Speculation Liam Baker

[Snuffaluphagus]

Hopefully we get a north like assistance package so we can throw a late first with some swaps their way.

I think you're a few years away from getting help there and because your a strong club, decent chance you never get help, or, at the very best it's like the stuff Carlton got

 

[Obeanie1]

Well those CBA increases will apply to Fremantle also.
They’ll offer him an attractive salary … and finals

Reported only Essendon and the Eagles did not automatically allocate the increases across existing contracts.

The other clubs have already allocated the $3m increase.

 

[Obeanie1]

I think you're a few years away from getting help there and because your a strong club, decent chance you never get help, or, at the very best it's like the stuff Carlton got

So wait a couple more years until the compromised drafts ang give us an end of 1st round pick. Pick 30?

Sounds like a great plan.

In the mean time the Northern clubs playing finals continue getting handouts. Every year.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

So wait a couple more years until the compromised drafts ang give us an end of 1st round pick. Pick 30?

Sounds like a great plan.

In the mean time the Northern clubs playing finals continue getting handouts. Every year.

You know you dont need to sell me on that last point but there's a thread for that. I think you also know there is probably close to zero chance they given you any meaningful assistance this year

 

[Daka]

I think he is leaving not saying Fremantle are out of it. but I think the Eagles are in the box-seat with Matt Clarke being the new list manager of West Coast.

Both you could make a case he fits in, with Freo having a good young midfield with elite on-ballers, Brayshaw & Serong

Eagles also need some professionalism around the group, Baker is one of our better trainers.

 

[stallon]

You know you dont need to sell me on that last point but there's a thread for that. I think you also know there is probably close to zero chance they given you any meaningful assistance this year

What north got in 2022, a couple of picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds that have to be traded is probably in the ball park if we get anything. Neither would be enough for Baker

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

What north got in 2022, a couple of picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds that have to be traded is probably in the ball park if we get anything. Neither would be enough for Baker

I really really dont think they are going to give you anything and think there would be a decent chance the club is too proud to even ask.

Suffice to say anyway, most WC fans would only do it if they got a freebie from the AFL? I really just dont think Baker makes sense for either team.

I like WC's plan of getting FAs like Hunt for experience and 27 for next year is not worth giving up a pick around 20 when you are hard rebuilding - particularly since there is two drafts until Tassie start gutting it so you'd want as much talent in the door as possible by then.

His best spot seems to be the backline and Freo REALLY like Walker, he's not an upgrade on Clark, and he's not a big enough upgrade on Aish (if at all if you go statistically but that's a different conversation) to warrant the money and/draft capital.

I will be very interested to see where it all ends up tbh

 

[tiger_tough]

He goes back to WA every off season. I'm not sure buying a house there means he's 100% gone. I'd prefer him to stay and trade Vlastuin but if he does go I'm sure we'll do okay out of it.

 

[stallon]

I really really dont think they are going to give you anything and think there would be a decent chance the club is too proud to even ask.

Suffice to say anyway, most WC fans would only do it if they got a freebie from the AFL? I really just dont think Baker makes sense for either team.

I like WC's plan of getting FAs like Hunt for experience and 27 for next year is not worth giving up a pick around 20 when you are hard rebuilding - particularly since there is two drafts until Tassie start gutting it so you'd want as much talent in the door as possible by then.

His best spot seems to be the backline and Freo REALLY like Walker, he's not an upgrade on Clark, and he's not a big enough upgrade on Aish (if at all if you go statistically but that's a different conversation) to warrant the money and/draft capital.

I will be very interested to see where it all ends up tbh

We might get something, as I said, something like what North got in 2022 wouldnt be unreasonable to ask for, and wouldnt be unreasonable to get at all. I think we will ask the question, if we dont then we are just suckers doing it the hard way when half the comp is going around making the most of the bs rules around compo, FA and F/S freebies.

I dont want to trade a first rounder for Baker, I would trade something we got as compo that had to be traded away though. He might not be around when the list is ready to compete again, but we still need guys his age, and can pay him more than anybody else would. If we had to give up a top 20 pick id rather chase free agents or something.

I do think you guys are a bigger chance to get him than us, but really does depend if he wants finals or more money I think

 

[Red Bull]

We might get something, as I said, something like what North got in 2022 wouldnt be unreasonable to ask for, and wouldnt be unreasonable to get at all. I think we will ask the question, if we dont then we are just suckers doing it the hard way when half the comp is going around making the most of the bs rules around compo, FA and F/S freebies.

I dont want to trade a first rounder for Baker, I would trade something we got as compo that had to be traded away though. He might not be around when the list is ready to compete again, but we still need guys his age, and can pay him more than anybody else would. If we had to give up a top 20 pick id rather chase free agents or something.

I do think you guys are a bigger chance to get him than us, but really does depend if he wants finals or more money I think

Highly doubt there will be anything coming the Eagles way.
The club is too big and powerful and only a few years out from a premiership.
I think the Blues received access to 2 state league players and we don’t need reminding how long we were a basket case for …

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Highly doubt there will be anything coming the Eagles way.
The club is too big and powerful and only a few years out from a premiership.
I think the Blues received access to 2 state league players and we don’t need reminding how long we were a basket case for …

Blue and Norths compensation was a complete and total failure though so why would AFL repeat that and use this as the benchmark for

The Eagles being too big and powerful is the reason we will get compensation and more then the rest. A turnaround in our fortunes is 10,000 extra butts on seats and much much more money in AFLs coffers. A year like last for the Eagles and we get a minimum 2 end of first round draft picks, probably more

 

[gungho]

With where they are at, I just do not know why West Coast would want to get in a 27 year old.

 

[Obeanie1]

Highly doubt there will be anything coming the Eagles way.
The club is too big and powerful and only a few years out from a premiership.
I think the Blues received access to 2 state league players and we don’t need reminding how long we were a basket case for …

And yet the Swans and Lion's get a leg up every single year. Even when playing in grand finals.

And no one blinks an eye.

 

[Obeanie1]

With where they are at, I just do not know why West Coast would want to get in a 27 year old.

Because they have a massive hole in their list of 24 to 27 year olds. And that age group should be earning good money.

Eagles for whatever reason have very few in that age group. 50% of the list is 21 or younger so costing base wages and 1st contract extension salaries. And a handful of well paid over 30's who will all be gone in 2 to 3 years.

All equates to a massive amount of free cap space opening up on top of the $3m in unallocated CBA cap increases.

So it's no wonder the club is enquiring about quality players who are 26 turning 27. They need to spend 95% of the cap on someone and over paying kids isn't smart when we need talent and depth to support the kids develop.

 

[Golden_6]

Good solid soon to be 27 year old year out of contract player. Eagles second probably spot on or a pick between 20-25.

 

[Barrybran]

Because they have a massive hole in their list of 24 to 27 year olds. And that age group should be earning good money.

Eagles for whatever reason have very few in that age group. 50% of the list is 21 or younger so costing base wages and 1st contract extension salaries. And a handful of well paid over 30's who will all be gone in 2 to 3 years.

All equates to a massive amount of free cap space opening up on top of the $3m in unallocated CBA cap increases.

So it's no wonder the club is enquiring about quality players who are 26 turning 27. They need to spend 95% of the cap on someone and over paying kids isn't smart when we need talent and depth to support the kids develop.

+1

Baker would be the kind of player we'd be chasing, ideally as a free agent but I can see us using draft picks to fill out some best 23 positions. Pay increases for Ginbey, Hewett, Long, Reid are still a couple of years away so we've got cash to use for players like this.

 

[Morro]

He would be worth a pick in the late teens for mine.

I think mid teens give or take, so we are splitting hairs.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Would love him at the Blues as an upgrade on one of our flanks. Voss loves competitors and he's as tough as they come.

Better ball user than many of our peripheral players too

 

[Eski3]

If the Eagles get an assistance package like North did where they got beginning of 2nd and 3rd rounders that have to be used in a trade, you would think the 2nd round priority pick would go some way to getting it done

 

[gungho]

Because they have a massive hole in their list of 24 to 27 year olds. And that age group should be earning good money.

Eagles for whatever reason have very few in that age group. 50% of the list is 21 or younger so costing base wages and 1st contract extension salaries. And a handful of well paid over 30's who will all be gone in 2 to 3 years.

All equates to a massive amount of free cap space opening up on top of the $3m in unallocated CBA cap increases.

So it's no wonder the club is enquiring about quality players who are 26 turning 27. They need to spend 95% of the cap on someone and over paying kids isn't smart when we need talent and depth to support the kids develop.

Forget getting in 24-27 year olds. The horse has bolted.
Your current old guys (Darling, Gaff, McGovern, Yeo ect) are not going to take this team to finals, they are just not durable enough. Let's just say your kids are brilliant. (I think they are pretty good by the way), they won't be hitting their straps until they are 24-27.

The average retirement age of a good player in the AFL is 32/33 and the peak is usually 24-29. Under this model (which is the average) your team of good kids will next be peaking in 2028. At that stage Baker will be turning 30 and probably past his prime.

If you're looking for maturity, what you really want to recruit good 21-24 year olds. Someone like Chad Warner would be huge for you guys. Getting Baker does not make sense to me, unless he ends up being another Dave Mundy.....highly unlikely.

 

[Obeanie1]

Forget getting in 24-27 year olds. The horse has bolted.
Your current old guys (Darling, Gaff, McGovern, Yeo ect) are not going to take this team to finals, they are just not durable enough. Let's just say your kids are brilliant. (I think they are pretty good by the way), they won't be hitting their straps until they are 24-27.

The average retirement age of a good player in the AFL is 32/33 and the peak is usually 24-29. Under this model (which is the average) your team of good kids will next be peaking in 2028. At that stage Baker will be turning 30 and probably past his prime.

If you're looking for maturity, what you really want to recruit good 21-24 year olds. Someone like Chad Warner would be huge for you guys. Getting Baker does not make sense to me, unless he ends up being another Dave Mundy.....highly unlikely.

Well unlike the East coast where the trade market is much more active WA clubs dont get to pick and choose who they can trade in and when. They arent the Swans, Collingwood, Geelong or the Lions who seem to have quality players lining up every year wanting to move to Sydney or Brisbane, or home to Melbourne.

As mentioned multiple times the Eagles list half are 21 and under and on low salaries. Six guys on $800k who will be gone in 2-3 years are taking up $4m. And there's another $3m to spend from the CBA negotiations. Thaks a $7m dollar war chest. Tried to get Dev Robertson last season but he stayed with the Lions.

Which players at the Eagles gets paid this $7m in freeed up cap space over the next 2 -3 years?

End of the day the AFL needs to pony up some tradable future picks to compensate the Eagles from having their natural 2nd and 3rd round picks pushed 10 spots down the order. If that doesnt happen then a team will be forced to take unders due to the PSD threat. And yes if something doesnt give I 100% would support the Eagles being brutal at the trade table to make a statement.

The Eagles are being backed into a corner and have so few options to draft or trade in talent. Whilst at the same time many other teams ( playing finals) are getting assistance EVERY YEAR and or compensation. All this assistance and compo to other clubs dilutes the draft.

So what other way can the Eagles trade in role players to support the top draftees developing? Use the PSD threat and use that draft as well to regain some of what has been provided to others clubs......some every year.

Warner is a RFA next year. I would not be surprised if $1.5m pa is what the Eagles will pay to land him as a free agent. Its the only card they have.

 

[RanaNaved]

I really really dont think they are going to give you anything and think there would be a decent chance the club is too proud to even ask.

Suffice to say anyway, most WC fans would only do it if they got a freebie from the AFL? I really just dont think Baker makes sense for either team.

I like WC's plan of getting FAs like Hunt for experience and 27 for next year is not worth giving up a pick around 20 when you are hard rebuilding - particularly since there is two drafts until Tassie start gutting it so you'd want as much talent in the door as possible by then.

His best spot seems to be the backline and Freo REALLY like Walker, he's not an upgrade on Clark, and he's not a big enough upgrade on Aish (if at all if you go statistically but that's a different conversation) to warrant the money and/draft capital.

I will be very interested to see where it all ends up tbh

Sounds like we'll get something, provided we have a year like the last two.

Trevor Nisbett has hinted as much, and that was after his farewell party which had Andrew Dillon as a guest.

 

[gungho]

Well unlike the East coast where the trade market is much more active WA clubs dont get to pick and choose who they can trade in and when. They arent the Swans, Collingwood, Geelong or the Lions who seem to have quality players lining up every year wanting to move to Sydney or Brisbane, or home to Melbourne.

As mentioned multiple times the Eagles list half are 21 and under and on low salaries. Six guys on $800k who will be gone in 2-3 years are taking up $4m. And there's another $3m to spend from the CBA negotiations. Thaks a $7m dollar war chest. Tried to get Dev Robertson last season but he stayed with the Lions.

Which players at the Eagles gets paid this $7m in freeed up cap space over the next 2 -3 years?

End of the day the AFL needs to pony up some tradable future picks to compensate the Eagles from having their natural 2nd and 3rd round picks pushed 10 spots down the order. If that doesnt happen then a team will be forced to take unders due to the PSD threat. And yes if something doesnt give I 100% would support the Eagles being brutal at the trade table to make a statement.

The Eagles are being backed into a corner and have so few options to draft or trade in talent. Whilst at the same time many other teams ( playing finals) are getting assistance EVERY YEAR and or compensation. All this assistance and compo to other clubs dilutes the draft.

So what other way can the Eagles trade in role players to support the top draftees developing? Use the PSD threat and use that draft as well to regain some of what has been provided to others clubs......some every year.

Warner is a RFA next year. I would not be surprised if $1.5m pa is what the Eagles will pay to land him as a free agent. Its the only card they have.

Well I am not going to argue the fairness of it all because I reckon the Dockers have been shafted by the AFL too.
My only point is if you have "war chest" then it makes more sense to use it on a gun 22 year old than a 27 year old.

 

[Obeanie1]

Well I am not going to argue the fairness of it all because I reckon the Dockers have been shafted by the AFL too.
My only point is if you have "war chest" then it makes more sense to use it on a gun 22 year old than a 27 year old.

Not going to invest $7m a year on only one player are we?

And quality players interested in moving to WA dont come up every year.

 

[SplintWhisky]

If the Eagles get an assistance package like North did where they got beginning of 2nd and 3rd rounders that have to be used in a trade, you would think the 2nd round priority pick would go some way to getting it done

Not close. Liam Baker is a 2 time flag winner, vice captain and finished top 10 in our BnF the last 5 or so years and is very highly rated within the club.

That type of pick would be part of a deal that looks like

RICHMOND: Liam Baker + (Freo/Richmond 2nd rounder whichever is later in the second round)
West Coast: First rounder 10 - 18 + priority second rounder.

To a majority of richmond fans he is worth a top 7 pick because of the way he plays. For me, he is the opposite of Shai Bolton who I would send back home to WA for a fist bump.