For the supporters who’d weathered the decade from hell, this was a man who brought precious hope. For the regime of the late Carlton President Richard Pratt, equally so. In trumping 14 rivals (the bona fide contenders Collingwood, Essendon and Melbourne included) to win Judd's signature, Pratt and co. had parted with Josh Kennedy and a couple of picks for the 24 year-old Norm Smith, Premiership and Brownlow Medal winner clearly at the peak of his powers.
Greg Swann, who gleefully accepted the now famous phonecall from Judd’s manager confirming the move, knew exactly what Carlton was getting.
"It’s quite correct to say that we were on our knees when Chris Judd came to Carlton, just as we were when (Ron) Barassi came to Carlton in’64," said Swann.
One hundred and two games on, and with another Brownlow and three Carlton b & fs to his name, the Juddman couldn’t have given any more. And yet, ultimate team success remains at the forefront of his thinking, for as Judd said at the time of his audacious signing: "I can be part of something from the ground up... that's the exciting part of it for me."
