One of the AFL\u2019s leading player agents says every player is \u201ctradeable\u201d as clubs prepare their bids for contracted superstars this off season.<\/p>\n
Paul Connors\u2019 view comes as contracted stars Zach Merrett, Charlie Curnow and Christian Petracca all express their openness to a trade.<\/p>\n
Connors has also declared Melbourne superstar Clayton Oliver, who was the talk of last year\u2019s trade period, is \u201c100 per cent\u201d going to remain at the Demons next year.<\/p>\n
Connors says clubs are quick to announce a contracted player is not available for trade but believes that to be untrue.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say, let\u2019s take Charlie Curnow or anyone else (for example), everyone is tradeable,\u201d Connors told the 200 Plus Podcast.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll give you an example, if I\u2019m Melbourne footy club and I\u2019m saying Christian Petracca is not going, but then (Western Bulldogs) say, \u2018We\u2019re going to give you (Marcus) Bontempelli, we\u2019re going to give you Sam Darcy, we\u2019re going to give you Ed Richards and our first two rounds\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m giving you an exaggerated example, but everyone is tradeable because then (Melbourne) are probably going, \u2018I think we\u2019ve got to do that trade\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat to me means everyone is tradeable if we\u2019re being over the top.\u201d<\/p>\n
Connors says it\u2019s up to the managers to deal with the clubs to then get their player where they ultimately want to play.<\/p>\n
One of Connors\u2019 clients, Oliver, was speculated to be headed to Geelong last year after he met with a selection of Cats players.<\/p>\n
But Connors is adamant the midfielder is going to stay in red and blue for another year.<\/p>\n
\u201c100 per cent stays at the Dees, he\u2019ll be there, take that to the bank,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Another Connors Sports Management player, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, is facing an uncertain future after a tumultuous year at the Western Bulldogs.<\/p>\n
Connors doesn\u2019t deal with Ugle-Hagan directly but says he\u2019s found himself \u201cbarracking\u201d for the Bulldog to become a Jesse Hogan-like story of persistence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope so, it\u2019ll be a great story, we love a redemption story,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just barracking for it, I\u2019ve got no breaking news other than it would be great to see him play footy next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looks fit, he\u2019s got an appetite for training, he loves training (and) he trains hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he can still play, so it\u2019s just is someone going to give him an opportunity. You might have to go 10 steps back to go 20 forward but let\u2019s see.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am nearly like you guys just watching and barracking, Robbie (D\u2019Orazio) has done a great job (with him).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe game is hard too \u2026 every story is different but Giants took a great leap of faith with Jesse Hogan and he turned out to be All-Australian.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe love a redemption story \u2013 so that\u2019s what I am barracking for.\u201d<\/p>\n
The AFL trade period begins on October 6 and finishes on October 15.<\/p>\n