WITH the Trade Period coming to a frantic finish, Sliding Doors has a quick take on your club.

>> See more Sliding Doors here

So what's Damo saying about your club? What's he saying about the AFL? Check it out.

IF ...

the Crows were relatively quiet in the Trade Period ...

THEN ...

don't be surprised if they're busy with trading of draft picks before the national draft, or on the night itself. With picks nine, 22 and 23 to follow their overall pick one, reckon they will seek a deal to go higher.

IF ...

David Noble was on record only two and a half weeks ago saying he felt his skill set was better positioned to now take him down a club CEO path ...

THEN ...

something dramatic happened immediately thereafter, given he is now on a very short list to coach North Melbourne. Along with Fages and Swanny and many others, has helped fix the Lions in the past three years, so his job here may be done anyway.

IF ...

you look at the Saad deal in isolation ... 

THEN ...

it's difficult to reconcile. But a Trade Period can never be judged on an isolated transaction. And Saad, Williams and Fogarty all being added makes a very positive net gain.

 

IF ...

the high-profiled officials of this club sat down a month ago and agreed to devise a Trade Period plan to blow up the Magpies operations and several relationships with once-loved players, and to present themselves publicly and privately as inept at business and heartless at life ...

THEN ...

well done, mission accomplished. And treating the entire industry with pathetically condescending disdain and spin was just an added bonus attached to that strategy.

IF ...

you judge the Bombers on players in versus players out ...

THEN ...

Wright, Caldwell and Hind (and no Dunkley) for Daniher, Saad and Fantasia is glass half empty. But picks six, seven and eight in the NAB AFL Draft is glass nearly over-flowing.

IF ...

purple is the dominant colour of this club ... 

THEN ...

it could be beige. Not saying that as a criticism, simply as an observation on how it is being run since Justin Longmuir took over as coach. There has been a very conscious strategy to remove all obvious problem people and issues, the exiting of Hogan for very little return the latest evidence. Had a really good 2020, well positioned for a better 2021.

IF ...

CEO Brian Cook famously said after the 2015 player exchange period that while the Cats may not have sold the farm to get Dangerfield and Henderson but that they had no doubt sold off a few paddocks ...

THEN ...

there's not a lot of Geelong acreage left now, after three first round picks were ultimately required to land the biggest and best bull of the 2020 Trade Period.

 

IF ...

Ellis and Greenwood had good 2020 seasons after being traded in at this time last year ...

THEN ...

Atkins and Markov will add good depth and running options in 2021, which will be a season where this club simply has to stay competitive for its entirety, not just the opening eight weeks.

IF ...

the one thing they didn’t want at the outset of the Trade Period was draft picks ...

THEN ...

that was the one thing they ended up with, along with Hogan and Preuss. The hard line stance on Cameron was a policy which worked, though.

IF ...

Tom Phillips coming in for pick 65 isn't one day in the top 10 list of best-ever trade steals ... 

THEN ...

I'll be very surprised.

IF ...

the Ben Brown acquisition seemed a really nice fit in the past few weeks when it was being mooted ... 

THEN ...

now that it is official, it actually seems perfect.

IF ...

I've been a weekly critic of this mob for seemingly two years ... 

THEN ...

not this week. The securing of Stephenson for virtually nothing other than cap space was clever, and Corr is guaranteed to make it better.

IF ...

you lose a prelim final by a kick to the premiers and add Aliir and Fantasia for 2021 ...

THEN ...

it's outstanding work.

IF ...

you are established as the standout best team in the comp and simply know that your systems work under all circumstances and scenarios ... 

THEN ...

it simply does not matter that for the second Trade Period in a row the only action was the exiting of players who couldn't get a regular game.

IF ...

the actions of the Saints in the 2019 Trade Period led to a finals win in 2020 ...

THEN ...

the aim needs to be two finals wins in 2021 after the recent additions. Backing Higgins to be a star for the Saints.

IF ...

Aliir out for Hickey in was effectively all that happened in the Trade Period ...

THEN ...

that's not going to have much effect on 2021. The kids are more than OK, though.

IF ...

Witherden can weed out his midfield deficiencies and Langdon can learn to sync with Ryan in the forward line ... 

THEN ...

the 2020 Trade Period for the Eagles, while not creating any screaming headlines at the time, has the potential to be viewed as crucial to the events of 2021.

IF ...

votes were to be distributed to the best operator in Trade Period ... 

THEN ...

Sam Power, the Dogs' general manager list and recruiting, had a Lachie Neale type of dominance.

AND THIS ONE'S FOR THE AFL

IF ...

it is understandable fact that the trade period won't be reduced in length ...

THEN ...

it is also irrefutable that if it was reduced to a 48-hour window that not one less trade would be completed.