It’s called a trade window, but it’s not really a window. It’s an opening with a blind pulled down over it, beneath which everyone inside keeps peeping out, and everyone outside keeps watching out for shadows. And so we end up with the Clayton Oliver debacle.

Unarguably, Melbourne’s leaders have handled the whole episode poorly, and it is not over yet. Nor has Oliver covered himself in glory. All of which left list manager Tim Lamb in an impossible position when he faced media on Monday. But the underlying problem is the system, itself.

Tim Lamb faced some difficult questions about Clayton Oliver on Monday.Credit: AFL Photos

The AFL apparatus severely restricts the way players move between clubs. Mostly this is a good thing, helping to maintain an even and vibrant competition. But it also dictates when a player can move, limiting it to two short post-season windows. When those windows open, no matter........

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