Now that the season is over our focus is now on three vital list management periods to improve our playing list. This includes Trade Period, National Combine and the National Draft.

I'm going to break up this analysis into 3 threads so that we can hopefully keep the threads focused on the topic.

The Trade Period

Key dates:

Friday October 9 - NAB AFL restricted free agency offer and unrestricted free agency period begins
Monday October 12, 10am - NAB AFL Trade Period begins
Sunday October 18, 5pm - Close of NAB AFL restricted free agency offer and unrestricted free agency period
Wednesday October 21 - NAB AFL restricted free agency matching offer three-day period ends
Thursday October 22, 2pm – NAB AFL Trade Period closes

The Trade Period includes settling the order for the draft picks before the National Draft, clubs bidding on father/son candidates and academy players and of course trading players and draft picks between clubs.

Interesting to me, it's regarded as a hectic and stressful time for clubs and players and yet essentially it also tends to meander along after frustrated teams, player managers and of course the players themselves all posture, threaten and, like the participants of the World Series of Poker, bluff and bluff again in an effort to pull off a recruiting coup and get their own way.
The deals tend to get settled thick and fast on the last day when everyone eventually comes to their senses. There are of course perceived winners and losers and certain clubs reputations as being difficult to deal with and this will be discussed often until our attention turns to the National Draft.

It's unlikely our beloved Bulldogs will be big players this year and it's doubtful there will be another Tom Boyd type deal conjured up let alone completed which of course shocked the AFL footy community last year as the upstart Dogs dared to become so creative and pinch a prized scalp from one of those manufactured and heartless teams from the northern states. Unfortunately I can't see us returning to those heady days this year but wouldn't it give those lazy arse journos something to focus on again if we were to make another big move?

I suspect we will make some minor adjustments to the list with just a tweak or two here or there as we put the onus on the assistant and development coaches to keep improving the young and talented players we already have.

We've said goodbye to Matthew Fuller, Sam Darley and former father son selection in Ayce Cordy and it's very likely that we will be saying goodbye to 'loose lips sink ships' Michael Talia and we might also be waving goodbye to the likes of Jarrad Grant and maybe even Will Minson. I suspect that Minson will see out his final year though. Like most of his career, Grant's immediate future will be a bit of a mystery to us for a little longer.

So what do we need from the trade period?

- We've had a crack at getting a quality ruckman like Stefan Martin from Brisbane but that seems unlikely. We haven't made a lot of noise about Matthew Leuenberger or Zac Smith and then Zac Clarke's name appeared for a brief moment before he quickly decided to sign another deal with Fremantle.

- A key defender would be great but it appears Jake Carlisle is determined to help fast track Carlton on their road to mediocrity rather than making a common sense pitch for a spot with us. Did I read somewhere that the general consensus is that he might not be the sharpest tool in the shed? I digress.

- A strong bodied and skilled midfielder would also be helpful although with the return of the injured Thomas Liberatore and Koby Stevens imminent and potentially (lets keep our fingers and toes crossed) a return of Clay Smith sometime during the season might diminish that need.

Based on all that I'm of the belief that we could potentially trade for a player starved for opportunities at another club much like Shane Biggs last year. Actually we might secure a more known player but I think you get the picture that it won't be a big name player. (I mean reputation wise not a player with more initials in his name than Bontempelli or Giansiracusa)

We have some currency to offer if needed, a first and second round pick (11 and 30) could be valuable this year especially for clubs needing points to cover father son or academy players plus we might even try to find a home for old Loose Lips Talia. Does the club consider offers for the out of favour Hrovat if opposition clubs ask the question?
We would also trade future draft picks from next year but I hope we don't.

So I'd be interesting in hearing from a few of you on the following questions:

- Will we pull off a big recruiting coup this year or even trade for another player?
Please put a bit of an effort in with your responses if you could

- Will we find a ruckman or a key defender or both during the trade period?

- Realistically what sort of player or which particular player do you think we might acquire?
Be creative if you must but try and make it realistic

Hope to hear from you.