2008 AFL Draft

The 2008 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2008/09 Australian Football League off-season. These are Trade Week (held between 6 October and 10 October), the National Draft (to be held on 29 November), the Pre-Season Draft (16 December) and the Rookie Draft (16 December). [ [http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=63364 2008 Key Dates] ] It is considered to be the last uncompromised draft before the draft concessions given to the Gold Coast and Western Sydney expansion teams restrict the existing AFL clubs' access to the best young players in the future years drafts.Gough, Paul; [http://sportal.com.au/afl-news-display/big-names-on-offer-58095 Lovett, O'Keefe the big prizes] ; Sportal; 6 October 2008]

Trades

Throughout the year there was much speculation about high profile players such as Jonathan Brown, Alan Didak and Daniel Kerr being likely to be traded during the AFL's annual trading period, but each re-signed with their clubs before the trading period started.cite news|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24449870-23211,00.html|title=Clubs to tread carefully in trade week|last=AAP|date=2008-10-05|publisher=Foxsports|accessdate=2008-10-08] The main discussions during trade week were the surprise request by Ryan O'Keefe to be traded from Sydney, as well as the desintation young Fremantle ruckman Robert Warnock, both of whom wished to be traded back to their home city of Melbourne.cite news|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24452136-23211,00.html |title=O'Keefe keen to deal - at a price|last=Gullan|first=Scott|date=2008-10-06|publisher=Foxsports|accessdate=2008-10-08] Other players to request trades include Andrew Lovett, Brent Prismall, Mark Seaby, Farren Ray, Josh Carr and Daniel Harris.

North Melbourne surprised many early in the week by naming Hamish McIntosh and Corey Jones as players available to trade, with McIntosh later being withdrawn from the offer after a backlash from his manager and club legend Glenn Archer. cite news|url=http://news.theage.com.au/sport/archer-baffled-by-mcintosh-trade-option-20081007-4vt0.html|title=Archer baffled by McIntosh trade option|last=AAP|date=2008-10-07|publisher=The Age|accessdate=2008-10-08] cite news|url=http://news.smh.com.au/sport/mcintosh-off-afl-trade-table-20081008-4wnn.html|title=McIntosh off AFL trade table|last=AAP|date=2008-10-08|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=2008-10-08]

Like most years, no trades were completed during the first three days of the trade week and for the first time the AFL was requested to assist by providing a mediator to solve the stand-off between Fremantle and Carlton over the Warnock deal. Carlton had offered its second round selection, #24 overall, but Fremantle wanted its first round selection, #6.cite news|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/mediation-to-settle-score-between-blueing-clubs-20081008-4w7d.html|last=Prestipino|first=David|date=2008-10-08|publisher=WA Today|accessdate=2008-10-08] cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24468553-19742,00.html|title=War over Robbie Warnock|coauthors=Stevens, Mark & Ralph, Jon|date=2008-10-09|publisher=Herald Sun|accessdate=2008-10-08]

2009 Rookie Draft

See also

* for more AFL information

References