COACH Paul Roos says it’s not a good look to see AFL players state their intentions to leave a particular club before the season’s end.

Speaking the day after Carlton’s Lachie Henderson had formally requested a trade from the Blues, Roos said he wasn’t comfortable with players announcing they were departing their club, when their season was still in progress.    

“I can exactly understand what Carlton [did] and clearly Lachie didn’t have a problem with it,” he said.

“Having lived in Sydney for 15 years, it’s not a great look when players sign with other clubs [during the season]. The NRL would agree with it, but they’re in a position now where they can’t wind it back.

“We’re in a position where we don’t want to see it happening and what Carlton has done is a window into the future.

“If you know a player is not going to be with your footy club, there is very little to be gained by continuing to play and I would think Lachie would agree and clearly he’s agreed with that decision.”

Roos said if former Demon James Frawley, who crossed to Hawthorn at the end of last year as a free agent, had have done the same thing, he wouldn’t have played him.

“To James’ credit, he was really engaged right up until the end,” he said.

“Even from what I’ve heard since, he really didn’t know what he was going to do.

“He made the decision post-season, so I don’t have a problem with that and I don’t have a problem with players changing clubs.

“But what Carlton has done is given a window into the future, if that happens again. I suspect the same thing would happen at most clubs.”

Roos said the situation in the NRL was farcical – and he urged the AFL not to head down the same path.

“Once it starts, it’s hard to wind it back and we don’t want it in our game – categorically,” he said.

“We don’t want players declaring during the season that they want to go to another club and it’s a really, really bad look for the game.

“It shouldn’t happen and if it does – having lived it and breathed it [living in Sydney] … the public will be up in arms about it, completely up in arms about it and outraged by it.

“It will cause enormous angst among fans, sponsors, members, coaches and players – and it’ll be a disaster.”