Hindsight: Stewart Crameri

[G-Mo77]

I don't think we overpaid. At the time Crameri was worth around a 2nd round pick, we're pretty honest traders in recent times and to "screw" another club just doesn't seem what we'd do. I was fine with it regardless of who they picked. It is an empty pick so who knows who we would have taken with it.

What's always got up my nose is that we lost a player for a year who could have got a slap on the wrist. The clubs advice was ignored and advice from another club and players was taken.

[1eyedog]

Good trade with his best still in front of him. I really rate him and think he's built for finals. Get him right and when he gets his touch back he'll be very damaging towards the latter part of the year.

He's a very good player when fit.

[cinder]

He's a very good player when fit.

Yeah he had such a great season in 2015, it was disappointing to lose him for a year and now this year with all the injuries. Hope he can get back to his best.

[hujsh]

Hindsight says he should have testified for ASADA and got the whole thing over with. Half of 2015, all of 2016 and arguably even his form this year has been affected by dragging it out.

[GVGjr]

Pick 26 worked out very well for us and I think Stu has been a good guy at the club. It was a shame he missed a season and has now struggled with some injuries this year but overall I think it was a positive outcome.

[josie]

We are a v.good club with it appears a good culture. Hence I back the club & Crammers for him to overcome injuries and mental scars such that he is back in best 22 sometime in 2nd half of season. I think his been worth pick 26 already.

[jeemak]

Much like the Lake situation it's overly presumptuous to suggest we should have held out for longer to get a better deal or buckled simply to get a deal done when trading for Stu. We're all excellent negotiators from afar, but once provided with sufficient detail things we would probably become less black and white and empathy for the decision making process in each situation would take over (much like criminal sentencing or bail setting). I see it all the time in the industry I'm involved within, politics, you name it.

I think he's offered up a mixed bag. If he kicks straight in the 2015 elimination final he pays for himself - unfortunately for him he had a dirty day accuracy wise (he had an excellent game otherwise). The good games he plays are influential, when he has a stinger he really has a stinker.

Hopefully he can get back into some form post surgery. We need his versatility and the side will thrive with selection pressure afoot.

[AndrewP6]

No problems with it from my point of view. Has provided good service. Get him fit and firing, he can get back to that.

[westdog54]

Its weird. A few lean weeks and all of a sudden we've lost out on this trade.

At the time Essendon were trying to squeeze all sorts of extras out of us, but we held out on a second round pick. That was market value at the time and I can't see how anything has changed.

Yes, Essendon have done superbly in selecting Zach Merrett, there's no doubt he's a great player. But the notion that we've already "lost" this trade is bonkers.

[comrade]

Its weird. A few lean weeks and all of a sudden we've lost out on this trade.

At the time Essendon were trying to squeeze all sorts of extras out of us, but we held out on a second round pick. That was market value at the time and I can't see how anything has changed.

Yes, Essendon have done superbly in selecting Zach Merrett, there's no doubt he's a great player. But the notion that we've already "lost" this trade is bonkers.

Yep, there are still some salty Essendon fans out there that believe we 'stole' Bont from them because they should have received pick 4 in the Crameri deal.

[GVGjr]

Its weird. A few lean weeks and all of a sudden we've lost out on this trade.

At the time Essendon were trying to squeeze all sorts of extras out of us, but we held out on a second round pick. That was market value at the time and I can't see how anything has changed.

Yes, Essendon have done superbly in selecting Zach Merrett, there's no doubt he's a great player. But the notion that we've already "lost" this trade is bonkers.

Spot on, it's a good discussion but it also needs to be understood that Essendon offered us their pick 9 and Crameri for our pick 4 (Bontempelli) so to me if people are going to throw Merrett into the discussion lets factor in the the full range of discussions.

J-Mac and Dalrymple weren't having any of that.

Crameri has been a good pick-up and we got it about right.

[SonofScray]

Crameri is a hell of a player when he is fit and able, a real weapon in the forward line. Not a reliable kick but certainly a goal kicker. We paid market value for him at the trade table and he has played well when available. We have lost some value by virtue of his time out, but I don't see how that somehow adds value to Essendon's side of the ledger. They landed a dead set gun with pick 26, we fluffed it with Fuller. Win-win at least, if we absolutely have to run with a narrative around who has "won" the draft & trade period.

[bulldogtragic]

Spot on, it's a good discussion but it also needs to be understood that Essendon offered us their pick 9 and Crameri for our pick 4 (Bontempelli) so to me if people are going to throw Merrett into the discussion lets factor in the the full range of discussions.

J-Mac and Dalrymple weren't having any of that.

Crameri has been a good pick-up and we got it about right.

I almost certain that they also wanted JJ as a sweetener.

[boydogs]

Essendon won that one, nailed the pick they got

[jeemak]

BT/SOS - That's why I don't get why anyone views the trade as if they're Karl Hungus coming to fix the cable, and those at the table at the time fluffed it.