| If | Lever and Cameron will be the big outs ... | then | Gibbs will pick up some of the slack and we've got no doubt another big name will also join. |
| If | we've all got swept up in the feel-good factor of Hodge coming out of retirement ... | then | when everything settles we'll all realise we're talking about a banged-up 33-year-old who didn't seem to have a lot left in the tank when he retired. |
| If | Smith, Kennedy and Griffen all end up leaving the Giants for the Blues ... | then | we won't be surprised. |
| If | things weren't rosy between Buckley and Maxwell a few years ago ... | then | things must have changed in order for Maxwell to return. |
| If | Stringer ends up in a forward line alongside Daniher and Hooker ... | then | look out. |
| If | Wilson and Matera are added to the Dockers ... | then | it's a good trade period starting point. But need a whole lot more. |
| If | you've meticulously planned Ablett's return for the best part of 18 months ... | then | make the deal official on the first day of trade period. |
| If | you keep saying you'll make Ablett sit out 2018 if you don't get the right deal ... | then | we don't believe you. He'll be playing next year no matter what happens. |
Exclusive club: Gary Ablett congratulates Dustin Martin at the 2017 Brownlow Medal
| If | player depth was once envied ... | then | it's not now. Has the window actually shut? |
| If | Vickery stays on the list in 2018 ... | then | Clarko's plans haven't worked out. |
| If | Watts doesn't leave this time round ... | then | he's mad. Time as a Demon is up. |
| If | you keep making Waite wait before telling him of plans for the future ... | then | that's unfair. Make up your mind. Tell him. Move on. Indecision indicative of where this club is at. |
| If | the Power add Rockliff, Motlop and Watts ... | then | they'd be looking pretty good for 2018. |
| If | in the last trade period you bring in three players from other clubs and this week they're all playing in a GF ... | then | recruiters can pat themselves on the back. |
| If | our gut feel is right ... | then | the Saints still have one big trade play left in them for 2017 |
| If | we want to throw out a real wildcard trade possibility ... | then | it is this: Mumford returns. |
Shane Mumford in 2011 singing 'cheer, cheer' with John Longmire and teammates
| If | one name keeps coming up as a trade option out of the Eagles ... | then | it is Gaff. Yep, we know he's contracted, but that means nothing these days. |
| If | Beveridge has been prepared to make the tough call on Stringer for reasons which relate to a lack of commitment ... | then | he's obliged to make the same call on other players. An interesting trade period looms. |
And by popular request ...
| If | you're prepared to bend the Match Review Panel guidelines in Grand Final week to ensure the captain of one of the clubs plays simply because it is the easy, keep-everyone-happy outcome ... | then | please blow up that system and start yet again. No more panels. Just one person to determine all incidents, Ian Collins-style |
Follow Damian Barrett on Twitter: @barrettdamian
