Trade Week, Draft Camp and Draft days.... [Archive]

Rexcellent

12th October 2007, 17:34

What the clubs say

Adelaide – Matt Rendell, recruiting manager
"I suppose the philosophy for most clubs is that you trade for your needs and we see a need for a key back and we think can do that job there. We're pretty happy to get hold of Brad, we did a bit of homework on him during the year, we watched him a lot during the year just in case, so we're pretty happy to grab him.
"Alec Stewart recruited originally when he went to Port Adelaide and he still had a year on is contract to go, but he wanted out and in the end they were happy to let him go to us. It was a reasonably smooth transition considering Port Adelaide's and Adelaide's rivalry so it went through reasonably smoothly. I suppose in effect when you look at it, he's a replacement for [Martin] Mattner.
"We've ended up with picks 10, 27 – which we originally had – 30 and 38 – involved in the [Ben] Hudson deal and pick 59 is our fifth pick."
[B]
Brisbane – Leigh Matthews
"The opportunity to pick up a top grade experienced midfielder doesn't come around too often.
"Therefore sacrificing a young developing ruckman in Cameron Wood was judged to be a reasonable trade from the Lions' point of view. We have been able to obtain Travis Johnstone at a very reasonable cost because the Melbourne Football Club will be paying for the majority of his first year contract".
"We were very disappointed that Richard Hadley asked to be traded and that he wanted to leave this club.
"This will be the first summer for three years that Richard is not in injury rehabilitation so we did not want to lose his services. However, he would have gone to Carlton in the pre-season draft so we eventually agreed to trade him for quite a low pick for a player of his talents."

Carlton – Brett Ratten
"(Hadley) is a premiership player and he's at a really good age for us. We think he'll make a really good contribution to our midfield and around the square.
"I think what he is, is he uses the ball really well and he's one of these players that when you've done a knee, it sometimes takes another 12 months.
"We've seen with David Rodan that it took an extra 12 months, and we think that he can really add to our group."

Essendon – Matthew Knights
"It was a very quiet week (for us), like I suggested it would be earlier in the week.
"We were rapt with Darcy (Daniher) earlier in the week, that's a big bonus for us.
"Ricky Dyson's committed to the club for another two years which is really pleasing from my perspective because I reckon he's really about to flourish, and that was it basically.
"There was obviously a degree of interest in Kepler Bradley but we felt we were really reasonable about it but unfortunately the deal didn't come through."

Fremantle – Cameron Schwab, chief executive
"It's turned out to be a quiet week. Early in the piece we always said that we think the drafting's going to be pretty important for us over the next three years. We've got a relatively mature list so for us it's going to be real focus on our drafting.
"We showed a bit of interest in a couple of the Bomber boys but just weren't able to do the trades. Kepler Bradley and Ricky Dyson were the two that we spoke about, but in the end we just couldn't quite get there with it. We waited until 2pm … you're always hopeful.
"We didn't have any huge ambitions coming into the week, but at the same time during the course of the week you get a bit hopeful that you might be able to do something but as it turned out we didn't."

Geelong – Neil Balme, general manager, football operations
"It's the system working. We have some issues with list management and TPP (total player payments) and we weren't quite able to fit everyone in, or we were working through that.
"A few of the players were keen to continue and were looking for perhaps other clubs, and we certainly helped a couple with it.
"I think the four guys who have gone have been exceptional Geelong people and very good players, and have got an opportunity elsewhere.
"So, we've given a leg up to the other teams in a way, but I think our responsibility is to the player and we've tried to help them as much as we could."

[B]Hawthorn – Chris Pelchen, general manager player personnel and strategy
"Basically over the course of the week we spoke to a lot of clubs about various opportunities, but none that we saw, were actually going to benefit the Hawthorn Football Club.
"It was just important that we didn't going to trade for the sake of trading. Ultimately if we don't think a deal is going to better our club's list then we won't do it; that's why we made the decision [not to trade] that we did."

Kangaroos – Dean Laidley
"We were really pleased to get both (Sam Power and Ben Davies). We've been watching Sam pretty much this year and he's certainly going to add to our running defenders and help out the likes of Daniel Pratt and Jess Smith.
"It's the same with Ben Davies. Our recruiters have watched him all year and he won the Williamstown best and fairest, and we just thought that with his running capacity, and he's a quality young kid, we just want to give him a second opportunity at AFL football."

Richmond – Greg Miller, director of football
"We've improved our list, adding Jordan McMahon and Mitch Morton, two great kicks and young guys, so we've improved our list. Choice two will be a beauty for us; we've done very well, we're pleased.
"Jay Schulz wasn't moved, the offer from Port Adelaide was unacceptable, and he'll continue his career with Richmond this year.
"We kept Carlton honest [on Judd] and we think our offer was superior, but in the end they [West Coast] chose the [Carlton] offer.
"We've got choice one in the pre-season draft and obviously now we'll be on the lookout for the best uncontracted player around; we'll wait and see who hasn't signed up over the weekend."

Sydney Swans – Stuart Maxfield, manager of player personnel
"I think we've achieved what we set out to do," Maxfield said.
"We needed to make a few changes to our list, we've brought in a bit of pace and we were also able to get back into the second round as well so we were really pleased with the way the week panned out.
"It's always difficult (to let players go) but I think the way Roosy handled it (was great).
"He was really up front from the start and he consulted the players in terms of where we were at and even the players admitted that 'yeah, we do need to make some changes'.
"So it was difficult to let players go but we're excited about the players we've brought in as well."

Western Bulldogs – Rodney Eade
"I think the fact we've got our ruckman, which was the priority that we targeted. We needed a big man who can play well like he can, and every other draft pick except our first draft pick we've gone up in our list.
"I think from that point of view, we're very happy."

More later...

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