Lol Jon Ralph just said he would trade McEvoy and Gilbert for Pick 1
From an outside perspective, I don't blame him. I think that's the sort of deal that would be pretty much fair and equitable for both sides.
Not saying we should do it, especially after Mac's game on the weekend (although I'd be hoping for more of the same between now and the end of the season- he had a game like that against Carlton, but then it took him all this time to play another one like it, so he ideally needs to start playing them more consistently, not just once every couple of months), but for those like me who loved Mac, at 200cm, taking those marks at the highest point inside 50 on the weekend, that is of course what Boyd brings to the table, being almost an identical height and weight already and being renowned for taking numerous marks at the highest point, inside 50, like Mac's ones, each week (and then going back and slotting the goal almost every time- apparently from anywhere up to 55m or more out), but while having much greater acceleration off the mark than Mac has, making him also very dangerous and effective on the lead.
Mac gave us a glimpse of some of what Boyd will be likely to bring to the table for whichever club picks him up, potentially week, after week, after week, for 10+ years. Apparently no-one anywhere near his height has dominated at the champs like he was dominating (before his injury) at any time in recent years, including the likes of Patton, Tom Hawkins, Jack Watts, Travis Cloke, Lance Franklin, etc, so the hype about him is not based on nothing and that is why it will cost a lot to get pick one off GWS. He just kicks bags of goals pretty much every week without fail and has the physical attributes to be likely to dominate at AFL level as well (and earlier in the year reportedly took 10 marks against Collingwood's VFL team, to show that he can already compete very well against men, like Jesse Hogan is for Casey).
Any legit chance we have to get Boyd to build our future team around needs to be given the utmost due diligence, IMO, as it's the sort of opportunity that in my experience (of following the drafts since about 1996) comes around very, very rarely.