Is THIS what the AFL wanted?

[Sttew]

Look at this way…

Geelong were an awesome unit with 3 flags from 2007 to 2011 and nobody will be able to take that away from them.

Silver linings. Chin up!

You know, you're right!!

 

[Grwin]

If a player is unhappy and has no free agency system then the spectre of restraint of trade raises it's ugly head. The clubs for years have treated the players like cattle while expecting loyalty as well .Many of the old coaches haven't adapted to the new way of doing things and aren't savy with how young people operate these days.
I'd say personality clashes and lack of faith in a coach is as much a driver as money and the chase for instant success.
With how temperamental people are these days it's just going to keep happening. a limit on how many free agents a club can recruit in one or over 3 years might be the best way to go.

 

[The Swert]

What's the big deal?

Player X wants to move, Club X says no. Season continues as normal. Player X waits to reach free agency age and then moves.
Club X gets the years of service they paid for. Player X gets to eventually move where he wants.
It's a good balance.

 

[strobe00]

What does free agency have to do with contracted players requesting trades?

How far are said players away from becoming RFAs or UFAs? If next year is the year, then it might have a fair bit to do with it.

 

[wcesam]

I think the increased player movements adds a huge amount of interest to the game. Sure it seems like it needs to be tweaked a little bit in terms of club equality but I think it's been a good thing overall

 

[Albert Ross]

And what sort of players were we talking about in previous years? Fringe players looking for opportunity elsewhere?

+ GWS and GC diluting the player pool meaning that fringe players who would previously have been cut, are now tradeable. In a 12 team X 40 player comp players 480-500 in the country are not in the system. In an 18x42 player comp (780) player 480 is probably playing most weeks. Going to the State Leagues is digging much deeper than digging on the bottom of another club's list.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

When the AFL introduced free agency did it envisage a succession of contracted players would suddenly and seemingly unexpectedly become disgruntled and ask to be traded? I'm sure not. Free agency this year has been overshadowed by controversy after controversy this week. We weren't entirely surprised to hear Paddy Ryder wanted out of Essendon. But to hear Dayne Beams, the Pies No.2 player, wanted out, hotly followed by "Bundy" Christensen, and now Ryan Griffen. And to hear talk of Cooney, Lonergan, and possibly Rance being targeted, where will it end?

Meanwhile, Hawthorn is quietly and confidently replenishing its stocks and all but guaranteeing 3peat in 2015

Where'd you hear that Sttew? That's the first I've heard, hope I haven't missed something? (though I haven't been paying much attention to this trade period).

 

[SSSSSS]

At least trade week is exciting this year. Next year is the big one though. So many A Grade free agents.

 

[Albert Ross]

Let's all pretend this is a great situation because our personal clubs are fine! Yeah!

There is no point in an 18 team comp where half the teams can never climb into serious contention.

Clubs like Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs getting reamed is bad news for footy as a whole.

Why don't Melbourne offer Liam Shiels $600k, St Kilda offer Grant Birchall $600k and the Dogs offer Issac Smith $600k. Brisbane it seems have found a way to get Beams out of Collingwood despite being a lower ranked team and Beams being contracted.

Guys like Griffin wanting to leave the Dogs has nothing to do with free agency. 'Fixing' free agency does not fix the Dogs.

 

[Pendles!]

I think the one thing that needs to be stopped is players holding their clubs for ransom and nominating a club to be traded to while still under contract.

It's absolutely crap, especially first and second year players who do it. Brisbane was absolutely gutted last year because of it and its gotten even worse this year.

 

[Spook]

The thing is this shows free agency is working well. Even though Griffen, Christensen and Beams are't free agents they are moving from bigger clubs to smaller clubs. This surely puts to death the theory of only the stronger clubs getting stronger and the weak weaker...

Piss off with your truth and logic mate, it doesn't, in anyway, align with this thread.

 

[Furn2]

I thought people wanted more player movement ?

 

[Sttew]

Where'd you hear that Sttew? That's the first I've heard, hope I haven't missed something? (though I haven't been paying much attention to this trade period).

On the BF Rumour Board - a most reliable source!!

 

[Tiger2709]

Hawks are going to win the premiership every year from now on.




is THIS what you wanted AFL, WELL IS IT!!!!!
This is on par with the overreaction from people thinking everyone in a burqa is a potential terrorist.

Isn't everyone a potential terrorist?

 

[Smoocher]

Can understand if fans and especially kids become disenchanted with the AFL. Yes the players put on the show and should have some power but the fans generate the money and should be looked after a lot better than what is happening now.

 

[kolchak]

Whatever the AFL does the stronger clubs will find a why of exploiting it. May as well stop this charade of equalisation and just get rid of the salary cap, and have an unequal competition for real, instead of a pretend one.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

On the BF Rumour Board - a most reliable source!!

Please excuse me while I go grab my pitchfork!

 

[Randy Campbell]

Isn't everyone a potential terrorist?

or freedom fighter?

 

[hawksalltheway]

look, its still in its infancy here....plyers, clubs AND fans need to get used to this system....it is the future

all this talk about Hawthorn doing so well out of FA....its pretty clear we have lost more than we have gained at this stage....point being, things are evening out, as more players become UFAs, it will even out more....

interesting this week to see players wanting to go to Brisbane, when only 18 months ago they were considered a basket case....and we have all seen Ports rapid turnaround...

swings and roundabouts people....

i think the bulldogs are on the right track....even more so if they get two more low picks for Griffen....and the Saints, trying to get three picks under 20, should be more of that.....

 

[HolyRioli]

I wonder if this means we'll starting seeing clubs offer longer (no, this is not a jab at 9 years) contracts. Lock players away for longer so IF they decide they want out, the club holds the cards.

European football quite commonly sees 6 year contracts offered and signed

 

[caitsith01]

Why don't Melbourne offer Liam Shiels $600k, St Kilda offer Grant Birchall $600k and the Dogs offer Issac Smith $600k. Brisbane it seems have found a way to get Beams out of Collingwood despite being a lower ranked team and Beams being contracted.

Guys like Griffin wanting to leave the Dogs has nothing to do with free agency. 'Fixing' free agency does not fix the Dogs.

How do you know that they haven't? Geelong has spent years offering deals to good players but they don't want to come down the highway.

Winners are grinners, and the best way to fix trouble at a club is for the club to start winning. To do that you need to be able to retain your best talent. The Dogs are now less likely to win games, and so will have more unhappy players who leave, and round and round it goes.

Fixing free agency doesn't fix the Dogs, but it does make it easier for them to improve their situation across the club.

 

[caitsith01]

Whilst we are likely to see an increase in player movement, is that necessarily a bad thing? I love club loyalty, but I also like seeing players moving around if they can to better themselves, and also means club can get easier access to players to move up the ladder quicker.



This is essentially just scrapping free agency and going back to the old trades only system.

Not exactly.

It's still "free" agency in the sense that the player can unilaterally walk. That is the anti-competitive part of the system of trading.

It just exacts an equalisation type penalty on the club they happen to walk to, and so creates a modest disincentive for that club to take the free agent.

 

[caitsith01]

I wonder if this means we'll starting seeing clubs offer longer (no, this is not a jab at 9 years) contracts. Lock players away for longer so IF they decide they want out, the club holds the cards.

European football quite commonly sees 6 year contracts offered and signed

If players want a more flexible employment market, one aspect of that would be much longer contracts but with strict performance based criteria. I.e. we'll sign you for 8 years so long as you produce X result every year. If you don't, we have the discretion to sack you or keep you.

That's the flipside the AFLPA wants to ignore - at the moment the clubs have heaps of restrictions in terms of how they pay players. If the players get freedom, so should the clubs.

 

[JuddsABlue]

People are acting like this is a whole new thing

Have people forgotten Chris Judd hand picked Carlton as his club?

Have people forgotten Nick Stevens leaving Port, or Shaun Burgoyne?

Contracted players have been leaving clubs by request since the dawn of time, why are people only shouting about it now?

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

But it doesn't make sense.

Clubs like Hawthorn are getting top level players for unders as they try to get a Premiership, making it easier for the club to win a flag.

Clubs like GWS have to pay overs, so clog up their salary cap, making it harder for them to win a flag.

It's not helping the entire competition become more even, its' just making spots 6 - 12 on the ladder more competitive.