THE TRADING CHRONICLES: DAY TWO

[Demonland 73,140]

DAY TWO by The Oracle

BRIGHT LIGHTS AND PROMISES

It was inevitable after the opening day's flurry of exchanges that there would be a change of tempo. Things slowed on the second day but still two more players had swapped guernseys by late afternoon when trading closed.

First up was the announcement from the Western Bulldogs that welcomed controversial former Sydney Swans forward Barry Hall to the Whitten Oval. It was a case of déjà vu for coach Rodney Eade who was at Sydney when Hall joined the Swans for the 2002 season.

Hall isn't giving any guarantees but is confident that he can keep his anger management issues in check. The irony of the trade was that it came just a day after one of his most famous victims, Brent Staker, crossed to the Brisbane Lions. The Hall trade cost the Bulldogs their third round draft pick at number 47 but the clubs also agreed on a swap of later picks to be made public before the end of the exchange period.

The day's second deal came as something of a surprise when Essendon's Andrew Lovett ended his troubled career at Bomberland with a move to St. Kilda which gave up its first round selection at 16 for the speedster.

There was one more trade. Brisbane and Sydney exchanged third round draft picks, 47 for 39, the former having been acquired in the Hall trade. The transaction was the residual part of the previous day's three club exchange.

The Hall trade also gave rise to the nerve jangling headline of the day from the AFL website, "Demons are gone: Baz" which came just hours after the Herald Sun omitted Melbourne altogether from its round up of club trading activity on day one. The reference on the website was to Hall's on field demons and not the Melbourne Demons but the latter are apparently happy to keep a low profile for the time being. That's according to list manager Tim Harrington who said that while the Demons were pleased to have four picks in the top 18 in next month's draft, but gaining more would be "sweeter again". He indicated that he would try to secure further draft selections although any further deals "probably won't occur until Thursday or Friday.

With nothing much else going on it was time to mull over the morning's article about Brock McLean who told the Herald Sun that he no longer felt 100 per cent committed to the club.

"I had started to feel a bit unhappy and once we finished the season and I had more time to think about it, I realised if I played with Melbourne again then it would be without 100 per cent commitment."

He added that driving distance from his home in Maribyrnong to Casey was also a consideration. Please, Brock. You jumped ship because the tiring drive took too much out of you?

I've often said that players changing clubs would be better off putting themselves under a self-imposed media embargo lest they make complete twits out of themselves. McLean's comments simply reinforce that view and sharpens my understanding of why his leadership prospects at the Demons vanished into thin air in the space of three years. Enjoy Vegas and thank you Carlton for pick 11!

McLean did make an interesting observation of his former club's future prospects.

"I will always have friends at the club and Melbourne will win a premiership sooner than a lot of other clubs in the competition. They are about to see some reward and within four to six years you will see them there on the last day in September," he said.

When that day comes, McLean won't be around. Much in the same way that Nathan Buckley who left Brisbane so many years ago in search of the bright lights and promises of Collingwood wasn't there as the Lions roared when their own time finally came.

Completed Trades on Day Two:

Trade 5 Barry Hall (Sydney) and to Western Bulldogs*; and

Round three draft pick (No. 47) to Sydney*

Trade 6 Andrew Lovett (Essendon) to St. Kilda; and

Round one draft pick (No. 16) to Essendon

Trade 7 Round three draft pick (No.47) to Brisbane Lions; and

Round three draft pick (No.39) to Sydney*

The two clubs will also swap later picks with the details to be confirmed by the end of Trade Week.