Let's assume both trades mentioned in that article are on the table for us to choose from. Whichever we pick says an enormous amount about the mindset of the club and where we see ourselves internally.
Trade 1: Liam Jones, Adam Cooney & pick 45 in exchange for pick 28
Trade 2: Kristian Jaksch, pick 19 & pick 21 in exchange for pick 7 and pick 28
Accept the first offer and you are selling to members and supporters the mindset that you believe you are currently in, or about to enter into, a premiership window.
Go with the second option and despite giving up an early selection, you are projecting that the club needs to embrace the draft and continue to go hard at bringing young talent into the club.
The first option is somewhat tempting but surely you'd have to go with the second trade. Yes we give up our first two selections but in return we bring in a highly rated young key position player with 2 years worth of AFL development in his system, as well as the opportunity to draft two very good young footballers. You'd also assume that trading our 3rd pick for Jones would still well and truly be on the cards.
As much as I'd love to keep our early pick, I think a trade period which saw us walk away with two relatively young key position players, two relatively good draft picks and whatever other minor pieces we manage to shuffle (Garlett & Robinson trades, as well as possibly trading in Tutt with a very late token selection) would be a terrific result for the club.
Having said that, MM is on record as saying he thinks we're approaching a premiership window. Saying that to the public is one thing, truly believing it internally is another. Let's see how serious he was when he said it...