Melbourne coach Paul Roos wants key defender James Frawley to remain with the club

MELBOURNE coach Paul Frawley is "desperate" for key defender and free agency target James Frawley to remain with the Demons.

James Frawley will be a highly sought after free agent. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

NEW Melbourne coach Paul Roos says he is "desperate'' for free agent James Frawley to re-sign, denying the club considered trading him last year.

Roos believes Frawley could become the best defender in the league and is happy to wait for him to consider his position.

It is understood the Demons asked Frawley's management about his long-term intentions in trade week, open to trading him if he had his mind set on walking away at the end of 2014.

But Roos said he could not be more determined to prove to Frawley that he should pledge his future to Melbourne.

It comes as Roos said it was "ludicrous" clubs could not trade future draft picks to increase player movement.

"We are desperate for (Frawley) to stay. He's an outstanding person, he's an outstanding player, the players love him so I will do everything I possibly can to ensure he stays,'' he said.

Paul Roos takes control at Melbourne training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

"The early stages of trade week we would never have traded him unless he said, "I want to leave". But we would never have traded him. We were really happy to say to James, that's fine, when he wanted to wait. As long as you haven't already made your decision.

"It's not my role to worry too much about contract stuff, it's to make him the best player he possibly can be. He could be the best defender in the competition, and then run off and create. He is very skilful, he is big and strong and athletic. My role with (assistant coach) Jade Rawlings is to make him the best player he can be, and then everything else will fall into place."

While Roos wants Frawley to stay, he says clubs may one day trade potential free agents a year before their contracts expire if they believe they will leave.

"If you look at Lance (Franklin's) situation if they traded him a year early they would have got more from him."

Roos is adamant clubs should have more room to trade future draft picks for players, saying it is a successful recipe for player movement in the NFL and other American codes.

"The thing I am a massive fan of is being able to trade future draft picks. I can't understand in this industry how you can't trade future draft picks. It's ludicrous. If you are dumb enough to (ruin your future by giving up picks), enough clubs bugger up draft picks anyway. When you talk about governance, that's why you have general managers of football. Don't let the coach have (total) control.

"At the moment you are trying to get a Ferrari for your Ford. We often say, I know your car is worth a lot more than mine, but I have only got a Ford."