Jenkins: AFL trade period from a player's perspective

AFL Trade Period is exploding - in both interest and actual player movement.

Free agency and the trading window are now arguably the busiest nine days on the calendar for recruiting staff, list managers and even coaches who will be required to meet with prospective recruits.

Players experience so many emotions -- good, bad and everything in between -- during this time and while the 2018 version of trade period is very different to the 2011 version I endured, the feelings and process are still identical.

After my rookie season with Essendon -- a season when I played the entire season in the VFL with Bendigo -- I had options. I'm not sure how, as I felt I'd been not much more than average throughout the VFL season, but for whatever reason my then manager Ben Williams informed me of a few clubs interested in having a conversation.

Out of respect, I will not name which clubs were interested. But what I can write about is my experience of the week and my emotions throughout.

Eventually, I would get my wish and be traded to Adelaide but it was a long, arduous, eventful and overwhelming week for a 22-year-old who was playing mid-level country football only 12 months earlier.

I barely recall my meeting with the Crows brass, but I do recall it was in St. Kilda. I remember the guys -- Matt Rendell, Hamish Ogilvie, the late Dean Bailey and David Noble -- explaining where they thought I fitted into things in Adelaide. I was somewhat pigeon-holed as a ruckman at Essendon but Adelaide saw me more of a forward and even a defender. I remember 'Bails' asking me whether I could play on Kurt Tippett and how I would go about defending him. It certainly caught me off-guard but that's a part of the meeting from their perspective - how does someone respond to certain scenarios. I enjoyed the challenge of answering their questions and in a way, selling myself as a potential AFL player without sounding arrogant.

The most memorable aspect of that meeting with Adelaide was my recollection of Noble's presence. I thought he was a note-taker tasked with jotting down important things that were said. Or even someone on a work-experience type opportunity. Little did I know he was as big a shot-caller at the Crows as anyone. I've told him this story a few times. I think he finds it funny.

As I said, I had the fortune of interest from a few teams and after each meeting or phone call, I was certain I was headed to that particular club. AFL officials have an amazing ability to sell their organisation to an individual, I guess that's why they're in the roles they're in.

Essendon was the fly in the ointment for me. They'd taken a chance on me and given me my opportunity. I felt like I owed them something. But every now and then you need to look after yourself and that's what everyone kept telling me. I was desperate to stick with the Bombers but they could only offer me my place back on the rookie list whereas Adelaide was offering me a two-year deal with an option for a third and a very real prospect of playing AFL immediately.

Even the worst of businessmen would know which job to take. And sometimes that's how you need to treat it - like your job. Because you know, that's what it actually is. As much as fans and media demand loyalty, you won't find too many people unwilling to switch companies for more money, more opportunity and more responsibility. Especially when your career is only an average of four years long.

So, back to trade week.

James Hird was the Bombers' coach and I vividly recall a lengthy phone conversation with him where he explained how he wanted me to stick with Essendon. I could sense in his voice however that he knew deep down, the opportunity with Adelaide was far greater that not even his role as Bombers coach could stand in the way. And to be fair, I had not shown Essendon I was going to be able to cut it at AFL level. The other clubs interested were taking a big chance on me as well, probably hoping more than expecting that I would be a good pick-up.

My mind was made up. I rang Ben and told him to do his best to get me to Adelaide.

The next thing I knew I was on a plane to the City of Churches. Standing at the airport gate was Tommy Lynch, then a young gun at the Saints. He was destined for the same spot I was and we hit it off from that moment. We met at the airport, were eventually traded to the same club and almost seven years later, appear in each other's bridal party.

I had never been to Adelaide.

Essendon had not yet moved to their current facility at Tullamarine so walking into the Crows' West Lakes building was an immediate upgrade. Those small things make only a small difference but sometimes when a player is making a difficult choice, little things mean plenty.

From memory, the trade week ended on a Wednesday or Friday at 2pm and by lunch time, my deal was yet to be done. I knew I had a spot for me at the Bombers but walking back into a football club when you've asked to leave would be a difficult thing, maybe more so for an untried battler like me.