Why Paddy wants out
Essendon ruckman Paddy Ryder feared for the safety of his unborn son at the height of the club's supplements saga.
During his interview with ASADA last year, Ryder was left paralysed by concern after being told the program could potentially cause serious complications for his soon-to-be-born son, Harlan.
Ryder told the Herald Sun he and his partner Jess McDonald felt "badly" let down by the club during the 20-month ordeal.
“I can’t really put into words the amount of worrying and stress that we were both under, hoping that our son, Harlan, was going to be OK,” Ryder said.
“It was just a lot of worrying, a lot of time where it just consumed you during the day…we just tried to get ourselves through this time as best we could.
“To this day Jess still worries.
"We’ve had discussions with (Essendon doctor) Doc Reid. He says everything is clear. But going through all that uncertainty, it doesn’t just clear up with someone saying, ‘It’s all good now’.
"What has panned out over a long period of time is that we felt badly let down by the club and lost trust and faith.”
Ryder also said he would have happily played out his contract with the Bombers if the saga had been wrapped up within six months as players were told by club heavies.
The ruckman said his decision to seek a trade to Port Adelaide this NAB AFL Trade Period had nothing to do with money and all to do the "happiness" of himself and of his family.
The Age is reporting Essendon will continue its pursuit of free agency compensation for Ryder, despite the AFL blocking its plan to move the ruckman to the Power as a free agent.
Both clubs approached the AFL to investigate whether Ryder would become a free agent if his contract, which runs until the end of 2016, was mutually voided.
The Bombers would then likely receive an end-of-first-round pick for Ryder, given that the player will receive a generous contract from the Power.
Port would have then traded its first-round pick (No. 17) to Essendon for two later picks at the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.
The potential trade was blocked by the AFL, but the Bombers will continue to try and work a similar deal by separating the two aspects of free agency and trading picks.
If a suitable trade cannot be reached by next Thursday's deadline, Ryder will reportedly take his breach-of-contract claim to the grievance tribunal.
GWS holding all the keys
Greater Western Sydney is working itself into a position to try and secure Ryan Griffen, after the Western Bulldogs skipper sensationally requested a trade to the Giants on Thursday.
The Bulldogs insisted they would hold Griffen to his contract though, which expires at the end of 2015.
But with talks to send key-position player Kristian Jacksch to Carlton advancing, the Giants could be in a powerful position to change the Bulldogs' mind.
It is thought the Giants could send both Mark Whiley and Jaksch to the Blues in a deal that would see Carlton swap its pick No.7 for the Giants' pick No.19, which they received from Hawthorn on Thursday in the deal for midfielder Jono O'Rourke.
The Giants would then hold picks No.4 and No.7, which would have them well placed to deal with the Bulldogs.
Griffen was the fourth contracted player to request a trade, joining Collingwood's Dayne Beams, Ryder and Geelong's Allen Christensen – the latter wanting to move to the Brisbane Lions.
The Lions are set to lose Joel Patfull to the Giants for pick No.21, which would strengthen it's ability to play for Christensen.
Dealing with the Pies
Melbourne continues to work with Collingwood and Geelong on a three-way deal that would send Heritier Lumumba to the Demons, Travis Varcoe to the Pies and Mitch Clark to the Cats.
It now seems a race in two for Varcoe, with Collingwood and North Melbourne vying for the Geelong speedster's signature after West Coast ruled itself out.
Talks to get Beams to the Lions stalled on Thursday with the Magpies insisting the Lions' existing offer - their No.5 pick and first second-round pick - is inadequate. The latter pick, No.25, could be valuable, however, as the Pies attempt to satisfy North Melbourne's demands for Levi Greenwood.
The Kangaroos are keen to secure a draft pick for the 25-year-old midfielder, but Collingwood's second-round pick, No.30, is likely to fall short of their needs.
