Paul Roos says every Melbourne player is tradeable as the Demons’ pre-season begins

EVERY Melbourne player will be on the table during the AFL trade period as the club looks to bolster its list for next season.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 30: Demons coach Paul Roos walks off after defeat during the round 23 AFL match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Melbourne Demons at Etihad Stadium on August 30, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

EVERY Melbourne player will be on the table during the AFL trade period as the club looks to bolster its list for a second season under the coaching of Paul Roos.

The Demons, whose 30-point loss to North Melbourne consigned them a 4-18 win loss record and probably 17th spot on the ladder, are prepared to shake up their list in the coming months, with a particular view to strengthening their midfield.

“I’ve always said to the player group - I said it to the Sydney guys at the end of every year (when he coached the Swans) and I’ve said it to the Melbourne guys tonight - every player is tradeable in my view,’’ Roos said.

“We’ll try to get the best possible list we can get moving into next year.

Melbourne players are cheered off by their fans.

“But you can only be as aggressive as other clubs will let you (be). You can’t trade with yourself.’’

Roos said he had a preference to draft midfielders because it was so difficult to assess taller players in under-age football.

“I think the midfield is the area that we need to continue to improve,’’ Roos said.

He also maintained that he was unsure whether free agent James Frawley would remain at the club next season or look to move elsewhere.

“Look James has been terrific,’’ Roos said. “He’s really been engaged with the group. There’s certainly been no signs for me that he’s put the cue in the rack. He’s trained hard, he’s played to the last minute and that’s all I can ask of him.

Max Gawn on crutches after suffering a knee injury. Picture: Michael Klein

“If he does leave we wish him well; if he doesn’t we’ll be rapt for him to stay.’’

Roos promised that the Demons were in for a demanding summer of training so that they could become a better offensive-defensive team.

“It’s going to be a bloody hard pre-season. There’s no questions about that,’’ he said.

“If you want to be a really good footy team you have to run both ways. I think our guys are running fit, but they’re just not match fit. And that’s what we really need to concentrate on a lot in the off season.’’

Chris Dawes talks to umpire Jordan Bannister after giving away a free kick.

Melbourne’s 14.9-93 was its highest score of the season, surpassing the 14.7-91 in the Round 9 win over Richmond, prompting Roos to say it was “our best offensive game of the year, but at the expense of the defence’’.

The Demons will take a keen interest in the match review panel findings this week after key forward Chris Dawes laid a high bump on Roos skipper Andrew Swallow in the opening moments of the final quarter.

A frustrated Dawes conceded three free kicks for high contact in a four-minute period to begin the quarter.

Roos said he would be frustrated if Dawes missed the start of the 2015 season through suspension.

“I spoke to him and he knows that (the three indiscretions) is unacceptable,’’ Roos said.

“You just can’t let your frustration show. We want to be known as a team that is a disciplined footy team not a scrappy footy team

“For five minutes in that last quarter we sort of lost it a bit from a discipline point of view.’’

Originally published as Paul Roos says every Melbourne player is tradeable as the Demons’ pre-season begins