Thread starter
#1
MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, 17 October 2003
POWER STATEMENT RE: TRADE PERIOD
The AFL trade period has now ended and the following trades involving the Port Adelaide Football Club have been completed:
• Adam Morgan traded to Western Bulldogs for 2003 National Draft pick 34
• Brent Guerra traded to St Kilda for 2003 National Draft pick 39
The trade period ended however with the Port Adelaide Football Club unable to broker a satisfactory deal for star midfielder Nick Stevens. Stevens had indicated to the club yesterday that he only wished to be traded to Collingwood otherwise he would enter the pre-season draft.
Port Adelaide Football Club chief executive Brian Cunningham said it was important that the club stand firm on its principals, and that the price it had to pay on this occasion was to get no return for Nick Stevens.
“The Port Adelaide Football Club is a club that will not be dictated to by other clubs or individuals,” Cunningham said.
“Given Collingwood knew that Nick Stevens had selected them as his only club of choice, it would appear they either did not rate Nick Stevens enough to trade with our club, or only wanted Nick at a bargain price and one that certainly was not satisfactory to our club.
“Had we agreed to the offer from Collingwood we would have received pick number 17 in the national draft and a player who would have had to fit into our salary cap but who we deemed would not have been a regular in our 22. Collingwood’s final offer was picks 17 and 35 at 1.45pm (EST) today.
“By anyone’s standards Collingwood did not offer a reasonable trade for Nick Stevens, who is one of the premier midfielders in the competition.
“What was on offer from Collingwood was also not fair to the players who were looking to leave Collingwood with the promise of greater game time because they probably wouldn’t have got that here.”
Cunningham said the greatest frustration from the club’s point of view was that it wasn’t until yesterday that they were advised of the parameters by which they were to negotiate.
- more -
“We are really disappointed that we spent the bulk of this week in negotiation with several clubs – and in particular Carlton, Melbourne and Collingwood – in good faith. We were acting on the basis of information we had received from Nick Stevens, via his manager, and ultimately that information proved to be incorrect,” he said.
“To be told yesterday, with just a day left in the trading period that Nick would only consider a trade to Collingwood, we believe was particularly unfair, not only to ourselves but also to the other clubs we’d been dealing with and to the other players whose trades were hinging on the completion of Nick’s deal.
Cunningham said that the club had had an overwhelmingly positive response from its members and supporters in regards to the events surrounding Nick Stevens, however he understood that there may be a few that are disappointed.
“I know a few of our supporters will be disappointed that we have lost a quality midfielder and a star of the competition for no return, but we hope they understand that our club needed to send a message that we will not be manipulated through the trading process.
“We are really disappointed that after six good years with Nick Stevens, where we have both benefited from a good relationship, that it has ended like this,” said Cunningham.
Meanwhile the Port Adelaide Football Club traded Adam Morgan and Brent Guerra to the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda respectively in return for third round draft picks.
“The Port Adelaide Football Club wishes both Adam and Brent success with their new clubs,” said Cunningham.
The Power's first selections in the AFL National Draft on Saturday 22 November are 15, 30, 34, 39, 46 and 62.
Friday, 17 October 2003
POWER STATEMENT RE: TRADE PERIOD
The AFL trade period has now ended and the following trades involving the Port Adelaide Football Club have been completed:
• Adam Morgan traded to Western Bulldogs for 2003 National Draft pick 34
• Brent Guerra traded to St Kilda for 2003 National Draft pick 39
The trade period ended however with the Port Adelaide Football Club unable to broker a satisfactory deal for star midfielder Nick Stevens. Stevens had indicated to the club yesterday that he only wished to be traded to Collingwood otherwise he would enter the pre-season draft.
Port Adelaide Football Club chief executive Brian Cunningham said it was important that the club stand firm on its principals, and that the price it had to pay on this occasion was to get no return for Nick Stevens.
“The Port Adelaide Football Club is a club that will not be dictated to by other clubs or individuals,” Cunningham said.
“Given Collingwood knew that Nick Stevens had selected them as his only club of choice, it would appear they either did not rate Nick Stevens enough to trade with our club, or only wanted Nick at a bargain price and one that certainly was not satisfactory to our club.
“Had we agreed to the offer from Collingwood we would have received pick number 17 in the national draft and a player who would have had to fit into our salary cap but who we deemed would not have been a regular in our 22. Collingwood’s final offer was picks 17 and 35 at 1.45pm (EST) today.
“By anyone’s standards Collingwood did not offer a reasonable trade for Nick Stevens, who is one of the premier midfielders in the competition.
“What was on offer from Collingwood was also not fair to the players who were looking to leave Collingwood with the promise of greater game time because they probably wouldn’t have got that here.”
Cunningham said the greatest frustration from the club’s point of view was that it wasn’t until yesterday that they were advised of the parameters by which they were to negotiate.
- more -
“We are really disappointed that we spent the bulk of this week in negotiation with several clubs – and in particular Carlton, Melbourne and Collingwood – in good faith. We were acting on the basis of information we had received from Nick Stevens, via his manager, and ultimately that information proved to be incorrect,” he said.
“To be told yesterday, with just a day left in the trading period that Nick would only consider a trade to Collingwood, we believe was particularly unfair, not only to ourselves but also to the other clubs we’d been dealing with and to the other players whose trades were hinging on the completion of Nick’s deal.
Cunningham said that the club had had an overwhelmingly positive response from its members and supporters in regards to the events surrounding Nick Stevens, however he understood that there may be a few that are disappointed.
“I know a few of our supporters will be disappointed that we have lost a quality midfielder and a star of the competition for no return, but we hope they understand that our club needed to send a message that we will not be manipulated through the trading process.
“We are really disappointed that after six good years with Nick Stevens, where we have both benefited from a good relationship, that it has ended like this,” said Cunningham.
Meanwhile the Port Adelaide Football Club traded Adam Morgan and Brent Guerra to the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda respectively in return for third round draft picks.
“The Port Adelaide Football Club wishes both Adam and Brent success with their new clubs,” said Cunningham.
The Power's first selections in the AFL National Draft on Saturday 22 November are 15, 30, 34, 39, 46 and 62.

