In terms of trades over the first five days of trade period... how’s the serenity? But we’re about to get to the nuts and Boltons of it. Time to Restump Podcast the purple appraisals, possibilities and prognostications.

While there has been little movement at the station, it is difficult to believe Shai Bolton won’t be lining up in purple in 2025. The very good, potentially over the odds, offer of pick 10 and 18 will suffice once the theatrical Mexican standoff subsides.

Are two first rounders overs or tote odds? The overwhelming consensus, which Jojo is a part of, is “pay it and get the deal done.” But some of us, on some level the Chief, tend to lean towards a more play hardball, conservative number.

Yes, we’re at the pointy end of the build of which a Shai Bolton adds a shedload of upgrade. There isn’t a Freo fan in their right mind that can’t wait to get him in.

But, from a different perspective, possibly a greedy one, I’m more a roll the dice on Bolton and hope he lands for less, go to the draft with one top end pick and trade the third into 2025 ensuring we’re in an un-out-biddable position for Chad Warner next year.

All we’ve heard all year and particularly post-season from fans and media is, “we’ve got more than enough talent to on the list to be challenging now”. While I agree in part, I think they were a year or two short on the now. Can you have it both ways? If you think we have we got enough talent on the list, but then say throw the two first rounders at Bolton, does your Bolton request cancel out your former claim?

Personally, given we were probably a Josh Treacy and or Alex Pearce injury away from the top, or near the top four, I’d be willing to risk losing Bolton in favour of going to the draft with one high end pick this year and securing Warner next year. I’m a pick 10 and pick 30, take it or leave it Tiges! But that is just me.

Then again what is too much? If Shai Bolton came in and we secured our maiden premiership in 2025, we’ve stolen him! If we have a similar season, make the finals, win one and get knocked out… how will we view it? It’s a gamble now that only hindsight will eventually tell us the answer.

However, having a belief we’re potentially paying overs, not necessarily for the player, but for what it may restrict us doing elsewhere, and being super excited to get that same player in, can co-exist.

Do we entertain taking on a Baker? And how much dough is that going to cost us? I’d suggest Baker is more your bread-and-butter type player that doesn’t add anywhere near enough of an upgrade for what it would cost to bring him in. To be honest, if Freo brought him in it would go against the grain and I doubt they’ll contemplate it. However, as West Coast, albeit momentarily, but ironically baked their deal, Baker suddenly became available so, we thought we butter talk about it. It’s the yeast we could do! Ok enough of that nonsense… wind it up, it’s almost past our bread time!

All beliefs and opinions aren’t wrong until they are, so we stake our claims, we share our sentiments and live in hope until our nonsense is inevitably disproven and it all comes crashing down.

So, if only because too much purple prattle is never enough, while we wait for the imminent Bolton trade to formerly drop, feel free to join us on the podcast for the deep, often off the rails, Docker discussion.

Support the show