AFL 2023: Why AFL needs a mid-season trade period

A mid-year trade period is on the agenda, but it can’t become a fire sale for bottom clubs. See the players who should be able to change clubs during the season.

Footy fans hoping their club used the mid-season draft to plug a hole overnight and transform their premiership chances should think again.

The markets didn’t move because the odds of a part-time footballer instantly improving an AFL program at the pointy end of the season are long.

Marlion Pickett – the 28-year-old who made his debut for Richmond in the 2019 grand final – was the exception.

But clubs who chase the sugar hit of a mature-aged recruit typically risk filling up their VFL list in unsatisfying fashion.

That’s probably why the likes of AFL discards Sam Naismith (Port Melbourne), Oscar McDonald (Williamstown) and Callum Brown (Box Hill) went undrafted on Wednesday night.

Some AFL coaches find it hard to look past the now and try to sway their list strategy.

But smart clubs search for a kid they would’ve taken in the upcoming November national draft hoping to develop him into a 100-gamer.

If the player they wanted was gone then they simply pass (eight clubs did not add a player on Wednesday night).

It’s no surprise mid-season success stories including Jai Newcombe (Hawthorn), Sam Durham (Essendon) and Jai Culley (West Coast) were all teenagers when they were taken.

West Coast used No.1 pick this year on Ryan Maric, and that was smart business.

Maric’s camp suspected he would’ve been a top-30 pick in November’s draft and so the Eagles have got a good one in early.

Boy, do they need it.

Maric and No.3 pick Clay Tucker (Hawthorn) are 18 while No.2 pick Robert Hansen Jr (North Melbourne) is 19.

Jack Billings is running around for Sandringham. Picture: Michael Klein

In that sense the mid-season draft works as an equalisation tool as the bottom clubs build their talent base.

But in reality it misses the mark. The AFL had to relax nomination rules this year to ensure it wasn’t a total flop and 13 players got their wish.

Maric is a kid from Drouin who trimmed from 107kg to 83kg, has got some speed and can mark it as a third tall forward.

However, the waistline to West Coast story would’ve been a better subplot than headline act.

Imagine if Carlton – crying out for some class – traded in polished Saint Jack Billings on Wednesday night?

Suddenly there might have been a bit more pep in the step of despondent Bluebaggers as they clicked through the MCG turnstiles on Friday night.

Or if Essendon – short on key defenders and without Peter Wright – had a crack at bookends such as Ben Brown, Adam Tomlinson (Melbourne), Alex Keath and Josh Bruce (Western Bulldogs)?

Those stoppers would’ve also appealed to Sydney, who settled on 24-year-old VFL defender Harry Arnold (Brisbane).

Would Geelong have traded for a ruckman from an AFL system, such as Jordon Sweet (Dogs), Nick Bryan (Dons) or Tom Campbell (Saints)?

With the right parameters a mid-season trade period could light up the footy world.

It would be far more exciting than remote recruiters drafting unheralded players, most of which are unlikely to play this season.

Would Essendon take the opportunity to recruit Ben Brown mid-season? Picture: Michael Klein

But a May trade window can’t become a fire sale for the bottom clubs.

That would only widen the gulf between the best and the rest – cheapening the product as more blowouts became inevitable.

So, instead of contenders paying overs to pick off the likes of Dion Prestia, Luke Breust and Andrew Gaff, it should be exclusively to create AFL opportunities for players languishing in the VFL.

Think the likes of Paddy Dow, Toby McLean, Brandan Parfitt, Rhylee West, Liam Henry, Jack Scrimshaw, Harry Schoenberg, Jarryd Lyons, Tomlinson and Billings.

The hype and excitement around your club chasing some of those names would’ve been palpable.

Perhaps a player must have played at least five state-league games and not too many AFL games that season to be traded.

The AFL’s proposed Collective Bargaining Agreement includes a mid-season trade period – but clubs would need serious soft cap relief before it gets the green light.

Some recruiting teams were stretched simply resourcing the mid-season draft. One list boss had to attend pre-season training while on annual leave last summer to keep an eye on SSP hopefuls.

Like the coaches they are overworked, underpaid, and list management teams are largely short on manpower.

If the AFL wants this to work then it should deal them some cash and let them get to work on making deals to spice up this part of the season.