Let's Talk About Judd

[The Doctor]

In case anyone wasn't aware Chris Judd, the competition's best player, is soon to be out of contract and has put off any contract discussion until the end of the season.

In all the trade speculation involving the Dogs that I've read on here and BF I can hardly recall if there has been any mention that we should make a play for him. I find that staggering. Best player in the comp and hardly a mention???

I can predict the kind of responses I can expect. He'll re-sign with the Eagles...If he wants to come home he'll go to a rich club....Can't afford him....He wouldn't want to come to a club like ours...yadayada.

Why wouldn't he come to a club like ours? I reckon If there is one good thing to come out of the AKER deal is that it opened the doorway to big name players coming to our club.

We will have a fair bit of salary cap space after all these retirements, even more so if the great Chris Grant retires. Regardless of our finish to the season we have a talented and emerging playing group. Off field we are improving every year and the Development of the Whitten oval will only make the place more exciting.

I guess the key will be if we can convince him to come to the Dogs. Again the Aker deal showed that we get some bargaining power once you can convince someone to come. If the Eagles don't deal there is always the PSD and I'd bet anything they wouldn't want to lose their most prized asset for nothing no matter how pig headed they might be.

We can off the Eagles a very high draft pick and a decent player to go with it. I don't think we have to be bent over as much as people might think.

Chris Judd is dynamite and is exactly the kind of player that gets you to premierships as he has proven with the Eagles. And thats what I want to see. A premiership. We may never have this kind of opportunity again. Let's have a crack I say.

What do you good folks think?

[Sockeye Salmon]

They wouldn't accept anything less than pick 5 and Griffen, and that still might not be enough.

Then after we pay him $1.2 mil a year, we'll lose Cooney and Higgins as well because our salary cap will be shot to pieces.

I'd do it for Brown but not for Judd.

[Raw Toast]

Good call Doc.

I agree that we'd be negligent not to make some serious enquiries about him. We've got a fair bit of spending money available apparently and Judd is clearly the best player currently out of contract (and certainly in the top two players in the comp for mine).

I'm not sure that those jumping up and down for a kp would be happy with us chasing him hard, but actually this year we found it harder to cover our loss of run than last year when we lost height. And Judd is a contested ball winner and goal-kicker and leader, as well as everything else.

Obviously we'd want to be confident about his ability to regain full-fitness (or something pretty close) and I'd be very very surprised if he really did want to leave but I'd love to have him in the side.

What is a reasonable price? I suspect we'd be happy to give pick 5 and a player, but what player?

[Raw Toast]

They wouldn't accept anything less than pick 5 and Griffen, and that still might not be enough.

Then after we pay him $1.2 mil a year, we'll lose Cooney and Higgins as well because our salary cap will be shot to pieces.

I'd do it for Brown but not for Judd.

The only way I can see us getting Judd (and it is pie in the sky stuff but fun discussing I reckon) is if he did an Aker and named us as his only destination, which would embitter him to West Coast (another thing which is unlikely).

I'd give pick 5 and Ray but not Griffen, Cooney or Higgins (or Everitt or Williams for that matter). Eagle might also be a sweetner, but Freo is more likely to go for a player like him than the Weagles.

[Dry Rot]

Interesting question raised here Doc.

Simple question: can we afford him over the next 3 years?

More complex question: IMHO WCE would want Pick #5 and one of Higgins,Griffen or Cooney. Furthermore, IMO we at least 1 or 2 seasons off being serious challengers (need Williams, Everitt etc to develop and a good ruckman). So my question is, would we be better in say year 2 or year 3 if we had Judd but lost pick #5/young KPP and one of Cooney/Griff/Higgins?

[Templeton31]

I would've thought an offer of pick #5 plus Farren Ray might be possible if Judd had said he wants to come home to Melb.

I guess the broader question though about whether we should go for him or not is a tough one. We are all focussed on KPP etc which is not Judd but as Rocket said last year about Aker - match winners dont come around too often. It certainly would put us in a position where we had noting attractive left to swap for a KPP if pick #5 was sent to the Eagles.

[bornadog]

We could possibly offer up another Western Australian, like Hargrave (if he wanted to go home) plus Ray plus our second round pick. The only way we could convince him to come to the dogs would be similiar to how we got Aker, ie show off the new facilities plus discuss our list and potential. Judd would not want to go backwards, (forgetting the cash) in terms of playing finals football and having the best facilities to train under.

Looks pie in the sky doesn't it

[Sedat]

Luke Ball has been a shadow of himself for 3 seasons now; I fear that Judd may go the same way with his groin/OP/adductor/whatever the hell it is. I'd like to see him pass a physical with flying colours before even contemplating such a trade. Not much point having your highest paid player operating at 60% capacity, or worse, sitting out most of the season.

[Dry Rot]

Fair point - WCE has played him into the ground this year.

Pity about Ball.

[DOG GOD]

Luke Ball has been a shadow of himself for 3 seasons now; I fear that Judd may go the same way with his groin/OP/adductor/whatever the hell it is. I'd like to see him pass a physical with flying colours before even contemplating such a trade. Not much point having your highest paid player operating at 60% capacity, or worse, sitting out most of the season.

yeah good post sedat...i agree on the judd injury as well regarding Luke Ball. Ball has had problems for a few years now, and i personally cant see him getting back to his best and play consistantly at a high level.

[LostDoggy]

Interesting comments....geez you guys are a lot of deep thinkers

I heard Rocket on SEN tonight and he alluded to the issues that could come down the track of getting into a position to get Judd. Salary cap issues and the inability to hang onto the Griffen/Cooney/Higgins type of players.

Love to have him, but not at the expense of salary cap / list managment pain in future years.

[Sockeye Salmon]

yeah good post sedat...i agree on the judd injury as well regarding Luke Ball. Ball has had problems for a few years now, and i personally cant see him getting back to his best and play consistantly at a high level.

What do you mean 'getting back to his best'? He's never been an A-grader. Maybe he's never had injury problems, maybe he's just not very good.

[The Underdog]

As brilliant as he is, I think we'd be better off letting Cooney, Griff, Cross, Higgins develop.
The cost would be too great in both players lost and salary cap space.
I like your thinking about going after the best, and if he ended up with us I don't think anyone would be disappointed, but considering his current injury, I'd be slightly leery about committing that much money to him.
Anyway after last weekend, I'm totally in love with Luke Hodge I want one like him

[Go_Dogs]

If we can get him with an Akermanis type deal, in that he states his intention to come to us and we have a bit more bartering power, it could happen. Certainly wouldn't want to give up one of THE SUPER SIX (Cooney, Griffen, Higgins, Everitt, Ray and Williams).

As much as an explosive ball winner like Judd would compliment our midfield very well and add a lot of class to our mix, I think we need to continue developing our own list and have confidence in the direction we're taking with those key young players.

[Twodogs]

As brilliant as he is, I think we'd be better off letting Cooney, Griff, Cross, Higgins develop.

I want Judd and those guys.