An earthquake hit Melbourne, The Taliban took Kabul and the Demons won their first grand final in 57 years. All that was immaterial, of course. The countdown to trade period was on in earnest, and the boys at Trade Radio were already pulling 18-hour shifts. Day or night, you could tune in and hear a variation of the following conversation - “I wouldn’t say he’s elite…but I wouldn’t say he isn’t elite either.” “He has huge upside SOS.” “Oh massive upside, Damo.” “500k is unders, don’t you think Lordo? “Definitely overs for me Kaneo.”
In Show Me the Money, a three-part documentary that premieres on Stan on Thursday night, the trade period, the draft, the deals and the horse trading are examined in considerable detail. Craig Hutchison, the man behind Trade Radio, calls the period footy’s equivalent of The Shawshank Redemption. Indeed, for some of us, it’s akin to six weeks bunked down with Bogs Diamond. But it’s increasingly popular. It rates its socks off. Every October, otherwise functioning adults will bail you up with seven-way trade scenarios – complete with diagrams, arrows, and six players you’ve never heard of. Ultimately, it’s less about selling hope, and more about providing content.
