PS. QUOTES OF THE (TRADE)WEEK

'I want to express my deep sorriness again.' - Brendan Fevola, Brisbane Lion.

'If he had of been carrying on like that in our day, Norm Johnson (a notorious Fitzroy hardman) would have punched his lights out to make him wake up to himself.' - Lions legend Kevin "Bulldog" Murray, with a clue as to how the Lions may change the Fev's ways.

TRADING

PHOTO: PAT SCALA

Just when you thought it was the end of season and time to put your mind up for a while …

Trade week.

Here are my thoughts from the week, written on the run:

I find trade week deeply unsettling. Never mind the world’s domino chain of natural disasters … every morning this week brings a new trade shock. It’s like losing members of your family. Or gaining new ones for that matter.

Consider being a Saints fan and learning that Luke Ball had rejected a three year deal and wants to go to the Pies. It’s like losing your kid brother to the school bully’s family, so that he ends up staring at you over the fence.

Consider being a Blues fan and losing Fev. I mean, some might argue that it’s a relief to lose the old uncle who can’t handle his grog, but you’ve got to admit that you know Christmas will be a lot more dull.

Consider being a Swan and learning that your ruck-man has gone to … Collingwood. It’s like having the tall capable brother-in-law of the family, the one you welcomed in a few years ago from the other side of the tracks, the one whose got a lot of trades and knows how to fix everything around the house, go off and marry into another family.

Baz failed his final year at the Sydney Swans Wellness Clinic. Tami and Paul Roos must accept that not everyone can be fixed with meditation and Bloody oaths. But imagine being a Bulldogs supporter and looking down at the next forward line, stacked with Aker and Bazza. Hard core Bulldogs must really feel satisfied that the club, by all appearances, is going back to its ‘westy’ roots.

How would Hawks fans feel about their big tough defender being ‘allegedly’ offered up as a carrot to the Power in order to get a Burgoyne? It’d be like losing your big brother, just as you were about to embark on a school yard brawl.

And what about Bombers fans? How would you feel losing speedster Lovett to the Saints. It’d be like robbing a bank with your cousins and getting outside to find that the getaway car driver has been born again a Christian.

At least you get Williams in return. One spunky blackfella with X factor for one spunky blackfella with X factor. A good deal. That’d do nicely in Sydney.

And finally spare a thought for the Lions supporters: with Buchanan, Staker, Raines and Clarke X brought in, then Fev at the final hour … it’d be like living with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. You’d never know where the next one was coming from.

In the aftermath of trade week, club supporters have numerous little emotional adjustments to make. There is a realignment of loyalties and interests to be undertaken before they sign off on the pink slip for the new season. There’s no easy week for a supporter of the oval ball.

Happy draft!

Others have suffered too. Nigel sent this to the backpocket on Thursday:

The Burial of the Dead

October is the cruelest month, breeding
Rucks out of the west land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Jolly roots with magpie rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful Mickey O, feeding
A little life with Barry Hall.

Summer surprised us, coming over the trades
With a shower of drafts; we stopped in the colonnade,
And went on in sunlight, into draft week,
And drank coffee, and talked for an hour.

Feel free to add your own sufferings below in COMMENTS.