Contract Signings - why the rush?

[Vader]

Having had barely any contract signatures mid-season, we've now seen about 10-15 in the last month. Those reported to have signed include Talia, Thompson, Hartigan, Lynch, Jacobs, Cameron, Knight, O'Brien & Lever - and that's just since 13th August.

Why the sudden rush? OK, I know that half our list was out of contract this year, but that's not a reason for having virtually no early signings, with everyone signing on within the space of a month. OK, Justin Reid is new to the list management job and probably took a bit of time to find his feet. But I suspect there may be a darker and more unpleasant reason behind this.

My gut feel is that Dangerfield has made his decision and informed the club at the start of the month. I think he's decided to leave. This gave Reid the certainty he needed in order to get all of the other deals done.

Looking at the list of players who are still uncontracted, there are 3 names who stand out. Dangerfield, Matt Crouch and Atkins. I think the club are working feverishly, trying to get Crouch & Atkins signed up (just as they did with Lynch, Thompson & Hartigan this week). That leaves Dangerfield and the expendables...

 

[Pugsley]

Because the sky is falling !!!!!!

 

[DJ75]

Probably a combination of two things

1. Reid needed some time to get his head around the squad and to map out the future
2. Danger making a decision and informing the club. I think he is leaving and is giving the club everything he can on field since making his decision.

Put the two together and you get more signings later in the year than earlier.

 

[1990crow]

Or Dangerfield has already signed and we've worked around that since. You can go either way depending on what mood your in.

 

[hellboy1975]

My gut feel is that Dangerfield has made his decision and informed the club at the start of the month. I think he's decided to leave. This gave Reid the certainty he needed in order to get all of the other deals done.

That was my first thought a week or so ago after that flurry of contract re-signings.

 

[jackster83]

Well we do have to go through the coach selection process again.

Having the list close to being finalised would make it easier for prospective coaches to put forward their case. It's clear our list is on the improve rather than a Carlton that needs a rebuild.

 

[Vader]

Can't fault Dangerfield for the way he's gone about this. The bloke has been classy. He's given 100% every time he's set foot on the field and continued to play outstanding football for us, even when he knows he won't be at the club next year. I'll be a bit disappointed if he asks to be traded to a club other than Geelong, but if it is Geelong then he'll go with my best wishes. The call of home is strong and very understandable, it's always been an acceptable reason for requesting a trade.

 

[Danoz]

My gut feel is that Dangerfield has made his decision and informed the club at the start of the month. I think he's decided to stay. This gave Reid the certainty he needed in order to get all of the other deals done.

Glass half empty Vader. Replace "leave" with "stay" and you get a similar result. I think he's made a decision and that has allowed contracts to flow, but whether it is a stay or leave is still unclear.

Also, contracts don't get done in a week. After a contract has been signed by the club and the player, it still needs to pass through the AFL for a final tick off. All these contracts would have been done weeks ago.

 

[NikkiNoo]

Considering that some of us were aware over a month ago that Thompson and the club had agreed to terms, I think it is more in line with a media plan the club put in place to control the information. These contracts are announced on days where we normally don't have an interview scheduled or if they are done, they are the interview/story we want the media to focus on.

 

[Pdub]

New CEO + New Coach + New List Manager = New list management plan, the plan needed to created and everyone concerned had to put in their 2 cents until everyone agreed on the path, that took the first half of the year, since then they have been playing catch up.

 

[Danoz]

It could also be the result of having a coach already lined up, as opposed to Danger indicating his intentions.

 

[dogs105]

That was my first thought a week or so ago after that flurry of contract re-signings.

But you guaranteed he was staying?

EDIT: or was that a different Hell Boy6669 . Bloody confusing!

 

[Mattrox]

Appointment of the list manager was meant he would have had to come up to speed with the contract situations of all players. He would also have to consult with the football dept about who are required players. We also had a heap coming out of contract this year. So by the time Reid was up to speed, the rate of contract signings would have to be fast, given the large number of signings in such a short period of time. Add onto that the players who were not out of contract that signed extensions.

 

[Danoz]

New CEO + New Coach + New List Manager = New list management plan, the plan needed to created and everyone concerned had to put in their 2 cents until everyone agreed on the path, that took the first half of the year, since then they have been playing catch up.

And this is another point. Maybe we've had indications received from other potential recruits, and know who we need in and out of contract for those moves to be made.

There's many different reasons for this recent flux of contract announcements.

 

[Cromulent]

Those reported to have signed include Talia

Where is the sauce on Talia? He's still contracted for next year, but have not seen anything about an extension..?

 

[Vader]

It also begs the question of what impact Dangerfield's departure will have on the group I'm now referring to as "the expendables" - Wright, Grigg, CEY and Kerridge? The Dangerfield trade (and I can't see the club allowing him to walk as an RFA - a trade will have to be done) will determine whether or not these players have a future at the club. If we get multiple players/picks in return, then that will mean we have to create multiple vacancies to fill them.

For example, West Coast received picks #3, #20 and Kennedy when they traded Judd to Carlton. Dangerfield isn't worth quite as much as Judd was, but we should get more than just a solitary 1st round pick.

So far, we know that Reilly, JPod and Siggins are all gone. With O'Brien and Kelly to be upgraded from the rookie list. That's a net change of one departure. Throw in Martin as well, even if it hasn't been announced yet, and that's 2 vacancies. If any further vacancies need to be created, then it's up to Shaw and the expendables...

 

[Bacon8]

We still have 11 guys OOC. Imagine our situation if 7 or so hadn't been announced. We'd have lots sitting there, and we'd be questioning what Reid was doing.

 

[dogs105]

It also begs the question of what impact Dangerfield's departure will have on the group I'm now referring to as "the expendables" - Wright, Grigg, CEY and Kerridge? The Dangerfield trade (and I can't see the club allowing him to walk as an RFA - a trade will have to be done) will determine whether or not these players have a future at the club. If we get multiple players/picks in return, then that will mean we have to create multiple vacancies to fill them.

For example, West Coast received picks #3, #20 and Kennedy when they traded Judd to Carlton. Dangerfield isn't worth quite as much as Judd was, but we should get more than just a solitary 1st round pick.

So far, we know that Reilly, JPod and Siggins are all gone. With O'Brien and Kelly to be upgraded from the rookie list. That's a net change of one departure. Throw in Martin as well, even if it hasn't been announced yet, and that's 2 vacancies. If any further vacancies need to be created, then it's up to Shaw and the expendables...

If you are assuming Danger gone, we will need someone to replace Danger.

 

[hellboy1975]

Glass half empty Vader. Replace "leave" with "stay" and you get a similar result. I think he's made a decision and that has allowed contracts to flow, but whether it is a stay or leave is still unclear.

The problem with the "stay" part of that half full glass is that I can't think of a good reason why Dangerfield or the AFC would sit on this news if a decision to stay has been made.

 

[Vader]

Glass half empty Vader. Replace "leave" with "stay" and you get a similar result. I think he's made a decision and that has allowed contracts to flow, but whether it is a stay or leave is still unclear.

Also, contracts don't get done in a week. After a contract has been signed by the club and the player, it still needs to pass through the AFL for a final tick off. All these contracts would have been done weeks ago.

If he were going to stay, then I think the deal would have been done by now. At the very least we would have heard that they were working on it, as we did with Sloane & Lynch. The lack of anything indicating a deal being done is a strong indicator to me that no deal is being done - because he's leaving.

I think the club gave him a deadline. Might have been the end of July. No positive indication by that time and they would proceed on the assumption that he was leaving.

 

[Crow-eater]

We had several signings in late June too. Sloane, Douglas, Laird, Brown.

Then something big happened that, I dunno, might have put new contract announcements on the back burner for a bit.

Then they started up again beginning of August.

 

[Paladin]

It also begs the question of what impact Dangerfield's departure will have on the group I'm now referring to as "the expendables" - Wright, Grigg, CEY and Kerridge? The Dangerfield trade (and I can't see the club allowing him to walk as an RFA - a trade will have to be done) will determine whether or not these players have a future at the club. If we get multiple players/picks in return, then that will mean we have to create multiple vacancies to fill them.

For example, West Coast received picks #3, #20 and Kennedy when they traded Judd to Carlton. Dangerfield isn't worth quite as much as Judd was, but we should get more than just a solitary 1st round pick.

So far, we know that Reilly, JPod and Siggins are all gone. With O'Brien and Kelly to be upgraded from the rookie list. That's a net change of one departure. Throw in Martin as well, even if it hasn't been announced yet, and that's 2 vacancies. If any further vacancies need to be created, then it's up to Shaw and the expendables...

Danger will be staying for 2 more unless we jag a premiership I'm confident.

Martin, Wright, Reilly, Siggins, JPod finished and one of Shaw/Lowden/Kerridge will be traded/delisted.

Do we know for sure Kelly/O'Brien are being upgraded? They may be staying on the rookie list for one more year then being upgraded which gives us 2 extra spots on the main list.

 

[weekend at bernies]

When did Talia re-sign???

 

[Paladin]

If he were going to stay, then I think the deal would have been done by now. At the very least we would have heard that they were working on it, as we did with Sloane & Lynch. The lack of anything indicating a deal being done is a strong indicator to me that no deal is being done - because he's leaving.

I think the club gave him a deadline. Might have been the end of July. No positive indication by that time and they would proceed on the assumption that he was leaving.

Why couldn't he be holding out for the end of season as is his right? Setting an precedence for the AFLPA and incase we jag a premiership?

Cant see the club giving him a deadline.

 

[dogs105]

When did Talia re-sign???

Was it 2013?