Being that time of year, I was reflecting on footy clubs recruiting big name, expensive players as their saviours. In the coming year, the biggest name player in that category available will be Nat Fyfe who will also be a free agent if the Dockers don't sign him up. 

Obviously, a Fyfe would make a great addition to any club's list but there are question marks. There have been queries about his character (some raised by a ratbag former player admittedly) and there is also the fact that he's recovering from a bad injury. Assuming he's a free agent he might not cost us in draft picks but his recruiting would cost in terms of the salary cap meaning we might have trouble holding onto other players.

So is it worth it given that some of the high priced, big name "saviours" in recent times like Ablett, Judd, Franklin and Dangerfield haven't brought their clubs any premierships to date?

I think we've learned through hard experience that one player will never be the saving of a club. 

What's needed is good administration, good people who are well looked after in all areas, innovation, hard work and a team all pulling together in one direction. 

Then if the right player from another club comes along and is available, I'm fine with that as long as you don't regard him as the focal point of the club, but rather as one member of a team.

As above 

Diamond Jim Tilbrook!!!!

Peter Moore and Kelvin Templeton.

If my hopes for the future of Petracca and Oliver in particular are well founded, I don't think we will need to chase "saviours". 

Keeping the talent together is more important, ala Geelong and Hawthorn in their premiership years. 

One player however talented, is insufficient, as Carlton (Judd) and Collingwood (Buckley) found out.  They eat up salary cap and get surrounded by low priced and low capability players.,

I would be happy to take Fyfe at the right price...the dream would be that he wants to come and be part of history, a premiership player and not just a money grabber.

Unfortunately someone will pay him overs (he will take it), let them, we have a team to build.

Diamond Joe was both a saviour and a very naughty boy.

I feel Fyfe will leave for success not $$ as I feel the $ at Freo and the post football money of being a one club player in WA will outweigh the change. I don't think we need a saviour but if we play the right brand of football this year he might just come our way.

I'm a long way into the 'team game' side of the debate.

Important to have as many 'excellent' players as possible to give inspiration and some unpredictability, but the 'superstars' just don't become available at their real value.

I'm a broken record on it, I know, so I wont try to bring out any grand detail. It's a debate with so many intangibles it'll maybe never be answered.

I'll concede one thing for sure - it is definitely nice to draft and develop a star who then humbly commits to the club at reasonable cost.

If he leaves it has to be for big bucks or Freo just matchea the bid and he stays.

3 hours ago, rjay said:

I would be happy to take Fyfe at the right price...the dream would be that he wants to come and be part of history, a premiership player and not just a money grabber.

Unfortunately someone will pay him overs (he will take it), let them, we have a team to build.

I've heard from sources more credible than Yarran's FB account that Fyfe is definitely not well liked amongst the playing group. He thinks he's God gift to the club and isn't humble at all about being a Brownlow winner. Quite the opposite of his speech of that night.

I doubt the MFC would be interested in such a personality given the recent hard work around behavioural standards.

Dare I say  " coach----R.D.B. "

9 hours ago, Redleg said:

Peter Moore and Kelvin Templeton.

Moore did win a Brownlow.....

34 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Moore did win a Brownlow.....

And he helped us how?

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

And he helped us how?

Credit where credir is due. Peter moore, whilst certainly no saviour was very servicable at the dees

9 hours ago, binman said:

Credit where credir is due. Peter moore, whilst certainly no saviour was very servicable at the dees

But that was the point. He was at best serviceable. Templeton was a disaster. The experiment cost us a fortune and achieved nothing.

winning a brownlow is "serviceable"? priceless 

10 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

winning a brownlow is "serviceable"? priceless 

Ok.

He played 70 games for us kicking 50 goals over the years 1983-7.

He won the Brownlow in 1984 and we finished 2nd last.

During his period with us we finished 5th last, then  2nd last twice, then 4th last and in his final year when he played only 7 games due to injury and had no impact, we started our rise to finals.

His Brownlow year as I recall, was cheap possessions, which didn't lift the team at all and we finished 2nd last. Hardly a Dangerfield Brownlow impact. 

Yes he won a Brownlow, but his impact on the club in his 5 years with us, was at best serviceable.

I doubt most would argue with that. 

It was not about the Brownlow, but the impact this terribly expensive experiment of him and Templeton, had on the club.

It was an epic failure.

40 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Ok.

He played 70 games for us kicking 50 goals over the years 1983-7.

He won the Brownlow in 1984 and we finished 2nd last.

During his period with us we finished 5th last, then  2nd last twice, then 4th last and in his final year when he played only 7 games due to injury and had no impact, we started our rise to finals.

His Brownlow year as I recall, was cheap possessions, which didn't lift the team at all and we finished 2nd last. Hardly a Dangerfield Brownlow impact. 

Yes he won a Brownlow, but his impact on the club in his 5 years with us, was at best serviceable.

I doubt most would argue with that. 

It was not about the Brownlow, but the impact this terribly expensive experiment of him and Templeton, had on the club.

It was an epic failure.

i know what you are trying to say overall, but describing his tenure as serviceable is a bit hyperbolic. Agree he was no saviour

41 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

i know what you are trying to say overall, but describing his tenure as serviceable is a bit hyperbolic. Agree he was no saviour

Hyperbolic? Really? I would have thought servicable is the opposite.

I thought he was a good average player for the dees but certailnly not a star. In other words serviceable. What word would you use?

As for the brownlow year he was dead lucky to win it in my opion. I have similar thoughts about woewodin.

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

But that was the point. He was at best serviceable. Templeton was a disaster. The experiment cost us a fortune and achieved nothing.

Fair enough. I was responding to your question 'he helped us how'? We needed a ruckman and he was a pretty good one. But as you say he didnt propel us up the ladder and perhaps we would have been better developing a young player and saving the coin.

Templeton on the other hand is alot note difficult to say he helped us.

Same goes for croswell. But i loved him all the same

14 hours ago, dee-eee said:

Dare I say  " coach----R.D.B. "

No youd probably better not.....

14 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Moore did win a Brownlow.....

 

13 hours ago, Redleg said:

And he helped us how?

 

12 hours ago, binman said:

Credit where credir is due. Peter moore, whilst certainly no saviour was very servicable at the dees

 

2 hours ago, Redleg said:

But that was the point. He was at best serviceable. Templeton was a disaster. The experiment cost us a fortune and achieved nothing.

I think the point really is the opportunity cost.

Do you spend on a big star/saviour or do you spend on building a team.

Our previous experience with the saviour approach has turned up nothing but a Brownlow.

So far the star/saviour approach hasn't worked for Carlton (Judd), Sydney (Buddy) or Geelong (Danger) and I can't see it changing.

Build a team...we've got the makings now and don't need to tip the balance.

Fyfe is the best player in the league imo so you'd obviously love to have him if he fit in the cap with no future issues 

He would be no saviour but would make us a much better team.