cecil89 wrote:
Arguments against signing Higgins as a free agent because he won't play in our next premiership fall flat with me. He's 26. He has 5 years left. We can turn things around inside 5 years. To say we're 5 years away so should only draft 18yr olds makes no sense. How will we be a premiership threat if we forego all depth on our list by being void of players 26 and above? These are the experienced players needed to help us in our transition to becoming a consistent, high level performer. The transition began last year with Everitt, Thomas and Docherty entering the club. Young-mid aged players who immediately improve our list and our culture. Higgins fits that profile too. I fully expect our club to be following a similar strategy this offseason.
If we want our club to improve next year and have a better platform to build from in the future, these sort of instant improvements are needed. If we take a look at our current crop of players in Higgins age group (25-27), we have; Garlett, Robinson, Kruezer, Gibbs, Everitt, Ellard, White, Rowe, Murphy, Thomas, Wood, Warnock, Armfield. It seems possible Garlett, Robinson and Ellard might not be here next year. White, Rowe and Wood are experienced in age, but not in terms of AFL experience. Warnock hardly oozes leadership and consistency either, while Armfield is clearly falling down the pecking order. In real terms our leaders within the 25-27yr old age group are Kreuzer (off a couple years of serious setbacks), Everitt (a new recruit), Gibbs, Murphy and Thomas (another recruit). That list of middle aged, in football terms, players who offer leadership and consistency is far too thin to expect the team to perform on a consistent basis. Whether it is Higgins or someone else of a similar age, I wouldn't be disappointed at all to see the club gain someone in this group. As a free agent pick up it isn't prohibitive to us trading for a younger player, like we did with Docherty last year (which by the way was a clear win for us, just for those moaning that we get ripped off in every trade), and still holding on to some decent draft picks.
Good post. agreed.