Those AFL comparisons are some of the most rubbish I have seen. How is the Beams trade a lesson on how it should go? If anything it tells you we shouldn't pay anything for Neale!
Then the comparisons to much younger players (25yo) than Neale (a comparison I did with the Cerra trade when arguing he's worth two first round picks) who weren't two proper first round picks let alone the top 10 picks we're likely to have. There are so many holes in this article. Why should we bear the brunt of the Lions front ended contract used to pry Neale away from us? Brisbane can hold him to his contract if they're annoyed by it, we shouldn't be forced to suffer.
This all stinks of a horrible media beat up.
It should also be mentioned, you don't top up with mature players until your young list has come through the rebuild and starts challenging. You go early and you ruin it, especially trading out picks for top up players. We half-assed the rebuild and added years to it with the addition of Hogan, McCarthy, Lobb, Wilson, Conca, Hill, Acres etc who won't be there when we're challenging. We didn't start the rebuild till the Brayshaw/Cerra draft (after the 2017 season) and didn't fully commit till the Young/Serong/Henry draft. I beg the club not to go back to the mature path and back in our kids. Back in the talent available in this draft.