I thought the way GWS handled the CamMac situation was appalling. The current system – in the name of equalisation – requires boys just out of high school to pick up their lives and move interstate to ply their trade. Most of this kids adjust to living away from their homes and families and many thrive, but a small percentage don’t. How you deal with those few individuals who don’t cope says a lot about the values of a club.
GWS showed their hand in this respect. They were willing to sabotage CamMac’s career, and adversely affect his life, because they didn’t consider they were getting a return on their asset. That sort of ruthless (bordering on amoral) approach may or may not help them win football games over the coming years (it certainly hurt them in this instance), but I think it’s a disgraceful way to treat young men. I wish them nothing but ill-fortune.
We’re facing the same situation with Balic. It would have been nice to have received a better pick, but with an injury history and very little body of work behind him, it’s really hard for us to demonstrate value. He missed all of his TAC Cup year, and has played 4 AFL games. He has been serviceable in the WAFL (contrast with Michie who won Peels B&F). He had to return home during the season twice.
I would think a third round pick would be what I would be comfortable offering for a player in his position. Melbourne offered pick 66. What do you do? You ask for a higher pick and you explore better options. None are forthcoming. So, what do you do?
It seems that some would be willing to throw Balic to the wolves GWS-style, or chuck a tanty and get nothing by pushing him to the PSD, because we didn’t get what we want. I don’t think it’s in our long-term interest to be that sort of club, and I’d feel worse about supporting a club like that.
By dint of being a WA based club we stand to benefit more from returning players than we lose going the other way. What long-term good does it do us to throw a young bloke like Balic under the bus for a pick 45 instead of 66? I reckon from the end of the second round teams are just making intelligent guessing on selections anyway.