The stogy AFL is waiting until some point in the future to implement live trading, something they would borrow from American sports leagues to enable footy clubs to move up and down they draft order as the draft is taking place.
Were live trading already the order of the day, things might have played out far differently for Nathan Murphy.
The Collingwood Magpies had considered using the number six pick to take Murphy, a versatile forward, but instead took midfielder Jaidyn Stephenson with their first picks, as it would appear that the Pies are looking toward the future.
When they passed on Murphy, the young man saw his fortunes decline, even though there were a number of clubs keen on him. He was still around following the first round and ultimately the Magpies were able to find him still available for their 39th pick.
Why the Richmond Tigers and the Western Bulldogs were unwilling to take Murphy at picks 16 and 17 would be anyone’s guess, but for Murphy, the drop means that his first year will be one with less pay and perhaps a chip on his shoulder as he sets out to prove selectors’ mistakes in shunning him in the first round.
Collingwood list manager Derek Hine was no doubt pleased to get Murphy further along in the draft, saying, “What we tried to do throughout the night was look at different scenarios in terms of future trading. When Nathan started to roll back into the draft, we were having some discussions at around Pick 18 or 19 that at this point in time we’d go and trade in.We would have tried to get a pick to facilitate bringing him in. We clearly rated him highly.”
If live trading was in effect, Collingwood would have considered ways to get Murphy, yet avoid the stress of worrying about his being snatched away by another club by trading future picks in order to move back up the draft order.
“For Nathan to be sitting there at Pick 39, it was a real bonus for us,” Hine said.
For Murphy, not so much.
