The Judd Trade - Are Carlton better off?

[The Falcon Strike]

I think the hype over Judd's leadership is slightly overblown. Judd brought a new era of professionalism to the Blues but that doesn't mean that had Judd stayed with the Eagles or gone to Collingwood, Carlton couldn't have rediscovered that professional culture through other means. I also tend to think that the best of Judd is behind him and while he remains an amazing player, he is not in the penthouse suite of blue chip midfielders.

I have been a big one on Carlton not getting the genius that Judd was. His general form from 2004 through to round 8 2007 was sublime - he burst from packs rather than shovelling handballs, he broke lines and he kicked goals. He was a weapon both on the inside and out.

Getting to Carlton his pace has diminished and he built up massively through the upper body and turned into a clearance grunt. Whilst he amassed clearances, they weren't the twinkle toe clearances where he'd burst 15metres from the pack and hit a leading tit.

I'm sure Carlton fans will point to the brownlow and AA's as evidence to the contrary - however his form in '04 wasn't as good as say 2006 and early 2007.

In saying all of that - watching Judd this year reminds me of the guy he was - he seems to have his pace back, worked on his kicking and is back kicking goals. It's early days - but I think Carlton are seeing the Judd they recruited. It may well be simply that he is allowed to roam more free with the advent of murphy et al - but there's no doubt in my mind he's playing the best football he as at Carlton this year.

 

[Poseidon]

I have been a big one on Carlton not getting the genius that Judd was. His general form from 2004 through to round 8 2007 was sublime - he burst from packs rather than shovelling handballs, he broke lines and he kicked goals. He was a weapon both on the inside and out.

Getting to Carlton his pace has diminished and he built up massively through the upper body and turned into a clearance grunt. Whilst he amassed clearances, they weren't the twinkle toe clearances where he'd burst 15metres from the pack and hit a leading tit.

I'm sure Carlton fans will point to the brownlow and AA's as evidence to the contrary - however his form in '04 wasn't as good as say 2006 and early 2007.

In saying all of that - watching Judd this year reminds me of the guy he was - he seems to have his pace back, worked on his kicking and is back kicking goals. It's early days - but I think Carlton are seeing the Judd they recruited. It may well be simply that he is allowed to roam more free with the advent of murphy et al - but there's no doubt in my mind he's playing the best football he as at Carlton this year.

The first half of his Brownlow year in 2010 was his best work in the Navy blue as well as the final v Sydney (yes yes he missed 2 goals but he was also the reason we were within striking distance at all) and yeah he seems to be getting back into it this season though early doors like you said.

 

[KnobHead]

Whether Carlton is better off with the Judd trade doesn't depend on whether Carlton is above West Coast or West Coast above Carlton.

Question is whether Carlton are in a better position now than what they would've been if Judd didn't come.

For mine, yes - and i reckon West Coast will get slightly more value in pure football terms with having Kennedy + Masten than Carlton will with Judd and his older age. Kennedy is an absolute gun.

What Carlton wouldn't have got with Kennedy + Masten is the culture change - Carlton needed a leader like Judd to come in & shake the culture up, it needed a massive culture change and he's been a big part of that. And arguably, having someone like Judd also means players like Murphy & Gibbs & Kruz are more likely to stay at the club and reject big offers from GWS & GC.

 

[jesterwester]

This trade was easily one of the most fair trades, we were crying out for a leader, someone the kids would learn from, Judd has been a massive influence on Murphy, Gibbs etc and because of that we are starting to become a good team. WC also won they have a good CHF and they are playing finals, win/win for both teams I am sure WC and Carlton are very happy.

Basically. Would I like Judd at the eagles still? Yeah, of course, i wonder if we would have been as horrible in 08/09.

Having lost judd, am I unhappy with Kennedy? Or Masten, now he's firing. Nope. Fair trade both ways.

 

[Silvagnis]

Whether Carlton is better off with the Judd trade doesn't depend on whether Carlton is above West Coast or West Coast above Carlton.

Question is whether Carlton are in a better position now than what they would've been if Judd didn't come.

For mine, yes - and i reckon West Coast will get slightly more value in pure football terms with having Kennedy + Masten than Carlton will with Judd and his older age. Kennedy is an absolute gun.

What Carlton wouldn't have got with Kennedy + Masten is the culture change - Carlton needed a leader like Judd to come in & shake the culture up, it needed a massive culture change and he's been a big part of that. And arguably, having someone like Judd also means players like Murphy & Gibbs & Kruz are more likely to stay at the club and reject big offers from GWS & GC.

Some footy supporters are obsessed with young players, draft picks and KPP. Look at Melbourne and Richmond who could do with a Judd around the club for on and off field reasons. Signing a superstar such as Judd would played a part in Carlton moving Fevola on to get Henderson and Lucas into the club. We still had a marquee player, so it possibly made the decision to pull the trigger on sacking Fevola easier. If Fevola was still living it up without another superstar and more senior voice at Carlton, then Warnock and Laidler may have moved elsewhere or stayed at their original clubs. The trickle down effect of having a Judd at your club is priceless. Our early picks have risen to another level because they train with Judd.

 

[Feva]

I'm partial to the work of Priddis, Scott Thompson (Adelaide), Pendles and Ablett.

Perhaps I'm over-exaggerating Judd's decline but I think he doesn't play his best games against Hawthorn over the years so that's what I tend to remember.

If Judd isn't considered in the same bracket as the above players I would be staggered!

At worse, he is behing just Ablett and Pendlebury!

 

[Furuncle]

I think it was a fair trade for both clubs. On current form, Chris Judd is probably worth the combined efforts of Josh Kennedy and Chris Masten.

We've won handsomely out of this deal from 2008-2011, no contest really, but once Juddy retires in about 5 years time, West Coast will have 2-3 seasons where they gain back some ground.

 

[anti_]

Most Carlton supporters are just annoyed at West Coast having a relatively easy run with injuries compared to Carlton. The fact that West coast went on to play like crap against Geelong the following week didn't help too. Oh but I'm sure you believed that West Coast would still have been beaten by 50+ by Geelong if your team wasn't carrying injuries.

yeah, sorry. you guys earned the right to play geelong because...

once again, im not sure you guys believe half the stuff you say.

just because you beat geelong during the H&A season (i think they did), doesn't give you some god given right to play them in the finals. for the record, we beat geelong in the H&A season too. in terms of finals footy, they're still a much better team than wce.

 

[NoDoz]

yeah, sorry. you guys earned the right to play geelong because...

once again, im not sure you guys believe half the stuff you say.

just because you beat geelong during the H&A season (i think they did), doesn't give you some god given right to play them in the finals. for the record, we beat geelong in the H&A season too. in terms of finals footy, they're still a much better team than wce.

geelong beat carlton during the home and away season! carlton fans need to stop complaining about everything!