We got Ball for pick 35 which we offered in a trade and/or a player (Goldsack/Wellingham). Saints F'd up very clearly. We got Jolly for a first round pick. Good deal - accept that. Last year we got end of first round picks for premiership players. Nothing the least but startling there but we did slip back a fair bit in part as a result. We lacked a good mid, which Wellingham is, and a tall forward.
Do you really think we trade well?
Look, Buckley clearly has a problem with Shaw and the president has backed him 100%. There is no truning back here. Sometimes you get a point of no return.
Yes we trade well.
The question is whether we coach well.
I think Dawes walked because we got Lynch and he fall out with Buckley. Pick 20 was a good return.
Wellingham has always talked about going home. To get pick 17 (Grundy) for him was good return.
Obviously the recruiting of players like Ball, Jolly, Tarrant and Krakouer were all good outcomes.
We also draft very well. We seem to get our first picks right and get great rookies.
The main concern is the loss of 4 premiership players in the last 2 years...and a few others retiring or getting delisted.
However, on the trade table we get good return for our players...and the last 4 years we seem to have received every player we have targetted.
Say what you want about Lynch and Young, but there was interest elsewhere and we convinved them to come to us. Seemingly we have done the same with White and Adams. Fingers crossed they come through.