However, in the four years since the somewhat restricted player movement vehicle has been accepted as a good thing for the game.

In conjunction with the trade period it creates much excitement, anxiety and unknowns for the football-loving public.

It allows uncontracted servants to seek new horizons and clubs to get their hands on superstars and regenerate their list.

It’s a successful dimension that major football and sporting codes have used around the world for years.

Yet when a contracted player requests a trade with a desire to return to their native state, the club with which they have an agreement has every right to play hardball.

In the same way, an contracted player has the right to refuse to be traded. 

Enter Carlton and former number one draft pick Bryce Gibbs.

The homesick midfielder and Blues vice-captain wanted a return to South Australia for personal reasons.

Carlton wanted two first-round draft picks or players from Adelaide in return and refused to budge.

It was reported the Crows offered Visy Park pick 13 in this year’s draft, a future third-round selection and defender Jake Kelly for the 27-year-old who has three years to run on a long-term contract.

Not enough to satisfy the Blues whose football general manager Andrew McKay said: “We obviously value Bryce more highly than they (Adelaide) do”.

Unrealistic expectations or not, Carlton had the right to demand what they deemed sufficient.

This same principle could be applied to all contracted players wanting a return to their home state.

As Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury said, contracts are quickly becoming meaningless.

Loyalty, which has been a long celebrated trait of the AFL, is quickly disintegrating.

“The only thing contracts are good for are home loans when you go to the bank because anyone can get out of them whenever they want,” Pendlebury said.

Players are not bigger than the game and at the end of the day professional sport is a business where winning is an expectation.

Contracts are contracts and should either be honoured with loyalty or the club should be adequately compensated should a break be demanded. Being shortchanged is not an option. 

Yes the Blues are left paying a player who wants to be elsewhere but it is almost certain Gibbs will still run out in Navy Blue and give his best in 2017.

Just like the contracted player that he is.