Would love to take a punt on some mature state leaguers, Barlows, Duigans, Silvani's and Strattons.... even just 1

Myles Sewell from North Ballarat. 2 club b&f's in the last 3 years (inlcuding 1 in their premiership year, as well as this season), won the 2009 VFL b&f, named in the VFL team of the year for the past 3 seasons (at least), is 23 years old, 188cm, 80kg.

Myles Sewell from North Ballarat. 2 club b&f's in the last 3 years (inlcuding 1 in their premiership year, as well as this season), won the 2009 VFL b&f, named in the VFL team of the year for the past 3 seasons (at least), is 23 years old, 188cm, 80kg.

Im not against getting Myles, i know of him well, i understand he is meant to be a bit light at 80kg, also pace and disposal

Is an accumulator, it is harsh but people question how much he can improve because he takes VFL so seriously. He literally gets the best out of himself already. but as you say he has the trophy's to back it all up.

Also best on ground in last seasons premiership i believe with some ridiculous number of disposals

Im not against getting Myles, i know of him well, i understand he is meant to be a bit light at 80kg, also pace and disposal

Is an accumulator, it is harsh but people question how much he can improve because he takes VFL so seriously. He literally gets the best out of himself already. but as you say he has the trophy's to back it all up.

Also best on ground in last seasons premiership i believe with some ridiculous number of disposals

I can't take your "disposal concerns" seriously when you have Jordie, Morton, Dunn & Scully as your favourite players. Might as well chuck Grimes in there for good measure!!!

I would expect him to play AFL at 83kg if given the opportunity to be a full time footballer. Can't help but think of anyone that may be the next Barlow, this is the man.

Ho hum. Half a day left, not expecting anything. Port at the bottom of the ladder and a basket case picks up their ruckman and will get Ebert. We can't seem to do any deal whatsoever. Oh well "we still have our draft picks" so all is not lost. If nothing happens I expect that to be our mantra.

Ends on Monday.

I can't take your "disposal concerns" seriously when you have Jordie, Morton, Dunn & Scully as your favourite players. Might as well chuck Grimes in there for good measure!!!

I would expect him to play AFL at 83kg if given the opportunity to be a full time footballer. Can't help but think of anyone that may be the next Barlow, this is the man.

I never said they were my beliefs, i havnt seen Myles play for along time, I said that is what is supposedly holding him back, according to others i have heard mention him

way to get caught up off topic that helped too,

One funny thing today. An old lady Blues supporter rang up and asked if they were trading Santa O'Hamlin.

One funny thing today. An old lady Blues supporter rang up and asked if they were trading Santa O'Hamlin.

Unfortunately Redleg some days I think I am not far off that myself

PS where they?

Ho hum. Half a day left, not expecting anything. Port at the bottom of the ladder and a basket case picks up their ruckman and will get Ebert. We can't seem to do any deal whatsoever. Oh well "we still have our draft picks" so all is not lost. If nothing happens I expect that to be our mantra.

Yes I am sure there are plenty of skinny 17 year olds out there who will start to look good in 2016.

One funny thing today. An old lady Blues supporter rang up and asked if they were trading Santa O'Hamlin.

Does that make The Smurfs his little helpers ??

Best tweet I have seen through this entire trade week: "In an administrative mix up today Richmond recruited Ivan Milat"

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2011 by The Oracle

Part Seven: IN ANOTHER PLACE

I spent most of yesterday moving house so I missed the bulk of the action as the week's AFL trade activity came to a close. When I eventually took the time to pause and reflect on how things were going, I discovered how underwhelming this week is in the scheme of things.

When the first of just four completed trades of the day involves the transfer of a hitherto unknown rookie in exchange of a draft pick on the wrong side of fifty, then you know that it's time to return to the task of moving that drawing room cabinet across to a spot near the window. 

But then the thought came to me that it was a big deal at least for left-footed wing/half-back Will Sierakowski who goes  immediately from Hawthorn's rookie list to a senior list position at North Melbourne. It's another case of the Kangaroos doing things on the cheap because it only cost them pick 58. This is a club that survives by scrimping and saving and it does it well because it simply can't compete financially with the big boys. Sierakowski will probably have lots of time to ponder about this at a choice of VFL destinations - North Ballarat or Werribee.

This relatively minor trade explains why North Melbourne football manager Donald McDonald was on the front foot earlier in the day denying his club was still interested in Demon Addam Maric. Despite testing him medically, the Roos had gone for someone cheaper. 

Good luck to them and, as for Maric, he will have to find another place - just like me!

At least one Maric found a new home when Adelaide's Ivan Maric turned up at Tigerland for a second round draft selection (37). That pick was then immediately on traded for the Saint's Tom Lynch who becomes a Crow. 

The dismantling of Hawthorn's 2008 premiership ruck line up was completed when Brent Renouf was shipped off to Port Adelaide for its second round draft selection (33).

I'm now beginning to realise the significance of the "national" part of our competition. The past week of wheeler dealing has seen a preponderance of completed trades involving players crossing state borders to find new homes (in one case, it's a national border). The introduction of two new franchises will make this phenomenon even more commonplace.

And that brings me to Brisbane's Mitch Clark. Like me, he's been looking for another place for some time and yesterday, he told Melbourne that, despite its generous offer, he was determined to rejoin his family in WA and it's Fremantle or bust for him. 

It's also possible that the Dockers increased their offer to him but you can be sure that next time he lands at Perth airport, it won't be just to have a look around as some tourists do but rather because he will have long ago made a lifestyle decision to move to that other place - and good luck to him too!

It was late in the day when the doorbell rang and my neighbour came over to invite me for a drink or two. In the end, we watched the A League blockbuster between Melbourne Victory and Adelaide. It's early days I know but the Victory has invested a lot of coin on star recruit Harry Kewell who I thought might have been lucky not to cop a red card and get away only with yellow in his team's shock 1-0 defeat. They have earned just one of a possible six points so far and have yet to manage a goal. The thought came to me that perhaps the recruiting of big names isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

Completed Trades after Day Five:

1.  Richmond get Steven Morris (West Adelaide) and first round draft selection (No. 15)

GWS Giants get first round draft selection (No. 14).

2. Collingwood get Marin Clarke (ex-Collingwood),  Jamie Elliot (Murray Bushrangers) and fourth round draft selection (No. 67)

GWS GIANTS get first round draft selection (No. 25).

3. Adelaide get first round draft selection (No. 24), second round  draft selection (No. 46) and third round  draft selection (No. 64).

Hawthorn get Jack Gunston (Adelaide), third round  draft selection (No. 53) and fourth round  draft selection (No. 71).

4.  Gold Coast Suns get first pick in the "mini draft".

GWS GIANTS get first round draft selection (No. 4) and a mid first round compensation draft selection for future use.

5. St. Kilda get Terry Milera (Port Adelaide, SA),  Ahmed Saad (Northern Bullants) and first round draft selection (No. 25)

GWS GIANTS get first round draft selection (No. 20).

6. Fremantle get first round draft selection (No. 20).

GWS GIANTS get an end of first round compensation draft selection for future use.

7.  Adelaide get second pick in the "mini draft" and Luke Brown (Norwood).

GWS GIANTS get first round draft selection (No. 10) and a late first round compensation draft selection for future use.

8. North Melbourne gets Will Sierakowski (Hawthorn rookie)

Hawthorn get third round draft selection (No. 58).

9. Richmond get Ivan Maric (Adelaide) 

Adelaide get second round draft selection (No. 37).

10. Adelaide get Tom Lynch (St Kilda)

St Kilda get on traded second round draft selection (No. 37).

11. Port Adelaide get Brent Renouf (Hawthorn)

Hawthorn get second round draft selection (No. 33).

The Oracle will spend most of the time rearranging the furniture at his new home but has promised to come back to us soon with his take on the weekend's trade news.

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2011 by The Oracle

Part Seven: IN ANOTHER PLACE

The thought came to me that perhaps the recruiting of big names isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

God. I'm embarrassed. I wasn't meant to be doing a follow up till tonight or tomorrow morning because they said nothing much was going to happen on the weekend.

How do I explain this?

God. I'm embarrassed. I wasn't meant to be doing a follow up till tonight or tomorrow morning because they said nothing much was going to happen on the weekend.

How do I explain this?

Many years ago, when I was at university, I studied economics under a lecturer who was a bit of a rising star in the academic world. He maintained that the study of economics was a science and I scoffed at the idea during a tutorial. We were in the middle of the Poseidon share boom and the price of shares in minerals exploration companies was defying all economic theory and all logic but  he was the tutor and I was the student so he won out.

Some time later came the stock market crash of 1987 and my former tutor was now one of the experts called upon on a nightly basis to explain the events of the past 24 hours and to predict what was happening next. Invariably, his predictions were wrong and I felt like contacting him and saying, "aha!"

This is economics. It's all about people, their expectations, greed and money. Don't expect logic or an ordered universe. Economics is about exact a science as whatever drives that crystal ball of yours.

There used to be a wrestler called Ted DiBiase who achieved fame by buying the World Wrestling Federation championship belt from Andre the Giant. He had a saying, "Every man has his price."

Now, there was an economist ... and that's how you explain what happened!

From the Age:

Essendon is highly unlikely to meet Gold Coast's asking price for onballer Josh Caddy, who wants to return to Melbourne to be with his unwell father. The Bombers had been trawling clubs trying to access two compensation picks to satisfy the Suns, to no avail.

Read more: http://www.theage.co...l#ixzz1asmPwJth

Well ... we got our man against the odds and the fallout is likely to be far reaching.

The perception of the club both from within and without is going to change dramatically. The detractors will be less likely to claim that we stand for nothing. The skeptics will no longer claim that we're incapable of getting things done. The people involved in getting Mitch Clark to the club will have enhanced their reputations - people like Tim Harrington, our much maligned CEO Cameron Schwab and our new coach Mark Neeld were all involved in the very impressive reputation that flew to meet Clark. Jade Rawlings was in it too. Our chairman Jimmy who was the inspiration behind the debt demolition and people like Don McLardy and Garry Lyon who backed him to the hilt.

But it also means that there will inevitably be those whose departure from the club will be hastened. The ones mentioned in trade week talk will go - surely even Bater will get his wish to join fellow ranga Adam Cooney at the Dogs. Jake Spencer and Robbie Campbell look shaky.

And I reckon we might have heard the last of the campaigns to get Fev and Setanta to the club.

The asking price for Caddy is apparently two compensatory picks. Wants to return to Melbourne on compassionate grounds. He was taken at pick 7 in last years draft and was restricted to two games this year by injury. Seems to be a highly rated inside mid. Any further thoughts?

The asking price for Caddy is apparently two compensatory picks. Wants to return to Melbourne on compassionate grounds. He was taken at pick 7 in last years draft and was restricted to two games this year by injury. Seems to be a highly rated inside mid. Any further thoughts?

As I said elsewhere 1 compo pick and Warnock should get it done. The boy could get [censored] with GC and go into the PSD next year to get back at them if they are unreasonable. We let Scott Thompson go in similar circumstances. I would also offer 2 Queensland boys in Spencer and Bail ( who I rate ) plus Warnock. Maybe Spencer , Warnock and 1 compo. Getting another strong mid replaces Scully and softens missing out on MD, which of course would have stopped us getting Clark.

Koby Stevens apparently wants to come home as well. Someone said Bate to dogs, Hill to Eagles with a low pick from us, Stevens to us. What do we think. It would mean we have to delist a couple more but it would give us some nice pick ups and we could then just speculate in this years draft with Viney and good picks in next years.

...

And I reckon we might have heard the last of the campaigns to get Fev and Setanta to the club.

The whole Clark situation is a win if only for this ^

Halllujah to all those outcomes.

Well done to the club.

Stevens I'm lukewarm about.

Caddy would have me over the moon.

I guess its all relative to the price you pay, though.

But I doubt GC would be too interested in Spencer or Bail.

They have a heap of ruckmen and mids.

Really what they need is mature KPP to protect their tall kids for the next year or so.

Mitch's namesake Jay Clark at the herald sun has already been tweeting this morning that he speculates this might mean Mitch is on more money than the number 1 at either Collingwood or Geelong.

I can live with that perception.

Mitch's namesake Jay Clark at the herald sun has already been tweeting this morning that he speculates this might mean Mitch is on more money than the number 1 at either Collingwood or Geelong.

And what point is this hack writer trying to make?

Why didn't he tweet that if Clark was at GWS he wouldn't be in the three highest paid footballers at that club?

I think I can include Izzy under the category "footballer", can't I?

There are many positives in the Clark trade. I also love that it gives us plenty of time to get some more deals done. The Bate trade must at least be given consideration now. I posted elsewhere that if the same deal is still available, we'll have 36, 39 and 54 instead of 36, 54 and 72. Otherwise, what would Brisbane offer for Spencer? They've got a plethora of early picks it seems - would it be unreasonable to get something between 45 and 60 if they have anything in that range?

I'm bemused by the tweets coming out of the Hun journos. They seem incredulous/miffed that Clark is getting paid so much at Melbourne. What did they think we'd be able to lure him with?