Yes, not meaning 4-5 mids from our best-22 is a very important clarification, and the other questions are moot if you didn’t mean that.
So best-22-wise then, you think just one player for next year (Jobe replacement/improvement) would put our midfield up there with the best (barring injuries)? If so, I’d agree. Assuming that McGrath will also probably be spending more time there next year too.
But I would also then think it’d be worth giving up some early draft picks if we could get someone like that, rather than using them on youngsters who would likely need a few years to develop. Hooker, Hurley etc deserve it. Winning the premiership next year, after whatever happens this year, should now be the focus. Preference though would be to get someone through free agency (having some young stars developed in a few years to win then as well would be great). Rockliff would be perfect.
Depth considerations should just be given to later draft picks/pre-season draft, and banking on improvement from at least a couple of the ifs.
I mean we basically just disagree on what the best approach is. I prefer the risk spread of a bunch of decent picks/trades over one monster trade and a bunch of late picks, in essence because the former feels more reliable in the medium to long term. Honestly not sure there’s any decent evidence that either approach is actually better.
I realise I’m writing this after we just dismantled the saints, and Laverde’s tearing the VFL apart so I look like a real gloomer, but there it is.
Begley’s a strongly built half forward with good clean hands in congestion, a natural rover and gives pretty strong pressure. He played midfield in the 2nd half of his 18s year and playing stints in midfield in VFL as we speak. He’s not there yet, but he will play midfield, it’s the most natural progression in the world.
J Stewart is a spindly 6’6" tall forward who will never line up as a midfielder in any circumstances ever.
Only a blinking idiot could think Stewart would play midfield over Begley.
Oh dear. Really? He’d be just about the least likely player to play midfield on our entire list.
I don’t think either approach is better than the other, all the time, but each could be a better approach than the other depending on the circumstances. The question is whether or not we are just one key ready-made player away from being a genuine contender for a flag next year. If not, then hedging our bets is probably the better approach. If so, then getting that player should be our most pressing concern. I truly think we are just that one key player in the midfield short of being a genuine top-4 team. And that our development players aren’t that far off. Now is the time to get a big fish. Draw someone in who’s keen to win a premiership.
With gws playing unaccountable footy with most of their players being ‘stars’ could the lesser players at clubs, the role players that do the defensive things be used trade with gws to bolster their discipline whilst getting some of their ‘come home’ talent.
I think they’re hoping they can fill that void with a combination of DFA/FA, and the lesser skilled NSW academy players. If they can fill that “average” tier with NSW based players, it probably helps the whole club with the go home factor.
I wonder whether GWS are reconsidering their list strategy after the experience of Muzungu…Deledio…Deboer?..even Griffin has been a bit disappointing IMO…
I would say Mumford and Stevie J were big wins though…and Shaw…