THE TRADING CHRONICLES by The Oracle

THE YOUNG ONES

When I first heard that the Demons were targeting a player named "Viv", I did a bit of a double take. We were supposed to be going through a process of toughening up after the era of bruise free and unaccountable football of recent years so what's this "Viv" thing all about?

Then I remembered the obnoxious punk character played by Adrian Edmonson from the fabulous British television series "The Young Ones". I was never sure about how tough Viv was but he aspired to a state of violent anarchical toughness that could well personify the Demons of the future. Not sure either if Viv Michie has a nose ring or wears studded leather jackets but he can make himself welcome at the club anyway because the 21 year old 185 cm, 85 kg midfielder from Fremantle is described as "strong, good overhead and impressive in the stoppages," and that's exactly what we need.

The Demons picked up Michie, originally from the TAC Cup team Oakleigh Chargers via Fitzroy Juniors, with a fourth round national draft selection in one of the first of the year's trades announced in mid week.

Michie represented Victoria Metro at the 2010 AFL National Under 18 Championships, shone at the Draft Combine that followed and was picked at 44 overall in that year's national draft. His career has been heavily curtailed due to stress fractures in his right foot which have limited him to a single AFL game for the Dockers. He came on as a late replacement in Round 14 this year against Geelong when played as a substitute and picked up 13 touches in half a game of football. Despite the limitations he won WAFL club Peel Thunder's best and fairest amassing high disposal figures, particularly in clearances from stoppages. If he can stay healthy, Michie is in a perfect position to kick start his career at his new club which is desperately in need of players who can get quality possessions at the coal face.

In that regard the next trade to come down was the big one. It happened on Friday when Melbourne traded its first and second draft picks for gun GWS mid Dom Tyson, pick 9 and a lower level swap of selections.

The similarities with his new teammate from Fremantle don't end at the fact that they both came through the Oakleigh Chargers where Tyson was skipper of the 2011 TAC Cup grand final team that also included Jack Viney. The former Giant, was drafted with the third selection overall in the 2011 AFL Draft and is described by Melbourne's manager of football operations Josh Mahoney in this way:

"Dom is a tall midfielder who is exceptional around the stoppages and has a unique ability to find a gap in traffic. He is strong overhead, he has good touch and depth with his kicking."

He wanted to return to Victoria last year but GWS refused to listen to an approach from Richmond. This year, he was restricted by a knee injury and limited to only 3 games. Tyson has finally made his way home and will play a major role in rebuilding the Demons' midfield.

His manager Nick Geischen told the media that the 188cm tall midfielder who is being compared with recently retired Brisbane Lion Simon Black, was in Hawaii earlier in the week when he received news of Melbourne's interest. The opportunity to play under Paul Roos in the midfield and be close to family friends was probably the main reason to come home.

Melbourne also secured Adelaide Crows midfielder Bernie Vince after a long drawn out saga in which negotiations were held up pending the release by the AFL of the exact nature of the Demons' compensation selection for Colin Sylvia. Eventually, the AFL ruled that the club would receive 23 for losing Sylvia and that was good enough to consummate the third Demon trade of the week.

There's some uncertainty as to what definitions Paul Roos applies for his "no dickheads" policy but in most respects the Vince and Sylvia changeover is a masterpiece of equivalence.

The 185 cm, 86 kg Vince attended the prestigious Prince Alfred College in Adelaide but has been known to be a naughty boy with Adelaide since he was drafted with pick 32 in 2005. In 2007 and 2010 he was suspended by the Crows for missing curfews and in 2012, he was reprimanded after reportedly stripping down to his underwear in a pub after celebrating his cricket team winning the premiership. Even though he's now 28 years old it's exactly the sort of behaviour we would expect of the Young Ones.

Paul Roos' challenge will be to harness the ability of his new charge so that he can emulate his Adelaide Crows Best and Fairest award in 2009 and the Showdown Medal he won a year earlier in Showdown XXIV against Port Adelaide.

Hidden among all the stories involving players recruited to bolster its third world midfield, Melbourne also announced another coup - the appointment of highly respected former Hawthorn and Swans development coach George Stone.

Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson might well have possibly been a trifle premature earlier in the day when he announced Melbourne's push under the new regime had stalled but one person who will be delighted by the week's developments and that is Nathan Jones who for two years has singlehandedly held together the Demon midfield. He won't be doing it alone next year.

To be continued

It's little wonder we just got rid of Neil. Bloody hippy.