Very Jaded

Wrong, we'd still be worried because Watts is not, has never been, and will never be a KPF. In fact he did best as a third tall.

Only two are actually proven quality. That’s not a lot.

Wonderful news. So happy for him and wish him all the best!

He’s currently in one of the most spectacular parts of the world according to Insta. He needs to enjoy it before the drab Burgo interviews start coming his way.

What will people say if our 1st pick next year is pick 18? Did we pay over? We could finish top 4, and with compensation picks etc it might well end up pushing towards the end of the 1st round anyway. Besides, we have commodities on our list that we can trade for a 1st rounder next year if we felt very strongly after getting someone specific in the so called 'super draft' (e.g.- Salem, Brayshaw, who knows maybe even Weids if he has a good season). I'm not saying we should trade any of our better players, but if we desperately wanted to get back into next year's 1st round, we could make it happen. Everybody is so quick to think their club has gotten screwed in a deal, but sometimes it's a win win and believe me there isn't 1 Crows fan or administrator who wouldn't give us those picks back to still have Lever. He is an exceptional player with massive scope for further development, and he immediately makes us a better side. Considering we were 0.05% off finals last year, adding someone of Lever's calibre to the team is a huge boost!

We get deals done every single year because we are good to deal with! There is a lot to be said for being a fair and transparent club to deal with, it makes life a lot easier for us and encourages players to nominate us, as they know we can get a deal done. We didn't pay over and we didn't pay under, we paid market value for a gun 21 year old. Would you want less if Hogan was to leave? Trac? Oliver? No, we would want more. Lever is in the same class.

It was a gamble we took that landed us Oliver was it not? If history has taught us anything is that drafting key position players is such a big big risk. We've drafted a few with early picks and only Hogan has proven to be worth the price. Lever is a proven gun defender and he is only 21. We essentially drafted a top 10 player but he is ready to go and is AFL proven who has 10+ years left in the game! That is a very very difficult thing to achieve, and the chances of doing this in the draft are I would say less than 20%. How many draftees go on to be A grade players who play 10+ seasons? We obviously think our window is about to open, and are trading for the now. Anyone who watched us last season knows that we desperately needed help in defence, especially if TMac ends up forward (which I suspect he will). We never really recovered down back with the loss of Frawley, and Lever more than fills that gap for us now. Midfielders, especially outside runners, can be found later in the draft, and are a cheaper commodity on the trade table. Besides, who knows what pick 35 has in store for us, or what we will get for Watts.

It's a good deal and there's nothing to say we can't trade back into the first round next year. Glad we got it done.

We're just getting too old for this

Why are people worried about a salary of a player? I trust our club can manage the books OK. Lets worry about getting the deal done.

Anyone hear Scully saying Kelly should stay at GWS because money isn't everything? Oh the irony of that pathetic little lying turd!

If you wouldn't give up Frost to get Lever, you are crazy. Frost is a very ordinary user of the ball and an average at best defender.

And how do you propose we keep and pay all these good players if we add Kelly at $1mil+ a season?

We can't afford it and frankly I wouldn't want to spend so much money on one individual. Yes he's a gun but how do we propose to pay all the other young guns on our list if we blow over a million a season on this kid? A team full of C graders like North can afford it. We can't. Besides is a false dawn strategy. We need to build a good team not a team built around 1 good player.

Jokes. I definitely was not a fan of his recruitment or indeed of him as a player. He's winning me over though.

As much as it pains me to say it, he is our match sealer. Very good goal kicking and has been good playing wing and half forward this season.

Probably because even these idiots know that no gun player would want to leave the MFC right now... not to mention all our stars are signed!

Understatement of the century. Much like time to win a flag, and Jetta is a good player.

At least that superstar Schofield is free to play. His 6 touches will be vital.

Not surprising when you look at how few games he's missed in that time, and how awful a football team we were.

Now for the second most important embarrassing record of them all... smashing those pretenders North Melbourne. I live for the day we beat them. They don't even deserve the name Melbourne in their title!

Will definitely finish top 5 Other contenders at this stage: Oliver, Jetta, Jones, Watts

Stretch is the only player with serious future potential on the list. They'd literally slam the door in our face if we offered any of the others. We also don't have a lot of currency if we want to trade future picks, as I think most clubs will bank on us finishing top 8 next year. I would love Lever, and believe we are one KPD away from being a serious premiership threat, but I don't think we have much to trade, and since he isn't a free agent, it could get tricky!

Doesn't lose enough contest one on one to tackle? Still should tackle more, but I think the plan for him is to get ball and attack, rather than play a more shut down role.

I don't care enough about Essendon to know for sure, but all I know is my friend who is a die hard Essendon supporter was devastated to lose him! He said at the time he'll be in our top 5 best players, and I lol'ed and told him to get stuffed because Essendon just want to rip us off. Now every week all I do is curse him for Melksham and thank him for Hibberd. He hates me.