The trade and free agency period goes on for a combined 22 days.
But that does not mean more deals are being done.
Every single time the trade period comes around, about 10 deals are done on the last day and one agreement is met on the first.
Carlton chief executive Greg Swann says he wants the AFL to shorten it to 10 days.
Mr Swann says it is not fair to players.
I can see where he is coming from.
Players have to sweat it out for three weeks why their club looks for a deal.
Then there are compensation picks.
Why do we need to give a club compensation for losing a player they don’t necessarily want?
The players should thank their clubs for the years of training and pay packets and move on to a new team.
In the NBA when Lebron James left Cleveland, you didn’t see the Cavs being handed players and the top pick of the draft.
Yes, they did get Kyrie Irving and Anthony Bennett with the top picks recently.
But that was because they were quickly becoming the worst team in the comp, due to Lebron James packing up his bags and going to South Beach.
Essendon are not really helping.
They seem to value their players quite highly.
Can you actually expect to get higher than a late third or early fourth round pick for Scott Gumbleton.
The guy has played 35 games in seven years.
He is talented, but he is not on the park.
You can’t help but wonder, would the same deals get struck in three days as they would in three weeks?
Players go and come from sporting teams all the time.
Fans will boo, and players will be unhappy.
But that is the business of sport.
Troy
Guest
I haven't been a fan of the compo picks - wasn't aware that the NFL did it though. Not that the AFL needs to follow everything the NFL does, but at least it makes the compo picks seem less strange.
Matt F
Roar Guru
They don't just have one week though. We know that many free agents have been talking to prospective clubs for weeks or months before actually signing with them. Shortening the signing window won't have a major impact at all.
Jax
Guest
You seem to forget that this was part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) driven by the players themselves via the AFLPA ie they wanted it this way and who are you? It is their careers and livelihoods after all. Question: How would you feel if a prospective employer headhunted you OR, if the company you currently work for gave YOU just 1 week to make a decision that would impact you and your family for the rest of the lives? Oh, and while you are on holidays to boot! My guess is that you would feel like you had a gun against your head which I'm guessing is one reason why the PLAYERS requested it. Not your best piece I am sure!
Francis Curro
Roar Pro
Lets hope those remaining deals are finished this week. If any players are forced to go by the draft, who knows where they may end up?
HK47
Guest
Easy enough. 12 day trade period. Monday to Monday is free agency period, Last deals lodged at 2pm, compensation announced at 5pm. Friday to Friday is Trade Week, last deals completed by 5pm. Up until a week before the draft, Delisted Free Agents can sign with a club. After the draft, the Delisted free agents can again sign with a club up until the day before Preseason/Rookie draft.
joe
Guest
so trades aren't happening quick enough so its essendons fault?okay essendon fans will you please contact your club and demand they place no value on their players please,also will you hurry up and hand over crameri thanks in advance for that.
IanW
Guest
"In the NBA when Lebron James left Cleveland, you didn’t see the Cavs being handed players and the top pick of the draft." Yes, but the NFL values competitive balance a lot higher, and it does compo picks for free agency. People complaining about the length iof free agency is legitimate - but remember, it's providing media fodder in an otherwise dead time of year. Codes that create dead time are asking for some other sport to come in and eat their breakfast and lunch. In any case, we've seen one surprising free agent megadeal, two deals for top-ten picks and a bunch of trades for spare parts and top-up players, which isnt bad for an allegedly dead period.