This opinion coming from someone who picked Tambling ahead of Buddy, and gave away 2 high draft picks for Jordan McMahon....
Lets look at the dealsthat have 'reduced our premiership window' according to Wallet a little more closely shall we....
Judd deal:
Gained: A once in a lifetime player whose gone on to be the face of the club, our captain, Victorian representative, triple best and fairest, triple All Australian and Brownlow Medal winner since arriving. Still contracted for another 3 years, and will most likely plan on a few more years after that.
Lost: JK (been ok at the Eagles but hardly been a superstar), Pick 3 (Masden lol), Pick 20 (Notte - delisted already lol)
Result: MASSIVE WIN
Warnock deal:
Gained: Talented young ruckman who showed his potential with some great performancesin the 2nd half of 2010. Sure theres plenty of ruckmen around, but big blokes with the talent and athleticism of Robbie arent exactly a dime a dozen...
Lost: A pick in the 20s, a pick in the 50s and a pick in the 70s... We were hardly goingto pick the 'the 10 yea players to play alongside Gibbs, Murph and Kruez' that Wallet was going on about with those picks....
Result: Win / Win - We gained the athletic young ruckman that we needed, Freo got I think Suban.
and two other duds
Brock deal:
Gained: Former Top 10 draft pick, who if he stays injury free, will provide that extra grunt and big body we need in the midfield to complement the silk that is Judd, Gibbs and Murphy. Luke Ball showed last year just what a diference a injury free season can make to a players confidence, and to people's perception of you.
Lost : Pick 11 (Jordan Gysberts - yeah he gets the ball, but has Carazzo like turnover efficiency lol)
Result: If Brock stays injury fee, it will be a Win / Win. We get the in and under mid to help Judd. Melbourne get a young midfielder.
Fev deal - which Wallace 'forgot' to mention.
Gained: Lachie Henderson (Former top 10 pick and potential Key Position gun - 10 yr player), Pick 12 (Kane Lucas - already shown his talent at AFL level - 10 yr player)
Loss: Nothing really.. Our forward line functioned well without Fev, and the Club stayed out of the tabloids (besides a minor glitch early on with he Booze Cruise). Fev, on the other hand, has almost single handedly destroyed the Brisbane Football Club with his constant off field antics and massive front ended contract. If not already, surely Fev will be gone by the end of next year.
Result: MASSIVE WIN
Sauce deal
Gained: 2 young KPPs in McCarthy and Mitchell
Lost: Talented young ruckman, who as good as he could potentially be, was seen as surplus to our needs, Pick in the 40s
Result: Yet to e determined, but can be seen as a win, as we gained two young Key position players, and lost a ruckman who was behind Hammer, Kruez and Warnock in the pecking order.
Grigg deal:
Lost: Tough nut mid with ego issues. Crap kickingfor goal cost u at crucial stages of a couple of games late last year.
Gained: Talented Mid / Forward with courage by the bucketload
Result: Win / Win
Laidler deal:
Gained: Talented young defender with great foot skills, who we pinched under the noses of Geelong. They DID NOT want to lose him and were caught with their pants down
Lost: Late pick in the 40s or 50s.
Result: Win - Laidler is less or a gamble then taking an unproven 18 yo with a late pick, and has been around the system for 2-3 years and been lucky enough to learn from one of if not the best defence in the comp in the last few years).
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I dont see the down side to any of these deals, appart from maybe the Brock deal if he has another injury riddled season.
Wallet conveniently left out the raft of young talent we've got coming through, and the fact that we're still probably the 5th or 6th most in experienced side in the comp, and will overtake teams such as St Kilda and the Bulldogs (who've got ageing lists) in the next few years...