock but I hope we don't have problems putting the finishing touches to Aaron Davey's contract because I think we might expect more than a ripple over that one!

[Whispering_Jack 30,603]

Not a ripple over Brock but I hope we don't have problems putting the finishing touches to Aaron Davey's contract because I think we might expect more than a ripple over that one!

Ironic isn't it that at the same time that Melbourne were negotiating McLean's release, Fevola was performing his antics at Crown. I'm still not so sure that Carlton gets it because the latest news in the Australian is suggesting they might consider a swap of Fev to Sydney for Barry Hall.

[beelzebub 23,382]

and to think some have said that trade week would be a non-event !!

[Demonland 73,139]

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2009: ZERO MINUS ONE by The Oracle

IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER

My head is spinning madly.

The 2009 football season was supposed to be officially over last Saturday week when the MCG siren sounded to put an end to the AFL Grand Final.

The triumphant Cats made their way down the highway to Sleepy Hollow to celebrate and get shickered in the shadows of Skilled Stadium with Billy Brownless while the sad Saints disappeared to another place where they could drown away their sorrows. Game over, season over ... bad call.

I rummaged through my cupboards, found cricket whites now slightly discoloured and reeking of mothball odour, went to training, stayed up all night twice watching the Aussies come near to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory against Pakistan then two nights later demolishing the Poms in far off South Africa, rolled the arms over and even snaffled a wicket of my bowling offies in the fourths yesterday before having a few frothies with the boys. The conversation however, wasn't about the cricket or the Spring Racing Carnival.

You're right!

It's as if the season hasn't ended. All they could talk about was the Fev and the footy and a couple of them were even imbibing in a manner befitting of the man on that fateful night at the Crown Casino.

The fact is you can't get away from it. You turn on the telly and the news is virtually about nothing else. A couple of Cats had their Grand Final jumpers nicked. Fev's parking his car in Orchid Avenue while trying to pick up a takeaway spag bol for the kids. Pick up the paper and Mike Sheahan's come out with his top 50 footballers. Switch on the radio and Kevin Sheehan is waxing lyrical about some kid who did a 14 point something beep test and another whose standing vertical jump came close to knocking off Trent Croad's record from 1997. It's even on Face Book and Twitter where great men are telling us that " the trade week promises to test the purity of the human spirit."

So you can take your global financial crises, carbon emissions, threats of nuclear war, earthquakes and tsunamis anywhere else on earth but here in the centre of the universe, the only thing that really matters is Fev's final destination or that a homesick Darren Jolly wants to play for Collingwood.

Welcome to the unreal world.

In this world of ours, the next week is going to be all about football's meat market and that's the real reason why my head is spinning so madly at the moment.

The media is full of trade talk and while rumours abound suggesting some of the most improbable trade scenarios involving players and picks that aren't going anywhere, the week will not be the snooze fest it has been for the past few years when an ever-dwindling number of players was changing hands. Last year the number was down to a mere half dozen and the final result provided barely a blimp on the radar despite the numerous rumours and false alarms that attended the week's proceedings.

This year promises to be different. Already there are stories of a couple of done deals and the word is out that a few more are close to completion.

The landscape has changed with the advent of two new teams GC17 and GWS slated to enter the competition in 2011 and 2012 respectively and the introduction of new rules to accommodate their entry. The newcomers are the beneficiaries of some you beaut rules that will make life a lot harder for those existing clubs that are desperate to replenish their own stocks for the coming seasons. This year's draft has been emasculated by changes to the draft age which reduces the incoming pool of new players by one third while next year the draft will be decimated for almost all but the team from Gold Coast. The following year will be a bonanza for Greater West Sydney.

The new clubs will also have preferential status when it comes to snaffling up uncontracted footballers starting from the end of next season. Pity any club that's on the verge of bottoming out right now!

The emphasis on trading ahead of drafting has certainly become the centrepiece of the recruiting plans of a few clubs with the Hawks leading the charge. Top draft picks have been laid on the table as Hawthorn has changed tack on the policies that famously brought them premiership success last year. If things work out the club might well dispense with its first two draft selections and loose change to pick up the prize scalps of Shaun Burgoyne and Josh Gibson. The Hawks believe they can still find some rare gems with some shrewd and discerning decision-making even at the bottom end of what many would term as a "shallow draft".

And they can cite this year's All Australian team as a prime example of why early draft picks are not necessarily the key to recruiting champion footballers these days.

Nick Riewoldt, Brendon Goddard (both first picks in 2000 and 2002 respectively), Chris Judd (3rd in 2001) and Joel Selwood (7th in 2007) are the only top 10 draft selections on the AA list in a year when not a single top five pick from the last six drafts has managed to make the grade. There were three father/sons and another three were picked in the 11 to 30 range. However, nine selections were taken beyond that number in national drafts (including Fev himself at 38 in 1988 while three Aaron Sandilands (2002), Matthew Boyd (2003) and Magpie skipper Nick Maxwell (2004) were rookie promotions. And that was when the drafts had some substance and weren't as compromised as they will be this year and in years to come.

What does all this mean for Demon fans in these difficult times? Our club doesn't have the current day champions and lists such as the All Australians (we didn't even feature in the short list of forty) or that of Mike Sheahan yield us little joy so we're thankful that a handful of top twenty picks including the first two will keep us all excited over the coming months. Melbourne is also primed to benefit from a trade week that promises heightened activity. After all, it's said that if you've got nothing then you've got nothing to lose and on that basis, the Demons could well have everything to gain in the week to come.

[Demon Head 292]

Exciting times ahead.

Let's hope the next week brings the club some good rewards.

[The Backyard Charizard 1,202]

Yes...

Let's hope it's an exciting trade week..... And by week, I mean WHOLE week.... Not just Friday

Trade week is always such a let down.... Let's hope this year is different...

[Redleg 41,413]

Yes...

Let's hope it's an exciting trade week..... And by week, I mean WHOLE week.... Not just Friday

Trade week is always such a let down.... Let's hope this year is different...

Today I heard from three people who all had different reliable sources that Fevola is a done deal to three different clubs. Well that is trade week.

[rumpole 522]

Today I heard from three people who all had different reliable sources that Fevola is a done deal to three different clubs. Well that is trade week.

As long as one of those three clubs is not Melbourne I'll be very happy.

I find it incredible that the captain of a team could come out on the eve of trade week and make a pronouncement that Fevola is not welcome there. Nick Maxwell either had the blessing of his club to say those things or he's very stupid. Usually, it's the football department and recruiting people who have a say and not a player or even the club president for that matter.

[Demonland 73,139]

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2009: PRELUDE by The Oracle

THE ART OF THE TRADE

Yesterday, when I wrote that the football season was officially over, I had forgotten that there was indeed there one more game to go before the curtain fall - the SANFL Grand Final between Central District and Sturt. The game would not normally attract much attention from our side of the Victoria/SA border but this one had the attraction of one of the forthcoming national draft's young guns in Jack Trengove.

Moreover, when I discovered that a city pub, the Charles Dickens Tavern, was showing the game via satellite feed I felt compelled to put in an appearance. Of course, this came with a price tag.

I first had to keep a promise made to the better half about visiting the National Gallery of Victoria for the last day of the Salvador Dalí: Liquid Desire exhibition. This meant an early start and to ensure me of a ticket of leave by mid afternoon, another promise had to be fulfilled - a lavish and expensive meal at a fine eatery on Southbank. Now, I'm the last to admit to being an aficionado when it comes to matters of fine art but I reckon some of those Dali works are reminiscent of the season that Melbourne has just endured. Twisted, distorted and mangled features that adequately represent the true horror of the season that was about to officially come to an end that very day. At least the tucker afterwards was palatable even if it cost plenty.

The Charles Dickens isn't the most lugubrious of establishments but it was cosy and crowded with punters who were gathered there to watch the Japanese Grand Prix, some rugby, the SANFL game (in half hour delay) and, believe it or not, a film review programme on SBS. Trengove's team copped a flogging but the young bloke won the ball and acquitted himself as well as any 18 year old could in a team that lost badly in a final. I heard later that one radio commentator had drawn a comparison between the kid and Nathan Buckley. I didn't quite see that in him yesterday but there's a lot of potential there just the same. The report on the match in today's Australian bears testament to this - Sturt youngster Jack Trengove leaps into draft pole position:

CENTRAL District yesterday demolished Sturt by 38 points, raining on the parade of prospective AFL No 1 draft pick Jack Trengove.

Trengove, 18 and studying Year 12 at Adelaide's Prince Alfred College, threw off heavy tags to gather 20 possessions in his last game in the double blue guernsey, at least for many years.

But after hauling his side into yesterday's season decider with a best-on-ground performance in the preliminary final, Trengove was unable to drag Sturt to the premiership dais.

Still, Trengove's stellar form in the SANFL finals series might have nudged his name ahead of the previous favourite, Victorian Tom Scully, to be chosen first in this week's draft.

Trengove was shadowed for much of the game by Trent Goodrem - brother of Delta - whose effort was rewarded with the Jack Oatey Medal.

I bumped into a few Demonlanders at the tavern and, as the game dragged on to its inevitable outcome, the talk moved to the trade week and the November draft. Someone had a copy of that morning's Sunday Herald Sun with an article that listed 10 likely selections in this order:-

1. Tom Scully (Dandenong, onballer) Melbourne

2. Jack Trengove (Sturt, mid/forward) Melbourne

3. Dustin Martin (Bendigo, onballer) Richmond

4. Anthony Morabito (Peel, wing/forward) Fremantle

5. Ben Cunnington (Geelong, onballer) North Melbourne

6. Gary Rohan (Geelong, utility) Sydney

7. Lewis Jetta (Swan Districts, small forward) West Coast

8. Luke Tapscott (North Adelaide, mid/forward) Port Adelaide)

9. Jake Melksham (Calder, mid/forward) Hawthorn/trade

10. Kane Lucas (East Fremantle, wing/forward) Essendon

The fact that our club has the first two selections and a couple of others coming reasonably early is exciting enough. The trade period which starts today promises more changes and we discussed what might eventuate between now and the close of the football stock market at 2 pm next Friday. As usual, there were lots of rumours and plenty of juicy gossip but such things mean little. What matters in this business is not the rumours but rather the concrete results.

And in our case, it's all about rebuilding the team. Since changes in personnel and improvements within a team's list are the things that generate better results and performance, the opening of the player market in just a few hour's time offers promise that the picture we will see of the Demons in the years to come will be more pleasant. Instead of the nerve-jangling confusion of a Dali, perhaps this week might lead us to discover a pastel coloured, hope-filled impressionist work of beauty.

POSTSCRIPT:

The Melbourne news from today's Herald Sun - Saint plays hard Ball:

Melbourne is supremely confident the deal to send Brock McLean to Carlton will become official today.

The Blues have started posturing that the swap for pick 11 is not set in stone, but both clubs have a handshake agreement.

It went to the top of the chain, with Carlton chief executive Greg Swann and his Melbourne counterpart ticking it off.

Carlton coach Brett Ratten worked with McLean in his time at Melbourne and has always rated him highly.

The feeling is mutual, with McLean naming Ratten as a major influence - even though he only worked with him for a year.

Melbourne defender Simon Buckley, who impressed last year as a rebounding half-back before being cut down by injury this season, is attracting significant interest from several clubs.

The Demons could move him on for the right deal, which could be a second or third round pick.

They rate Buckley highly, but have others who play a similar role.

Carlton is one of the clubs linked to Buckley, with the Blues also believed to be interested in Daniel Bell.

Despite speculation of a move, Brad Miller is a required player at Melbourne.

Miller is yet to sign, but has been on an extended overseas break.

The Demons are offering him a new deal.

It is understood Melbourne and Carlton have spoken to Bulldog Andrejs Everitt about a possible move.

But the Demons appear unlikely to make a serious play for Everitt, who is under contract.

They will have picks No.1, No.2, No.11 and No.18 in the draft after the McLean deal and have every intention of keeping them.

The Dogs might entertain No.18 for Everitt, but that is expected to be used on a fresh teenager.

[jayceebee31 761]

The first sign offs have been done with The Swans - having secured West Coast ruckman Mark Seaby in a complicated three-way trade involving Amon Buchanan - who will go to Brisbane, and another Eagle Brent Staker, who will also join the Lions.

Lion Bradd Dalziell will join the Eagles, while Brisbane will send a draft pick that will end up with the Eagles in the exchange. These just need registering after 10am.

The deal re Brock McLean to Carlton for pick 11 is on.

[jayceebee31 761]

HAWTHORN GAIN GIBSON & PICK 69

NORTH GETS PICKS 25 & 41 .

[beelzebub 23,382]

First deal done Hawks land Gibson in trade week opener

Gibson and North's fifth-round selection (No.69 overall) head to the Hawks.

In return, the Roos gain Hawthorn's second and third

were off and running now..:D

[Jaded No More 68,972]

Quickest trade week kickoff of all time?

Gees it's gonna be a huge week going by that standard. Hawthorn did well to grab Gibson at 25!

[Slartibartfast 17,560]

How about we leave this thread to confirmed trades and discussion can be in separate threads?

[Apocalypse XXXI 243]

Fancy a report on a SANFL grand final in the Australian giving Jack Trengove the major part of the write up.

Even though it wasn't his best game, Jack's stature keeps growing.

[Demonland 73,139]

How about we leave this thread to confirmed trades and discussion can be in separate threads?

DONE: We have a confirmed trades thread which we will run all week. This thread will become a daily thread to merged with the Oracle's article at the end of each day.

[alpha33 325]

so... we talking about the deals here or there ??

Syd Bris Eagles deal almost done by most accounts

Almost there by the look of it - Buchanan and Staker to Lions, Seaby a Swan

[Slartibartfast 17,560]

Guys I'm just going to delete "discussion".

Thanks

[Tony Tea 2,809]

Guys I'm just going to delete "discussion".

Thanks

Why?

[alpha33 325]

Why?

Good question since there's a separate thread for confirmed trades, this one should be for discussion, shouldn't it?

[Slartibartfast 17,560]

OK, I missed Demonland's post. Sorry guys. My initial intention was to make this for confirmed trades but I've been overruled by the boss!!

Post away.

[alpha33 325]

OK, I missed Demonland's post. Sorry guys. My initial intention was to make this for confirmed trades but I've been overruled by the boss!!

Post away.

Thanks but I don't have anything to say now.

Is anything happening involving us?

[Tony Tea 2,809]

OK, I missed Demonland's post. Sorry guys. My initial intention was to make this for confirmed trades but I've been overruled by the boss!!

Post away.

Righto.

Now, what was I saying?

In relation to the Brock trade, the Age mentioned that some fine print needed to be finalised. The deal is not a formality.