Demonland

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-11-17/the-no1-number-one-vote-for-footys-ultimate-top-draft-pick?utm_medium=RSS Who's going to win the Jack Watts v. Tom Scully grudge match?

Yze heads back in big coaching step forward Well done Ooze and good luck to him in his new role. I'd love to see him back at the Dees one day.

Mark Thompson Quits Bombers

Axed Demon Sam Blease joins Cats

Great idea. Let me know if Demonland can do anything to help/promote this.

It never happened. Chances are it was never going to happen. We're done with this.

INDIFFERENCE by The Oracle The emotional roller coaster that is the trade period has ground to a halt and the pundits are already carrying out their post mortems and arguing among themselves about who were the winners and losers. The fact is that we will not be in a position to assess the outcome for some time to come as the process that began a fortnight ago is ongoing. The free agency period now extends to the delisted free agents giving second chances for some the lesser lights who weren't part of the main free agency and including some who weren't considered "tradeable". Then comes next month's main draft, followed by the preseason and rookie drafts. After that, comes the reckoning. The day brought to a head the frustrations of a laborious week or so of what was mainly inaction. With deals dependent on others being finalised first, it had been a time of frayed tempers and hard work by recruiting teams, while others barely bothered the scorer. Hello Fremantle and West Coast (it was all quiet on the western front). We saw more high profile players put their hands up to leave than ever before - including a club captain and a recent number 1 pick making for some interesting times ahead for a few of the AFL's clubs. The Bulldogs situation is curious. They have lost some very experienced players (on top of their coach) but have gained Tom Boyd who is costing them an arm and a leg. All of their eggs are now in one basket and one must question what will happen in time as Bontempelli, Liberatore, Macrae and Stringer all mature and put their hands up for more money? How does one assess the situation at this point? The Giants off loaded players and set a huge precedent with regard to those of their number who aren't particularly fond of living in the wasteland of western Sydney. They do have plenty of draft picks and apparently endless funds to drag more of those types into that part of the world. On the other hand, many of the experts claim that Port Adelaide is the winner but its first choice in the draft will be at number 57. From Melbourne's perspective, the Demons should be happy with their performance. They have jettisoned a key defender who has underperformed for four seasons after winning All Australian honours and gained a younger version who is keen to make a mark for himself who, at 194cm can play key back or key forward. They have swapped a player who has given them few games and retired due to illness during the year and replaced him with a 199 gamer who plays with flair and was fourth in his club's best and fairest (albeit a somewhat left of centre personality). And they gained an exciting crumbing forward who kicks goals and can also move down the ground who fell from grace at his club for personal reasons and was desperate for a second chance. Their remaining losses were retirements and delistings, of which there are sure to be a few more in the coming weeks. And they will bring in two youngsters ranked by their recruiters as being in the top three or four (they did after all bid for Sydney academy player Isaac Heeney) from the national talent pool to go with All Australian Under 18 father/son selection Billy Stretch at the bonus rate of a third round draft selection. The club did miss out on the alleged big fish that was supposed to be "around the corner" for the past fortnight and possibly the failure to complete a trade for Jack Trengove had something to do with that but it was never going to be easy to reel in the big one. The club is said to have ample room to accommodate one of the many free agents coming into play next year and, as long as it can bed down a deal with its skipper and improves its on field performance, it could well get its big opportunity at last to reap some benefit from the free agency system. Still, after the highs and the lows and much of the hype that surrounded the past fortnight, one can't help but look back on it all with a touch of indifference. The moves: ADELAIDE What they got: Luke Lowden (Hawthorn), Kyle Cheney (Hawthorn), pick No.14, pick No.35, pick No.43, pick No.59 What they lost: Pick No.10, pick No. 31, pick No.50, pick No.68 Draft selections: 14, 35, 43, 59, 86, 104, 122 BRISBANE LIONS What they got: Dayne Beams (Collingwood) and Allen Christensen (Geelong), pick No.67 What they lost: Joel Patfull, Jack Crisp, pick No.5, pick No.25 Draft selections: 44 (Liam Dawson), 63 (Harris Andrews), 67, 81, 99, 101, 117 (Josh Clayton) CARLTON What they got: Kristian Jaksch (GWS), Mark Whiley (GWS), Liam Jones (Western Bulldogs), pick No.19, pick No. 61, pick No.79 What they lost: Jarrad Waite (free agency, no compensation),Jeff Garlett, pick No.7, pick No.46, pick No.83 Draft selections: 19, 28, 61, 65, 79, 119 COLLINGWOOD What they got: Levi Greenwood (North Melbourne), Travis Varcoe (Geelong), Jack Crisp (Brisbane), pick No.5 What they lost: Dayne Beams, Heritier Lumumba, pick No.67 Draft selections: 5, 9 (Darcy Moore), 30, 48, 85, 103, 121 ESSENDON What they got: Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs), Jonathan Giles (GWS), pick No.17, pick No.62 What they lost: Paddy Ryder, pick No. 53 Draft selections: 17, 20, 62, 71, 89, 107, FREMANTLE What they got: Nil What they lost: Nil Draft selections: 13, 34, 54, 72, 90, 108, 126 GEELONG What they got: Mitch Clark (Melbourne), Rhys Stanley (St Kilda), pick No.10, pick No.47, pick No.60 What they lost: Allen Christensen, Travis Varcoe, pick No.14, pick No.35 Draft selections: 10, 47, 55, 60, 73, 91, 109, 127 GOLD COAST What they got: Nick Malceski (Sydney, free agency), Mitch Hallahan (Hawthorn) What they lost: pick No.47, pick No.49 Draft selections: 8, 15, 29, 66, 84, 102, 120 GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY What they got: Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs), Joel Patfull (Brisbane), pick No.6, pick No.7, pick No.23, pick No.53 What they lost: Tom Boyd, Jonathan Giles, Jono O'Rourke, Kristian Jaksch, Mark Whiley, Sam Frost, pick No.21, No.43, pick No.62 Draft selections: 4, 6, 7, 23 24 (Jack Steele), 80, 98, 116 (Jeremy Finlayson) HAWTHORN What they got: James Frawley (Melbourne, free agency) Jono O'Rourke (GWS), pick No. 31, pick No.49, pick No.50, pick No.68 What they lost: Mitch Hallahan, Luke Lowden, Kyle Cheney, pick No.19, pick No.40, pick No. 59 Draft selections: 31, 49, 50, 68, 77, 95, 113, 131 MELBOURNE What they got: Heritier Lumumba (Collingwood), Jeff Garlett (Carlton), Sam Frost, pick No.3 (free agency compensation, James Frawley), pick No.40, pick No.53, pick No.83 What they lost: Mitch Clark, James Frawley, pick No.23, pick No.61, pick No.79 Draft selections: 2, 3, 40, 42 (Billy Stretch), 53, 83, 97, 115 NORTH MELBOURNE What they got: Shaun Higgins (Western Bulldogs, free agency), Jarrad Waite (Carlton, free agency), pick No.25 What they lost: Levi Greenwood Draft selections: 16, 25, 36, 56, 74, 92, 110, 128 PORT ADELAIDE What they got: Paddy Ryder What they lost: pick No.17, pick No.37 Draft selections: 57, 75, 93, 111, 129 RICHMOND What they got: Nil What they lost: Nil Draft selections: 12, 33, 52, 70, 88, 106, 124 ST. KILDA What they got: pick No.21 What they lost: Rhys Stanley, pick No.60 Draft selections: 1, 21, 22, 41, 78, 96, 114 SYDNEY What they got: pick No.37 What they lost: Nick Malceski, Shane Biggs, pick No.39 (free agency compensation, Nick Malceski) Draft selections: 18 (Isaac Heeney), 37, 38 (Jack Hiscox), 58, 76 (Abe Davis), 94, 112, 130 WEST COAST What they got: Nil What they lost: Nil Draft selections: 11, 32, 51, 69, 87, 105, 123 (Alec Waterman) WESTERN BULLDOGS What they got: Tom Boyd (GWS), Shane Biggs, pick No.27 (free agency compensation, Shaun Higgins), pick No.39, pick No.46 What they lost: Ryan Griffen, Adam Cooney, Shaun Higgins, Liam Jones, pick No.6, pick No.37 (free agency compensation, Adam Cooney) Draft selections: 26, 27, 39, 45, 46 64 (Zaine Cordy), 82, 100, 118

INDIFFERENCE by The Oracle The emotional roller coaster that is the trade period has ground to a halt and the pundits are already carrying out their post mortems and arguing among themselves about who were the winners and losers. The fact is that we will not be in a position to assess the outcome for some time to come as the process that began a fortnight ago is ongoing. The free agency period now extends to the delisted free agents giving second chances for some the lesser lights who weren't part of the main free agency and including some who weren't considered "tradeable". Then comes next month's main draft, followed by the preseason and rookie drafts. After that, comes the reckoning. The day brought to a head the frustrations of a laborious week or so of what was mainly inaction. With deals dependent on others being finalised first, it had been a time of frayed tempers and hard work by recruiting teams, while others barely bothered the scorer. Hello Fremantle and West Coast (it was all quiet on the western front). We saw more high profile players put their hands up to leave than ever before - including a club captain and a recent number 1 pick making for some interesting times ahead for a few of the AFL's clubs. The Bulldogs situation is curious. They have lost some very experienced players (on top of their coach) but have gained Tom Boyd who is costing them an arm and a leg. All of their eggs are now in one basket and one must question what will happen in time as Bontempelli, Liberatore, Macrae and Stringer all mature and put their hands up for more money? How does one assess the situation at this point? The Giants off loaded players and set a huge precedent with regard to those of their number who aren't particularly fond of living in the wasteland of western Sydney. They do have plenty of draft picks and apparently endless funds to drag more of those types into that part of the world. On the other hand, many of the experts claim that Port Adelaide is the winner but its first choice in the draft will be at number 57. From Melbourne's perspective, the Demons should be happy with their performance. They have jettisoned a key defender who has underperformed for four seasons after winning All Australian honours and gained a younger version who is keen to make a mark for himself who, at 194cm can play key back or key forward. They have swapped a player who has given them few games and retired due to illness during the year and replaced him with a 199 gamer who plays with flair and was fourth in his club's best and fairest (albeit a somewhat left of centre personality). And they gained an exciting crumbing forward who kicks goals and can also move down the ground who fell from grace at his club for personal reasons and was desperate for a second chance. Their remaining losses were retirements and delistings, of which there are sure to be a few more in the coming weeks. And they will bring in two youngsters ranked by their recruiters as being in the top three or four (they did after all bid for Sydney academy player Isaac Heeney) from the national talent pool to go with All Australian Under 18 father/son selection Billy Stretch at the bonus rate of a third round draft selection. The club did miss out on the alleged big fish that was supposed to be "around the corner" for the past fortnight and possibly the failure to complete a trade for Jack Trengove had something to do with that but it was never going to be easy to reel in the big one. The club is said to have ample room to accommodate one of the many free agents coming into play next year and, as long as it can bed down a deal with its skipper and improves its on field performance, it could well get its big opportunity at last to reap some benefit from the free agency system. Still, after the highs and the lows and much of the hype that surrounded the past fortnight, one can't help but look back on it all with a touch of indifference. The moves: ADELAIDE What they got: Luke Lowden (Hawthorn), Kyle Cheney (Hawthorn), pick No.14, pick No.35, pick No.43, pick No.59 What they lost: Pick No.10, pick No. 31, pick No.50, pick No.68 Draft selections: 14, 35, 43, 59, 86, 104, 122 BRISBANE LIONS What they got: Dayne Beams (Collingwood) and Allen Christensen (Geelong), pick No.67 What they lost: Joel Patfull, Jack Crisp, pick No.5, pick No.25 Draft selections: 44 (Liam Dawson), 63 (Harris Andrews), 67, 81, 99, 101, 117 (Josh Clayton) CARLTON What they got: Kristian Jaksch (GWS), Mark Whiley (GWS), Liam Jones (Western Bulldogs), pick No.19, pick No. 61, pick No.79 What they lost: Jarrad Waite (free agency, no compensation),Jeff Garlett, pick No.7, pick No.46, pick No.83 Draft selections: 19, 28, 61, 65, 79, 119 COLLINGWOOD What they got: Levi Greenwood (North Melbourne), Travis Varcoe (Geelong), Jack Crisp (Brisbane), pick No.5 What they lost: Dayne Beams, Heritier Lumumba, pick No.67 Draft selections: 5, 9 (Darcy Moore), 30, 48, 85, 103, 121 ESSENDON What they got: Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs), Jonathan Giles (GWS), pick No.17, pick No.62 What they lost: Paddy Ryder, pick No. 53 Draft selections: 17, 20, 62, 71, 89, 107, FREMANTLE What they got: Nil What they lost: Nil Draft selections: 13, 34, 54, 72, 90, 108, 126 GEELONG What they got: Mitch Clark (Melbourne), Rhys Stanley (St Kilda), pick No.10, pick No.47, pick No.60 What they lost: Allen Christensen, Travis Varcoe, pick No.14, pick No.35 Draft selections: 10, 47, 55, 60, 73, 91, 109, 127 GOLD COAST What they got: Nick Malceski (Sydney, free agency), Mitch Hallahan (Hawthorn) What they lost: pick No.47, pick No.49 Draft selections: 8, 15, 29, 66, 84, 102, 120 GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY What they got: Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs), Joel Patfull (Brisbane), pick No.6, pick No.7, pick No.23, pick No.53 What they lost: Tom Boyd, Jonathan Giles, Jono O'Rourke, Kristian Jaksch, Mark Whiley, Sam Frost, pick No.21, No.43, pick No.62 Draft selections: 4, 6, 7, 23 24 (Jack Steele), 80, 98, 116 (Jeremy Finlayson) HAWTHORN What they got: James Frawley (Melbourne, free agency) Jono O'Rourke (GWS), pick No. 31, pick No.49, pick No.50, pick No.68 What they lost: Mitch Hallahan, Luke Lowden, Kyle Cheney, pick No.19, pick No.40, pick No. 59 Draft selections: 31, 49, 50, 68, 77, 95, 113, 131 MELBOURNE What they got: Heritier Lumumba (Collingwood), Jeff Garlett (Carlton), Sam Frost, pick No.3 (free agency compensation, James Frawley), pick No.40, pick No.53, pick No.83 What they lost: Mitch Clark, James Frawley, pick No.23, pick No.61, pick No.79 Draft selections: 2, 3, 40, 42 (Billy Stretch), 53, 83, 97, 115 NORTH MELBOURNE What they got: Shaun Higgins (Western Bulldogs, free agency), Jarrad Waite (Carlton, free agency), pick No.25 What they lost: Levi Greenwood Draft selections: 16, 25, 36, 56, 74, 92, 110, 128 PORT ADELAIDE What they got: Paddy Ryder What they lost: pick No.17, pick No.37 Draft selections: 57, 75, 93, 111, 129 RICHMOND What they got: Nil What they lost: Nil Draft selections: 12, 33, 52, 70, 88, 106, 124 ST. KILDA What they got: pick No.21 What they lost: Rhys Stanley, pick No.60 Draft selections: 1, 21, 22, 41, 78, 96, 114 SYDNEY What they got: pick No.37 What they lost: Nick Malceski, Shane Biggs, pick No.39 (free agency compensation, Nick Malceski) Draft selections: 18 (Isaac Heeney), 37, 38 (Jack Hiscox), 58, 76 (Abe Davis), 94, 112, 130 WEST COAST What they got: Nil What they lost: Nil Draft selections: 11, 32, 51, 69, 87, 105, 123 (Alec Waterman) WESTERN BULLDOGS What they got: Tom Boyd (GWS), Shane Biggs, pick No.27 (free agency compensation, Shaun Higgins), pick No.39, pick No.46 What they lost: Ryan Griffen, Adam Cooney, Shaun Higgins, Liam Jones, pick No.6, pick No.37 (free agency compensation, Adam Cooney) Draft selections: 26, 27, 39, 45, 46 64 (Zaine Cordy), 82, 100, 118

HAPPY DAYS by The Oracle The free agency and trading period which began so brilliantly for Melbourne when the club secured Billy Stretch for a third round national draft selection and overall pick 3 as compensation for James Frawley, who everyone knew from a long way back was leaving the club, turned sour yesterday. After all of the drama of the Friday evening announcement that former captain Jack Trengove was on the trade table and almost certainly off to the Tigers, the news of further damage to his navicular bone was devastating to hear given that he has been such a model citizen at the club, that he has gone through so much in terms of injury and disappointment and has shown so much in terms of loyalty. The injury certainly scuppered the proposed trade which would have given the club an additional first round draft choice but also left the club's playing list one short for the foreseeable future. The Demons rightly are backing their man and hoping that he can get back to full health and resurrect his career. The much-awaited mega trade involving what seems to be about half, if not more, of the participants of this year's trading block, still didn't make it across the line even though the Dayne Beams part of the equation managed to resolve itself yesterday. We all thought that once that happened, all of the other pieces of the jigsaw puzzle would fall into place and the number of "done deals" would mushroom from the piffly four trades completed to date to more than a dozen but it didn't happen. The reason for that is that the Travis Varcoe move from Geelong to Collingwood was still waiting on the crossing of some t's and dotting of i's. The thing had been on the drawing board for days waiting of the resolution of the Beams matter; now the football world would have to wait another day while two of the slowest moving football clubs on the planet got their acts together. Mark Robinson of the Herald Sun who has been much maligned over his handling of the Bombers' drug saga got it almost right with this tweet: One can only hope that the final part eventuates and the other twenty or more transactions manage to get across the line in the 1½ days left for trading, at the end of which we'll all be singing, "happy days are here again".

HAPPY DAYS by The Oracle The free agency and trading period which began so brilliantly for Melbourne when the club secured Billy Stretch for a third round national draft selection and overall pick 3 as compensation for James Frawley, who everyone knew from a long way back was leaving the club, turned sour yesterday. After all of the drama of the Friday evening announcement that former captain Jack Trengove was on the trade table and almost certainly off to the Tigers, the news of further damage to his navicular bone was devastating to hear given that he has been such a model citizen at the club, that he has gone through so much in terms of injury and disappointment and has shown so much in terms of loyalty. The injury certainly scuppered the proposed trade which would have given the club an additional first round draft choice but also left the club's playing list one short for the foreseeable future. The Demons rightly are backing their man and hoping that he can get back to full health and resurrect his career. The much-awaited mega trade involving what seems to be about half, if not more, of the participants of this year's trading block, still didn't make it across the line even though the Dayne Beams part of the equation managed to resolve itself yesterday. We all thought that once that happened, all of the other pieces of the jigsaw puzzle would fall into place and the number of "done deals" would mushroom from the piffly four trades completed to date to more than a dozen but it didn't happen. The reason for that is that the Travis Varcoe move from Geelong to Collingwood was still waiting on the crossing of some t's and dotting of i's. The thing had been on the drawing board for days waiting of the resolution of the Beams matter; now the football world would have to wait another day while two of the slowest moving football clubs on the planet got their acts together. Mark Robinson of the Herald Sun who has been much maligned over his handling of the Bombers' drug saga got it almost right with this tweet: One can only hope that the final part eventuates and the other twenty or more transactions manage to get across the line in the 1½ days left for trading, at the end of which we'll all be singing, "happy days are here again".

Every just calm down and play nice and stay on topic. I have no qualms about banning people so just try me.

A big thank you to all those who contributed to Demonland during the past season and also to everyone who posts here and even to those who visit but don't post. We value your contributions and ongoing support - especially to Nasher who keeps us going on the technical side, our moderators whose task is often thankless - especially so when we go through a season such as the last few we've experienced. Particular thanks to our regular contributors, Whispering Jack, George on The Outer, The Oracle, JVM, KC from Casey and all others. Once again they have had to report on games and subjects that have been difficult to write about in 2014 because of our club's lack of on field success. We are all hoping for a bigger and better season in 2015 and that the stories and news we bring you will be more uplifting and exciting than those gone by in recent times. We are always looking out for new contributors who have something to say about the mighty Demons. If you want to contribute an article feel free to contact me via PM. Cheers & thanks again. Andy And a big happy birthday to Nasher ... WJ says 31 is a big number for all Demons. May it be so for you.

SHOCK AND HORROR IN TRADE WEEK by The Oracle There we were earlier in the week, sitting back lamenting about the whole free agency and trade thing and thinking it was nothing more than a dull, colourless and boring snorefest. Hell, it even took until the fourth day before the first trade was nailed down, enacted by Hawthorn, the smiling assassins of trading. They quietly worked over the GWS novices when Jono O'Rourke, once a number 2 draft selection was traded for 19. The Hawks picked the Giants' pockets so expertly that coach Leon Cameron still doesn't even know the kid's gone yet. A couple more quiet trades were done and the weekend was upon us with probably another twenty or so more hanging tentatively like a thread waiting in a conga line for Collingwood to make its mind up about what it was prepared to take from Brisbane for Dayne Beams. In the background however, the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock was wreaking havoc, bringing terror into the very hearts of a number of clubs. Players were standing up and asking to leave - even those with unfulfilled contracts. The Western Bulldogs were the hardest hit with captain Ryan Griffen putting his hand up to join Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney, forward Liam Jones and others on the "want out" list. The inevitable result was the departure at the end of the week of coach Brendan McCartney, last seen leaving Whitten Oval with a knife planted securely in his neck with blood flowing all the way back to the boardroom. And they said he left with his dignity intact. The scene over at the Doggies was positively serene compared with the bloodletting going on at Bomberland as the doping scandal continues to rip the club apart. Paddy Ryder went public on his family's fears about the substances he was supposed to have ingested during 2011-2 and the AFL knocked on the head the potential for a trade via free agency rort suggested on its own website a day earlier. At least the latest moves at Essendon indicate that reality is setting in over there and the club is now preparing for the worst as 34 players (current and past Bombers alike) prepare to receive ASADA infraction notices. Leaving aside Ryder and Leroy Jetta (their only official departure to date), half of that number are still on Essendon's list and this has forced it into action. Jason Winderlich who was injured in 2011-2 and believed safe to play was convinced to stay on, as was Ben Howlett who had threatened to leave if James Hird was sacked. His stand earned him a two year contract although he is unlikely to ever play under Hird again. Dustin Fletcher was mulling over applying for the aged pension but was persuaded to have a crack at 400 game honours instead. The Bombers also announced the first delisted free agency signing at the weekend when they secured formed St. Kilda defender James Gwilt. This certainly caught me by surprise because, looking up the key dates for free agency, trade and drafting, you might find this:- .So far, the Bombers have been unable to attract the interest of players to the club so the apparent premature announcement of this signing smacks a little of desperation along with some much-needed damage control for the tough months ahead. The Swans who always find a reason to complain about something also felt bloodied when they were excluded altogether from drafting players into the club for reasons related to the phasing out of the COLA. The Demons also gave us our own shock-horror moment with their announcement that they might be open to a trade of former co-captain Jack Trengove to the Tigers. When you're dealing with a person who had shown and continues to show great loyalty and who has suffered much adversity in his short career, your first, second and third thoughts are that the idea rankles and runs against our concepts of what it means to be part of a good club. But other questions are also raised. Why are we going to these lengths to secure draft selection 12 - why does the club need this pick? And are we really becoming ruthless at last? I concluded on Friday with the words, "Something's happening" and I'm more certain than ever that this has to be the case. So For what it's worth ...

by The Oracle There we were earlier in the week, sitting back lamenting about the whole free agency and trade thing and thinking it was nothing more than a dull, colourless and boring snorefest. Hell, it even took until the fourth day before the first trade was nailed down, enacted by Hawthorn, the smiling assassins of trading. They quietly worked over the GWS novices when Jono O'Rourke, once a number 2 draft selection was traded for 19. The Hawks picked the Giants' pockets so expertly that coach Leon Cameron still doesn't even know the kid's gone yet. A couple more quiet trades were done and the weekend was upon us with probably another twenty or so more hanging tentatively like a thread waiting in a conga line for Collingwood to make its mind up about what it was prepared to take from Brisbane for Dayne Beams. In the background however, the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock was wreaking havoc, bringing terror into the very hearts of a number of clubs. Players were standing up and asking to leave - even those with unfulfilled contracts. The Western Bulldogs were the hardest hit with captain Ryan Griffen putting his hand up to join Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney, forward Liam Jones and others on the "want out" list. The inevitable result was the departure at the end of the week of coach Brendan McCartney, last seen leaving Whitten Oval with a knife planted securely in his neck with blood flowing all the way back to the boardroom. And they said he left with his dignity intact. The scene over at the Doggies was positively serene compared with the bloodletting going on at Bomberland as the doping scandal continues to rip the club apart. Paddy Ryder went public on his family's fears about the substances he was supposed to have ingested during 2011-2 and the AFL knocked on the head the potential for a trade via free agency rort suggested on its own website a day earlier. At least the latest moves at Essendon indicate that reality is setting in over there and the club is now preparing for the worst as 34 players (current and past Bombers alike) prepare to receive ASADA infraction notices. Leaving aside Ryder and Leroy Jetta (their only official departure to date), half of that number are still on Essendon's list and this has forced it into action. Jason Winderlich who was injured in 2011-2 and believed safe to play was convinced to stay on, as was Ben Howlett who had threatened to leave if James Hird was sacked. His stand earned him a two year contract although he is unlikely to ever play under Hird again. Dustin Fletcher was mulling over applying for the aged pension but was persuaded to have a crack at 400 game honours instead. The Bombers also announced the first delisted free agency signing at the weekend when they secured formed St. Kilda defender James Gwilt. This certainly caught me by surprise because, looking up the key dates for free agency, trade and drafting, you might find this:- . So far, the Bombers have been unable to attract the interest of players to the club so the apparent premature announcement of this signing smacks a little of desperation along with some much-needed damage control for the tough months ahead. The Swans who always find a reason to complain about something also felt bloodied when they were excluded altogether from drafting players into the club for reasons related to the phasing out of the COLA. The Demons also gave us our own shock-horror moment with their announcement that they might be open to a trade of former co-captain Jack Trengove to the Tigers. When you're dealing with a person who had shown and continues to show great loyalty and who has suffered much adversity in his short career, your first, second and third thoughts are that the idea rankles and runs against our concepts of what it means to be part of a good club. But other questions are also raised. Why are we going to these lengths to secure draft selection 12 - why does the club need this pick? And are we really becoming ruthless at last? I concluded on Friday with the words, "Something's happening" and I'm more certain than ever that this has to be the case. So For what it's worth ...

THE TEMPEST by Whispering Jack "There be some sports are painful, and their labour Delight in them sets off. Some kinds of baseness Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters Point to rich ends. This my mean task Would be as heavy to me as odious, but The mistress which I serve quickens whats dead And makes my labours pleasures." William Shakespeare ~ The Tempest We are in the eye of a storm whipped up by a magician. After living in exile on a desolate and remote island for many years while plotting the restoration and return to our rightful place in the universe, the time and the opportunity for resurrection has arrived. The magician has created a storm borne of stuff far beyond the rabbit-in-a-hat; it transcends and envelopes everything - friend and foe, mankind and alien, stardust and shining lights from distant stars, the end and the beginning of the cosmos. A little dramatic perhaps, but in recent times we must have been awakened to the realisation that the Melbourne Football Club needs to be shaken dramatically to its foundations to save it from itself. A firm new direction and radical list changes are exactly what that old Lion, Paul Roos is bringing us, not quietly but with a roar and his unique brand of magic. We were all shaken when we heard the club was entertaining a trade of a loyal young man who was our youngest captain and once a member of a group that constituted our hope for the future. He lost so much in recent years carrying the heavy mantle of leadership through torrid times, carrying injuries and in more hushed tones, the possible repercussions of a brief, tenuous and innocent connection with Stephen Dank, the same man who is today bringing down the Essendon Football Club. We were all shaken when we heard that Mitch Clark, who retired early in the year as a result of the terrible illness of depression after only 15 games in three seasons, was well enough to come back to play football but had turned his back on our club and wanted to go elsewhere. We were all shaken when the sad news broke of the passing at a young age of our club legend Robbie Flower, who had been battling cardiomyopathy for a decade. We recalled his skills and grace on the field, his gentlemanly conduct and demeanour off it. I mean no disrespect to him and I once discussed this very thing with Robbie so I know he understood he played a team game and that his individual glory was always overshadowed by the fact he never tasted the game's ultimate success. That sniper from Carlton, David Rhys Jones, once belted Robbie senseless in a cowardly act on the MCG turf and he copped it sweet, shrugging it all off as if it were nothing. However, his adversary can look back on his career and be known as a premiership player. Rhys Jones' team has won eight flags since Robbie's won its last (and that came nine years before his career started). The question on our lips back then and again now, is whether we have been too comfortable with the image of nice individuals without showing the hardness necessary to succeed in a tough competition like the AFL? The magician is attempting without apology to change the mould of recent years that have seen us stranded on football's desert island. There must be no more nice guys; no more bruise-free football; no more inconsistency of attitude and lack of desire for the football; no more cancelation of training sessions to suit tired playing members of Gen Y; no more 186. I am not singling out individuals but rather, the general mindset which allows the club to be seen as a joke, a sporting basket case. Roos is conjuring up his tempest around a club that mustered up only four wins in this past season and ten in the past three. It's the only way left to go. We are in the eye of that storm but when the tempest subsides, we will land back home fifty years since our last premiership but ready for the next part of the journey. As in Shakespeare's last play, it will be up to us, the audience, to show our approval or otherwise at the finish. I hope it all ends with applause. Sunday, 12 October, 2014 on ABC1 at 10.17pm Tempest at the Drop-in Narrated by Eric Bana, this programme follows mentally ill and socially isolated members of the community as they stage a professional production of Shakespeare's The Tempest alongside professional actors. The programme is being screened as part of Mental Health Week and features community members who receive loving care at Prahran Mission's St. Kilda Drop In centre. Every person has the right to a decent life. Prahran Mission

by Whispering Jack "There be some sports are painful, and their labour Delight in them sets off. Some kinds of baseness Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters Point to rich ends. This my mean task Would be as heavy to me as odious, but The mistress which I serve quickens whats dead And makes my labours pleasures." William Shakespeare ~ The Tempest We are in the eye of a storm whipped up by a magician. After living in exile on a desolate and remote island for many years while plotting the restoration and return to our rightful place in the universe, the time and the opportunity for resurrection has arrived. The magician has created a storm borne of stuff far beyond the rabbit-in-a-hat; it transcends and envelopes everything - friend and foe, mankind and alien, stardust and shining lights from distant stars, the end and the beginning of the cosmos. A little dramatic perhaps, but in recent times we must have been awakened to the realisation that the Melbourne Football Club needs to be shaken dramatically to its foundations to save it from itself. A firm new direction and radical list changes are exactly what that old Lion, Paul Roos is bringing us, not quietly but with a roar and his unique brand of magic. We were all shaken when we heard the club was entertaining a trade of a loyal young man who was our youngest captain and once a member of a group that constituted our hope for the future. He lost so much in recent years carrying the heavy mantle of leadership through torrid times, carrying injuries and in more hushed tones, the possible repercussions of a brief, tenuous and innocent connection with Stephen Dank, the same man who is today bringing down the Essendon Football Club. We were all shaken when we heard that Mitch Clark, who retired early in the year as a result of the terrible illness of depression after only 15 games in three seasons, was well enough to come back to play football but had turned his back on our club and wanted to go elsewhere. We were all shaken when the sad news broke of the passing at a young age of our club legend Robbie Flower, who had been battling cardiomyopathy for a decade. We recalled his skills and grace on the field, his gentlemanly conduct and demeanour off it. I mean no disrespect to him and I once discussed this very thing with Robbie so I know he understood he played a team game and that his individual glory was always overshadowed by the fact he never tasted the game's ultimate success. That sniper from Carlton, David Rhys Jones, once belted Robbie senseless in a cowardly act on the MCG turf and he copped it sweet, shrugging it all off as if it were nothing. However, his adversary can look back on his career and be known as a premiership player. Rhys Jones' team has won eight flags since Robbie's won its last (and that came nine years before his career started). The question on our lips back then and again now, is whether we have been too comfortable with the image of nice individuals without showing the hardness necessary to succeed in a tough competition like the AFL? The magician is attempting without apology to change the mould of recent years that have seen us stranded on football's desert island. There must be no more nice guys; no more bruise-free football; no more inconsistency of attitude and lack of desire for the football; no more cancelation of training sessions to suit tired playing members of Gen Y; no more 186. I am not singling out individuals but rather, the general mindset which allows the club to be seen as a joke, a sporting basket case. Roos is conjuring up his tempest around a club that mustered up only four wins in this past season and ten in the past three. It's the only way left to go. We are in the eye of that storm but when the tempest subsides, we will land back home fifty years since our last premiership but ready for the next part of the journey. As in Shakespeare's last play, it will be up to us, the audience, to show our approval or otherwise at the finish. I hope it all ends with applause. Sunday, 12 October, 2014 on ABC1 at 10.17pm Tempest at the Drop-in Narrated by Eric Bana, this programme follows mentally ill and socially isolated members of the community as they stage a professional production of Shakespeare's The Tempest alongside professional actors. The programme is being screened as part of Mental Health Week and features community members who receive loving care at Prahran Mission's St. Kilda Drop In centre. Every person has the right to a decent life. Prahran Mission

SOMETHINGS HAPPENING by The Oracle "There's something happening here What it is ain't exactly clear" - Buffalo Springfield We were almost at the halfway mark of the trade period and some very strange things were happening. We were witnessing clubs imploding, players unexpectedly announcing their desire to go elsewhere, strange interpretations of the rules and no trades going down. Then the first deal was completed. The Hawks secured Jono O'Rourke (who was a number 2 pick only two years ago) and 43 from Greater Western Sydney in exchange for picks 19 and 40. The second trade came soon after with Melbourne snaring Jeff Garlett and pick 83 from Carlton in exchange for picks 61 and 79. There were a number of other trades in the making and from Melbourne's perspective they included a potential three way deal involving Mitch Clark, Heritier Lumumba and Travis Varcoe which was being delayed because the Cats and Magpies were pre-occupied with other trades. Similarly, the Demons' move for GWS defender Sam Frost was stalled because the Giants had other deals they needed to get across the line. There was something happening on a number of other fronts involving clubs in conflict and for once none of the clubs in question was Melbourne. The Essendon supplements saga continued unabated with James Hird getting a date for his expensive appeal to the Full Federal Court. Later in the day the AFL bowed to pressure from the clubs and the public to the deviously contrived plan of Port Adelaide and Essendon that would have permitted Paddy Ryder to be released as a free agent and given the Bombers an extra first round draft pick. The plan had first surfaced on the AFL's own website painted as a you beaut idea similar to last year's Dal Santo trade which was only partly true. Later in the day the pressure on Essendon was increased with two stories appearing in the Herald Sun of the Ryder family agony concerning the birth of his son amid the uncertainty of not knowing what he had ingested as part of Essendon's pharmacological experimentation. Meanwhile , the biggest bombshell of the trade period so far was launched by Western Bulldog skipper Ryan Griffen, who requested a trade to the Giants as part of a deal that had been on the table for him for five to six months. The Bulldogs were now officially in crisis mode with several other players, including Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney also wanting out and fingers being pointed at the coach amid recurring suggestions that McCartney's position was in question. Club president Peter Gordon issued a media release stating that the Bulldogs were not going to give up Griffen without a fight. Watch this space. The standoff between Collingwood and Brisbane over Dayne Beams continued with the Magpies insisting that national draft picks 5 and 25 were not enough for Beams, They want a player of James Aish's ability thrown in as well and if not, he would be required to see out his contract at the club in 2015. The dealings involving Ryder and Beams are a stark reminder of how difficult it is to trade with clubs like Collingwood, Essendon and Port Adelaide. They recall the situation when Port stubbornly refused to trade Nick Stevens to Collingwood and ultimately lost him to Carlton. At the time, the Magpies' then football manager Neil Balme questioned whether Port's "siege mentality" was good business sense. "Let's say it's a half-back flanker's decision: you give away nothing, you stand your ground and you feel better about it," he said after Collingwood's final offer of draft picks 17 and 35 was rejected just before the trade deadline passed. It will be of interest to see whether history repeats and what happens with Beams and Ryder. There would appear however, to be no such problems in the near future with regard to the Swans trading in any new players as the club has been told it cannot do so this year or next without bringing about an instant end to the cost of living allowance. Sydney officials are not happy with the ruling. There are lots more trades brewing now that the first deals have been done. The Lions are actively working away to get Geelong midfielder Allen Christensen, another Cat Tom Lonergan might go to the Dogs, the Blues are after Bulldogs' forward Liam Jones and Giants Kristian Jaksch, Mark Whiley while the Saints want Sydney's Tim Membry. And all the while, the controversy that once surrounded Melbourne is absent. Things are so calm at Demonland that the coach is off to Hawaii, a place not noted for producing many AFL footballers. However, as long as the club has serious money left within its salary cap following the departures of Clark and Frawley, it would be unwise to take for granted Josh Mahoney's suggestion that it would be content to sit back and use its picks 2 and 3 for drafting only. Something's happening.

by The Oracle "There's something happening here What it is ain't exactly clear" - Buffalo Springfield We were almost at the halfway mark of the trade period and some very strange things were happening. We were witnessing clubs imploding, players unexpectedly announcing their desire to go elsewhere, strange interpretations of the rules and no trades going down. Then the first deal was completed. The Hawks secured Jono O'Rourke (who was a number 2 pick only two years ago) and 43 from Greater Western Sydney in exchange for picks 19 and 40. The second trade came soon after with Melbourne snaring Jeff Garlett and pick 83 from Carlton in exchange for picks 61 and 79. There were a number of other trades in the making and from Melbourne's perspective they included a potential three way deal involving Mitch Clark, Heritier Lumumba and Travis Varcoe which was being delayed because the Cats and Magpies were pre-occupied with other trades. Similarly, the Demons' move for GWS defender Sam Frost was stalled because the Giants had other deals they needed to get across the line. There was something happening on a number of other fronts involving clubs in conflict and for once none of the clubs in question was Melbourne. The Essendon supplements saga continued unabated with James Hird getting a date for his expensive appeal to the Full Federal Court. Later in the day the AFL bowed to pressure from the clubs and the public to the deviously contrived plan of Port Adelaide and Essendon that would have permitted Paddy Ryder to be released as a free agent and given the Bombers an extra first round draft pick. The plan had first surfaced on the AFL's own website painted as a you beaut idea similar to last year's Dal Santo trade which was only partly true. Later in the day the pressure on Essendon was increased with two stories appearing in the Herald Sun of the Ryder family agony concerning the birth of his son amid the uncertainty of not knowing what he had ingested as part of Essendon's pharmacological experimentation. Meanwhile , the biggest bombshell of the trade period so far was launched by Western Bulldog skipper Ryan Griffen, who requested a trade to the Giants as part of a deal that had been on the table for him for five to six months. The Bulldogs were now officially in crisis mode with several other players, including Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney also wanting out and fingers being pointed at the coach amid recurring suggestions that McCartney's position was in question. Club president Peter Gordon issued a media release stating that the Bulldogs were not going to give up Griffen without a fight. Watch this space. The standoff between Collingwood and Brisbane over Dayne Beams continued with the Magpies insisting that national draft picks 5 and 25 were not enough for Beams, They want a player of James Aish's ability thrown in as well and if not, he would be required to see out his contract at the club in 2015. The dealings involving Ryder and Beams are a stark reminder of how difficult it is to trade with clubs like Collingwood, Essendon and Port Adelaide. They recall the situation when Port stubbornly refused to trade Nick Stevens to Collingwood and ultimately lost him to Carlton. At the time, the Magpies' then football manager Neil Balme questioned whether Port's "siege mentality" was good business sense. "Let's say it's a half-back flanker's decision: you give away nothing, you stand your ground and you feel better about it," he said after Collingwood's final offer of draft picks 17 and 35 was rejected just before the trade deadline passed. It will be of interest to see whether history repeats and what happens with Beams and Ryder. There would appear however, to be no such problems in the near future with regard to the Swans trading in any new players as the club has been told it cannot do so this year or next without bringing about an instant end to the cost of living allowance. Sydney officials are not happy with the ruling. There are lots more trades brewing now that the first deals have been done. The Lions are actively working away to get Geelong midfielder Allen Christensen, another Cat Tom Lonergan might go to the Dogs, the Blues are after Bulldogs' forward Liam Jones and Giants Kristian Jaksch, Mark Whiley while the Saints want Sydney's Tim Membry. And all the while, the controversy that once surrounded Melbourne is absent. Things are so calm at Demonland that the coach is off to Hawaii, a place not noted for producing many AFL footballers. However, as long as the club has serious money left within its salary cap following the departures of Clark and Frawley, it would be unwise to take for granted Josh Mahoney's suggestion that it would be content to sit back and use its picks 2 and 3 for drafting only. Something's happening.

From the official site: Goalkicking Garlett becomes a Dee

The opening day's trade activity might have been frenetic but there were no trades completed on day one. It was left to the bidding process to produce a record of twelve new faces while free agency finally flushed out James Frawley who officially became a Hawk. Very late in the day it was announced that another free agent, Nick Malceski had signed on with the Suns. The bidding process introduced the following new faces on club lists through father-son and academy selections:- Isaac Heeney, (Sydney) for pick 17 after Melbourne bid pick 2; Darcy Moore (Collingwood f/s) for pick 8 which matched the Bulldogs with pick 5; Jack Steele (GWS) at pick 23 after North's pick 15 bid; Billy Stretch (Melbourne f/s) taken at 39 following an Adelaide bid bid at 29 on Billy Stretch, which Melbourne matched with pick 39; Liam Dawson (Brisbane) matched with pick 41 after Richmond bid 31; Jack Hiscox, (Swans) for pick 36 matching Fremantle at 32; Harris Andrews (Lions) taken with pick 60 to match North Melbourne's pick 34; Zaine Cordy (Western Bulldogs f/s) for pick 61 after Fremantle's bid of pick 51; Abe Davis (Swans) taken with pick 73 which matched Geelong's 70; and Josh Clayton (Brisbane Lions), Alec Waterman (West Coast) and Jeremy Finlayson (GWS) did not receive bids, meaning they will join their nominated clubs with their last picks in the draft. (Note: Compensation picks are not taken into account in draft order) The day was more notable for the things that didn't happen. The farcical events at Bomberland continued to play themselves out when the much awaited sacking of James Hird failed to materialise. The Bomber coach was heard to comment afterwards that there were lots of things to do including the week's trades but he hardly sounded like a man about to do any horsetrading. Nor did his recruiting people who were asking for Hartlett, Wines or Wingard for Paddy Ryder who could, if he so desired, possibly jump across as a free agent under AFL rules because of the goings on at his club. The rumblings are growing louder by the day as more players show their frustration and put up their hands to leave. There's not much noise coming from Collingwood these days either and the usually outspoken Eddie McGuire has been rather reticent as a number of his players also seem to want out while rivals Hawthorn and Sydney take the limelight. Eddie doesn't usually take these things lying down. Mick Malthouse is one who has spoken out and he's clearly not happy about the fact that the Blues received no compo for Jarrad Waite on account of his age after his forward defected to North. I can't wait to see his face change colour in the event that Swans are granted a pick for losing Malceski. There were two big stories on the day for the Demons: 1. They gained Stretch for draft selection 39 (although this will change slightly when the free agency compensation picks are factored in). Stretch, an AIS graduate and All Australian at Under 18 level, shone at senior SANFL level with Glenelg in 2014 and is a solid prospect as an outside midfielder. His Draft Combine performances were outstanding. 2. They lost Frawley to free agency (the fourth player to leave in three years) but gained a first round compensatory national draft selection at pick 3 giving them two of the three picks in November (assuming the club doesn't trade one or both of them away). The AFL's football operations officer Mark Evans might have announced the band 1 compensation today but in a way, it was communicated between the lines when he knocked back Melbourne's application for draft assistance last month. Philosophically, the decision not to grant both draft assistance and the Frawley compensation was a below the belt hit at the club. It was clear at the time that Frawley was well and truly out of the door and that the AFL was under pressure not to enable a club to come into the trade period with a fistful of early draft picks even though it had a good case for special assistance. Assume that Frawley decided to stay. Was Melbourne's record over the past three years (ten wins in three seasons) not one which justified the claim that its circumstances were exceptional enough to warrant the assistance requested by the club. Especially, as I mentioned yesterday that Sydney was able to snaffle three players, including one rated in the top two in the land for a late first round draft pick. The system stinks. Now let's see what Melbourne can get out of it.

WHAT AM I BID? by The Oracle The opening day's trade activity might have been frenetic but there were no trades completed on day one. It was left to the bidding process to produce a record of twelve new faces while free agency finally flushed out James Frawley who officially became a Hawk. Very late in the day it was announced that another free agent, Nick Malceski had signed on with the Suns. The bidding process introduced the following new faces on club lists through father-son and academy selections:- Isaac Heeney, (Sydney) for pick 17 after Melbourne bid pick 2; Darcy Moore (Collingwood f/s) for pick 8 which matched the Bulldogs with pick 5; Jack Steele (GWS) at pick 23 after North's pick 15 bid; Billy Stretch (Melbourne f/s) taken at 39 following an Adelaide bid bid at 29 on Billy Stretch, which Melbourne matched with pick 39; Liam Dawson (Brisbane) matched with pick 41 after Richmond bid 31; Jack Hiscox, (Swans) for pick 36 matching Fremantle at 32; Harris Andrews (Lions) taken with pick 60 to match North Melbourne's pick 34; Zaine Cordy (Western Bulldogs f/s) for pick 61 after Fremantle's bid of pick 51; Abe Davis (Swans) taken with pick 73 which matched Geelong's 70; and Josh Clayton (Brisbane Lions), Alec Waterman (West Coast) and Jeremy Finlayson (GWS) did not receive bids, meaning they will join their nominated clubs with their last picks in the draft. (Note: Compensation picks are not taken into account in draft order) The day was more notable for the things that didn't happen. The farcical events at Bomberland continued to play themselves out when the much awaited sacking of James Hird failed to materialise. The Bomber coach was heard to comment afterwards that there were lots of things to do including the week's trades but he hardly sounded like a man about to do any horsetrading. Nor did his recruiting people who were asking for Hartlett, Wines or Wingard for Paddy Ryder who could, if he so desired, possibly jump across as a free agent under AFL rules because of the goings on at his club. The rumblings are growing louder by the day as more players show their frustration and put up their hands to leave. There's not much noise coming from Collingwood these days either and the usually outspoken Eddie McGuire has been rather reticent as a number of his players also seem to want out while rivals Hawthorn and Sydney take the limelight. Eddie doesn't usually take these things lying down. Mick Malthouse is one who has spoken out and he's clearly not happy about the fact that the Blues received no compo for Jarrad Waite on account of his age after his forward defected to North. I can't wait to see his face change colour in the event that Swans are granted a pick for losing Malceski. There were two big stories on the day for the Demons: 1. They gained Stretch for draft selection 39 (although this will change slightly when the free agency compensation picks are factored in). Stretch, an AIS graduate and All Australian at Under 18 level, shone at senior SANFL level with Glenelg in 2014 and is a solid prospect as an outside midfielder. His Draft Combine performances were outstanding. 2. They lost Frawley to free agency (the fourth player to leave in three years) but gained a first round compensatory national draft selection at pick 3 giving them two of the three picks in November (assuming the club doesn't trade one or both of them away). The AFL's football operations officer Mark Evans might have announced the band 1 compensation today but in a way, it was communicated between the lines when he knocked back Melbourne's application for draft assistance last month. Philosophically, the decision not to grant both draft assistance and the Frawley compensation was a below the belt hit at the club. It was clear at the time that Frawley was well and truly out of the door and that the AFL was under pressure not to enable a club to come into the trade period with a fistful of early draft picks even though it had a good case for special assistance. Assume that Frawley decided to stay. Was Melbourne's record over the past three years (ten wins in three seasons) not one which justified the claim that its circumstances were exceptional enough to warrant the assistance requested by the club. Especially, as I mentioned yesterday that Sydney was able to snaffle three players, including one rated in the top two in the land for a late first round draft pick. The system stinks. Now let's see what Melbourne can get out of it.

It really is the best time of the year. It's a time full of hope and promises. It's a time before our souls are crushed and our dreams are shattered. Welcome to Demonland.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/melbourne/news/2014-10-06/melbourne-secures-stretch

FIRST BLOOD by The Oracle The trade/draft action opened on Friday and North Melbourne drew first blood capturing free agents Shaun Higgins and Jarrad Waite. Carlton received no compensation for the latter due to his advanced age (in football terms) but the Bulldogs will gain a second round draft pick for the younger Higgins who has been in the wars with injury and has fallen down the pecking order in favour of the number of young midfielders now at the kennel. The early focus today will be on the father-son and academy bidding meetings which will see the entry into AFL ranks of a dozen new faces nominated by their respective clubs last Friday - The first picks The players won't necessarily go to the team that nominated them because of the bidding system that comes into play. However, the nominating clubs can match best bid by another club by taking the player with their next draft choice after the bid. The interest here for Melbourne will be whether it selects father-son nomination Billy Stretch who the AFL site describes as follows:- Here are some highlights -Billy Stretch Stretch was a stand out at the AFL National Draft Combine last week and his stocks have risen lately which means that Melbourne will most likely be required to part with its second round draft pick for the youngster. These father-son/academy bidding meeting will be followed by the opening of the trade week with recruiters of the 18 clubs locking themselves away like the old horse traders used to do in past days. The objective is the same - to snare some thoroughbreds to the stables but in this case, the horseflesh is the cream of the country's footballing talent. We're told to expect an early frenzy on the market with the announcement of deals that have been simmering slowly in the background and finalised on the first day. One Herald Sun writer has speculated about each club's prospects in terms of dream and nightmare scenarios and called Melbourne's in this way:- What a laugh for the journo to suggest that Melbourne people suffer nightmares? Surely, the man is oblivious to the fact that Melbourne has suffered so many reversals of fortune in its recent history that its fans neither suffer nightmares nor sleep at all for that matter. They live through what others might call "nightmares" during the daytime.On the free agency side of things, James Frawley is expected to formally nominate Hawthorn as his destination early in the day. This will be another dagger in the heart of the concept of equalisation. That is not to say the aim of free agency should be to equalise the competition but there is something wrong when the most poorly performed club over the past five years loses a key player at the prime of his career to the best performed. The trend is clear after three years with lowly clubs simply not getting a look in and the best players always ending at the top clubs. The Dees will most likely get pick three as compensation but the clubs with picks nearby aren't happy about this (similarly, they also complained loudly about Melbourne's now rejected application for draft assistance a few weeks ago). At the same time, Sydney for some inexplicable reason will be able to select a player considered to be a top three midfield draft prospect from its academy for around pick 18 proving that the entire system is fast becoming a farce as the stronger clubs continue to draw blood from the weaker ones. ... A last ditch effort by a Demonland luminary to convince Frawley to remain at the club failed recently