Contrary view. If we play hard ball and don’t trade then we show we have a spine (pun intended) and won’t be pushed around anymore. Hopefully we can make that spirit work on field too but I am not holding my breath. Regardless of what Joe does next year I see putting a line in the sand as a positive.
And, if we do trade, by all accounts it will be for a kings ransom setting us up with a ready made KPP and draft picks. Win again.
Let’s say we don’t trade, Joe has a career year (win again) and decides he wants to leave anyway. Well, we match the offer and get compensation.
The only downside is Joe’s groin is shot and he never plays well again. I would think if this was the case, EFC would NOT be playing hardball right now…
Oh yeah! We could fall off a cliff in 2022-23 if we’re not careful. Have a look at our age profile and those type of players. There is a little bit of talent in the VFL but not a lot.
By finals time next year:
Hooker nearly 32, Bellchambers 31, Hurley 30, Zaharakis 30, Brown 30, McKernan 30, Ambrose 29, Heppell 28, Tippa 27, Shiel, D.Smith nearly 27. So add two years to each of that and the club could have a big problem. Essendon have no post-Sheedy history of a quick rebound from bottoming out (unlike Pies, Saints, Eagles, Hawks etc - who’ve fallen to the bottom for a year or two, only to be a contender again in a couple of seasons.)
If we really do get Cutler and Phillips…then our list spots are pretty tight…we might only need one or two picks for draft night…with the rest of the ‘required picks’ being satisfied by rookie elevations like Draper/Snelling.
So happy to keep consolidating picks…though I I’m unsure what we’re actually going to use for Cutler and Phillips.
Agreed. Our VFL team hasn’t been successful in the last couple of seasons off the back of emerging young players who look like outstanding AFL prospects, it’s been due to journeyman, has-beens and non-AFL listed players.
We really don’t have much coming through.
Hence why IF a level headed assessment made regarding Joe’s BODY (not just how it is now but likelihood of recurrence) and MIND (will he more than likely seek a trade in 12 months anyhow) looked bleak, then having top end picks could be the injection of talent (apologies for using that term) we need to regenerate.
It’d mean we are more than likely going to fall short in the Hooker and Hurley era, but I probably think most reckon we’re on track to fall short of the ultimate anyhow in that time.
But I wouldn’t settle for anything less than 5, 9.
