Demonland

by Whispering Jack In today's Australian, Chip Le Grand reports (Kangaroos leap final hurdle on way to Gold Coast) that the Kangaroos are to become the third of the Victorian clubs to move interstate with a decision expected to commit to a permanent move to the Gold Coast in 2010 before Christmas. They will follow South Melbourne which was relocated to Sydney in 1981 and became the Swans and Fitzroy which was virtually bludgeoned out of existence in 1996 to become part of the merged Brisbane Lions. There is talk of the possibility of a legal challenge but Kangaroos fans should be bracing themselves for the move. There will be another AFL team in southeast Queensland by the end of the decade and it will be the Northern Kangaroos playing out of Gold Coast Stadium at Carrara. When the Demons make their first interstate trip of the AFL 2008 home and away season to meet the Kangaroos at the above venue, there will be plenty to think about for those who have our club's interests at heart, not the least of which is whether it is possible the Melbourne Football Club might one day suffer a similar fate to that of the Swans, the Lions and the Kangaroos and find itself bound for somewhere else. The AFL is surely looking at the potentially lucrative markets of Sydney's burgeoning westen suburbs for its next foothold and with mergers now firmly off the AFL agenda, there is one major and compelling reason which is the basis for the relocation of AFL clubs – poverty! As Le Grand states - "A report commissioned by the Kangaroos and conducted by sports consultancy Gemba found the economic climate was tough for North Melbourne and would get tougher as its traditional supporter base continued to atrophy. "The Kangaroos this season attracted 22,196 members, the fewest of any Melbourne-based club and a 10 per cent decline on last season's tally. More alarming, it has a shrinking supporter base of just 176,000 people, the smallest in the competition. According to Roy Morgan Research, the Kangaroos had 50,000 more supporters six years ago." Here is a club which was considered as the AFL club of the 'nineties - the most successful of the decade - incredibly consigned interstate because of lack of interest among supporters and a lack of money. The concern for Melbourne, the foundation club of the AFL entering its 150th year, is that the Demons are not that far in front of the Kangaroos. The club will post a financial loss this season after budgeting for a sizable profit and it faces an uphill struggle to increase membership numbers on the back of a poor season on the field in 2007. The club received no assistance from the AFL in terms of the fixture which was released yesterday and which gave the club just one Friday night fixture for the year giving it 70 per cent of its games on Sundays, including 12 out of 13 from rounds five to 17. Commercially, the Demons have been sent to the trash heap even if the draw might be relatively more favourable in playing terms compared with the horrors of what was served up in 2007. Meanwhile, the blockbuster clubs like Collingwoood will once again receive their good share of free kicks both in terms of commercial and on-field benefit. The club has no contol over the matter now and if Dean Bailey's charges can produce their best the draw will be the least of their worries. The lesson of the Kangaroos is there for all to see. The club must dig in and work harder than ever not just to achieve success on the field but off it as well. There is no easy route – a better season on the field might help but we need even more than a red and blue facsimile of the "shinboner" spirit both on and off the ground in 2008 and beyond to ensure that the Melbourne Football Club remains at the spritual home of the M.C.G where it all began some 150 years ago!

BOUND FOR SOMEWHERE ELSE by Whispering Jack In today's Australian, Chip Le Grand reports (Kangaroos leap final hurdle on way to Gold Coast) that the Kangaroos are to become the third of the Victorian clubs to move interstate with a decision expected to commit to a permanent move to the Gold Coast in 2010 before Christmas. They will follow South Melbourne which was relocated to Sydney in 1981 and became the Swans and Fitzroy which was virtually bludgeoned out of existence in 1996 to become part of the merged Brisbane Lions. There is talk of the possibility of a legal challenge but Kangaroos fans should be bracing themselves for the move. There will be another AFL team in southeast Queensland by the end of the decade and it will be the Northern Kangaroos playing out of Gold Coast Stadium at Carrara. When the Demons make their first interstate trip of the AFL 2008 home and away season to meet the Kangaroos at the above venue, there will be plenty to think about for those who have our club's interests at heart, not the least of which is whether it is possible the Melbourne Football Club might one day suffer a similar fate to that of the Swans, the Lions and the Kangaroos and find itself bound for somewhere else. The AFL is surely looking at the potentially lucrative markets of Sydney's burgeoning westen suburbs for its next foothold and with mergers now firmly off the AFL agenda, there is one major and compelling reason which is the basis for the relocation of AFL clubs – poverty! As Le Grand states - "A report commissioned by the Kangaroos and conducted by sports consultancy Gemba found the economic climate was tough for North Melbourne and would get tougher as its traditional supporter base continued to atrophy. "The Kangaroos this season attracted 22,196 members, the fewest of any Melbourne-based club and a 10 per cent decline on last season's tally. More alarming, it has a shrinking supporter base of just 176,000 people, the smallest in the competition. According to Roy Morgan Research, the Kangaroos had 50,000 more supporters six years ago." Here is a club which was considered as the AFL club of the 'nineties - the most successful of the decade - incredibly consigned interstate because of lack of interest among supporters and a lack of money. The concern for Melbourne, the foundation club of the AFL entering its 150th year, is that the Demons are not that far in front of the Kangaroos. The club will post a financial loss this season after budgeting for a sizable profit and it faces an uphill struggle to increase membership numbers on the back of a poor season on the field in 2007. The club received no assistance from the AFL in terms of the fixture which was released yesterday and which gave the club just one Friday night fixture for the year giving it 70 per cent of its games on Sundays, including 12 out of 13 from rounds five to 17. Commercially, the Demons have been sent to the trash heap even if the draw might be relatively more favourable in playing terms compared with the horrors of what was served up in 2007. Meanwhile, the blockbuster clubs like Collingwoood will once again receive their good share of free kicks both in terms of commercial and on-field benefit. The club has no contol over the matter now and if Dean Bailey's charges can produce their best the draw will be the least of their worries. The lesson of the Kangaroos is there for all to see. The club must dig in and work harder than ever not just to achieve success on the field but off it as well. There is no easy route – a better season on the field might help but we need even more than a red and blue facsimile of the "shinboner" spirit both on and off the ground in 2008 and beyond to ensure that the Melbourne Football Club remains at the spritual home of the M.C.G where it all began some 150 years ago!

It's being reported that the Eagles will hold an emergency board meeting this evening. There could be some delistings to minimise the possibility of harsh AFL sanctions. They are still up for a heavy penalty, possibly involving at least one draft pick and a monetary fine.

CRAIG CAMERON - THE INTERVIEW Dwayne Russell and Tony Leonard on 3AW’s Sorts Today Saturday Edition interviewed Melbournefc General Manager of Recruiting and List Management Craig Cameron today. With thanks to poster Alpha 33 we bring you the transcript of the interview: DR: Craig Cameron the Demons recruiting manager has been good enough to join us. Welcome to the programme Craig. How are you? CAC: Good Dwayne and Tony. How are you guys? TL: Very well thank you Craig. The first question to get out into the open is Travis Johnstone, pick number one in what was it 1997? Now on his way to Brisbane. At what stage did you know that the union was going to part? CAC: When you decide to trade a player like Travis it's not a five minute decision so we spent a fair bit of time thinking about it, looking at what we were trying to do with Dean coming on board and Chris Connolly as the new football manager and thinking what our strategy was over the next three years as a football club. The thing that was unanimous was that we were trying to build around the under 23 age group and if we could get more early draft selections particularly another first round selection in this year's draft we'd be happy because that just gives us a good group of youngsters coming through in the next few years. So when we decided that that was the direction we were going to go Travis was probably the player that we thought was most likely to deliver a first round selection to us. DR: Dean Bailey and Chris Connolly are both new to the club. Were they the ones who made the decision that Travis Johnstone was tradeable or should be traded because you wouldn’t think they knew Travis Johnstone and his history that well in comparison to those at the club. Was it suggested to Dean Bailey and Chris Connolly that Travis Johnstone was expendable? CAC: I think it was pretty much a group decision. Dean was obviously excited by Travis' talent but when we actually sat down and thought about where our list was at and what we needed to do to rejuvenate it or to keep the guys 23 and under coming through with more talent underneath them the long-term view was taken. It was not an easy decision. It's not an easy decision to move somebody of the quality Travis who was a best and fairest winner and a first round draft pick in the draft. It's not easy but I reckon in the end that everyone came to the conclusion that that was the best way to go. TL: In the finish Cameron, not a lot of trading's been done. People would look at Melbourne season and suggest a lot more should have been done. How would you respond to that? CAC: Well we traded a player out and a player in and we got another first round selection. Last year we didn't do any trading at all. I don't know. Does the history of trading suggest that it makes a difference to a side's short term or long-term future? I mean you guys can look up the records and decide whether that's the case but I would suggest on face value that doing a lot of trades makes a big difference to your outcome. TL: I suppose the companion question to that Craig is how does Melbourne become a better side in 2008 with Travis Johnstone out of the side, John Meesen as your ruckman coming in and obviously there's a draft pick that comes with it. CAC: Yeah. Well, we've got three early selections in this year's draft, we’ve got young fellers who we drafted last year who will be better for a run from last year's season. Ricky Petterd look like he was going to have a boomer season and unfortunately had that lung injury which cut it short. We've got a lot of young guys as we keep harping on that are 23 and under and that will continue to improve and we'll be putting a lot more resources into our development and coaching structure than we have in the past. This is not really my area to talk about but we’ll have probably a couple of development coaches, an innovations coach so we’ll be putting a lot more into our playing group to help them improve. TL: Craig, I know you can't put it to numbers but just going back to question of one in and one out, was Melbourne willing to trade more if the right player was there and if so what sort of players would you have been prepared to look at to be a bit more active in the trade week? CAC Well I'm not going to talk about names obviously but we were in a position if the right deal was available then we would have looked at players to trade out because as I keep saying for the next three years our strategy is to try and bring a fresh group of youngsters through. But you've got to balance that up with competing each year. You've got to make sure that your fans have a feeling that you're going out and competing each year. We've got to remember that we’ve played through the last four or five finals series and last year was a complete aberration, or so we're hoping. So we don't want to completely cut the guts out of our group because as I said we've got more support coming for our players in terms of coaching staff so we're hoping that will give us a lift. DR: Craig, now all about the draft. You've got pick four in the draft. No doubt you'd hope that Matthew Kreuzer or Trent Cotchin is available when your pick comes around. Who do you think Carlton will draft with pick one, Kreuzer or Cotchin? CAC: I think it's a very hard choice Dwayne but if either of them are there when it comes down to pick four one of them will very quickly come out my mouth I promise you. I think it's a hard choice. Carlton will probably are looking to get a young ruckman into the system so Kreuzer seems to be the favourite one but Trent Cotchin is a very talented player. DR: There's word that Richmond might go with the two Mortons and take Cale Morton with pick two and leave Trent Cotchin to go to the West Coast Eagles with pick three. You’ll be no doubt investigating that kind of thing over the next few weeks. Is that what you're hearing? CAC: I'm hearing that. I'm also hearing that they're very keen on Trent Cotchin. Look, Cale Morton is a very good player and I've got no doubt that if he gets selected at pick 2 he gets selected on his merits rather than because his brother's there. He won the medal at the Under 18 championships, he's close enough to 192 centimetres, he can run a 15.2 beep. He's outstanding in his talent so either selection, Cotchin or Morton, I don't think you could question it to be honest. TL: Yeah. And the point you make is good too. Three in the first twenty-one. Just as a general question. Two players. You've assessed them as being of equal ability, maybe a slight leaning but not much to the interstate player do you go with them or do you have to sort of catch your breath. We've just seen even with Chris Judd, I know he's mature in his career but wanting to return home. Will that come into your thinking whether you go for the local lad as opposed to someone from interstate who, for all intents and purposes just might be slightly better? CAC: Yeah, look that's the old chestnut Tony. Understand that we worry about that a little bit but rarely do you get the situation where two players are equal. I've got to say that I know this programme doesn't go to Perth but that doesn't matter. When I was at Fremantle in 1996 I sat on a draft table and a decision was made on Michael Braun or a local East Fremantle fellow and I think the leaning was always towards Michael Braun but in the end they chose the local feller because he was local. Michael Braun has gone on to play 200 games of AFL footy and Matthew Clucas was the other player. I'm not sure that he even played 20 games of AFL football. I was only working part time for Fremantle at the time but it taught me a good lesson that you think the player who you think is the best regardless of where they come from and back your system to keep them. TL: And just a last one on TJ because he was probably the second biggest move of the last week. How did TJ take the news? Was he ready to go or disappointed with what happened? CAC: Look I think he was shattered initially as you would be. He was only 17 when he came to our footy club. He was still going to school. He's basically grown up at Melbourne. I had a good chat with Travis yesterday before the finish of the trade and I said, "Mate, you've got a really good opportunity at Brisbane." They've still got a better than solid midfield so he's not going to attract the tags as he necessarily attracts them with us and I said that it's really important for him to finish off his career and be recognised as Travis Johnstone the star. That's what I think his challenge is – to take all the talent that he's got and we've seen from time to time - actually bundle it up together and become a star. And leave the game when people say "that Travis Johnstone he was a really good player." DR: How much of his total greatness, his talent did he show at Melbourne? 90%? 92%? CAC: Oh Dwayne, I really couldn't put a number on that. You could probably answer that as well as I could. We probably think there's a little bit more for him to give. DR: That was the point of the question to see if you said 100% and I think the majority of the people would suggest that it's somewhere below that? CAC: I've got no doubt and there’s been a number of issues surrounding that. His body hasn't allowed him to train as hard as you need a midfielder to train these days. Travis is a lad and enjoys his life as young blokes do and from time to time that may have held him back. I just really hope that he goes to Brisbane and ends up Travis Johnstone the star. As I said to him yesterday, he was the first selection I had in a national draft when I was at Melbourne and so it's hard to move those guys because they grow up in your system and I've known him for ten years. DR: Craig, we thank you for your time and good luck with pick four. CAC: Thank you very much. TL: And 14 and 21. DR: Well it's a 4, Kreuzer won't be there and probably not Cotchin or Morton. Sports Today Saturday Edition can be heard every Saturday from noon to 2.00pm on 3AW - 693 on your AM dial.

CRAIG CAMERON - THE INTERVIEW Dwayne Russell and Tony Leonard on 3AW’s Sorts Today Saturday Edition interviewed Melbournefc General Manager of Recruiting and List Management Craig Cameron today. With thanks to poster Alpha 33 we bring you the transcript of the interview: DR: Craig Cameron the Demons recruiting manager has been good enough to join us. Welcome to the programme Craig. How are you? CAC: Good Dwayne and Tony. How are you guys? TL: Very well thank you Craig. The first question to get out into the open is Travis Johnstone, pick number one in what was it 1997? Now on his way to Brisbane. At what stage did you know that the union was going to part? CAC: When you decide to trade a player like Travis it's not a five minute decision so we spent a fair bit of time thinking about it, looking at what we were trying to do with Dean coming on board and Chris Connolly as the new football manager and thinking what our strategy was over the next three years as a football club. The thing that was unanimous was that we were trying to build around the under 23 age group and if we could get more early draft selections particularly another first round selection in this year's draft we'd be happy because that just gives us a good group of youngsters coming through in the next few years. So when we decided that that was the direction we were going to go Travis was probably the player that we thought was most likely to deliver a first round selection to us. DR: Dean Bailey and Chris Connolly are both new to the club. Were they the ones who made the decision that Travis Johnstone was tradeable or should be traded because you wouldn’t think they knew Travis Johnstone and his history that well in comparison to those at the club. Was it suggested to Dean Bailey and Chris Connolly that Travis Johnstone was expendable? CAC: I think it was pretty much a group decision. Dean was obviously excited by Travis' talent but when we actually sat down and thought about where our list was at and what we needed to do to rejuvenate it or to keep the guys 23 and under coming through with more talent underneath them the long-term view was taken. It was not an easy decision. It's not an easy decision to move somebody of the quality Travis who was a best and fairest winner and a first round draft pick in the draft. It's not easy but I reckon in the end that everyone came to the conclusion that that was the best way to go. TL: In the finish Cameron, not a lot of trading's been done. People would look at Melbourne season and suggest a lot more should have been done. How would you respond to that? CAC: Well we traded a player out and a player in and we got another first round selection. Last year we didn't do any trading at all. I don't know. Does the history of trading suggest that it makes a difference to a side's short term or long-term future? I mean you guys can look up the records and decide whether that's the case but I would suggest on face value that doing a lot of trades makes a big difference to your outcome. TL: I suppose the companion question to that Craig is how does Melbourne become a better side in 2008 with Travis Johnstone out of the side, John Meesen as your ruckman coming in and obviously there's a draft pick that comes with it. CAC: Yeah. Well, we've got three early selections in this year's draft, we’ve got young fellers who we drafted last year who will be better for a run from last year's season. Ricky Petterd look like he was going to have a boomer season and unfortunately had that lung injury which cut it short. We've got a lot of young guys as we keep harping on that are 23 and under and that will continue to improve and we'll be putting a lot more resources into our development and coaching structure than we have in the past. This is not really my area to talk about but we’ll have probably a couple of development coaches, an innovations coach so we’ll be putting a lot more into our playing group to help them improve. TL: Craig, I know you can't put it to numbers but just going back to question of one in and one out, was Melbourne willing to trade more if the right player was there and if so what sort of players would you have been prepared to look at to be a bit more active in the trade week? CAC Well I'm not going to talk about names obviously but we were in a position if the right deal was available then we would have looked at players to trade out because as I keep saying for the next three years our strategy is to try and bring a fresh group of youngsters through. But you've got to balance that up with competing each year. You've got to make sure that your fans have a feeling that you're going out and competing each year. We've got to remember that we’ve played through the last four or five finals series and last year was a complete aberration, or so we're hoping. So we don't want to completely cut the guts out of our group because as I said we've got more support coming for our players in terms of coaching staff so we're hoping that will give us a lift. DR: Craig, now all about the draft. You've got pick four in the draft. No doubt you'd hope that Matthew Kreuzer or Trent Cotchin is available when your pick comes around. Who do you think Carlton will draft with pick one, Kreuzer or Cotchin? CAC: I think it's a very hard choice Dwayne but if either of them are there when it comes down to pick four one of them will very quickly come out my mouth I promise you. I think it's a hard choice. Carlton will probably are looking to get a young ruckman into the system so Kreuzer seems to be the favourite one but Trent Cotchin is a very talented player. DR: There's word that Richmond might go with the two Mortons and take Cale Morton with pick two and leave Trent Cotchin to go to the West Coast Eagles with pick three. You’ll be no doubt investigating that kind of thing over the next few weeks. Is that what you're hearing? CAC: I'm hearing that. I'm also hearing that they're very keen on Trent Cotchin. Look, Cale Morton is a very good player and I've got no doubt that if he gets selected at pick 2 he gets selected on his merits rather than because his brother's there. He won the medal at the Under 18 championships, he's close enough to 192 centimetres, he can run a 15.2 beep. He's outstanding in his talent so either selection, Cotchin or Morton, I don't think you could question it to be honest. TL: Yeah. And the point you make is good too. Three in the first twenty-one. Just as a general question. Two players. You've assessed them as being of equal ability, maybe a slight leaning but not much to the interstate player do you go with them or do you have to sort of catch your breath. We've just seen even with Chris Judd, I know he's mature in his career but wanting to return home. Will that come into your thinking whether you go for the local lad as opposed to someone from interstate who, for all intents and purposes just might be slightly better? CAC: Yeah, look that's the old chestnut Tony. Understand that we worry about that a little bit but rarely do you get the situation where two players are equal. I've got to say that I know this programme doesn't go to Perth but that doesn't matter. When I was at Fremantle in 1996 I sat on a draft table and a decision was made on Michael Braun or a local East Fremantle fellow and I think the leaning was always towards Michael Braun but in the end they chose the local feller because he was local. Michael Braun has gone on to play 200 games of AFL footy and Matthew Clucas was the other player. I'm not sure that he even played 20 games of AFL football. I was only working part time for Fremantle at the time but it taught me a good lesson that you think the player who you think is the best regardless of where they come from and back your system to keep them. TL: And just a last one on TJ because he was probably the second biggest move of the last week. How did TJ take the news? Was he ready to go or disappointed with what happened? CAC: Look I think he was shattered initially as you would be. He was only 17 when he came to our footy club. He was still going to school. He's basically grown up at Melbourne. I had a good chat with Travis yesterday before the finish of the trade and I said, "Mate, you've got a really good opportunity at Brisbane." They've still got a better than solid midfield so he's not going to attract the tags as he necessarily attracts them with us and I said that it's really important for him to finish off his career and be recognised as Travis Johnstone the star. That's what I think his challenge is – to take all the talent that he's got and we've seen from time to time - actually bundle it up together and become a star. And leave the game when people say "that Travis Johnstone he was a really good player." DR: How much of his total greatness, his talent did he show at Melbourne? 90%? 92%? CAC: Oh Dwayne, I really couldn't put a number on that. You could probably answer that as well as I could. We probably think there's a little bit more for him to give. DR: That was the point of the question to see if you said 100% and I think the majority of the people would suggest that it's somewhere below that? CAC: I've got no doubt and there’s been a number of issues surrounding that. His body hasn't allowed him to train as hard as you need a midfielder to train these days. Travis is a lad and enjoys his life as young blokes do and from time to time that may have held him back. I just really hope that he goes to Brisbane and ends up Travis Johnstone the star. As I said to him yesterday, he was the first selection I had in a national draft when I was at Melbourne and so it's hard to move those guys because they grow up in your system and I've known him for ten years. DR: Craig, we thank you for your time and good luck with pick four. CAC: Thank you very much. TL: And 14 and 21. DR: Well it's a 4, Kreuzer won't be there and probably not Cotchin or Morton. Sports Today Saturday Edition can be heard every Saturday from noon to 2.00pm on 3AW - 693 on your AM dial.

Alpha33 is putting together a full transcript of the interview. It will be up on the site tonight or tomorrow morning. Edit: It's now up - CRAIG CAMERON: THE INTERVIEW.

Be careful YM!

Nasher, Happy Birthday and thanks for all you do to help make this a great site! Cheers, Andy

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY FIVE by The Oracle MUCH ADO ABOUT "WHAT"? Adelaide Advertiser, columnist Michelangelo Rucci summed up trade week by writing yesterday that the week is "about false hope" and that leaving aside Chris Judd's move to Carlton, it has been "much ado about nothing." Rucci maintains that despite the enormous amount of the public attention on AFL players during the week, it is essentially a period that brings forward only three themes encompassing players. They have either - (1) "lost currency at their clubs get to find more opportunities elsewhere" – e.g the move of Melbourne’s Travis Johnstone to Brisbane, (2) "lost patience at their clubs - usually with the coach" and move on e.g Adelaide’s Ben Hudson to the Western Bulldogs, or (3) "annoyed their coaches" and are moved on – e.g. Brad Moran from the Kangaroos to Adelaide. He concluded that the reason why the week is one of unfulfilled expectation is that no trade, not even the move of a Brownlow Medallist and the game's number one player will tip a club from contender to premier. The trade week simply does not work that way in practice. When the clock struck the hour of two in the afternoon yesterday, the feeling was generally one of anti-climax as supporters of the various AFL clubs sat down to assess how their teams had fared over the AFL Trade Week. I suspect that the overwhelming majority would agree with Rucci's assessment that the week was much ado about nothing. Certainly, the supporters of three clubs – Essendon, Fremantle and Hawthorn would feel that way because their clubs ended the week completing no trades. A number of others managed to engage in what you might describe as "low level" trading involving players with lesser profiles and their fans might also be feeling empty handed now that the dust has settled. However, Rucci's "false hope" scenario can't yet be seen to apply to the likes of Carlton, a club that clearly achieved its main objectives over the exchange period. The Blues netted Judd, retained the top selection in the National Draft, snared premiership midfielder Richard Hadley (admittedly now an AFL "lesser light") from Brisbane and still retain the leverage and power of pick 2 in the Pre season Draft which promises the possibility of attaining a handy uncontracted player in December. There's plenty of hope there as long as the golden groin stands up! Paradoxically, the hopes and aspirations of West Coast Eagle fans should also be flying high right now. Although they have lost their brilliant skipper, they will go into 2008 with four of the best 22 young players in the land courtesy of National Draft picks numbered 3, 13, 20 and 22 together with a player who might just fill the bill in their desperate search for a much needed key forward in Josh Kennedy. Deep in the gloom created by the loss of Judd, the drug and crime related scandals and the death of a club icon, these prospects also fill the WA club with renewed hope for the future. St. Kilda fans would also be brim full of hope for 2008 because their club gained four players - Adam Schneider and Sean Dempster from Sydney and Charlie Gardiner and 2007 premiership player Steven King from Geelong – for peanuts thanks mainly to salary cap concerns at their old clubs. The Saints have milked the system well! Even Sydney coach Paul Roos came out and stated that "his club achieved all of its trade week goals". That's one that I simply can't work out but then again, Roos is a successful premiership coach so who am I to argue with that? Roos did however make the most profound comment about the exchange period and the system in general when he described Carlton's reward at trade week (Chris Judd and the keeping of the number 1 draft pick) after losing its last 11 games of the season as the "ugly side of football we don't need". Amen to that! Which brings me to Melbournefc. There was a lot said and written about its aims for trade week. A lot of names have been bandied about but the reality is that at week's end, the only new face at the club is a young ruckman who once was a first round draft selection but has spent three years in the wilderness at Adelaide which he represented only twice in AFL company. John Meesen joins the trio of Jeff White, Mark Jamar and Paul Johnson to augment the club's ruck strength but will have a battle on his hands to break into the ranks. On the other hand, the Demons have lost a former best and fairest winner who was the number 1 draft pick when he arrived. Many will feel entitled to ask, where's the hope there? That question is not an easy one to answer other than to say the expectations can only be fulfilled in the future. We all need to take deep breaths, sit back and see what the many changes at the cub will bring over the coming months and years. The club is pinning its faith on its as yet undeveloped cluster of promising players in the under 23 age group. We all know who they are, we all know that they are full of potential and we all know that "potential" is a dirty word at a club where so much potential has gone unfulfilled for so long. But that's where the hope lies at the Melbournefc – in the very fact that change is taking place.

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY FIVE by The Oracle MUCH ADO ABOUT "WHAT"? Adelaide Advertiser, columnist Michelangelo Rucci summed up trade week by writing yesterday that the week is "about false hope" and that leaving aside Chris Judd's move to Carlton, it has been "much ado about nothing." Rucci maintains that despite the enormous amount of the public attention on AFL players during the week, it is essentially a period that brings forward only three themes encompassing players. They have either - (1) "lost currency at their clubs get to find more opportunities elsewhere" – e.g the move of Melbourne’s Travis Johnstone to Brisbane, (2) "lost patience at their clubs - usually with the coach" and move on e.g Adelaide’s Ben Hudson to the Western Bulldogs, or (3) "annoyed their coaches" and are moved on – e.g. Brad Moran from the Kangaroos to Adelaide. He concluded that the reason why the week is one of unfulfilled expectation is that no trade, not even the move of a Brownlow Medallist and the game's number one player will tip a club from contender to premier. The trade week simply does not work that way in practice. When the clock struck the hour of two in the afternoon yesterday, the feeling was generally one of anti-climax as supporters of the various AFL clubs sat down to assess how their teams had fared over the AFL Trade Week. I suspect that the overwhelming majority would agree with Rucci's assessment that the week was much ado about nothing. Certainly, the supporters of three clubs – Essendon, Fremantle and Hawthorn would feel that way because their clubs ended the week completing no trades. A number of others managed to engage in what you might describe as "low level" trading involving players with lesser profiles and their fans might also be feeling empty handed now that the dust has settled. However, Rucci's "false hope" scenario can't yet be seen to apply to the likes of Carlton, a club that clearly achieved its main objectives over the exchange period. The Blues netted Judd, retained the top selection in the National Draft, snared premiership midfielder Richard Hadley (admittedly now an AFL "lesser light") from Brisbane and still retain the leverage and power of pick 2 in the Pre season Draft which promises the possibility of attaining a handy uncontracted player in December. There's plenty of hope there as long as the golden groin stands up! Paradoxically, the hopes and aspirations of West Coast Eagle fans should also be flying high right now. Although they have lost their brilliant skipper, they will go into 2008 with four of the best 22 young players in the land courtesy of National Draft picks numbered 3, 13, 20 and 22 together with a player who might just fill the bill in their desperate search for a much needed key forward in Josh Kennedy. Deep in the gloom created by the loss of Judd, the drug and crime related scandals and the death of a club icon, these prospects also fill the WA club with renewed hope for the future. St. Kilda fans would also be brim full of hope for 2008 because their club gained four players - Adam Schneider and Sean Dempster from Sydney and Charlie Gardiner and 2007 premiership player Steven King from Geelong – for peanuts thanks mainly to salary cap concerns at their old clubs. The Saints have milked the system well! Even Sydney coach Paul Roos came out and stated that "his club achieved all of its trade week goals". That's one that I simply can't work out but then again, Roos is a successful premiership coach so who am I to argue with that? Roos did however make the most profound comment about the exchange period and the system in general when he described Carlton's reward at trade week (Chris Judd and the keeping of the number 1 draft pick) after losing its last 11 games of the season as the "ugly side of football we don't need". Amen to that! Which brings me to Melbournefc. There was a lot said and written about its aims for trade week. A lot of names have been bandied about but the reality is that at week's end, the only new face at the club is a young ruckman who once was a first round draft selection but has spent three years in the wilderness at Adelaide which he represented only twice in AFL company. John Meesen joins the trio of Jeff White, Mark Jamar and Paul Johnson to augment the club's ruck strength but will have a battle on his hands to break into the ranks. On the other hand, the Demons have lost a former best and fairest winner who was the number 1 draft pick when he arrived. Many will feel entitled to ask, where's the hope there? That question is not an easy one to answer other than to say the expectations can only be fulfilled in the future. We all need to take deep breaths, sit back and see what the many changes at the cub will bring over the coming months and years. The club is pinning its faith on its as yet undeveloped cluster of promising players in the under 23 age group. We all know who they are, we all know that they are full of potential and we all know that "potential" is a dirty word at a club where so much potential has gone unfulfilled for so long. But that's where the hope lies at the Melbournefc – in the very fact that change is taking place.

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY FOUR by The Oracle ON SOLID GROUND The first thing I remember about footy is the peanut seller who used to ply his trade at Princes Park carrying a large Hessian bag full of shelled peanuts but there's nothing else about my debut appearance at a VFL ground that rebounds from the memory banks. I remember things from my teenage days like the rough and tumble gasometer wing at Arden Street, the foul stench of the toilets in the outer at Windy Hill, the tasteless, colourless hot dogs at Victoria Park, the engine drivers sounding their sirens as the trains whizzed past the sardine can shaped Glenferrie Oval and the creaky wooden stands at Albert Park where South Melbourne used to play. Later still, there was the perpetually boggy Moorabbin Oval and the rain swept VFL Park at Waverley while nowadays you have the toffy bars at the Dome but there's absolutely nothing like the M.C.G. The place is the very pinnacle not only of football grounds but also of international cricket and other sports. I reflect on the ground at this time because it's only a matter of weeks since it held crowds of close to a hundred thousand on successive weekends of the AFL finals series. However, the one ingredient that was sadly missed at the MCG was the presence of the club that was founded there and that has called the ground its home for almost 150 years. Are we ever going to relive the glory days of the Melbourne Football Club when the team was a power of the competition playing at the best ground in the country, the best in the world? Yesterday, on the fourth day of trade week, the new Demon regime headed by coach Dean Bailey sent a message to its players, supporters and the football world at large. The players who represent the club will be part of a brave new world of football – a changed landscape where the team will be expected to play the game with passion. The game of football will no longer be simply a ritual at Melbourne – the new management means business. The kind of business you do in the month of September at the M.C.G. On the day when Carlton and the Eagles finally put the Judd Saga to rest, the Demons completed two deals of their own. In the first, they gave away their most talented footballer, a man with silken skills and unbridled ability to play the game at the highest level. Travis Johnstone put in ten years at the club but for all of his ability, he never really reached the dizzy heights one expects these days from a number one draft pick. Recently Paul Roos was talking up Jude Bolton and he mentioned that his player would not be traded cheaply because he had finished in the top ten of the club best and fairest for three years in succession. Despite his undoubted talents, Johnstone had done that on only three occasions in his decade at the club, albeit that in 2005 he actually took home the "Bluey". However, given that when the 2008 season starts he will be nudging 28 years of age -well past the club's under 23 benchmark for the concentration of its football talent - Trapper was let go to Brisbane after representing the club 160 times for a first round draft selection at number 14. That's life in modern day football. On the same day that it shed itself of a player recruited in the first round of a national draft, Melbourne also gained a first rounder in 21 year old 201 cm tall ruckman John Meesen who has had an altogether different history to that of Johnstone. Originally from the Geelong Falcons, Meesen was a first round selection for Adelaide at pick number 8 in the 2004 National Draft but he managed to feature in only two AFL games for the Crows and neither of them was anything to write home about. He played most of his football in the City of Churches playing for the SANFL's Redlegs – Norwood Football Club where he must have come under Bailey's notice when the new Demon coach was an assistant at Port Adelaide. Hopefully, he can bring out the best in what he saw at that level and manage to develop his player into a leading ruckman in the AFL competition because Melbourne's ruck stocks badly need a boost with Jeff White entering the twilight of his career. Given that big men take a while to develop, the Demons are banking on him coming of age and blossoming as an AFL ruckman in the next couple of seasons. Meesen is ready, willing and keen and displayed that by telling the club’s website Melbournefc.com.au, "I am really thrilled to be joining the Melbourne Football Club and can't wait to get stuck into pre-season training on October 31." General Manager of Recruiting and List Management Craig Cameron said, "[w]e are very pleased that we were able to strike a deal to get John to join the Club. John is an outstanding runner and at only 21 years of age, has plenty of potential to become a long term player with the Melbourne Football Club." A nice welcome but the trading away of a talented footballer and introduction of a relatively untried young ruckman are not of themselves enough to inspire the possibility of a return to the finals. Surely, there's more? Speaking on SEN however, Cameron indicated that that there was nothing on the table for tomorrow's final four hours of trading before the week's activities draw to a close at 2.00pm. Naturally, he couldn't entirely rule out the possibility of more exchanges because there's always a chance of a last minute deal on the final day of trade week. Whether or not there is more to come as a result of the final day's trading really begs the question where Melbourne is concerned. Since Bailey was appointed coach, he has signalled a change in (I hate using this word but I will here) "culture" at the Melbourne Football Club with his delistings and his fearless approach to trading. The main problem with the club on the field in recent years has been the inconsistency of its performance. There are moves afoot to ensure that the problem is overcome and that the team will finally find itself on more solid ground.

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY FOUR by The Oracle ON SOLID GROUND The first thing I remember about footy is the peanut seller who used to ply his trade at Princes Park carrying a large Hessian bag full of shelled peanuts but there's nothing else about my debut appearance at a VFL ground that rebounds from the memory banks. I remember things from my teenage days like the rough and tumble gasometer wing at Arden Street, the foul stench of the toilets in the outer at Windy Hill, the tasteless, colourless hot dogs at Victoria Park, the engine drivers sounding their sirens as the trains whizzed past the sardine can shaped Glenferrie Oval and the creaky wooden stands at Albert Park where South Melbourne used to play. Later still, there was the perpetually boggy Moorabbin Oval and the rain swept VFL Park at Waverley while nowadays you have the toffy bars at the Dome but there's absolutely nothing like the M.C.G. The place is the very pinnacle not only of football grounds but also of international cricket and other sports. I reflect on the ground at this time because it's only a matter of weeks since it held crowds of close to a hundred thousand on successive weekends of the AFL finals series. However, the one ingredient that was sadly missed at the MCG was the presence of the club that was founded there and that has called the ground its home for almost 150 years. Are we ever going to relive the glory days of the Melbourne Football Club when the team was a power of the competition playing at the best ground in the country, the best in the world? Yesterday, on the fourth day of trade week, the new Demon regime headed by coach Dean Bailey sent a message to its players, supporters and the football world at large. The players who represent the club will be part of a brave new world of football – a changed landscape where the team will be expected to play the game with passion. The game of football will no longer be simply a ritual at Melbourne – the new management means business. The kind of business you do in the month of September at the M.C.G. On the day when Carlton and the Eagles finally put the Judd Saga to rest, the Demons completed two deals of their own. In the first, they gave away their most talented footballer, a man with silken skills and unbridled ability to play the game at the highest level. Travis Johnstone put in ten years at the club but for all of his ability, he never really reached the dizzy heights one expects these days from a number one draft pick. Recently Paul Roos was talking up Jude Bolton and he mentioned that his player would not be traded cheaply because he had finished in the top ten of the club best and fairest for three years in succession. Despite his undoubted talents, Johnstone had done that on only three occasions in his decade at the club, albeit that in 2005 he actually took home the "Bluey". However, given that when the 2008 season starts he will be nudging 28 years of age -well past the club's under 23 benchmark for the concentration of its football talent - Trapper was let go to Brisbane after representing the club 160 times for a first round draft selection at number 14. That's life in modern day football. On the same day that it shed itself of a player recruited in the first round of a national draft, Melbourne also gained a first rounder in 21 year old 201 cm tall ruckman John Meesen who has had an altogether different history to that of Johnstone. Originally from the Geelong Falcons, Meesen was a first round selection for Adelaide at pick number 8 in the 2004 National Draft but he managed to feature in only two AFL games for the Crows and neither of them was anything to write home about. He played most of his football in the City of Churches playing for the SANFL's Redlegs – Norwood Football Club where he must have come under Bailey's notice when the new Demon coach was an assistant at Port Adelaide. Hopefully, he can bring out the best in what he saw at that level and manage to develop his player into a leading ruckman in the AFL competition because Melbourne's ruck stocks badly need a boost with Jeff White entering the twilight of his career. Given that big men take a while to develop, the Demons are banking on him coming of age and blossoming as an AFL ruckman in the next couple of seasons. Meesen is ready, willing and keen and displayed that by telling the club’s website Melbournefc.com.au, "I am really thrilled to be joining the Melbourne Football Club and can't wait to get stuck into pre-season training on October 31." General Manager of Recruiting and List Management Craig Cameron said, "[w]e are very pleased that we were able to strike a deal to get John to join the Club. John is an outstanding runner and at only 21 years of age, has plenty of potential to become a long term player with the Melbourne Football Club." A nice welcome but the trading away of a talented footballer and introduction of a relatively untried young ruckman are not of themselves enough to inspire the possibility of a return to the finals. Surely, there's more? Speaking on SEN however, Cameron indicated that that there was nothing on the table for tomorrow's final four hours of trading before the week's activities draw to a close at 2.00pm. Naturally, he couldn't entirely rule out the possibility of more exchanges because there's always a chance of a last minute deal on the final day of trade week. Whether or not there is more to come as a result of the final day's trading really begs the question where Melbourne is concerned. Since Bailey was appointed coach, he has signalled a change in (I hate using this word but I will here) "culture" at the Melbourne Football Club with his delistings and his fearless approach to trading. The main problem with the club on the field in recent years has been the inconsistency of its performance. There are moves afoot to ensure that the problem is overcome and that the team will finally find itself on more solid ground.

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY THREE by The Oracle THE EMPTY PASSENGER SEAT Yesterday was one of the toughest days of my working life. For the past week and a half I've been dreading the prospect of facing up to the coming ordeal but I knew that the day would eventually come and when it came, I was going to hurt badly ... The organisation for which I work has two or three regional offices and yesterday was the day when I had to make my monthly trip down Princes Highway to Corio Bay and our branch office in the very heart of Cat country. It was my first visit since the team that the locals call the "greatest team of all" won the AFL Premiership Cup and the Norm Smith Medal and the Brownlow Medal and the VFL Premiership and the JJ Liston Medal and the Nab Rising Star Award and weren't the locals going to be keen to tell me all about it? I was set to travel down with a junior staff member but I received a call from management the evening before advising I would be travelling solo. Something about the company cutting costs and the lad had been given the pink slip. That was fine by me because the kid is a Blues fan and I much preferred having an empty passenger seat to an hour of earbashing about the man with the golden groin as an entree to what was going to hit me at the end of the ride. The blue and white streamers were evident even before the Ford Factory came into sight. The locals carried ear to ear grins and the entire flock of them weren't backward in coming forward about their recent triumph. Once the usual formalities were over, I was on the receiving end of sufficient earfuls about the local football team to last me a lifetime. I stopped them all in their tracks when I mentioned the fact that head office was currently heavily into cost cutting. They understood that part well because as delightful as it might be for their team to win a flag, it was less fun to celebrate it while on the dole! So we rolled up our sleeves and got down to some work. Everyone tried their hardest but such is the extent of the euphoria around the place that eventually our concentration lapsed and it was back to some sort of football related discussion. The thing that I learned was that Geelong's triumphant football season was working wonders for the psyche of Victoria's second city. The average citizen here has undergone an enormous boost in morale and I was happy for them because they've been through some tough times over the years. I found it strange however, that nobody was interested in what was going on in the rest of the country during the trade week. They simply didn't care. Mention the possible trading of Steven King to the Saints and you were met with a yawn. Bring up Henry Playfair or Charlie Gardiner and the subject would turn back to a description of Steve Johnson's miracle goals and Paul Chapman's aerial display in taking that hanger. As for Chris Judd, who in hell was he? The locals were happy with life, with the reappointment of Bomber Thompson as coach and with their football team. It was perfect just as it was thank you. They were content to grab Larry Donohue's boy as a father/son selection and maybe they would pick up another couple of locals in the draft, hopefully from the Geelong Falcons, and that was it. It was as if the rest of the world simply doesn't exist. The only person wanting to discuss anything other than the Cats' premiership victory was a relative newcomer to the organisation, a young lady from New South Wales who said she didn't know much about the game but she did have a football scoop for me. Suddenly, I was all ears. It seems that the son of someone from home has been offered a position on the Eagles' rookie list for 2008. His name is Ryan Davis and apparently he is their NSW scholarship holder. She wanted to know if he might step straight into the team to replace Chris Judd. I'm such a terrible liar so when I eventually stopped laughing, I simply responded in the negative. At least she was right about not knowing much about the game! It dawned upon me that as long as I remained in Sleepy Hollow the exchange week was going be a non-event. I had entered a time warp and had travelled back to last year when, at the half way mark of the same week nothing had happened - not even in the background and certainly not in the corridors of football power. But back in 2007 and in the real world outside, things were stirring. I knocked back the opportunity to take part in a liquid lunch at a fashionable bar near the office, worked through lunchtime and was on my way back in the direction of town by mid afternoon. I tuned into SEN and suddenly found that I was in a different world – a world that was buzzing with rumours as many new names were surfacing in connection with the trades. The trade week was gathering a momentum of its own and, by the end of the day, the key stories were: Judd was just about over the line in precisely the trade that certain Carlton fans in the know were boasting about almost a month ago when the Juddster announced he was walking out of Perth. Draft picks 3 and 20 plus Josh Kennedy. I needed no further convincing that the claims they had made at the time about it being a done deal were true from the start. It was the Carlton of old – "whatever we want we get because we’ve got the money and we’re prepared to splash it around to get what we want." The rest of Juddmania was a mere charade. Ironically, there was also a story about the multi-million dollar out-of-court settlement that had been brokered for Vizy with the ACCC – the group belonging to the Blues' chairman over some alleged collusion over price fixing. I was wondering what the kid might have been saying had he been in occupation of the empty front passenger seat of my vehicle. Port Adelaide was being offered Richmond forward Jay Schulz in a deal that would see Jordan McMahon end up with the Power and Damon White off to Whitten Oval. Adelaide was figuring strongly in a move for the Kangaroos' big man Brad Moran and Port Adelaide half-back Brad Symes while Crows' ruckman Ben Hudson was virtually signed, sealed and delivered by the Western Bulldogs. Sydney midfielders Jude Bolton and Adam Schneider were on the move, the latter bound for St Kilda. There was significant enquiry about Hawthorn forward Tim Boyle. In turn, the Hawks had their eyes on out-of-contract Richmond onballer Danny Meyer. Melbourne was active on a number of fronts but, like most of the other trades, nothing had yet been officially consummated. The big news from Demonland was that Travis Johnstone and his manager were in Brisbane while the Lions were seeking to pull off a trade coup that involved a trade for ruckman Cameron Wood who was to go to Collingwood in return for pick number 14 and Magpie defender Rhyce Shaw. Chris Johnson's name was associated with a possible move to St. Kilda in return for a third round draft pick. The Demons would then have two of those, one of which would surely be sent in the direction of Adelaide for ruckman John Meesen. Ironically, Johnson was due to leave next week on a 10 day trip to China with the Demons as part of a leadership program. I glanced at the empty passenger seat to my left, wondered whether there would be a similar void on Monday's flight and reflected on how much the sport of football had become like any other part of the business world. It could well be that Brad Miller might take Johnson's seat on the flight to the Orient because the Demons seem to be adamant that he will remain at the club as will Brock McLean who has shrugged off the flak from a couple of incidents in Europe and re-signed for another two years. The view from the outside seems to be that the club is heading in the right direction as Dean Bailey continues to imbue it with his own particular down to earth philosophy based on a strong work ethic. The first training session under the new regime at the end of the month promises to be full of interest. The drive home in the direction of the city end of the highway was nearing its end. I couldn't help but feel the hope welling in my heart that perhaps this time next year, I would be like the folk down in Geelong - celebrating an event that hasn't happened for 44 years and not having a care about the trade winds blowing all around me.

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY THREE by The Oracle THE EMPTY PASSENGER SEAT Yesterday was one of the toughest days of my working life. For the past week and a half I've been dreading the prospect of facing up to the coming ordeal but I knew that the day would eventually come and when it came, I was going to hurt badly ... The organisation for which I work has two or three regional offices and yesterday was the day when I had to make my monthly trip down Princes Highway to Corio Bay and our branch office in the very heart of Cat country. It was my first visit since the team that the locals call the "greatest team of all" won the AFL Premiership Cup and the Norm Smith Medal and the Brownlow Medal and the VFL Premiership and the JJ Liston Medal and the Nab Rising Star Award and weren't the locals going to be keen to tell me all about it? I was set to travel down with a junior staff member but I received a call from management the evening before advising I would be travelling solo. Something about the company cutting costs and the lad had been given the pink slip. That was fine by me because the kid is a Blues fan and I much preferred having an empty passenger seat to an hour of earbashing about the man with the golden groin as an entree to what was going to hit me at the end of the ride. The blue and white streamers were evident even before the Ford Factory came into sight. The locals carried ear to ear grins and the entire flock of them weren't backward in coming forward about their recent triumph. Once the usual formalities were over, I was on the receiving end of sufficient earfuls about the local football team to last me a lifetime. I stopped them all in their tracks when I mentioned the fact that head office was currently heavily into cost cutting. They understood that part well because as delightful as it might be for their team to win a flag, it was less fun to celebrate it while on the dole! So we rolled up our sleeves and got down to some work. Everyone tried their hardest but such is the extent of the euphoria around the place that eventually our concentration lapsed and it was back to some sort of football related discussion. The thing that I learned was that Geelong's triumphant football season was working wonders for the psyche of Victoria's second city. The average citizen here has undergone an enormous boost in morale and I was happy for them because they've been through some tough times over the years. I found it strange however, that nobody was interested in what was going on in the rest of the country during the trade week. They simply didn't care. Mention the possible trading of Steven King to the Saints and you were met with a yawn. Bring up Henry Playfair or Charlie Gardiner and the subject would turn back to a description of Steve Johnson's miracle goals and Paul Chapman's aerial display in taking that hanger. As for Chris Judd, who in hell was he? The locals were happy with life, with the reappointment of Bomber Thompson as coach and with their football team. It was perfect just as it was thank you. They were content to grab Larry Donohue's boy as a father/son selection and maybe they would pick up another couple of locals in the draft, hopefully from the Geelong Falcons, and that was it. It was as if the rest of the world simply doesn't exist. The only person wanting to discuss anything other than the Cats' premiership victory was a relative newcomer to the organisation, a young lady from New South Wales who said she didn't know much about the game but she did have a football scoop for me. Suddenly, I was all ears. It seems that the son of someone from home has been offered a position on the Eagles' rookie list for 2008. His name is Ryan Davis and apparently he is their NSW scholarship holder. She wanted to know if he might step straight into the team to replace Chris Judd. I'm such a terrible liar so when I eventually stopped laughing, I simply responded in the negative. At least she was right about not knowing much about the game! It dawned upon me that as long as I remained in Sleepy Hollow the exchange week was going be a non-event. I had entered a time warp and had travelled back to last year when, at the half way mark of the same week nothing had happened - not even in the background and certainly not in the corridors of football power. But back in 2007 and in the real world outside, things were stirring. I knocked back the opportunity to take part in a liquid lunch at a fashionable bar near the office, worked through lunchtime and was on my way back in the direction of town by mid afternoon. I tuned into SEN and suddenly found that I was in a different world – a world that was buzzing with rumours as many new names were surfacing in connection with the trades. The trade week was gathering a momentum of its own and, by the end of the day, the key stories were: Judd was just about over the line in precisely the trade that certain Carlton fans in the know were boasting about almost a month ago when the Juddster announced he was walking out of Perth. Draft picks 3 and 20 plus Josh Kennedy. I needed no further convincing that the claims they had made at the time about it being a done deal were true from the start. It was the Carlton of old – "whatever we want we get because we’ve got the money and we’re prepared to splash it around to get what we want." The rest of Juddmania was a mere charade. Ironically, there was also a story about the multi-million dollar out-of-court settlement that had been brokered for Vizy with the ACCC – the group belonging to the Blues' chairman over some alleged collusion over price fixing. I was wondering what the kid might have been saying had he been in occupation of the empty front passenger seat of my vehicle. Port Adelaide was being offered Richmond forward Jay Schulz in a deal that would see Jordan McMahon end up with the Power and Damon White off to Whitten Oval. Adelaide was figuring strongly in a move for the Kangaroos' big man Brad Moran and Port Adelaide half-back Brad Symes while Crows' ruckman Ben Hudson was virtually signed, sealed and delivered by the Western Bulldogs. Sydney midfielders Jude Bolton and Adam Schneider were on the move, the latter bound for St Kilda. There was significant enquiry about Hawthorn forward Tim Boyle. In turn, the Hawks had their eyes on out-of-contract Richmond onballer Danny Meyer. Melbourne was active on a number of fronts but, like most of the other trades, nothing had yet been officially consummated. The big news from Demonland was that Travis Johnstone and his manager were in Brisbane while the Lions were seeking to pull off a trade coup that involved a trade for ruckman Cameron Wood who was to go to Collingwood in return for pick number 14 and Magpie defender Rhyce Shaw. Chris Johnson's name was associated with a possible move to St. Kilda in return for a third round draft pick. The Demons would then have two of those, one of which would surely be sent in the direction of Adelaide for ruckman John Meesen. Ironically, Johnson was due to leave next week on a 10 day trip to China with the Demons as part of a leadership program. I glanced at the empty passenger seat to my left, wondered whether there would be a similar void on Monday's flight and reflected on how much the sport of football had become like any other part of the business world. It could well be that Brad Miller might take Johnson's seat on the flight to the Orient because the Demons seem to be adamant that he will remain at the club as will Brock McLean who has shrugged off the flak from a couple of incidents in Europe and re-signed for another two years. The view from the outside seems to be that the club is heading in the right direction as Dean Bailey continues to imbue it with his own particular down to earth philosophy based on a strong work ethic. The first training session under the new regime at the end of the month promises to be full of interest. The drive home in the direction of the city end of the highway was nearing its end. I couldn't help but feel the hope welling in my heart that perhaps this time next year, I would be like the folk down in Geelong - celebrating an event that hasn't happened for 44 years and not having a care about the trade winds blowing all around me.

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY TWO by the Oracle A BUTTERFLY FLAPS ITS WINGS The trade week continued to throw up surprises yesterday with Sydney premiership player Jude Bolton joining Travis Johnstone on the growing list of midfield talent whose names have come up for mention by the men who sit at AFL club negotiating tables. The pair will always pale into insignificance however, when compared to the big midfield name of trade week whose status still remains up in the air. The Blues and the Eagles remained deadlocked overnight on Chris Judd although officials of both clubs are optimistic about their negotiations reaching a conclusion some time soon. Richmond is hovering in the background with an offer of draft picks number 2, 18 and 19 for the 24-year-old Brownlow Medallist but the Juddster remains committed to the Blues and it has been suggested that he would bypass the Tigers if he went into the Pre season Draft by putting in a demand for a first year salary of $2million. Will someone please tell me that it's not all about the money and that he's really leaving Perth for "family reasons"? The first official deal was concluded yesterday with the Sydney Swans taking Adelaide running defender Martin Mattner in exchange for their second national draft pick, the 28th overall while the Western Bulldogs are closing in on two deals. Ben Hudson is headed to the Whitten Oval with Adelaide agreeing to accept an unspecified second-round pick for the ruckman. Whilst the Dogs have pick number 22 in the second round they are seeking to acquire a later pick in the round to pass on to the Crows. They are also set to snare Geelong's Tim Callan with their last pick. A plethora of other trade deals were being bandied about yesterday. Among them were: - The Saints, who lead the list of clubs crying out for more ruck strength, were linked with former Geelong captain and premiership ruckman Steven King. The Cats are likely to get pick number 26 in exchange. This would also ensure that Mark Blake remains with Geelong. Meanwhile Collingwood is pursuing Brisbane Lion ruckman Cameron Wood and are prepared to offer their first-round selection, pick number 14. If that deal is done, Travis Johnstone could leave Melbourne for northern climes with the Lions on-trading their newly acquired selection to the Demons. Johnstone is due back from Bangkok today to discuss his future with manager Alex McDonald. It could well be that he will remember his 42 possession game against the Blues in round 22 as his last in the red and blue. Hawthorn is desperate for a key defender and has rekindled its interest in Carlton's Bret Thornton who, at one stage last year, committed himself to join the Hawks. The name of Brisbane Lions' small man, Rhan Hooper emerged on the trade scene after the Tigers showed interest. Amon Buchanan and Adam Schneider joined Jude Bolton on the Harbour City "for sale" list. Kepler Bradley could be headed home with a place at Fremantle on offer. The number of names being named is mind-boggling but we know that many mooted trades will fizzle out and die by the end of the week. The main interest remains on the high profile Judd Saga but there are other trades which have a much lower profile and yet could end up having far reaching consequences going far beyond the apparent importance of the concluded trade. One example of this could be West Coast's possible trading of out-of-contract forward Mitch Morton to Richmond in a deal that could involve the clubs in exchanging their second round draft picks. Morton's brother Cale is a highly rated utility who won the Larke medal as the best and fairest player in Division One in this year's Under 18 National Championships. The 192 cm Morton, who has been likened to retiring Bomber James Hird, is a long kicking, one touch playmaker who would most likely be targeted to join his brother at Tigerland via the second pick overall in the national draft. This would leave the Eagles in a bit of a quandary. Assuming the Blues retain their number one pick and go according to the book by selecting Northern Knights ruckman Matthew Kreuzer, the next best available player would arguably be another Knight in brilliant midfield prospect Trent Cotchin. Cotchin is all class and matches his great skills with pace to burn. Unfortunately, his form at the national carnival was ordinary as he laboured under heavy tagging tactics and, just when things were looking up again, he broke a foot during the Nab Cup Under 18 finals series. Such things would not of themselves normally diminish his status as a desirable early draft selection but if the Eagles snare pick number 3 in the Judd trade, then they face a dilemma. The problem will be whether they should take Cotchin (who may not be all that keen to travel west) as the best player available or should they overlook him in favour of the home grown talented bunch of young Sandgropers who played a major role in WA's brilliant showing in the NAB AFL Under-18 championships this year when it won the division one title in devastating fashion. A total of eight West Australians were rewarded with All Australian representation from the carnival including Morton, Chris Masten, Rhys Palmer, Patrick McGinnity, David Myers, Alex Rance, Daniel Rich and Nicholas Naitanui. The two latter players are ineligible because of their age but the others are all potential first round selections at this year's national draft and any one of Masten, Palmer and Rance could finish in the top five. The Eagles have been sadly disappointed by the defection of their skipper in Judd and they might be reluctant to travel down the same path with a reluctant Cotchin particularly if they take a liking to a Masten or a Palmer. That could see Cotchin falling to pick four in the draft allowing the Demons to reap a very handy bonus because they would surely pick him without much hesitation. That possibility is not a strong one but the situation highlights the fact that there are many facets to the trade week activities and that not all of them are manifested directly in the trades themselves. What was that about butterflies flapping their wings somewhere above the Amazon River?

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY TWO by the Oracle A BUTTERFLY FLAPS ITS WINGS The trade week continued to throw up surprises yesterday with Sydney premiership player Jude Bolton joining Travis Johnstone on the growing list of midfield talent whose names have come up for mention by the men who sit at AFL club negotiating tables. The pair will always pale into insignificance however, when compared to the big midfield name of trade week whose status still remains up in the air. The Blues and the Eagles remained deadlocked overnight on Chris Judd although officials of both clubs are optimistic about their negotiations reaching a conclusion some time soon. Richmond is hovering in the background with an offer of draft picks number 2, 18 and 19 for the 24-year-old Brownlow Medallist but the Juddster remains committed to the Blues and it has been suggested that he would bypass the Tigers if he went into the Pre season Draft by putting in a demand for a first year salary of $2million. Will someone please tell me that it's not all about the money and that he's really leaving Perth for "family reasons"? The first official deal was concluded yesterday with the Sydney Swans taking Adelaide running defender Martin Mattner in exchange for their second national draft pick, the 28th overall while the Western Bulldogs are closing in on two deals. Ben Hudson is headed to the Whitten Oval with Adelaide agreeing to accept an unspecified second-round pick for the ruckman. Whilst the Dogs have pick number 22 in the second round they are seeking to acquire a later pick in the round to pass on to the Crows. They are also set to snare Geelong's Tim Callan with their last pick. A plethora of other trade deals were being bandied about yesterday. Among them were: - The Saints, who lead the list of clubs crying out for more ruck strength, were linked with former Geelong captain and premiership ruckman Steven King. The Cats are likely to get pick number 26 in exchange. This would also ensure that Mark Blake remains with Geelong. Meanwhile Collingwood is pursuing Brisbane Lion ruckman Cameron Wood and are prepared to offer their first-round selection, pick number 14. If that deal is done, Travis Johnstone could leave Melbourne for northern climes with the Lions on-trading their newly acquired selection to the Demons. Johnstone is due back from Bangkok today to discuss his future with manager Alex McDonald. It could well be that he will remember his 42 possession game against the Blues in round 22 as his last in the red and blue. Hawthorn is desperate for a key defender and has rekindled its interest in Carlton's Bret Thornton who, at one stage last year, committed himself to join the Hawks. The name of Brisbane Lions' small man, Rhan Hooper emerged on the trade scene after the Tigers showed interest. Amon Buchanan and Adam Schneider joined Jude Bolton on the Harbour City "for sale" list. Kepler Bradley could be headed home with a place at Fremantle on offer. The number of names being named is mind-boggling but we know that many mooted trades will fizzle out and die by the end of the week. The main interest remains on the high profile Judd Saga but there are other trades which have a much lower profile and yet could end up having far reaching consequences going far beyond the apparent importance of the concluded trade. One example of this could be West Coast's possible trading of out-of-contract forward Mitch Morton to Richmond in a deal that could involve the clubs in exchanging their second round draft picks. Morton's brother Cale is a highly rated utility who won the Larke medal as the best and fairest player in Division One in this year's Under 18 National Championships. The 192 cm Morton, who has been likened to retiring Bomber James Hird, is a long kicking, one touch playmaker who would most likely be targeted to join his brother at Tigerland via the second pick overall in the national draft. This would leave the Eagles in a bit of a quandary. Assuming the Blues retain their number one pick and go according to the book by selecting Northern Knights ruckman Matthew Kreuzer, the next best available player would arguably be another Knight in brilliant midfield prospect Trent Cotchin. Cotchin is all class and matches his great skills with pace to burn. Unfortunately, his form at the national carnival was ordinary as he laboured under heavy tagging tactics and, just when things were looking up again, he broke a foot during the Nab Cup Under 18 finals series. Such things would not of themselves normally diminish his status as a desirable early draft selection but if the Eagles snare pick number 3 in the Judd trade, then they face a dilemma. The problem will be whether they should take Cotchin (who may not be all that keen to travel west) as the best player available or should they overlook him in favour of the home grown talented bunch of young Sandgropers who played a major role in WA's brilliant showing in the NAB AFL Under-18 championships this year when it won the division one title in devastating fashion. A total of eight West Australians were rewarded with All Australian representation from the carnival including Morton, Chris Masten, Rhys Palmer, Patrick McGinnity, David Myers, Alex Rance, Daniel Rich and Nicholas Naitanui. The two latter players are ineligible because of their age but the others are all potential first round selections at this year's national draft and any one of Masten, Palmer and Rance could finish in the top five. The Eagles have been sadly disappointed by the defection of their skipper in Judd and they might be reluctant to travel down the same path with a reluctant Cotchin particularly if they take a liking to a Masten or a Palmer. That could see Cotchin falling to pick four in the draft allowing the Demons to reap a very handy bonus because they would surely pick him without much hesitation. That possibility is not a strong one but the situation highlights the fact that there are many facets to the trade week activities and that not all of them are manifested directly in the trades themselves. What was that about butterflies flapping their wings somewhere above the Amazon River?

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY ONE by the Oracle BEHIND THE SCENES Who said nothing ever happens on the first day of trade week? Well, er … I did. It's true that there were no deals done on the opening day of proceedings and it may well be that the number of trades finalised by the end of the week will fail to reach double figures again but there was certainly a lot going on behind the scenes at Telstra Dome yesterday. Apart from the wheeling and dealing that always transpires when club recruiting officers meet formally for the first time in trade week, you could also get a feel of the direction some of the clubs are about to take in the future. Some will remain constant in their approach while others will change dramatically. The Swans, for instance, are still travelling along the old road that they have comfortably travelled upon throughout the Paul Roos years – the building up of their side through the recruitment of mature players. They offered their third-round draft pick for Crows defender Martin Mattner and naturally, Adelaide wants more for the player they didn't have sufficient faith in to select in their team when the finals came along this year. That's good old fashioned horse trading at its best! But the winds of change are also blowing. Essendon is intent on accumulating draft picks to allow new coach Matthew Knights to concentrate on redeveloping with youth. The Bombers kicked off with the drafting of key position prospect Darcy Daniher under the AFL's new father/son bidding system after they trumped a bid by the Kangaroos. Daniher will go to the Bombers for their third round national draft pick, number 39 overall. We learned a lot about Melbourne and the direction it is intent on taking under new coach Dean Bailey. When he arrived on the scene, we were promised an interesting ride and a new emphasis on youth and on the group of mainly under 23 players upon whose shoulders the new coach hopes to pin the club's future. The mooted change of direction was sharply pushed into focus with the news that contracted players Travis Johnstone and Nathan Carroll have both been put up for trade. Yesterday recruiting manager Craig Cameron said that 27 year old Johnstone, the Demons' 2005 best-and-fairest winner, has not yet attracted much interest from the other clubs but it is reported this morning that at least two clubs have made enquiries. Football manager Chris Connolly said, "There's been a lot of interest. Solid interest." Connolly would not name clubs, but it is understood Sydney is one of them. Key defender Carroll, who turns 27 next week and was in contention for All Australian honours last year, has not yet sparked significant interest but now that his name's out there, the wheels are sure to start turning. Brad Miller is also attracting interest from … who else? Sydney. Meanwhile, it was revealed that Melbourne offered its third round-selection, pick number 37, for Adelaide ruckman John Meesen. The offer was refused by the Crows who want a second-round selection for the player chosen with pick eight in the 2004 national draft. Since then Meesen has played two AFL games. With a record like that, he'll go for a third rounder or something thereabouts or be picked up for nothing in the pre season draft. The influence of Bailey was clearly seen in the vision of his body language and the confident manner in which he strode into the Telstra Dome to herald the start of trade week. He exuded confidence and it's clear that he is taking over the team with a definite purpose and direction. His position on the silky skilled Johnstone is one that suggests he will follow through with his intentions. He has "spoken to him clearly", Connolly indicated. If Johnstone does stay, he will be a different player to the talented footballer who has largely underachieved in the decade since he was selected with the number one draft pick in 1997. If he goes, his new club will have to pay the right price. I couldn't help but contrast Bailey's demeanour with that of Blues coach Brett Ratten who seemed a little out of place and remained very much in the background as his club's chief executive Greg Swann revealed that negotiations with West Coast over Chris Judd would be kept simple and that the trade week's biggest deal would be done with minimal fuss. The Blues last night were asking Josh Kennedy to move back home to Perth along with picks number 3 and 20 for the Eagles to make way for the man with the golden groin. Carlton has also shown an interest in Brisbane's Richard Hadley, who is out of contract. In other news:- In addition to Darcy Daniher going to Essendon, two other players will also be heading to the clubs where their fathers played. Jaxson Barham, son of Ricky, will go to Collingwood and Adam Donohue, son of Larry, is bound for Geelong. Both clubs will get their players in return for their final selections in the national draft as no other clubs bid for them in yesterday's pre trade week auction of father/sons. West Coast is also well down the track on trading out-of-contract forward Mitch Morton to Richmond in a deal involving the Tigers giving the Eagles selection number 18 in return for pick number 30. The Crows want a second round draft pick for out-of-contract ruckman Ben Hudson, who wants to join the Western Bulldogs who are offering Sam Power and Jordan McMahon up for trade - to Brisbane and Port respectively - to get draft picks to appease Adelaide. Hawk key forward Tim Boyle drew the interest of many clubs and could be on his way to Adelaide while Port Adelaide's Damon White also drew the attention of several clubs. The most sought after group of players are the ruckmen with Geelong's Mark Blake and Steven King, Brisbane's Cameron Wood joining Hudson and Meesen as players of interest. There's still a long way to go and club recruiting people were showing no sign of tiredness as the week's activities opened. If you're still not tired of the trade news, you can follow the trade action from Monday of Trade Week with Peter Donegan and Graeme Bond here - AFL TRADE WEEK NEWSDESK - PART ONE That is, if you have another twenty minutes or so to spare!

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: DAY ONE by the Oracle BEHIND THE SCENES Who said nothing ever happens on the first day of trade week? Well, er … I did. It's true that there were no deals done on the opening day of proceedings and it may well be that the number of trades finalised by the end of the week will fail to reach double figures again but there was certainly a lot going on behind the scenes at Telstra Dome yesterday. Apart from the wheeling and dealing that always transpires when club recruiting officers meet formally for the first time in trade week, you could also get a feel of the direction some of the clubs are about to take in the future. Some will remain constant in their approach while others will change dramatically. The Swans, for instance, are still travelling along the old road that they have comfortably travelled upon throughout the Paul Roos years – the building up of their side through the recruitment of mature players. They offered their third-round draft pick for Crows defender Martin Mattner and naturally, Adelaide wants more for the player they didn't have sufficient faith in to select in their team when the finals came along this year. That's good old fashioned horse trading at its best! But the winds of change are also blowing. Essendon is intent on accumulating draft picks to allow new coach Matthew Knights to concentrate on redeveloping with youth. The Bombers kicked off with the drafting of key position prospect Darcy Daniher under the AFL's new father/son bidding system after they trumped a bid by the Kangaroos. Daniher will go to the Bombers for their third round national draft pick, number 39 overall. We learned a lot about Melbourne and the direction it is intent on taking under new coach Dean Bailey. When he arrived on the scene, we were promised an interesting ride and a new emphasis on youth and on the group of mainly under 23 players upon whose shoulders the new coach hopes to pin the club's future. The mooted change of direction was sharply pushed into focus with the news that contracted players Travis Johnstone and Nathan Carroll have both been put up for trade. Yesterday recruiting manager Craig Cameron said that 27 year old Johnstone, the Demons' 2005 best-and-fairest winner, has not yet attracted much interest from the other clubs but it is reported this morning that at least two clubs have made enquiries. Football manager Chris Connolly said, "There's been a lot of interest. Solid interest." Connolly would not name clubs, but it is understood Sydney is one of them. Key defender Carroll, who turns 27 next week and was in contention for All Australian honours last year, has not yet sparked significant interest but now that his name's out there, the wheels are sure to start turning. Brad Miller is also attracting interest from … who else? Sydney. Meanwhile, it was revealed that Melbourne offered its third round-selection, pick number 37, for Adelaide ruckman John Meesen. The offer was refused by the Crows who want a second-round selection for the player chosen with pick eight in the 2004 national draft. Since then Meesen has played two AFL games. With a record like that, he'll go for a third rounder or something thereabouts or be picked up for nothing in the pre season draft. The influence of Bailey was clearly seen in the vision of his body language and the confident manner in which he strode into the Telstra Dome to herald the start of trade week. He exuded confidence and it's clear that he is taking over the team with a definite purpose and direction. His position on the silky skilled Johnstone is one that suggests he will follow through with his intentions. He has "spoken to him clearly", Connolly indicated. If Johnstone does stay, he will be a different player to the talented footballer who has largely underachieved in the decade since he was selected with the number one draft pick in 1997. If he goes, his new club will have to pay the right price. I couldn't help but contrast Bailey's demeanour with that of Blues coach Brett Ratten who seemed a little out of place and remained very much in the background as his club's chief executive Greg Swann revealed that negotiations with West Coast over Chris Judd would be kept simple and that the trade week's biggest deal would be done with minimal fuss. The Blues last night were asking Josh Kennedy to move back home to Perth along with picks number 3 and 20 for the Eagles to make way for the man with the golden groin. Carlton has also shown an interest in Brisbane's Richard Hadley, who is out of contract. In other news:- In addition to Darcy Daniher going to Essendon, two other players will also be heading to the clubs where their fathers played. Jaxson Barham, son of Ricky, will go to Collingwood and Adam Donohue, son of Larry, is bound for Geelong. Both clubs will get their players in return for their final selections in the national draft as no other clubs bid for them in yesterday's pre trade week auction of father/sons. West Coast is also well down the track on trading out-of-contract forward Mitch Morton to Richmond in a deal involving the Tigers giving the Eagles selection number 18 in return for pick number 30. The Crows want a second round draft pick for out-of-contract ruckman Ben Hudson, who wants to join the Western Bulldogs who are offering Sam Power and Jordan McMahon up for trade - to Brisbane and Port respectively - to get draft picks to appease Adelaide. Hawk key forward Tim Boyle drew the interest of many clubs and could be on his way to Adelaide while Port Adelaide's Damon White also drew the attention of several clubs. The most sought after group of players are the ruckmen with Geelong's Mark Blake and Steven King, Brisbane's Cameron Wood joining Hudson and Meesen as players of interest. There's still a long way to go and club recruiting people were showing no sign of tiredness as the week's activities opened. If you're still not tired of the trade news, you can follow the trade action from Monday of Trade Week with Peter Donegan and Graeme Bond here - AFL TRADE WEEK NEWSDESK - PART ONE That is, if you have another twenty minutes or so to spare!

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: ZERO HOUR by the Oracle FATHERS, SONS AND OTHER DISTRACTIONS "Representatives of the 16 AFL clubs will all meet at Telstra Dome on Monday, 8 October 2007 to discuss their options for the Exchange Period, which concludes at 2.00pm on Friday 12 October 2007. The clubs will meet from 10.30am-2.45pm at Telstra Dome" - AFL Exchange Period Rules and Regulations. To observe the opening of trade week is akin to watching grass grow. The usual scenario on this day is that nothing much happens apart from the normal introductory discussions and some huffing and puffing in small doses. Generally, we have to wait until the third day comes along before the first trade is done but most of the action takes place in a whirlwind final half hour on Friday afternoon. The problem is that every year there are usually one or two big trades going down that require intricate arrangements to be completed between a number of clubs. Until the larger dominoes fall, everything else must wait. As a result, the whole process almost grinds to a halt in the early part of the week, boredom sets in among those who watch the events closely and the action only hots up towards the final day. Last year the problem was the closing of two separate big deals that involved Jason Akermanis and Peter Everitt respectively. The latter was finalised in the last few minutes before the Friday 2.00 pm deadline. This year's worry is the possibility that, despite his manager's insistence that it be resolved by tomorrow, the Judd Saga might continue until deep into the week causing everything else to go into lockdown. In the past, player managers have complained that this presents a major barrier to consumating the lesser deals. Some never make it across the line; careers can be made or broken as a result. One of these days the AFL will wake up and do something. One thing the AFL has done is that it has introduced an interesting adaptation to the father/son rule. "Any clubs wishing to nominate eligible players as a father/son selection for this year's 2007 NAB AFL Draft must do so by 2.00pm Friday, 5 October 2007. The bidding meeting for any nominated players will be at 10.00am on Monday, 8 October 2007. Each other club in the competition has the option to bid, in reverse ladder order, for that nominated player. If a bid is made, the club that nominated the father/son player must use its next available selection if it wishes to retain hold on that player. If the club nominating the father/son player declines to match the selection nominated, the club with the successful bid must use that selection at the Draft. Any club that makes a successful bid on a father/son selection is bound to the pick they nominate. If no bid is made by another club, the club that nominated the father/son eligible player will forfeit its last selection in the draft to select the player" - AFL Exchange Period Rules and Regulations. This year the sons of Ricky Barham (Jaxson to Collingwood), Larry Donohue (Adam to Geelong) and Anthony Daniher (Darcy to Essendon) have nominated under the rule. Previously clubs could use a third-round pick on their father/son selections but now, other clubs can bid for the players. The new system is obviously in its embryonic stage and we don't yet know how things will pan out when put into practice. The main interest today will centre on Darcy Daniher, a tall key position player who starred for the Calder Cannons in the recent TAC Cup Under 18 Grand Final victory. Once the father/son issue is out of the way, proceedings will start in earnest. The key rules to note in the trading/drafting process are A club may exchange a player or players on its primary list for a player or players on the primary list of another club; A club may exchange a player or players on its primary list for the draft selection or draft selections of another club; A club may exchange a player or players on its primary list for a combination of a player, players, draft selection or draft selection of another club; A club may exchange a draft selection or draft selections for a draft selection or draft selections of another club; No more than five players shall be exchanged by any one club. No more than three players shall be exchanged by any one club in any one transaction, or series of related or interdependent transactions. A club cannot on-trade a player received in any exchange until the following year. A club may exchange a draft selection it has received from another club, provided that the selection is not traded directly back to that club. Where the exchange of a player(s) and draft selection(s) involves more than two clubs, it is not a requirement that each club involved in the transaction make an exchange between each other. Any draft selection received in an exchange does not need to be exercised. However, any club that passes on a draft selection shall be excluded from exercising any remaining selections at that same meeting. Each of the clubs will have its own priorities for the trade week and the recruiting managers have had their say on the AFL Website. Melbourne's General manager recruiting and list manager Craig Cameron puts his aspirations for the week this way - "We'll probably have a fairly low key approach and we'll look to trade, but we'll think we can build our team around our 23 and under players. We've still got a number of older players that we think can be really good contributors as well. We'd like to get some more draft picks in if we could – second- or third-round picks – and if we could trade in a player who is in that 23 or under age bracket that helps us in a specific area, then we'd like to do that too. Overall we'd like to get some more picks for November." That position reflects the fact that Cameron has been building a list over the past four or five drafts and some of the youngsters selected are now closing in on their prime but have yet to reach their peak. At the same time, new coach Dean Bailey, has promised supporters that the emphasis will swing towards development of the club's youth stocks. The introduction of the right chemistry could see a massive improvement among this group as a whole in 2008. Getting back to the trades and numerous players have already been mentioned in despatches for possible player swaps. Some are named because they happen to be out of contract, others because they may not be wanted by their own clubs or because they are wanted by others. Some are perennials in trade talk while others are speculative at best. Among the names that have come up are - Adelaide - Matthew Bode, John Hinge, Ben Hudson, Luke Jericho, John Meeson, Luke Perrie. Brisbane – Jed Adcock, Robert Copeland, Anthony Corrie, Richard Hadley, Beau McDonald, Troy Selwood, Justin Sherman, Cameron Wood, Carlton – Adam Bentick, Paul Bower, Brendan Fevola, Adam Hartlett, Ryan Jackson, Josh Kennedy, Lance Whitnall. Collingwood – Chris Bryan, Ben Davies, Alan Didak, Chris Egan, Josh Fraser, Guy Richards. Essendon – Kepler Bradley, Ricky Dyson, Courtney Johns, Mark Johnson. Fremantle – Ryley Dunn, Justin Longmuir, Ryan Murphy, Byron Schammer, James Walker, Robert Warnock. Geelong – Mark Blake, Tim Callan, Steven King, Henry Playfair, Brent Prismall, Kane Tenace. Hawthorn – Michael Osborne, Mark Williams. Kangaroos – Leigh Brown, Matt Campbell, Brad Moran, David Trotter, Shannon Watt. Melbourne – Aaron Davey, Ryan Ferguson, Chris Johnson, Travis Johnstone, Brad Miller. Port Adelaide – Brad Symes, Damon White. Richmond – Andrew Krakouer, Richard Tambling. St. Kilda – Andrew McQualter, Steven Milne, Fergus Watts. Sydney – Paul Bevan, Darren Jolly, Luke Vogels. West Coast – Chris Judd, Ben McKinley, Mitch Morton, Mark Nicoski. Western Bulldogs – Farren Ray, Jordan McMahon, Sam Power, Wayde Skipper. You can bet that most of these names will come up for discussion during the week along with many others but only a small percentage will change clubs. That's the way of trade week. Last year, the number of trades done across the board didn't even make double figures. That may have been partly due to the perception that the 2006 draft pool was strong. Conventional wisdom this year is that it's not as deep as last year. Draft picks are the other bargaining chips of trade week. This is how they line up before the exchange period starts – Priority – 1 Carlton Round One: 2 Richmond 3 Carlton 4 Melbourne 5 Western Bulldogs 6 Essendon 7 Fremantle 8 Brisbane 9 St. Kilda 10 Adelaide 11 Sydney 12 Hawthorn 13 West Coast 14 Collingwood 15 Kangaroos 16 Port Adelaide 17 Geelong Priority - 18 Richmond Round Two - 19 Richmond 20 Carlton 21 Melbourne 22 Western Bulldogs 23 Essendon 24 Fremantle 25 Brisbane 26 St. Kilda 27 Adelaide 28 Sydney 29 Hawthorn 30 West Coast 31 Collingwood 32 Kangaroos 33 Port Adelaide 34 Geelong Round Three - 35 Richmond 36 Carlton 37 Melbourne 38 Western Bulldogs 39 Essendon 40 Fremantle 41 Brisbane 42 St. Kilda 43 Adelaide 44 Sydney 45 Hawthorn 46 West Coast 47 Collingwood 48 Kangaroos 49 Port Adelaide 50 Geelong Round Four - 51 Richmond 52 Carlton 53 Melbourne 54 Western Bulldogs 55 Essendon 56 Fremantle 57 Brisbane 58 St. Kilda 59 Adelaide 60 Sydney 61 Hawthorn 62 West Coast 63 Collingwood 64 Kangaroos 65 Port Adelaide 66 Geelong Round Five - 67 Richmond 68 Carlton 69 Melbourne 70 Western Bulldogs 71 Essendon 72 Fremantle 73 Brisbane 74 St. Kilda 75 Adelaide 76 Sydney 77 Hawthorn 78 West Coast 79 Collingwood 80 Kangaroos 81 Port Adelaide 82 Geelong The draft will go to further rounds as required to fulfil each club's quota of players. And so the week begins ...

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: PRELUDE by the Oracle THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GROIN Tomorrow morning it's "game on" for the 16 AFL clubs as they officially return en masse to the bargaining tables to take part in exchange week. The recruiting managers of each club will distribute their lists of tradable and non-tradeable names, haggle over the horse flesh and play the standard game of bluff and bluster in order to acquire and trade players and draft picks. This is all done in the cause of improving your club's playing list as it marches hopefully onwards in its quest for the Holy Grail – an AFL premiership. Somehow, this year feels different and so it should because unofficially, we've already been through a very public form of horse-trading over the past month. It has come to be known as the "Chris Judd Saga". Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews got it right when he described the process by which Judd put his suitor clubs through the hoops as "distasteful." I think it was more than just distasteful; it was obscene, crass and pathetic. It demeaned the clubs involved and more importantly it demeaned the major player – Judd himself. In the beginning, Judd was the blue-eyed wholesome kid who had done the hard yards at his adopted club and wanted to come him to kith and kin. The criteria for his return were laid out in a logical and principled manner. Tick the boxes and he's yours. The boxes included a strong club with excellent values, the best people, good prospects of success, playing on the best grounds and having good facilities going into the future. Of course, we all knew he wouldn't come cheaply but the clubs were prepared to pay the price and besides, who ever mentioned money? Four clubs, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon and Melbourne were invited to submit to the process and while Demons were early outsiders, the strength of their presentation and the fact that Judd supported the club as a youngster, suddenly had them up there as favourites for his services. The romantic notion that, in this day of commercialism, a player would go back to the club whose jumper he wore as a kid was seductive and compelling. Then reality suddenly hit and the kid dumped two clubs on the same day – Essendon and Melbourne. It was like a game of double eviction on Big Brother and it came across as insulting to the clubs that were being evicted one by one. Collingwood fell the following day and the winner was ... The winner was Carlton, which really ticked none of the boxes when you consider its recent history and the culture it has built up in recent years. The winner was a club that so clearly epitomises failure in its recent past that very few doubt it tanked games in the last half of this season in order to "win" the prize of a priority draft pick which now gives it leverage in the trade battle to win over its new prized possession. The winner was the club that offers the biggest pot of gold and that's what makes the Judd saga so obscene. Don't get me wrong - the fellow is fully entitled to his full whack. However, things would have been different had it been made clear at the outset that the prize would go to the highest bidder. In any event, the fact that it appears that the winner was more or less preordained has made the process and its main players look decidedly shonky in the eyes of much of the football public. In the meantime, the rumour mill worked overtime in the fortnight during which Judd was conducting his "selection" process. Players and draft picks were going here, there and everywhere as clubs were allegedly jostling for better positions to enable them to cobble together deals that might be acceptable to the West Coast Eagles if Judd decided to place his faith with them. The speculation as to Carlton's offer however, was fixed on National Draft pick 3 and Josh Kennedy or another player with possibly pick 20 thrown in as a sweetener. The Eagles say they want pick one thrown in but the Blues won't give that away – they want Northern Knights ruckman Matthew Kreuzer. Various plots are being hatched to break the stalemate and we can expect much more of the above in the coming week. Two years ago, the first trade deal done in exchange week involved Fergus Watt, then a five game player with the Crows, joining the Saints for their first round selection - No.17 overall. At the time I asked the question - "What price Chris Judd?" That question is still being asked today.

THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2007: PRELUDE by the Oracle THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GROIN Tomorrow morning it's "game on" for the 16 AFL clubs as they officially return en masse to the bargaining tables to take part in exchange week. The recruiting managers of each club will distribute their lists of tradable and non-tradeable names, haggle over the horse flesh and play the standard game of bluff and bluster in order to acquire and trade players and draft picks. This is all done in the cause of improving your club's playing list as it marches hopefully onwards in its quest for the Holy Grail – an AFL premiership. Somehow, this year feels different and so it should because unofficially, we've already been through a very public form of horse-trading over the past month. It has come to be known as the "Chris Judd Saga". Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews got it right when he described the process by which Judd put his suitor clubs through the hoops as "distasteful." I think it was more than just distasteful; it was obscene, crass and pathetic. It demeaned the clubs involved and more importantly it demeaned the major player – Judd himself. In the beginning, Judd was the blue-eyed wholesome kid who had done the hard yards at his adopted club and wanted to come him to kith and kin. The criteria for his return were laid out in a logical and principled manner. Tick the boxes and he's yours. The boxes included a strong club with excellent values, the best people, good prospects of success, playing on the best grounds and having good facilities going into the future. Of course, we all knew he wouldn't come cheaply but the clubs were prepared to pay the price and besides, who ever mentioned money? Four clubs, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon and Melbourne were invited to submit to the process and while Demons were early outsiders, the strength of their presentation and the fact that Judd supported the club as a youngster, suddenly had them up there as favourites for his services. The romantic notion that, in this day of commercialism, a player would go back to the club whose jumper he wore as a kid was seductive and compelling. Then reality suddenly hit and the kid dumped two clubs on the same day – Essendon and Melbourne. It was like a game of double eviction on Big Brother and it came across as insulting to the clubs that were being evicted one by one. Collingwood fell the following day and the winner was ... The winner was Carlton, which really ticked none of the boxes when you consider its recent history and the culture it has built up in recent years. The winner was a club that so clearly epitomises failure in its recent past that very few doubt it tanked games in the last half of this season in order to "win" the prize of a priority draft pick which now gives it leverage in the trade battle to win over its new prized possession. The winner was the club that offers the biggest pot of gold and that's what makes the Judd saga so obscene. Don't get me wrong - the fellow is fully entitled to his full whack. However, things would have been different had it been made clear at the outset that the prize would go to the highest bidder. In any event, the fact that it appears that the winner was more or less preordained has made the process and its main players look decidedly shonky in the eyes of much of the football public. In the meantime, the rumour mill worked overtime in the fortnight during which Judd was conducting his "selection" process. Players and draft picks were going here, there and everywhere as clubs were allegedly jostling for better positions to enable them to cobble together deals that might be acceptable to the West Coast Eagles if Judd decided to place his faith with them. The speculation as to Carlton's offer however, was fixed on National Draft pick 3 and Josh Kennedy or another player with possibly pick 20 thrown in as a sweetener. The Eagles say they want pick one thrown in but the Blues won't give that away – they want Northern Knights ruckman Matthew Kreuzer. Various plots are being hatched to break the stalemate and we can expect much more of the above in the coming week. Two years ago, the first trade deal done in exchange week involved Fergus Watt, then a five game player with the Crows, joining the Saints for their first round selection - No.17 overall. At the time I asked the question - "What price Chris Judd?" That question is still being asked today.

by The Oracle When the final siren sounds on grand final day, many footy supporters turn their attention in other directions and their thoughts return only fleetingly over the summer before the hurly burly starts again around the month of March. For others though, the post finals period is full of interest and anticipation – it's the time when changes start happening to their club's playing lists and for those whose teams missed out on the glory of the season past, it's a time to reflect on what's needed to bring their lists up to scratch and how to go about achieving an improved playing list. The starting point is always your existing group and in the case of the Melbourne Football Club, we've already witnessed some changes. Here's the list that represented the Demons in 2007 (with 40 of the 44 taking their places on the AFL stage if you count rookie Daniel Hughes' Nab Cup appearance): - MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - PLAYING LIST SEASON 2007: SENIOR LIST: Clint Bartram, Matthew Bate, Daniel Bell, Clint Bizzell, Nathan Brown, Cameron Bruce, Simon Buckley, Nathan Carroll, Aaron Davey, Lynden Dunn, Ryan Ferguson, James Frawley, Colin Garland, Simon Godfrey, Brad Green, Ben Holland, Mark Jamar, Chris Johnson, Paul Johnson, Travis Johnstone, Nathan Jones, James McDonald, Brock McLean, Brad Miller, Brent Moloney, Heath Neville, Michael Newton, Ricky Petterd, Byron Pickett, Jared Rivers, Russell Robertson, Colin Sylvia, Daniel Ward, Matthew Warnock, Isaac Weetra, Paul Wheatley, Matthew Whelan, Jeff White. VETERAN LIST: David Neitz, Adem Yze. ROOKIE LIST: Jace Bode*, Daniel Hayes, Daniel Hughes, Shane Neaves. * uplifted rookie The retirements of Bizzell, Brown and Pickett and the delisting of Godfrey, Neville, Ward and rookies Hayes and Neaves have already reduced the list to 36 and more changes are on the way under the AFL Draft process that started earlier this week with the NAB AFL Draft Camp which concluded yesterday. The process continues next week with the exchange period and culminates with two drafts over the coming months. The first of these sees the National Draft take place on Saturday 24 November followed by the Pre Season and Rookie Drafts on 11 December by which dates the lists will have been done and dusted in readiness for the 2008 season. THE DRAFT PROCESS The full list of key dates that form the 2007 NAB AFL Draft Process are: - Tuesday 2 October to Friday 5 October - NAB AFL Draft Camp Saturday 6 October Victorian State Screening Session Monday 8 October to Friday 12 October 2.00 pm Exchange Period Saturday 13 October South Australian State Screening Session Sunday 14 October Western Australian State Screening Session Wednesday 31 October 2.00 pm List Lodgement One, including rookie promotions, retained second year rookies and father / son selections Wednesday 14 November 2.00 pm Draft Nominations Close Friday 16 November 2.00 pm List Lodgement Two Wednesday 21 November 2.00 pm Delisted Player Nominations Close Saturday 24 November 10.00 am NAB AFL Draft Selection Meeting Tuesday 27 November 27 2.00 pm Uncontracted Listed Player Nominations Close Friday 30 November 2.00 pm List Lodgement Three and TPP Estimates Friday 7 December 7 2.00 pm Delisted Player Nominations Close Tuesday 11 December 10.00 am NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft Selection Meeting Tuesday 11 December 10.15 am Nomination of Brisbane Lions and Sydney eligible rookie list players Tuesday 11 December 10.30am NAB AFL Rookie Draft Selection Meeting NAB AFL DRAFT CAMP The cream of the nation's young footballers was on show at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. Seventy-two youngsters were measured up and assessed by the AFL club recruiting people and they went through a series of tests and interviews. Club recruiting officers will review all aspects of the player’s make up including his history, academic record and personal aspirations. The players who impress during the Camp will often be prominent when the first names are called out at the AFL National Draft on 24 November. Provision has also been made to test more than a hundred others at half-day screening camps held in the capital cities. The following players attended the 2007 NAB AFL Draft Camp - Victoria (42): Ashley Arrowsmith, Darcy Daniher, Mitchell Farmer, Jeremy Laidler, Adam Maric, James Polkinghorne (Calder Cannons), Scott Selwood, Robbie Tarrant (Bendigo Pioneers), Steven Gaertner, Jarrod Grant, John McCarthy, Scott Simpson (Dandenong Stingrays), Michael Dell'Aquila, Matthew Lobbe (Eastern Rangers), Ed Curnow, Patrick Dangerfield, Lachie Henderson, Chris Kangars, Guy O’Keefe (Geelong Falcons), Brent Connelly, Jackson Hall, Haelan Kay, Dan McKenna (Gippsland Power), Ashley Hockey, Ben McEvoy, Ryan Normington, Dawson Simpson (Murray Bushrangers), Matt Austin, Clayton Hinkley (North Ballarat Rebels), Trent Cotchin, Jack Grimes, Matthew Kreuzer, Brett Meredith, Patrick Veszpremi, David Zaharakis Northern Knights), Harry Croft, Lachie Hill, Andrew Ottens, Hugh Sandilands (Oakleigh Chargers), Myke Cook (Sandringham Dragons), Will Sullivan, Callan Ward (Western Jets). Western Australia (17) Matthew DeBoer, Patrick McGinnity, Cale Morton, Simon Starling (Claremont), Chris Masten, Rhys Palmer (East Fremantle), Tayte Pears, Luke Sampey (East Perth), Cruize Garlett, Chris Mayne, David Myers (Perth), David Gourdis, Jarrhan Jacky (Subiaco), Peter Bonney, Tony Notte, Alex Rance (Swan Districts), Steven Browne (West Perth). Queensland (7) Joel Smouha (Mt. Gravatt), James Mulligan (Southport), John Williams (University of Qld), Joey Daye, David Hill, Sam Reid, Brendan Whitecross (Zillmere). South Australia (5) Brad Ebert, Levi Greenwood (Port Adelaide), Tom McNamara, Nick Murphy (South Adelaide), Jared Petrenko (WWT Eagles). Tasmania (4) Jay Bowden, Aaron Joseph (Glenorchy), Tom Collier (Lauderdale), Tom Bellchambers (Northern Bombers). Northern Territory (2) Cyril Rioli (St. Marys), Marlon Motlop (Wanderers). New South Wales (1) Tony Armstrong (Calder Cannons) The results of the draft camp tests are filtering through and these are posted here. You can be sure however, that the cream will rise to the top with this sort of testing - Kreuzer still the one by a mile "It took just three days at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra this week for Matthew Kreuzer to reinforce what every AFL club recruiter already knew - he is the best young talent in Australia." EXCHANGE PERIOD The fun and games really start next week with the exchange period. Judging on the last few seasons there might not be too many shock waves although much will depend on what happens with the Chris Judd situation which, like most other things to do with the trades, is still up in the air. Coming: The Trading Chronicles

CHANGES 2007: TRADING AND DRAFTING - PART ONE by The Oracle When the final siren sounds on grand final day, many footy supporters turn their attention in other directions and their thoughts return only fleetingly over the summer before the hurly burly starts again around the month of March. For others though, the post finals period is full of interest and anticipation – it's the time when changes start happening to their club's playing lists and for those whose teams missed out on the glory of the season past, it's a time to reflect on what's needed to bring their lists up to scratch and how to go about achieving an improved playing list. The starting point is always your existing group and in the case of the Melbourne Football Club, we've already witnessed some changes. Here's the list that represented the Demons in 2007 (with 40 of the 44 taking their places on the AFL stage if you count rookie Daniel Hughes' Nab Cup appearance): - MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - PLAYING LIST SEASON 2007: SENIOR LIST: Clint Bartram, Matthew Bate, Daniel Bell, Clint Bizzell, Nathan Brown, Cameron Bruce, Simon Buckley, Nathan Carroll, Aaron Davey, Lynden Dunn, Ryan Ferguson, James Frawley, Colin Garland, Simon Godfrey, Brad Green, Ben Holland, Mark Jamar, Chris Johnson, Paul Johnson, Travis Johnstone, Nathan Jones, James McDonald, Brock McLean, Brad Miller, Brent Moloney, Heath Neville, Michael Newton, Ricky Petterd, Byron Pickett, Jared Rivers, Russell Robertson, Colin Sylvia, Daniel Ward, Matthew Warnock, Isaac Weetra, Paul Wheatley, Matthew Whelan, Jeff White. VETERAN LIST: David Neitz, Adem Yze. ROOKIE LIST: Jace Bode*, Daniel Hayes, Daniel Hughes, Shane Neaves. * uplifted rookie The retirements of Bizzell, Brown and Pickett and the delisting of Godfrey, Neville, Ward and rookies Hayes and Neaves have already reduced the list to 36 and more changes are on the way under the AFL Draft process that started earlier this week with the NAB AFL Draft Camp which concluded yesterday. The process continues next week with the exchange period and culminates with two drafts over the coming months. The first of these sees the National Draft take place on Saturday 24 November followed by the Pre Season and Rookie Drafts on 11 December by which dates the lists will have been done and dusted in readiness for the 2008 season. THE DRAFT PROCESS The full list of key dates that form the 2007 NAB AFL Draft Process are: - Tuesday 2 October to Friday 5 October - NAB AFL Draft Camp Saturday 6 October Victorian State Screening Session Monday 8 October to Friday 12 October 2.00 pm Exchange Period Saturday 13 October South Australian State Screening Session Sunday 14 October Western Australian State Screening Session Wednesday 31 October 2.00 pm List Lodgement One, including rookie promotions, retained second year rookies and father / son selections Wednesday 14 November 2.00 pm Draft Nominations Close Friday 16 November 2.00 pm List Lodgement Two Wednesday 21 November 2.00 pm Delisted Player Nominations Close Saturday 24 November 10.00 am NAB AFL Draft Selection Meeting Tuesday 27 November 27 2.00 pm Uncontracted Listed Player Nominations Close Friday 30 November 2.00 pm List Lodgement Three and TPP Estimates Friday 7 December 7 2.00 pm Delisted Player Nominations Close Tuesday 11 December 10.00 am NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft Selection Meeting Tuesday 11 December 10.15 am Nomination of Brisbane Lions and Sydney eligible rookie list players Tuesday 11 December 10.30am NAB AFL Rookie Draft Selection Meeting NAB AFL DRAFT CAMP The cream of the nation's young footballers was on show at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. Seventy-two youngsters were measured up and assessed by the AFL club recruiting people and they went through a series of tests and interviews. Club recruiting officers will review all aspects of the player’s make up including his history, academic record and personal aspirations. The players who impress during the Camp will often be prominent when the first names are called out at the AFL National Draft on 24 November. Provision has also been made to test more than a hundred others at half-day screening camps held in the capital cities. The following players attended the 2007 NAB AFL Draft Camp - Victoria (42): Ashley Arrowsmith, Darcy Daniher, Mitchell Farmer, Jeremy Laidler, Adam Maric, James Polkinghorne (Calder Cannons), Scott Selwood, Robbie Tarrant (Bendigo Pioneers), Steven Gaertner, Jarrod Grant, John McCarthy, Scott Simpson (Dandenong Stingrays), Michael Dell'Aquila, Matthew Lobbe (Eastern Rangers), Ed Curnow, Patrick Dangerfield, Lachie Henderson, Chris Kangars, Guy O’Keefe (Geelong Falcons), Brent Connelly, Jackson Hall, Haelan Kay, Dan McKenna (Gippsland Power), Ashley Hockey, Ben McEvoy, Ryan Normington, Dawson Simpson (Murray Bushrangers), Matt Austin, Clayton Hinkley (North Ballarat Rebels), Trent Cotchin, Jack Grimes, Matthew Kreuzer, Brett Meredith, Patrick Veszpremi, David Zaharakis Northern Knights), Harry Croft, Lachie Hill, Andrew Ottens, Hugh Sandilands (Oakleigh Chargers), Myke Cook (Sandringham Dragons), Will Sullivan, Callan Ward (Western Jets). Western Australia (17) Matthew DeBoer, Patrick McGinnity, Cale Morton, Simon Starling (Claremont), Chris Masten, Rhys Palmer (East Fremantle), Tayte Pears, Luke Sampey (East Perth), Cruize Garlett, Chris Mayne, David Myers (Perth), David Gourdis, Jarrhan Jacky (Subiaco), Peter Bonney, Tony Notte, Alex Rance (Swan Districts), Steven Browne (West Perth). Queensland (7) Joel Smouha (Mt. Gravatt), James Mulligan (Southport), John Williams (University of Qld), Joey Daye, David Hill, Sam Reid, Brendan Whitecross (Zillmere). South Australia (5) Brad Ebert, Levi Greenwood (Port Adelaide), Tom McNamara, Nick Murphy (South Adelaide), Jared Petrenko (WWT Eagles). Tasmania (4) Jay Bowden, Aaron Joseph (Glenorchy), Tom Collier (Lauderdale), Tom Bellchambers (Northern Bombers). Northern Territory (2) Cyril Rioli (St. Marys), Marlon Motlop (Wanderers). New South Wales (1) Tony Armstrong (Calder Cannons) The results of the draft camp tests are filtering through and these are posted here. You can be sure however, that the cream will rise to the top with this sort of testing - Kreuzer still the one by a mile "It took just three days at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra this week for Matthew Kreuzer to reinforce what every AFL club recruiter already knew - he is the best young talent in Australia." EXCHANGE PERIOD The fun and games really start next week with the exchange period. Judging on the last few seasons there might not be too many shock waves although much will depend on what happens with the Chris Judd situation which, like most other things to do with the trades, is still up in the air. Coming: The Trading Chronicles

Please people. Let's not have any personal attacks. If you have a point to make or want to refute someone's argument, do so but please be mindful of our rules and respectful of other people's rights to say what they think (even if you think they're stup id) Cheers

by Whispering Jack (with statistics and notes from Sam the Stats Man) There was a time when I seriously thought about abandoning the annual Demonland Melbourne Football Club player rankings for the end of the 2007 altogether. I was finding it difficult to seriously rank the entire playing list from 1 to 44 in light of the club's season from hell with injuries. In the end, I settled on a top ten but, even then, I wasn't altogether happy with that. When I finally decided on the make up of my top ten the spectre of old age and injury loomed large. The list which includes two thirty year olds and another nudging 29 years of age is far too heavy in terms of the veterans of the club for my liking. Another 30 year old in Nathan Brown, one of three retirees, came very close to making the top group. Over at Essendon over 30's in James Hird and Dustin Fletcher quinellad Essendon's best and fairest award and another oldie in Scott Lucas came fourth and was their top goalkicker and I know that experience is necessary on every list, but the Demons still have one of the AFL's oldest lists and, even allowing for the fact that we've had a few retirements and delistings from among the "oldies", it doesn't bode well for the future when you consider that Melbourne was out of contention early on and finished in the bottom four. To compound the situation, there were players who made the top ten notwithstanding that they missed games with injury or played hurt. You didn't achieve such a high ranking in 2006 unless you were free of injury for most of the season - if you were incapacitated for more than a few games, you generally found yourself in the bottom quartile of my rankings. This year, it was different with a few of my top ten having injury interrupted seasons and with so many others missing the odd games here and there as well. Jeff White was the only player to take the field for every one of the club's 22 matches. So instead of ranking players from 1 to 44, I'm accompanying my top ten with a few other groupings to encompass some information and notes on the entire list for 2007. There's a small group of rising stars, a couple of players getting special mentions, the list of the battle scarred from the infirmary and the rest. As you will see, some of the club's best players can be found in the latter two categories. The list was done and dusted before the outcome of Monday night's Keith "Bluey" Truscott medal winner was announced. It came as no surprise that James McDonald won the club's best and fairest. He also topped my rankings. However, one of the big surprises of the night was Matthew Bate's strong polling and his third place finish. He limped onto my list with a ninth placing but will be a regular at both the Blueys and on my list for years to come. He's also one of my rising stars along with best and fairest runner up Nathan Jones who I ranked fourth. I also want to make mention of two players who disappointed in 2007, the club's top draftees from 2003 in Colin Sylvia and Brock McLean. Yes, they have had their injury problems but on the evidence of this year, their performances both on and off the field haven't measured up to their high draft positions. That might be a harsh conclusion but new coach Dean Bailey will no doubt be letting them both know that they are now reaching the prime of their sporting lives and that they need to knuckle down over the off season to produce the form that the football world expects from them. Not that this fact will keep the critics at bay (I have no doubt that there will be debate about the rankings so is my usual word of warning about them) but please note my rankings are the personal opinion of one individual. It is not a best and fairest award but an assessment of where the players were at by the end of the season with major emphasis on how they performed in 2007. It will all change by the start of 2008 and I don't expect everybody to agree with me. THE TOP TEN 1. James McDonald MFC 21 games 3 goals – while he struggled to uphold the high standard he set in 2006, Junior was a consistent performer who led the club in kicks, handballs, clearances and tackles. The statistical evidence of his worth to the team is overwhelming and the football department recognised his efforts by voting him as the club champion for the second year in a row. Not bad for a kid who came off the rookie list! 2. Brad Green MFC 18 games 13 goals – after a slow start and a setback with a hamstring injury Green was a valuable contributor in the midfield with his game against the Crows one of the highlights. He also did well on the rare occasions when he was moved into the forward line and probably isn't used there enough. 3. Cameron Bruce 16 games 9 goals - whilst by no means a world beater this season, Bruce was a versatile member of the team who displayed a great work rate. His kicking however, has been awful of late and he will have to work on that area over summer. Also missed games with hamstring and other injuries. 4. Nathan Jones 21 games 10 goals - the rising star among the Demon young guns taking out third place in the NAB Rising Star Award and second in the "Bluey". He added great bite to the Demon midfield with his in and under efforts which were often a highlight of some otherwise dull games for the Demons. Makes up for a lack of pace with his huge engine, skills and endeavour. 5. Jeff White MFC 22 games 7 goals – still the club's number 1 ruckman and capable of some good football despite finding things tougher against the bigger opponents these days. The only Demon to play every game this season, he often battled in the ruck with little support despite giving away centimetres to his opponents on most weeks. 6. Travis Johnstone MFC 15 games 7 goals SFC Seniors 1 game 0 goals - was strongly tagged early, worked his way back into form but was then dogged by Achilles heel problems. A silky smooth performer who was to the fore in the final round with a season's high 42 disposals of the football. 7. Russell RobertsonMFC 15 games 42 goals SFC Seniors 1 game 4 goals – despite missing several weeks after hurting a knee late in the Round 2 game against Hawthorn, he was easily the club's leading goal kicker and played a significant role in the team's handful of victories for the year He was at his best against the likes of Carlton and Collingwood. Under the new coaching regime will be reminded that he can't do it all on his own. Has a new two year contract with the club. 8. Daniel Bell MFC 17 games 1 goal – has started to fulfil his early promise with some excellent games in defence where he combined strength, pace and endurance to advantage despite having to work under extreme pressure on a weekly basis. Injured a hamstring early in the Essendon game and was out of action for a month before coming back and displaying good form until Ben Johnson careered into him with an illegal head high hit to end his season a fortnight early. 9. Matthew Bate MFC 19 games 19 goals – an exciting prospect whose confidence and belief in himself grew. Played a number of roles and showed great maturity when moved to the centre half forward post. 10. Aaron Davey MFC 18 games 24 goals - not a sensational year from Davey. When he was good, he was very good and when he was bad, he wasn't much good. Was outed with suspension after a retaliatory strike cost him two matches through suspension. Needs to control his temper - especially against taggers. RISING STARS Matthew Bate – see TOP TEN. Lynden Dunn MFC 12 games 9 goals SFC Seniors 9 games 14 goals SFC Reserves 1 game 0 goals – suffered a setback early with a serious facial injury which kept him out of the first couple of rounds and was then hot and cold on his return to the AFL. Lifted a notch when moved into the midfield in a run with role, at the same time showing he has great capacity to improve. Nathan Jones – see TOP TEN. Ricky Petterd MFC 9 games 6 goals SFC Seniors 3 games 1 goal - a breath of fresh air, this young recruit showed that he is a quality player with enormous poise and ability in his nine games before suffering a punctured lung during the club's first Carlton walkover. SPECIAL MENTIONS - NUMBERS 30 & 31 Simon Godfrey MFC 17 games 7 goals – although delisted, one cannot help but admire the work ethic and dedication of this 100 gamer. Short a little on the skills of the game but his hard work as a tagger did not go unnoticed (especially by the likes of Adam Goodes and Scott West) and others with more talent could well take note of his determination to play the game at the highest level. Paul Wheatley MFC 14 games 4 goals SFC Seniors 1 game 0 goals – after an injury riddled 2006, he again had his share of injuries and appeared to be playing on with a problem shoulder, but excelled with some solid performances under fire in defence. THE BATTLE SCARRED Clint Bartram MFC 1 game 0 goals - had a limited pre-season after suffering an ankle injury in Round 22, 2006 against Adelaide, Bartram was recalled for the opening game of the season and was used sparingly. He injured a knee at training before Round 2 and then complications set in ultimately bringing his season to a premature end. Cameron Bruce – see TOP TEN. Travis Johnstone – see TOP TEN. Brock McLean MFC 14 games 4 goals - another early season casualty, McLean fractured a foot in the opening round. His return game in round 9 yielded 22 disposals but he had a flat patch for a few weeks and he disappointed when picked to lead the team in Neitz’ absence against the Tigers. He returned to form in a losing side against the Brisbane Lions but having lost two months conditioning, he was unable to produce the consistency expected from him. Brent Moloney MFC 10 games 5 goals SFC Seniors 2 games 0 goals SFC Reserves 1 game 0 goals - was close to Melbourne's best early in the season before a recurrence of groin problems took its toll. Slowly come back through the VFL and returned for a few games but failed to see out the season. David Neitz MFC 15 games 26 goals - missed early games with a knee injury and then a combination of knee, hamstring and broken finger kept him out after the Daniher farewell. Another who struggled to see out the season when he injured his knee against Fremantle in the penultimate round. His average of less than two goals a game was a poor return and it remains to see whether he will retain the captaincy next year. Ricky Petterd – see RISING STARS. Jared Rivers MFC 3 games 0 goals - a succession of injuries kept the club's most talented defender out of the team for all bar three games. A persistent groin problem put him out for the season well before it even reached the half way mark. Russell Robertson – see TOP TEN. Paul Wheatley – see SPECIAL MENTION Matthew Whelan MFC 5 games 0 goals SFC Seniors 3 games 0 goals – in the wars from the very start when he clashed heads with Luke Ball in round 1. Later, it was a foot injury and he missed the rest of the season with an ankle problem. His absence in defence really hurt the team. Adem Yze MFC 8 games 4 goals SFC Seniors 1 game 2 goals - his remarkable run of 226 consecutive matches dating back a decade ended when dropped to the VFL in round 2. Was slowly returning to form when injury struck again and a hernia operation after round 12 put him out for the rest of the year. THE REST Clint Bizzell MFC 10 games 0 goals SFC Seniors 9 games 3 goals - after missing all of last year with injury the veteran defender returned to form in the twilight of his career but lost favour and spent most of the latter part of the season at Sandy. Has now retired. Jace Bode ® MFC 4 games 3 goal SFC Seniors 12 games 3 goals SFC Reserves 4 games 1 goal – injury held him back in his first rookie year but he established himself with the Sandy seniors mainly as a defender or in a run with role and broke into the Demons team late in the season as long term injury replacement. Simon Buckley MFC 6 games 1 goal SFC Seniors 13 games 3 goals – faces a long learning curve as he works his way up through the ranks. Was finally given his chance against Carlton and showed some promise in his six AFL games. Nathan Brown 19 games 3 goals SFC Seniors 2 games 0 goals - the hard running defender was out of form early in the season and was dropped to the VFL a couple of times. In the latter part of the season he played like a man possessed and managed to finish on a high note with some good form in the last month or so of his career. Nathan Carroll MFC 21 games 0 goals SFC Seniors 1 game 1 goal - felt the pressure in a weakened defence but did some good things and led the defence by example and with plenty of courage. Ryan Ferguson MFC 8 games 2 goals SFC Seniors 8 games 8 goals SFC Reserves 2 games 8 goals - the injury prone defender couldn't take a trick during the season. When he finally gained a place in the Demons’ side against West Coast he broke a thumb and missed a month. Had to come back through the Zebra reserves and played well with the seniors before gaining an AFL recall late in the season. Might struggle to hold his place on the list. James Frawley MFC 9 games 0 goals SFC Seniors 1 game 0 goals SFC Reserves 1 game 0 goals - was on course for a Round 1 debut until stress fractures in the foot put him out for almost two months. Came back through the Sandy reserves was hospitalised after being concussed early and then impressed in the seniors at Sandringham. Showed some promising signs and looks capable of filling a key defender’s role when he fills out physically. Colin Garland MFC 2 games 0 goals SFC Seniors 17 games 5 goals - struggled in his two games at AFL level but looked good at times with Sandringham where he showed form at both ends of the ground. Daniel Hayes ® SFC Seniors 1 game 0 goals SFC Reserves 10 games 6 goals – missed much of the pre season due to personal family reasons and was under suspension until mid season as a result of his unavailability for training. Showed up at times in the Zebra reserves but struggled in his only game at VFL senior level and was delisted at the end of the season. Ben Holland MFC 10 games 11 goals SFC Seniors 6 games 9 goals – had a great game when he nullified Collingwood’s Anthony Rocca on Queens Birthday, but struggled at AFL level until late in the season when he rediscovered some form before badly dislocating his shoulder also against the Pies. Daniel Hughes ® SFC Seniors 8 games 7 goals SFC Reserves 4 games 7 goals – his career went into limbo after showing some early form at Sandringham before missing several weeks with a groin problem. Was restrained on return to the Zebra team late in the season. Mark Jamar MFC 10 games 4 goals SFC Seniors 6 game 5 goals SFC Reserves 1 game 0 goals – form as the second ruckman for the Demons was just average before he was dropped to Sandringham where he suffered a hamstring injury. Spent some time at Sandringham before pushing his way back into the Melbourne team but struggled and had a foot operation at the end of the season. Has been offered a two year contract. Chris Johnson MFC 8 games 0 goals SFC Seniors 13 games 5 goals – had a stellar pre season but failed to impress in his early games and was dropped to the VFL. After that he struggled to get a regular game with the Demons despite showing flashes of ability. His career is at the crossroads. Paul Johnson MFC 16 games 2 goals SFC Seniors 4 games 2 goals - grabbed the opportunity in the absence of Mark Jamar and was seemingly the main choice as second ruckman for most of the season. Brad Miller MFC 16 games 10 goals SFC Seniors 4 games 11 goals – another player who struggled early at both ends of the ground. A wrist injury saw him out of the team and he had to work hard for a few weeks at Sandringham before getting his call up as a defender against Carlton. Showed patches of form but not on a regular basis. Shane Neaves ® SFC Seniors 19 games 3 goals SFC Reserves 1 game 1 goal - a developing ruckman at Sandringham but was delisted from the rookie list at the end of the year. Heath NevilleSFC Seniors 5 games 0 goals SFC Reserves 13 games 3 goals – never really cut it at Sandringham and was delisted at the end of the season. Michael Newton MFC 10 games 14 goals SFC Seniors 11 games 31 goals – high flying forward who finally got his chance at the tail end of the Daniher reign as coach and showed that he has some ability winning mark of the year and also the club's most improved award. Byron Pickett MFC 9 games 7 goals SFC Seniors 9 games 9 goals SFC Reserves 1 game 1 goal - came into the season unfit, overweight and with family problems. Was suspended, confined to Sandringham for several weeks and failed to impress on his return against the Tigers. A shoulder injury kept him out for a while before he returned for his last harrah late in the season. SYLVIA, Colin MFC 16 games 12 goals SFC Seniors 1 game 3 goals – is starting to show the form that made him a high draft pick in 2003 as he shrugs off the effects of groin problems that plagued his early years at the club. Still needs to step up a few notches to justify his selection in third palce in the 2003 National Draft. WARD, Daniel MFC 18 games 3 goals SFC Seniors 3 games 0 goals - seized his opportunities with vacancies caused in defence due to injuries and loss of form and while his delivery and decision making is sometimes a problem, he was a valuable contributor. Delisted at the end of the year. WARNOCK, Matthew MFC 2 games 1 goal SFC Seniors 14 games 0 goals - had few opportunities at AFL level but performed consistently in the tight Sandringham defence. WEETRA, Isaac SFC Seniors 1 game 0 goals SFC Reserves 11 games 11 goals - injured hamstring during the preseason and was due to return when it went again. Then, when he recovered from that, he broke his wrist first up in the Zebra twos. He managed on senior VFL game late in the season but had no impact. THE KEITH “BLUEY” TRUSCOTT MEDAL 1: James McDonald 256 2: Nathan Jones 190 3: Matthew Bate 179 4: Brad Green 170 5: Aaron Davey 168 6: Cameron Bruce 167 7: Jeff White 157 8: Brock McLean 131 Equal 9: Nathan Brown 130 Equal 9: Russell Robertson 130 Norm Smith trophy for best team player: Brad Green Jim Hannan Memorial Trophy for best clubman: Lynden Dunn Ron Barassi Jr trophy for most improved: Michael Newton Ian Ridley trophy for Most Consistent: James McDonald Harold Ball Trophy for Best First Year player: Ricky Petterd Troy Broadbridge memorial trophy for most votes in Sandringham’s best and fairest by a Melbourne player: Ryan Ferguson.