Roos willing to trade top picks

Sporting News Logo

New Melbourne coach Paul Roos is willing to trade the club's highly-prized number two draft pick and/or a potential priority pick in order to boost the Demons' woeful playing list with ready-made footballers.

In his time at Sydney, Roos made an art form out of trading away early draft picks for recycled players with premiership players Darren Jolly, Nick Davis, Ted Richards, Martin Mattner and Shane Mumford all arriving at the Swans for selections ranging from 15 to 28.

Ben McGlynn, Josh Kennedy and Rhyce Shaw also made their way to the Harbour City for picks 39, 46 and 46 respectively under Roos' watch and were a part of Sydney's premiership team last year too.

Roos identified the midfield as the number one area which Melbourne needed to bolster and the former Swans mentor was willing to take drastic measures to ensure that occurred.

"I'd be happy to trade pick two, philosophically," Roos said at his unveiling on Friday.

"I think we need some immediate talent in the midfield.

"Philosophically I wouldn't be against trading pick two or if we did get a priority pick, we'd be happy to put that back in the mix and maybe that helps the AFL make a decision that we'd be probably happy to put that out to tender and say 'look, if anyone out there wants pick one, give us a couple of good players'."

The possibility of Melbourne receiving yet another priority pick is believed to be a bone of contention with most other clubs given the raft of early draft picks and priority picks the Demons have received in recent years.

But Melbourne CEO Peter Jackson said there was a 'powerful argument' for Melbourne to obtain a priority pick this year due to their ineptitude on the field which has seen them win just 34 games in the last seven seasons.

Jackson stressed it was up to the AFL Commission to decide whether Melbourne would receive the concession and the opinions of the 17 other clubs wouldn't have a bearing on the decision.

And while he conceded the AFL's recent tanking investigation into Melbourne might 'cloud' the issue of how deserving they are of extra assistance in this year's draft, Jackson said the Demons had become a 'drag on the industry' and it was important they became competitive again for everyone's sake.

"It's sad that Melbourne play Richmond, two rivals that don't like each other very much, in front of 39,000 people at the 'G," Jackson said.

"When we played Hawthorn it was in front of 28,000 people ... we cost Richmond probably 100 grand that day and we probably cost Goughy (MCC chief executive Stephen Gough) 50 grand.

"The broadcasters don't want to play to a stadium that's half full, they don't want people turning it (television) off because we're not competitive.

"Fixing this footy club will provide a return to the whole industry.

"It's not really a question of what the other 17 clubs think."

Roos said that ensuring out-of-contract duo Colin Sylvia and Jack Watts stay with the club was a main priority for him.

The new Melbourne coach also indicated that co-captains Jack Grimes and Jack Trengove were not guaranteed to skipper the club next season.

"I need to make them the best players they can be and that's my priority," Roos said.

"If that means them being captain, they'll be captain. If it means them not being captain, they won't be captain."

Author(s)