Fremantle coach Mark Harvey has launched a thinly veiled attack on Melbourne after its shameless attempt to woo Dockers ruckman Robbie Warnock last weekend.
Harvey acknowledged Melbourne had a right to acquire players as it attempts to re-develop its list, but questioned the way the Demons' method.
Melbourne coach Dean Bailey and former Fremantle coach and current Melbourne football operations manager Chris Connolly took Warnock on an exclusive tour of the club's facilities before the season had even finished.
Harvey also suggested that such a brazen approach could see AFL eventually head down the pathways of soccer, rugby league or rugby union, where lucrative player trading is commonplace, often leading to unsettling periods of uncertainty for both players and clubs.
This has been seen most recently by Bulldog Sonny Bill Williams being lured to French club Toulon for extra pay along with several ongoing transfer sagas in the English Premier League involving Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo and Aston Villa's Gareth Barry.
"I thought it was interesting, interesting tactics," Harvey said. "I think what we do got to be careful of is we don't want to go down the track of other codes, and you should be able to read into what I say."
"I understand business, with football. Its how it's done sometimes ... (for) they're putting the kid (Warnock) under a lot of pressure."
"(But) Robbie's got a very good constitution about him, so that's not a problem."
Prior to last weekend's approach by Melbourne, there had been a feeling within the Dockers' hierarchy that they were close to re-signing the ruckman, who had started to form a superb tandem combination with Aaron Sandilands before a shoulder reconstruction a fortnight ago.
With the 21-year-old back home in Melbourne recuperating from the operation, the Demons took the opportunity to approach Warnock, whose brother Matthew also plays for the club.
But Harvey denied that the Demons' actions had caused any falling out between himself and his former boss Connolly, who was sacked by Fremantle halfway through 20007, although he was clearly unhappy about it.
"I'm not going to get into Chris, for I have a very good relationship with Chris and he's trying to get that footy club up and running and it appears he's doing a terrific job in many areas," Harvey said.
"I understand clubs and how they have to entertain players and woo them. They're trying to re-establish their own list, it's just how it's done."
But Harvey said that in response he might approach Demons young gun and this week NAB Rising Star nominee, Cale Morton, who is originally from Perth during the off-season.
"Young Morton, I might take him out for a milkshake, when he comes over back home and has a holiday," said the Dockers coach with a smile.
Fremantle, though, has a long history of other clubs making moves on their players.
Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams has often hinted he wanted South Australian players like Matthew Pavlich and Byron Schammer to return home to Adelaide, while Melbourne lured gun ruckman Jeff White from the Dockers at the end of 1997 in a situation very similar to Warnock's.