Ron Burgundy

There's absolutely no doubt that the club is of the view that he's not delivering value here. I will however be mighty annoyed if, after offering him this very contract only a year ago (and having done so with the same level of knowledge about his flaws, performance history etc that many here are presently flogging to death) that we are now about to PAY for him to apply his trade at a competitor club. If true, this completely sucks. Surely, even blind Freddie can see that, if any such arrangement comes to fruition, it will have been poorly handled by the club.

Dunno. Kids love him. My 4 year old will be upset (and confused) to see him playing for Port. The point I'm making is not actually about jumper sales though. It's about broadening the lens on assessing a player's worth to a club.

If we agree to pay some of his salary going forward, I wish to slightly revise my opinion of your Mahoney's negotiating skills thread.

I love this club. My loyalty is absolutely to it, not Jack Watts. I'm very worried about the terms of this trade. And the genesis of it. Doesn't really make sense to me. That's it.

Seriously, we have to tip in some of his salary?! Only Mormons who love Joseph Smith Jnr would agree to this trade.

One year ago, the club excitedly announced that Jack Watts committed to the club for the next three years. Trading him for pick 30 to Port (hopefully on full pay) seems quite underwhelming. I reckon he's more MFC than I am. And that's saying something. I know many here don't give a rat's, but I do. Sincerely hope the pick we get lands a gold class long term player. I'll be watching it with interest.

Nope. Not at all. It's about the human stuff. Popularity contest? ?

Nope, it's the German 6th Army. They got smashed in Stalingrad by the way. Didn't play to their strengths.

Yep, every employee uncritically loves their employer in priority to their fellow employees irrespective of how their fellow employees are treated (with whom they actually have a friendship). Feels like I'm trying to convice Kansas that Earth is actually part of a heliocentric solar system - not the centre of the universe and not 6,000 years old. Bloody hell.

Yep, and the MFC did too.

Fair dinkum ... ??

Yep. But I'm not the umpire/decision maker on this though. I'm just some dude in the crowd.

Self evidently, I am speaking for myself. But you are super naive if you don't think many of the players you're exciting about seeing next year in the red and the blue aren't currently texting each other in anger and frustration about the way in which Watts is being exited from the club. Unnecessary brand damage IMO. This stuff impacts on the team settings that served Richmond so well this year, and the Bulldogs the year before. As Ron Burgundy so infamously once said, 'agree to disagree'.

Look at us. Just landed Lever, list full of talent, and a massive chunk of the supporter base is nervously awaiting the next announcement. On any construction, how has this been well managed?

Something I hope has been factored into the club's decision on Watts. Beckham was recruited to Real Madrid to increase jumper sales. They're a much more elite club than any AFL club will ever be. It's a relevant consideration. Motlop's off to Port. I expect their supporters are marching in excited unison right now.

Exactly - he will be recruited specifically for that. Check out who else they are seeking to recruit. Rockliff and Motlop are very different players to Watts. They've also got a super hard midfield. And fire in the belly following a very disappointing exit in this year's finals series. Watts alone won't make them top 4. Plainly. But they're not offering him a 3 year deal to play SANFL. Ironically Watts might nearly be one step closer to playing finals at the G.

I really hope we use one of the second rounders we're likely to have in this draft to land an experienced player, Vince, Melksham and Hibberd-style.

Rockcliff, Motlop, Watts - likely to be added to an already hard midfield. Seems like they're trying to add the icing right now: Motlop and Watts. Reckon they'll be damaging. It's a bit rich for any of us to patronise the likes of Port on this stuff - we haven't played a final since 2006.

And paying all of his salary?

Port will be top 4 next year.

His heart was already with the red and the blue. He clearly doesn't shirk the contest - Viney better watch out, we potentially have a new Head Coach's favourite on our hands here.

We just needed to get the Lever deal done. He is a key player and knowing that he's now confirmed probably informs a series of other trade discussions. Not a trade to muck around with. IMO he got it done on terms within the range. Not a bargain obviously, but acceptable. Main thing is that he executed it. And that he did so early in the trade period, which may very well facilitate some positive secondary trades.

DS - you're a good poster. I'm therefore assuming someone's stolen your log in details. We have nailed some of these deals. And Mahoney has been excellent in the role.

I'd be very happy to see a series of 5 year contract extension announcements for several of our existing players such as Petracca, Oliver, Hogan, Hibberd and Hunt. Our main challenge will be keeping the core of this squad together for the journey. Supplementing it with players like Balic is good, but we have more special talent on it already. Lever and potentially a Gaff or Rohan type aside, I no longer think we need to trade our way to a flag. The players are already in da haus.

Exactly - it's the stuff of extreme confirmation bias and it's not really how any AFL club, including ourselves, would assess any player in the competition (which would be on recent past, current, and likely future performance). That the club has stated these things is a little self-serving in my view, particularly given that they offered him a 3 year contract only last year, which in itself effectively cauterises the past. Also, many of the really good players from 5-6 years ago are probably now retired. It's just irrelevant, other than if you're being a bit selective in your analysis. I see Impey has just signed with the Hawks. There goes that potential deal if it was ever even in the mix.