THE OFF-SEASON isn't referred to as 'the silly season' for nothing as clubs try to manage a list under increasingly difficult conditions. Interest from rival clubs, a bulging salary cap, homesickness and lack of opportunities are just some of a raft of reasons that can see a player swap clubs between seasons.
One player that speculation has swarmed around all season is Lions ruckman Mitch Clark, with reports suggesting the big man is all but certain to depart the Queensland club in the coming weeks.
Clark's manager, Colin Young, told sportsnewsfirst.com.au that the 23-year-old had already informed coach Michael Voss of his intention to leave.
"Mitch has asked Michael Voss if Brisbane can arrange a trade for him," Young said.
"Mitch has thought carefully on his future plans and has decided he wants to look at all of his options.
"I will now work with Mitch, Brisbane and any option available to us to arrange the most suitable trade for him."
The Herald Sun says Fremantle appears the most likely destination for Clark, although several hurdles need to be overcome before a deal can be finalised.
"The Lions want Fremantle's top draft pick, yet to be determined but expected to be somewhere between 12 and 15, and an established player capable of slotting into a senior role - possibly exciting Zac Clarke," Herald Sun journalist Andrew Hamilton writes.
"The Dockers are torn between trading for Clark or winning the frenzied auction for exciting WA 17-year-old Jaeger O'Meara, who is ineligible for this draft but can be pre-drafted by expansion club GWS and then on-sold.
"[Fremantle] coach Mark Harvey wants the deal done but it is understood the club's recruiters lean towards the long-term strategy of O'Meara."
Brisbane Lions football manager Dean Warren agreed the deal was far from complete and hinted the club would be playing hard-ball in any trade dealings.
"We have to do what's best for our football club," Warren said.
"It is going to be a hard deal to get done."
Giant raid could turn to Don
With Greater Western Sydney's first acquisition of uncontracted players looking near finalised, reports are now focusing on who the club could poach in its next raid.
The Giants are halfway through their two-year window to lure players from other clubs, and Essendon great Matthew Lloyd suggests that the Bombers should be careful to protect his former teammate, Michael Hurley.
"You see what some of the guys have been going for, the $800,000 players - he (Hurley) is worth well over $1 million in this current environment," Lloyd told the Herald Sun.
However, Lloyd said the 21-year-old, who is contracted until the end of 2012, loves the club and is likely to remain staunch in the face of lucrative offers from rivals.
"I know he absolutely loves the current environment at Essendon, and also the current players he's playing with," he said.
"You realise you play for less when you stay at your club, but I think he's more about the club that gave him his chance rather than the money.
"I'm sure he will have a long, long career at Essendon."
Hurley's manager Paul Connors also backed Lloyd's character assessment, stating last year: "He's a person of enormous character. He wants to play for the Essendon Football Club."
Whatever Hurley decides, one thing is for certain, we're all in for another year of intense speculation and innuendo about who the latest expansion side will sign.
Adelaide angry as Crow flies
Adelaide has been one of the hardest hit by the rules in place for Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast, losing key defenders Nathan Bock and Phil Davis in successive years.
Rather than take the defections in its stride, Adelaide has been open in its disappointment at players leaving for supposed greener pastures.
The Crows' approach appears to have hardened further recently with the Sunday Mail reporting that departing youngster Jack Gunston was stripped of his Mark Bickley Award for the club's best first or second-year player.
Contract talks with Gunston reportedly broke down when Gunston told the Crows he wished to return to his home state of Victoria during the off-season.
The newspaper reports that: "Channel 9, which produced the leaderboards and graphics package for the crowd of 800 at the gala dinner, was asked on Friday morning to delete Gunston's name, in favour of Daniel Talia, as winner of the Mark Bickley Award.
"The request from Adelaide came hours before television reports confirmed negotiations with Gunston and his management had grounded."
However, Adelaide football manager Phil Harper refused to confirm the story, saying he was still confident of retaining the promising utility.
"I wouldn't say he's a 'deserter' yet because we don't know that he's gone," Harper said.
"We're hoping to catch up with Jack over the weekend," Harper said. "A week ago, in talking to his manager, he was all keen to [re-sign], and all of a sudden this week there was a change of heart, so we need to ascertain exactly what's going on there."
Gunston kicked 19 goals in 12 games this season, polling 14 votes in the club's best and fairest awards. Defender Talia played nine games, averaging 12.2 disposals a game and polled five votes.
In short
Adelaide has offered midfielder Tony Armstrong a lifeline, extending his four-year stint at the club. Armstrong was sanctioned by the club late last year after being caught driving over the legal alcohol limit. "Given where he's come from and what he's overcome, it's been a credit to him. We were happy to offer him something moving forward," Adelaide operations manager Phil Harper told the Adelaide Advertiser.
West Coast midfielder Daniel Kerr has declared himself a "certainty" to play the Eagles' home semi-final clash on Saturday night after missing the game against Collingwood, The West Australian reports.
Carlton dynamo Chris Yarran has credited coach Brett Ratten for his re-invention as a creative half-back. "It's been a great year for me," Yarran told the Herald Sun. "The switch to half-back has helped enormously. 'Ratts' gets full credit for that."
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
