Seems like it's smelling like roses down at Freo to me.
B.Hill, Hamling & Kersten have all come 'home' to WA, with Wilson and Matera to follow, and all to Freo without Wet Toast getting a look in.
If Weller was going to head home at the end of next season anyway - having indicated he was going to reject the 4 year offer we have tabled for him - what do you think he'd be worth as an uncontracted player? A 2nd rounder at best, IMHO. Particularly if GC pick up the Wooden Spoon as expected and they could draft him for nothing.
I'm not happy about him leaving but he's been thrown up every year at trade time and this time he's pulled the trigger.
Good on him for coming out now and telling the club at a time when we can maximise his trade value. Probably would have preferred it a week ago so Crozier could have been retained, but so be it. At least he didn't retire after the trade period ala Yarran last year and McPhee a few years ago or wait until next season to ask for a trade.
For what it's worth, if we can get 2 second rounders plus Matera and on-trade one of the second rounders for Wilson - then that's a fair trade for all parties. Talk of pick 2 sounds like an ambit claim - particularly as we'll probably have to trade that for other picks to get the Wilson deal over the line.
However, recruiting anyone other than West Australians must now be viewed as a risky strategy (or any interstate player for any clubs for that matter). As good as our track record has been over the journey of keeping in-demand, interstate players - free agency and a far more mercenary approach by both players and clubs now means loyalty is worth next to nothing.
Problem as I see it this year is - all the best talent (i.e. 1-10 draft picks) are all interstate players. Rather than paying overs for a WA kid, maybe it'd be worth it in the long run for us to trade down our first pick this year for an early one next year when a stack of quality WA kids are due to come through.
I know the club has said pick 5 is off-limits, but in light of developments today, I think it's worth looking at.