| IF | THEN | |
| Adelaide | you really want Gibbs ... | ... get serious. SOS is not bluffing. |
| Brisbane Lions | the Lions get offered any pick under 35 for Rocky ... | ... they'll take it. As it stands, no club is prepared to do that. Says a fair bit about where he's at. |
| Carlton | you think SOS will roll over on Gibbs ... | ... think again. Crows are going to need a whole lot more than pick 13. |
| Collingwood | Gubby keeps throwing up players as trade bait who others at the Pies don't want him to throw up ... | ... this will end in tears. Gubby floated Aish and Greenwood in a discussion with a club, which didn't want them. |
| Essendon | we've said it for three years ... | ... we may as well say it again. Cronulla took the deal. The Bombers chose not to. Cronulla won the 2016 NRL flag. |
| Fremantle | you saw a 49-year-old man clicking his heels and high-fiving strangers in Fremantle this week ... | ...it might have been one of those weird clowns who are everywhere at the moment. But it was probably Ross The Boss. This is looming as a good trade period for the Dockers. |
| Geelong | Deledio plays 22 home and away games at half-back ... | ... the Cats will be in pole position for the 2017 finals. A beautiful fit. |
| Gold Coast | Tony Cochrane doesn't bluff, and, as he says, just "google my name and you'll see I don't bluff" ... | ... the Hawks have a power of work to do to make sure O'Meara isn't sent to the pre-season draft. |
| Greater Western Sydney | it's the time of year for horse racing ... | ... we may as well apply a horse racing saying to the Giants. They loom as a three-length winner of the 2016 Caulfield Guineas, with the 2017 Cox Plate in their sights. |
| Hawthorn | Fagan was still shadowing Clarko's every move at the Hawks ... | ... would the dramatic, emotional, tumultuous events of the week have still occurred? Maybe. But probably not. He's allowed to do what he wants, Clarko. He, more than anyone in footy, has earned that right. But he's going to need to be reined in right now. Good luck, Stuart Fox. |
| Melbourne | you had Lewis come to you and you were prepared to offer him a deal only for him to pull away when the Hawks back-flipped on their weird exit plan for him ... | ... why cop it? Why not go again? We know you will. You know you had him. |
| North Melbourne | you happen across anyone who works for North ... | ... can you please remind them that trade period finishes next Thursday? And that they're not going to get better unless they actually try something significant. |
| Port Adelaide | there's one club we're really concerned about from a 2017 perspective ... | ... it is this one. Still shake our heads at how close it was in 2014, only to crack badly in the past two seasons. |
| Richmond | you want to publicly bemoan and sook and state it as factually untrue when we reveal that you're tradeable ... | ... we note with interest when you allow a coach of a rival club to make contact. And only after you've spoken to one of his players. Work it out, Jack. |
| St Kilda | you get Steele and Stevens and then add a quality back ... | ... no excuse for not making finals after what you produced in 2016. We like what's unfolding. |
| Sydney Swans | you keep saying it to yourself ... | ... you clearly believe it. But we don't. We believe Mitchell's gone because you can't pay him enough. |
| West Coast | Simmo misses the finals in 2017 ... | ... will Sam loom as his immediate replacement? No. But Sam will coach one day. Very soon. And Simmo wouldn't want to miss two finals series in a row. |
| Western Bulldogs | there's one club playing high-grade poker in this trade period ... | ... it is the Dogs. Look out when they reveal their hand. Bevo might have a flush, maybe a full house. |
| And wait, there's more, as per constant reader request ... | ||
| AFL | you seek to be everything to everyone ... | ... things are going to be good for a while, but you’ll soon come across as indecisive and weak. No reason to wait until November 15 for a decision on Jobe. And even less reason to ask Sam and Trent what they think. Just make the right decision. And stop worrying about people might say. Time. To. Be. Decisive. |
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Follow Damian Barrett on Twitter: @barrettdamian
