AFL needs a mid-season trade window

Now is the time of year when we start to cut the wheat from the chaff. For many clubs languishing at the bottom of the ladder, the time has come to consider the future.

Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Adelaide, and the Gold Coast can now expect to be holding up the rest, and for others like the Bulldogs, St Kilda, Melbourne and Richmond, finals footy is agonisingly close yet at the same time just out of reach right now.

A mid-season trade window could (and I emphasis could), be the answer for some of these clubs.

Let’s take some of the most obvious candidates. Port Adelaide need a ruckman to aid their warhorse Dean Brogan, whose knee injury scare would have sent shockwaves through everyone involved in the club. Their future success rests heavily on finding a ready-made replacement for Brogs, and this could be found in either Ivan Maric or Brad Moran from Adelaide.

Moran has the added advantage of being able to fit nicely into either the forward or back pocket, and Maric is a noted hard worker, great at ground level, and already based at the Port Magpies in the SANFL.

What do the Crows need in return? Aside from a serious injection of a drug called ‘consistency,’ another hard nosed, in an under midfielder to help future best and immanent best and fairest Scott Thompson out in the stoppages, or a midfielder with a reliable kick and some dash to help with transition from half back to half forward.

A straight swap for either Kane Cornes or a Surjan or Salopec would suit both clubs now, and allow the clubs to still draft and recruit in the off-season effectively.

Other moves around the clubs just vying for finals are unlikely – why would St Kilda trade a player to the Dogs when both teams are headed for the same log jam predicted to occur between seventh to 11th spot? But perhaps the lower likes can come to their aid.

Port Adelaide need to inject some serious youth and talent to their list and get rid of the ‘hangers on.’ Danny Meyer, Marlon Motlop, Daniel Pearce, the Cornes brothers, despite their incredible and admirable service to the club, should be considered tradeable for what they need so desperately; ruckmen, pace, and a hard edge.

St Kilda’s Rhys Stanley could be a perfect fit for the Power, who could be offered up for the midfield pressure and expertise of Kane Cornes, or the potentially exciting and beautifully skilled Motlop (Marlin or Daniel, either would fit the bill.)

The other issue which is lacking in this wider debate over mid season trades is the GWS factor. Melbourne, Adelaide and the Power all have key players linked to the emerging club, and speculation will only intensify as the year continues especially if all three miss the finals.

A mid-year trade could not only allow for these players to make the switch now, and have a full half season to get their affairs in order and get to know the club and its structures before season 2012, but also stop their old club from getting a paltry draft pick in compensation, and stop the horrible ‘will he, won’t he, has he signed will he sign’ talk around these three clubs.

It may be nothing more than a neat solution, or even just a novel idea, but mid-year trading should be given the time it deserves in debate.

Lately, it’s media time has definitely increased, but maybe this should extend further throughout the football world.