Toast No Trade for Cox or Kerr

[Masto]

I think there can be arguments made for keeping Cox. Sure he is on the decline but he is still a very servicable ruckman and will continue to assist in NicNat's development. He might have to accept becoming #2 ruckman though. At least he is still playing football.

Kerr, on the other hand, has run out of time. Has barely fired a shot since 2007. Has admitted publicly he has no motivation left and a change of scenes would be good for both parties.

 

[tesseract]

This time last year everyone was saying that Freo should trade Pavlich as they were rebuilding with youth.

Look at them now...

Things can turn around quickly. I don't think we need more young players. We need our young players to develop quicker than they have this year.

This article by Scott Burns is interesting http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7155/newsid/99615/default.aspx

he basically concedes that our young mids havent made big steps this season as hoped but they are still on track in their development. He compares their possesion stats vs the Geelong midfield in their early days and we compare ok.

Hes confident that as they play together more, they will develop into a dangerous side.

It's easy to say look, look in hindsight, but I thought Freo should've traded Pav too. At the time, it would've helped their rebuild immensely. As it stands, it's still a gamble to not have traded him. I don't think Freo will win a flag before Pav and Sandi retire. That's what it comes down to. In 3 years time, I'll still be of the same mind, unless Freo win a flag in that time, that Freo should've traded him so as to rebuild better. It would've served them better in the long run, IMO. Just as trading Cox and Kerr now will serve WCE better in the long run.

WC aren't going to have a Freo style turn around, next season. Freo have the players with the necessary experience to pull it off, WC don't. 1 exception does not make a rule. Hope all you want, but the odds are stacked top heavily against such a turn around realistically occurring.
WC have to face the fact that their best option is to grind out a methodical rebuild; not hope to insanely strike gold, against the odds, and trade in players at this stage of a rebuild and hope that it takes them to a premiership.