7th October, 2019 – The First Day
I don’t know what is worse: Sitting through a nine-hour day at University, slowly working on assessments or constantly checking the AFL app for updates to find out that nothing has been done.
It has been the norm now for years that the opening few days of the trade period has been a slow process, and I understand that. Teams are going to bargain for adequate compensation for losing players – that’s business.
Yet, it’s just ticked over 3:30pm and as I write this latest entry, there have been zero trades made. Developments have been made of course, and that’s a part of what this journal is about: to record those developments as the days go by. Still, it would be nice to have players such as Jon Patton, Sam Jacobs and Adam Tomlinson – players that have been set by a particular club for a while now – get the moves done as soon as possible.
Before I discuss a few developments from the day, I promised to recap the free agency signings, so let’s do it. Brandon Ellis to the Gold Coast Suns on a five-year deal worth around $600,000 dollars a season. Gee whiz, that’s a lot of money to throw at someone that I wouldn’t necessarily brand as an elite-category player. Richmond received a second-round pick as compensation for losing him, which currently stands at Pick 39. This did not please Richmond CEO Brendon Gale, who was expecting a first-round pick in return.
I can understand why this is so, Melbourne got a first-round pick for losing James Frawley five years ago on a decent contract, but come on Brendon, get realistic here. Ellis is not worth a first-round pick and you know that. To have that, would make the already heated discussion about Free Agency compensation picks come under scrutiny even more. Pick 39 is adequate compensation for mine. How Ellis goes at a struggling Suns side next year will be anyone’s guess, but he’s got two premierships to his name and a fat contract that will probably see out the rest of his career: Smart business move for life after football.
Cam Ellis-Yolmen is an interesting signing. I mean it will help Brisbane’s depth in the midfield a fair bit, but how much impact and game time will he get with the likes of Lachie Neale, Jarryd Lyons, Mitch Robinson, Hugh McCluggage and the rest of the gang up North? With Ellis-Yolmen signing a three-year deal, the Crows will get a third-round pick as compensation, which currently sits at pick 48 – not bad considering he’s only played 39 senior games since his debut in 2014.
His comments about leaving Adelaide pretty much confirmed the worst-kept secret in recent years: Adelaide’s culture is broken and with the list of players set to leave this year, it’s not a shock to hear the words ‘Just needed to get out of there’ come out of his lips. Josh Jenkins, Sam Jacobs, Eddie Betts, Alex Keath, Hugh Greenwood all wanting out and rumours of Brad Crouch potentially shopped around, the Crows are blowing the list up.
Which leads me to Joe Daniher wanting to go to the Sydney Swans. Understandable considering that injury has kept him off the park virtually since his All-Australian year in 2017. Without trying to be a cynic, I wonder if this has something to do with their medical staff being a letdown? His running mate in the forward 50 Orazio Fantasia has been rumoured to be wanting out and he too has had similar injury problems. Both men can tear a game apart, but they have struggled to stay fit on the park.
A potential three-way trade between Essendon, Sydney and Carlton has been tossed around over the past week, following Tom Papley’s request to join the Carlton Football Club. This would result in Essendon getting Picks 5 and 9, Carlton getting Papley in exchange for pick nine and the Swans getting Daniher and pick 29 for Papley and Pick 4. On that potential deal, Essendon have fleeced both teams and Carlton would give up a pick in the top 10 for a forward who, whilst good a player, is not worth a top-10 pick. Surely there’s more draft picks that’ll be in play before this gets moving.
Before I piss off out of Swinburne and close out what has been a pretty disappointing opening day of the trade period - and a long day overall, a few things that were brought to my attention that I’d like to address:
This whole Josh Bruce to the Western Bulldogs ordeal is confusing as hell – one minute it has been said that Bruce has accepted a four-year deal with the Dogs, the next minute St. Kilda is telling us he’s a contracted player and that he will be at the Saints in 2020. Pick 32 won’t get the deal done according to Simon Lethlean who is the Football Manager at St. Kilda and I’m afraid he’s right. First of all, he’s a contracted player so that’s already a harder task than it already is, and secondly he is a key forward that kicked 36 goals in what has been a disappointing year at Moorabbin - he's an important piece.
Two things that we need to consider here, St. Kilda don’t have a lot of picks in this year’s draft and will need all the picks they can get their hands on if they’re trying to get the likes of Brad Hill, Paddy Ryder and Zak Jones over the line. The Bulldogs will have to consider what pick they’ll give up for Adelaide defender Alex Keath as well, who nominated the Dogs as his club of preference a week or so ago and I think he won’t come cheap either.
Jamie Elliott – who is a free agent, has ruled out a move to Melbourne, who offered him a three-year deal. This leaves Brisbane – who also have offered a three-year deal – and his current club Collingwood. Personally I’d love to see him stay at the Pies, I love it when players remain loyal and The Pies have stuck with him through injury-ravaged periods, but how scary will Brisbane’s forward line be if Elliott joins up? Something to ponder on today.
With Brad Hill and Ed Langdon all but certain to leave Fremantle, I wouldn’t mind them having a look at Connor Menadue from Richmond, he’s quick, he’s pretty good with the footy and has been starved of opportunities at Richmond, I think he can cement a spot in Fremantle’s best 22 in 2020. Kamdyn McIntosh would also be an ideal fit for mine – would bring in a somewhat experience head in the team.
And finally, Dougal Howard has had a bit of interest from North Melbourne. I firmly believe he would be a great fit for what North Melbourne are looking for, considering that Scott Thompson has called it a day and Robbie Tarrant has hit his 30s. He’s in that age demographic that North are looking for, there’s a lot of good kids coming through now and Howard has had some decent games for Port Adelaide over the past few seasons. To say he’s worth a top-10 pick is completely laughable though. Get your head out of your ass Dwayne Russell
Here’s hoping we get some bloody movement tomorrow. Today was a thorough disappointment – good to write about though.
EDIT: By the time I got home, caught the news that Adam Tomlinson had signed a four-year deal at Melbourne, with the Giants to get an end-of-second round pick as compensation, currently sitting at pick 40. Good for both parties. Here's hoping this gets the ball rolling.
AD