Free Agency must be changed.

[NewMelbournian]

I am not against players having more freedom than they used to. But as of now that freedom is killing equality and the basic goal of upward mobility. Hawthorn's 3peat is one of the symptoms.

Free Agency needs to be limited to teams outside the top 4. Players like James Frawley need to contribute to teams on the way up, not teams already at the top. A lot of questions were asked about how in the era of drafts and salary caps, a team can be so dominant. Well free agency is more powerful than the cap and the draft combined.

Draft picks usually take years to influence teams. And the cap can actually work against parity when contenders only need to pay 400k for a player that costs bottom teams 700k.

So Free Agency is the number 1 factor now. I don't care if the AFL has to increase the cap by 10% to get the players to agree to it, it would be worth it. They'd still have freedom, 14 out of 18 teams is freedom.

Free Agency could become a weapon for more competitiveness if designed properly, but right now it is only contributing to less competitiveness.

 

[Messenger]

Hawthorn's success is due to free agency in that we lost Buddy and used the cap space effectively.

Free agency is not the boogie man.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

Hawks lost through free agency:
Lance Franklin

Hawks gained through free agency:
James Frawley.

If you lost $1million dollars but then found $400,000 are you ahead or behind??
Use a calculator if you need
-1000000 + 400000= ???

That's Hawks and free agency in a nutshell

 

[Brain Power]

Oh look, another misguided FA bashing thread. Yawn.

 

[hawksalltheway]

let me spell it out for you...

 

[Galaxy]

4 Hawthorn posters in a row

 

[PoopingHindi]

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/the-free-agency-myth

 

[HairyO]

You stole our next senior coach. Far more damaging to us than the lone free agent we recruited.

 

[Bluelegs]

You stole our next senior coach. Far more damaging to us than the lone free agent we recruited.

Success means your assistants get poached. I think most would be happy with the trade off.

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

the only players that 'trade up' are veterans who's side have made their run and they won't be around for the rebuild to come full circle.

some players chase success, but many more chase money or a more suitable location for themselves. frawley chase the success, frankling chased the money.

 

[Bluelegs]

the only players that 'trade up' are veterans who's side have made their run and they won't be around for the rebuild to come full circle.

some players chase success, but many more chase money or a more suitable location for themselves. frawley chase the success, frankling chased the money.

Franklin wanted both, that's why he didn't go to GWS.

With a salary cap floor it makes it difficult for any club to really lure many players with money.

Free Agency is not the enemy, though it was implemented in the worst time possible. Removing the salary cap floor will go a long way to improving equalisation.

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

Franklin wanted both, that's why he didn't go to GWS.

With a salary cap floor it makes it difficult for any club to really lure many players with money.

Free Agency is not the enemy, though it was implemented in the worst time possible. Removing the salary cap floor will go a long way to improving equalisation.

i agree. the salary cap floor is the big * up of the free agency system

 

[AstonSouffle]

Perhaps, but remember that absolute backwater of a trade between Freo and Hawks that resulted in Hodge and Mitchell?

It's not all black and white, Buddy's leaving also freed cap space. Not to mention if Hawthorn start to decline, they'll have all these older blokes.

Also who's to say Hawthorn would have been this outright brilliant, if other clubs got the picks that two clubs hoarded in expansion? We could have had more competitiveness.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

I'm just surprised by the silence of he OP. One would think that if you had such an issue in your head that you needed to start an(other) entire thread highlighting injustice, that when corrected and explained how your premise is false you would thank those setting you straight??

 

[Power Raid]

FA isn't the issue

get over it

 

[gangsta deluxe]

I think compensation is the issue.

Compensation should automatically come directly from the club taking the player. If they really want them they have to be prepared to lose something.

Problem with this is that it is easier for top 4 clubs to cop the loss of a high draft pick.

 

[bugalugs213]

Tldr

"Its ok for top 4 teams to lose FA players but not gain them. Im happy for the hawks to have only 30 players on their list to make them more equal with s**t clubs like carlton."

 

[HairyO]

Perhaps, but remember that absolute backwater of a trade between Freo and Hawks that resulted in Hodge and Mitchell?

It's not all black and white, Buddy's leaving also freed cap space. Not to mention if Hawthorn start to decline, they'll have all these older blokes.

Also who's to say Hawthorn would have been this outright brilliant, if other clubs got the picks that two clubs hoarded in expansion? We could have had more competitiveness.

Mitchell was picked in the 30s. Anyone could have got him. Could have even got Mitchell in 2000 because he was ignored in that Draft.

It was Croad and other stuff for Hodge. And it was beneficial for everyone at the time, other than Croad who hated being lied to about being trade bait.

 

[MarkT2]

If you limit free agency it isn't FREE agency. The whole premise is to allow players to move to the club of their choice. The AFLPA got free agency because clubs didn't trade players freely enough. Free agency probably saved the player restriction rules and certainly reduced the salary cap claim of the AFLPA.

As it stands clubs have a salary cap to limit talent hoarding. If a club can fit a free agent in to their salary cap then good luck to them. Clubs aren't entitled to success and it doesn't come without merit.

 

[MarkT2]

I think compensation is the issue.

Compensation should automatically come directly from the club taking the player. If they really want them they have to be prepared to lose something.

Problem with this is that it is easier for top 4 clubs to cop the loss of a high draft pick.

The AFLPA intention was for no compensation. I favour their original position.

 

[MarkT2]

i agree. the salary cap floor is the big **** up of the free agency system

I agree but not just re FA. It's stupid that a club with few top end players has to over pay it's list. It's poor business and it's inflationary for the competition as a whole. It is one of the AFLPA demands that I think the AFL should negotiate out of in the next CBA.

 

[Dazb86]

Malthouse was right about free agency. The good clubs get better and the s**t clubs become feeder teams.

 

[LeverPuller]

Melbourne FA losses:
Brent Moloney, Jared Rivers, Col Sylvia, James Frawley

Melbourne FA gains:
Shannon Byrnes

Says a lot

 

[Super Hans]

Or maybe Hawthorn are just good enough to lose the best talent in the game yet still make it work? FA hasn't helped them at all, being a well run club with the best coach of the last 20 years has.

 

[Super Hans]

Melbourne FA losses:
Brent Moloney, Jared Rivers, Col Sylvia, James Frawley

Melbourne FA gains:
Shannon Byrnes, Bernie Vince, Angus Brayshaw

Says a lot

EFA.