In recent years there has been criticism over the length of the AFL trade period.
It has generally stretched 11 days - two working weeks - and most of it has been taken up with nonsensical and inane rumours regarding ridiculous trades, none of which obviously come to pass.
This season the AFL decided to do something different and increase the trade period by a week, but include it with two of the three weeks set aside for the introduction of free agency wheeling and dealing.
Was it successful? How do you measure success If it's all about producing more activity and more players changing clubs and teams achieving their objectives of moving up the draft table with better picks for next month's national draft, you would have to give it a tick. There were 38 deals from either free agency or trades and 35 players will line up in new colours next season.
But in my opinion it's hard to argue against making this period shorter. I still believe a week of free agency followed by a week of trading would virtually produce the same result quantity-wise of player and draft pick movement.
There was plenty of the so-called "steak knives" deals done on the final day. But, with the exception of St Kilda wanting Eagles defender Mitch Brown, homesick Port youngster Ben Jacobs keen on returning to Melbourne to play with the Kangaroos and the controversial Kurt Tippett deal from Adelaide to premier Sydney, most trades were already complete. Every team, in the words of the legendary Hawthorn patriach John Kennedy, did something, although Carlton did the least.
The Blues only secured a late draft selection, 71, for moving Jordan Russell to Collingwood. Melbourne and the Magpies were the busiest, with Collingwood along with Geelong probably the most successful. The Pies lost Chris Dawes to Melbourne and Sharrod Wellingham to West Coast, but replaced like with like. Hawks premiership player Clinton Young is a similar player to Wellingham and so is former Eagle Quentin Lynch in relation to Dawes.
The Cats decided for the first time in several years to bring in players from other clubs, but they targeted specific areas and got their men. The highly talented but homesick Victorian Josh Caddy wanted to come home and will eventually become a key component of the midfield as those greats retire in the next few years. Jared Rivers is a great selection as a key defender from Melbourne to fill Matthew Scarlett's shoes and Hamish McIntosh is an ideal inclusion as their main ruckman from North Melbourne, provided he can stay fit.
The Demons has already made massive alterations to their playing list, losing experienced players such as Rivers and Brent Moloney to Brisbane along with the talented but disappointing Cale Morton to West Coast and Stefan Martin, who joins Moloney at the Lions. But Melbourne welcomes Chris Dawes from Collingwood (which was a win for the club as several teams were keen on him), North Melbourne's Cam Pedersen and David Rodan from Port Adelaide, who has the potential to provide valuable experience and outside run.
Hawthorn and Essendon have also done well, securing probably the best players who changed clubs. The Bombers nabbed Brendon Goddard from the Saints as a restricted free agent. They wouldn't have got him as a trade as the Dons are impossible to deal with in the trade period, while Hawthorn got its big gorilla down back, star full-back Brian Lake, from the Western Bulldogs.
The Dogs are rebuilding and wanted more early draft picks, which they received for Lake. But they now have to use them wisely. Their aim over the past month was to secure more inside midfielders and people of fine quality, which they say they did through Koby Stevens from the Eagles. Whether it helps them win games remains to be seen, but they have selections five and six and must get the best players available.
There was plenty of activity over the past month with the trade and free agency periods, but still many days where clubs, players and their agents were twiddling thumbs. That has to be eliminated.
Tags: australian-football-league, sport, australia First posted October 28, 2012 21:35:39
