The opening two rounds have seen long-term injuries affect teams, crucially to the point they will curtail their season. Several of these injured players are their teams most important.
The Eagles have lost Mark LeCras and Beau Waters, Lions Jonathon Brown and Brent Staker, Saints Lenny Hayes, Crows Jason Porplyzia and Port Adelaide Dominic Cassisi.
Each of the mentioned players is an automatic selection in the respective 22 and will significantly impact the first half success their team has.
AFL trade week traditionally begins nine days following the grand final where there is little activity until the final few days. Recent rule changes have seen teams able to trade rookie listed players which Geelong utilised in 2009 by trading rookie Shane Mumford to Sydney, where he is now the number one ruckman. Other suggestions have been made to allow teams to trade future draft picks.
The NFL trade system is a very successful one and addresses many of the issues the AFL has in regard to early season injuries to critical players. Prior to the CBA negotiation lockout, a traditional NFL calendar would look a little like:
February: Superbowl. End of season.
March: Trade period begins.
April: NFL Draft.
July: Training camps commence.
August: Pre-season begins (four games each team).
September: Roster cut from 75 players to 53.
September: Season kickoff.
October: Trading deadline.
In the NFL model, the trade period lasts seven months! Most importantly, early round trading during the season ensures teams are not derailed by injuries to star players.
Of course, trading for good players at this time can be very expensive after players have dedicated entire pre-seasons to one team. However, it keeps the competition fair.
Additionally, NFL teams are able to place conditions on draft picks traded. This way teams can trade a player for either 3rd or 4th round draft picks – whichever one is higher come end of season.
In 2010, the Minnesota Vikings were able to acquire Randy Moss from New England through by trade during the regular season after number one receiver Sydney Rice was ruled out long term. In week six, Moss proved the difference in a 24-21 win against the Cowboys.
“Moss’ first home game since rejoining the Vikings in trade turned into an afterthought. He finished with five catches for 55 yards, but his biggest contribution might have been in the locker room at the half. Both (coach, Brad) Childress and (quarterback, Brett) Favre credit Moss for encouraging his teammates to create more energy for the second half,” it was said.
The AFL could consider a similar model. We consistently see players star in the pre-season who would be valued higher by other clubs than their own. In these cases, an early season trade could open up opportunities for the player as well as fill injury voids within other teams.
Let’s take Lenny Hayes, for example. A hard in-and-under clearance player, Hayes clearance work is critical to St Kilda. Over the pre-season and first two rounds, Ed Curnow and Mitch Robbinson have been exceptional for Carlton playing in-and-under but are outclassed by Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs and Heath Scotland.
Right now, Ed Curnow is much more valuable to St Kilda than Carlton and if given the window, St Kilda may have inquired about him. The biggest concern about Curnow was his injuries and he has clearly gotten over them.
Now let’s look at the Lions. Losing Brown and Staker means they are short on key position experience. Why not pluck Brad Miller? He looks to be getting limited opportunities at Richmond who are keen to play their younger key position players first. Miller could play in the AFL rather than the seconds.
The Lions could get him for a third/fourth round pick when they are desperate for an experienced body. Chad Cornes or Saetanta O’hailpin wouldn’t be bad acquisitions either.
If the AFL was to introduce a five week trade period at the start of the season, early season injuries will not derail entire seasons. Furthermore, disillusioned players are given an opportunity to leave in the event they have stellar pre-seasons but are still unable to break into the senior team.
It’s a wacky idea but the sub rule has thrown all concepts of logic out the window. At what price will your club pay for early season wins?
Timmuh
Roar Guru
I have to agree with above comments, admitting it is personal preference, that players should not be able to swap clubs during the season. That doesn't mean there might not be scope for a later trade period, perhaps jut as the pre-season games begin. I could probably stomach it if trades fter the season begun were limited to players who had not played an AFL game that season - though how that would affect VFL, SANFL and WAFL competitions could be an issue as it was to be when there was a June draft. It should be less of an issue than the June draft, as it would presumably be rare that a state league club would lose multiple players due to a trade period.
Trev
Guest
I don't like the idea off players witching clubs during the season. And why would clubs make those deals? Ypu used Richmonds Brad Miller as a example too trade to Brisbane to cover for the loss off Brown. Why could Richmond trade Miller when the next week Jack Riewoldt could go out and do his knee? Then they would have just traded away a soild back up too brisbane and be left with nothing.
Alfred Chan
Expert
Scenario: Chad Cornes & 4th round pick = Brisbane 3rd Round or 4th Round. In this case, Port will get whichever pick from Brisbane is ABOVE Ports 4th round pick. So if Brisbane do well, Port will have a low 3rd round pick. If Brisbane do bad, Port will get a high 4th round pick.
Crosby
Guest
My main issue is with 2: theres a big difference between a pick at the start of the 2nd round and the end of the 2nd round, for example. if you strike a deal to trade a 2nd and 3rd round pick for a player (working on the assumption that you... wont necessarily do well in that given year, and will thus have good picks to trade), then do better than expected, the team trading the player away gets screwed. theres no incentive for the club there. Also, the reason why soccer clubs get away with 'buying' and 'selling' players, is that they own the players economic rights on a permanent basis, regardless of contract length. afl clubs dont own a given players economic rights - they merely have a contract with the player, which, upon its completion, has no bearing on what they do next. completely different systems, cultures, etc. trade week definitely needs to be refined, but as player transfers dont function as they do in any other sport, a 'transfer window' style arrangement wouldnt be spectacularly effective.
Alfred Chan
Expert
1. An AFL season is longer then an NFL season 2. You would be trading "future draft picks" 3. The team would be "selling" the current contract in exchange for either another players contract or draft picks. Contracts would need to be amended... - yes - but the same thing happens in NFL and Soccer.
Brendon Clarke
Guest
there aren't enough afl players in a squad to have the trade system like the nfl, the seasons aren't as long as the nfl or soccer for that matter, it will become financially convoluted and fans will become frustrated with the change and it will become extremely hard to trade a draft pick when the draft has already been completed not to mention that player's would have to change their contracts in order to allow for this change in the first place
Tom Dimanis
Roar Pro
I think we should leave it as it is - while some points are valid I hate the idea of a player playing for two clubs in one season.