If there is one thing DLs excel at is playing ‘devil’s advocate’.
Without trawling through the many, many posts on this subject over the past few years, most regular posters have at various times expoused the virtues and highlighted the deficiencies of Hogan.
I don’t think that makes people hypocrites - just good analysers of the pro’s and con’s of an individual footballer.
Without resorting to medja confirmation, I think the vast majority of Docker supporters would love to see Jesse in purple tearing apart opposition defences for the next decade. That is not really in dispute.
What is the subject of the hysterical reporting and postings on here is the perceived value attached to said player.
Without comparing to other trades, such as the ridiculous prospect of Hawthorn getting Scully for a 3rd round pick, most agree the original two, high first round picks Melbourne wanted for Hogan is way overs.
Since the medical we conducted and, I believe, some further insight gleaned into his off-field, ahem, tendencies - we’ve (as in FFC) have downgraded his trade value.
It’s not the perogative of anyone other than the brains trust at FFC to place an arbitrary value on a player - just because it’s the remaining piece of the puzzle to allow a stack of other clubs trades go through.
So whilst I believe Melbourne will fold and take pick 11 plus one or two 2nd rounders with a 3rd rounder coming back to us, the only real point of difference is what we pay for him.
FWIW, pick 5 (should LN depart as expected) should not be a part of this trade unless we get a first round pick back.
Elite talent is what we need to bring in, but sacrificing a young elite talent at the draft in the pursuit of a currently injured elitie talent at the trade table is not a net gain. We need both.
