| If | you knew a long time ago that Lever and Cameron wanted out ... | then | why the public anger? Deal with it. Get the best possible trades. Move on. |
| If | Luke Hodge hadn't 'retired' ... | then | he'd be a free agent. Meaning the Lions wouldn't get lucrative compo for their exiting free agent Rockliff. Yet another loophole to be rorted in this highly questionable free agency compo system. |
| If | you want to read rubbish and be taken for a fool ... | then | read this club's statement about Steven Trigg's "resignation". Please. As we reported three weeks ago, the Blues approached Simon Lethlean about the CEO role many weeks earlier. |
| If | the Saints are in front when it comes to getting inside the head of the Giants-contracted Tomlinson ... | then | the Pies aren't far behind. Watch this space. |
| If | as expected, the three Ss – Smith, Stringer and Saad – all get there ... | then | well done. Might have to offload a whole lot more than you wanted in order to transact, but would be worth it. |
| If | the Demons think this club has backed off the Hogan pursuit ... | then | they'd better think again. |
| If | you're a glass half-full kind of person ... | then | 2018 looks great, with Ablett and others being added. But if you see things glass half-empty style, ouch. |
| If | you've now appointed a third coach inside seven years ... | then | no pressure, Stuey Dew. But if you don't make things work, this club will probably go the way of most other national league sports clubs in this region. |
| If | you're just six years old and already had your premiership window close on you ... | then | what's your next move? Need to produce a big trick in Trade Period. |
| If | you reckon the problems go away with Jeff Kennett and his ego re-joining ... | then | think again. They may only be starting. And hello Clarko. |
| If | you've targeted Lever for 15 months and you've got him to commit ... | then | a big well done. But good luck with giving a 56-gamer $750,000-plus a season. |
| If | the Roos thought they had finally secured the future Tasmanian market to themselves ... | then | Cue the Jaws music. Jeff Kennett is back to re-claim it for the Hawks. |
| If | we're getting in early in laying claims on a three-game youngster in the 2018 season ... | then | we're all-in on Todd Marshall. Raw, and will make mistakes. But we love the footy brain. |
| If | you win the flag and you've got picks No.15 and 17 in the draft as well as fringe-senior team players under contract with good trade currency ... | then | the world's a beautiful place right now. |
| If | Tomlinson ends up here, despite being contracted to the Giants ... | then | we won't be surprised. |
| If | Dew has good rapport with Tippett ... | then | we expect talks to open between Swans and Suns in the next two weeks. |
| If | it was Mitchell and Petrie in last year's trade period ... | then | that's fine. Ripping blokes who did well on-field in 2017. But need to hit it out of the park this Trade Period if next season is to be a good one. And we're fearing you're going to strike out. |
| If | you think you have a right to keep Jake Stringer at your club if you don't get a "proper" trade after what your coach said about him publicly... | then | you don't. Bevo forfeited that right. That's fine, it was his right to speak. But now, deal with it. Get the best possible trade. Move on. |
And by popular request ...
| If | Steve Hocking is going to review all aspects of football operations... | then | remove all compensation for loss of free agents. We have a pathetic, let's-try-to-be-everything-for-everyone version of sports free agency. |
Follow Damian Barrett on Twitter: @barrettdamian
