Ok,
Kristof, let's not forget ever since Stewart turned around centrals he could no wrong in your eyes.
let's get some examples in the last 5 -6 years.
1. trading:
Byron pickett was not a recruiting coup, he was being hawked around to anyone. They traded pick 13 (schammer) & 31. North felt he wasn't worth the cash he was being paid, and now this is a great recruiting triumph? No more so than North picking up Leigh Brown for peanuts, Collingwood for woewoedin, etc.
Hardwick - pick 31 & 47. ok trade, but essendon are pretty pleased also with what they got.
Darry Wakelin - no.4 in 2000 draft. probably a good deal for them, but not a steal either.
Stuart cochrane for Michael Stevens. absolute pasting, cochrane isn't much and stevens is a draft disaster.
Matthew bishop for no.42 - fair trade.
Brett Montgomery - good trade for them. Though they gave up a lot at the time, and Eagleton has certainly come good again in the last and a bit.
Cockatoo Collins - pick 23 (ladhams) was fair enough at the time. But not a great trade.
Schofield - no.45 good trade. this player always had ability.
2. drafting: they have as many duds as anyone else, yet we think they didn't.
2002 - too early to tell. but salopek fell to them at no.6, and is yet to prove that he should have been taken much earlier.
Stephen Gilham no.16 - too early to tell really.
2001 Barry Brooks no.15, St kilda offered them a great deal the next year, and they took it. fair enough, but lets so how their actual selection goes, he hasn't shown anything so far.
2001 Damon white no.62, might turn into something useful amd they have been talking him up for a while now.
2000 Shaun Burgoyne no. 12 - please he's shown nothing more than a little talent, and is at the crossroads right now.
2000 Kane Cornes no.20 - still not setting world on fire, ok player. seems to be standing still in his development
2000 Allan Murray no. 35 - no longer at club
2000 Dominic Cassisi no. 50 - nothing much
1999 Paul Koulouriotis no.12 - no longer at club
1999 Cain Ackland no.27 - ha ha
1999 Grent Guerra no.28 - no longer at club. still no world beater
1999 Steven Brosnan no.57 - who?
1998 Michael Stevens no.5 - worst pick since rombotis
1998 Josh Carr no.7 - good pick. player better than advertised.
1998 Adam Morgan no.37 - please. not at club anymore, and people say we shouldn't have picked Kenny over Pavlich. this is a howler.
1998 Toby Thurstans no. 39 - nothing much
1998 Derek Murray no. 54 - no longer at club, brother just as crap.
They got a couple of players through the rookie list as well.
I never said they were complete rubbish, I think they have done ok. but can someone please tell me what is so great here, that we need to move heaven and hell to get their recruiting manager???
this does not strike me as a league leading effort.