Richmond is mentioned as a young side needing experienced players 24-26 years old------------------------------------
Clubs expected to cash in draft picks for experienced players
Jon Ralph | August 02, 2008
THE massive hype attached to this year's draft has created a niche market: clubs hoping to cash in by trading their early picks at inflated prices.
The introduction of two new franchises by 2012 has clubs keen to top up lists with youngsters in the last uncompromised draft.
But that desperation to seize high draft picks also creates opportunity.
Will clubs eager to gain top-10 picks create a seller's market for the handful of clubs who already have young talent in spades?
In their eagerness to attain high selections, they may be prepared to "pay overs", or even trade players normally considered untouchable.
A raft of clubs, including Richmond, Essendon, Hawthorn and Carlton, are considering whether they might gain better value from trading for a player in his prime than selecting 17-year-old kids.
Richmond and Essendon, in particular, have conceded they have massive holes in the 22-28 age bracket and will consider giving up draft picks if they can lure the right player. Hawthorn is desperate for a key defender as the missing link in its premiership model and is believed to be working on several uncontracted players from rival clubs.
And while Carlton's Matthew Kreuzer is coming along beautifully, the club is aware it needs to support him for several years and might be willing to sacrifice a pick to attain an experienced ruckman.
Even a second or third-round selection will have value beyond its normal worth for clubs hoping to bring four or five kids into the system in an extremely strong draft.
Richmond, for example, has most of its stars either approaching, or over, 30, or still yet to reach 22 years of age.
Speaking on radio at the weekend coach Terry Wallace raised the possibility of trading for a star player.
"I reckon this year, of all the years, is probably the most fascinating one of all. Everyone is saying that this is the last uncompromised draft, so draft selections are gold this time around," Wallace said.
"But in saying that, I reckon what that means is that maybe there may be more value in trades. All of a sudden the draft picks are so valuable that people will put up more from a trade perspective than what they possibly have before."
Wallace was at pains to stress he would not push for quick fixes just because he was in the final year of his contract.
Instead, if it could lure a player aged 24 to 26 with plenty of football left in him, it would be making a considered list-management decision. Essendon needs an established star midfielder along the lines of Eagle Daniel Kerr, and with a heap of recent first-round selections, it will consider its options.
Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams is also open to luring players from rival clubs, last weekend calling on expressions of interest after the club's disappointing loss to Fremantle.
"It does say to me that those players out of contract at other clubs, we'd be really keen to talk to them pretty soon," Williams said.
In recent years even considering trading your first pick was a no-no, but now a fascinating new dynamic has entered the post-season meat market.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24114964-19742,00.html
