Port Adelaide co-captain Ollie Wines discussed during trade talks

Carlton and Essendon were among AFL clubs to be contacted during trade period about Ollie Wines. Revelations about the Port co-captain raise the question: how many more stars were discussed?

Ollie Wines was the ghost trade of this year’s exchange period.

While Joe Daniher, Tom Papley and Tim Kelly occupied the trade front lines, Wines was the underground proposal that never eventuated.

But, as the Herald Sun confirmed this week, it wasn’t without trying.

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Ollie Wines Pic: Sarah Reed

People acting on behalf of the Port Adelaide co-captain approached clubs to gauge their preparedness to cut what would have been a blockbuster trade.

Carlton and Essendon were among those to be contacted about Wines.

The denial army and spin doctors were quickly out in force in the wake of the revelation, which is understandable given the magnitude of Wines’ potential departure.

Here is a star midfielder contracted for three more years and a co-captain of his club.

The Power released a statement to tell us Wines had never requested a trade, while his management dressed it up as “clubs discuss players all the time”.

Yet this was the Wines camp doing the talking.

This morning, the public confirmations came on SEN radio.

“Ollie’s name came up, but he was never put on the table. It was something, I think, that was blown out of proportion a little bit,” Blues list manager Stephen Silvagni told the station.

“If he did become available in the next year or two we would certainly have discussions with Ollie.”

But Wines was available. The Blues’ reasons for not exploring him as an option this year were related to the size of the trade, its salary cap implications and the work it was in the middle of doing for Tom Papley and Jack Martin.

Bombers list manager Adrian Dodoro said: “He’s a bloody good player. Was he mentioned? We mention a lot of players in trade period.”

But asked directly whether an outside party raised Wines’ name with Essendon, Dodoro said: “I can’t remember, I’ll have to go through my notes.”

Wines is managed by sports marketing giant, TLA Worldwide, and specifically, Nick Gieschen.

TLA’s AFL general manager Tom Petroro also addressed Wines on SEN this morning.

When he was asked whether someone acting on behalf of Wines had made contract with clubs about a trade, Petroro deferred.

“Nick Gieschen looks after Ollie,” Petroro said.

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“We all discuss players, all the time, because of the freedom of movement we have now.”

So what does it all mean, you say? The trade isn’t going to happen, so who cares?

This isn’t a trumpet-blowing exercise. It is simply to state that in today’s footy climate, player movement is more liberal than ever.

While “only” 29 players switched clubs — how many more were discussed? How many seeds were planted for harvest in 12 months’ time or even the year after?

We’re not saying Wines is the iceberg. He’s the tip.