While our recruiting was a disgrace at that time, I had no problems with the O'Reilly trade at the time, given SOS was coming to the end of his career, as he'd come off playing some outstanding footy for Freo. Sadly he got a back injury and it didn't work out. As for McKernan, well, he won the B & F, kicked 40 goals as forward as well as carrying our rucks (and forward line) all on his own for most of the year. He was terrific that year. 2003, he, like most of the team, and the current one, couldn't see eye to eye with the coach. We got the last of the best of Corey. Mansfield, on the other hand, was an absolute shocker.

I think the problem since 2002 was discipline, recruiting (Big Jack not coming to terms with the draft and salary cap), and coaches the players did/do not respect, hence a a complete and total lack of committment (except for 2004 & the wizzer). Most of the players of 2002/3 played in the 99 GF and the excellent season of 2000 (13 wins straight) and 2001 so their was no excuse for those two season's performances. Even if we missed the 8 we shouldn't have been on the bottom.

I can't remember what we gave up to get O'Reilly, probably way too much.

In those years when we traded away draft picks for players like Mansfield, O'Reilly etc, can anyone provide a list of players that were actually selected by the teams that took our picks. It would be interesting to see if those teams really gained by the trades.

As bad as Mansfield was for us he surely was more value than O'Reilly. Mansfield had one ok season in 2000 while I can barely remember O'Reilly playing.

O'Reilly was missing games due to migraines and playing poorly for Freo before he was signed. It was a poor decision to recruit him and I thought that it was pretty obvious at the time.

hmmm is this the new target Synners?

This comment was made a few years down the track from '95 and people didn't understand why I said these things. I was given some serious backlash from people about it suggesting that I didn't know what I'm talking about (Elwood can back me up on this).

I can back you up on this and you still don't know what you're talking about.

And that is some really worthwhile reading there Mastermind !!