Training 2021 Pre-Season Training Discussion

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I wouldn't go beyond 3 with an option for 4.
So he leaves. We get a compo pick in the second round for him.

And we struggle to attract players from other clubs - because 5 years is what it takes.

Personally, I think you sign him so you have him as a trade asset in the future, or a strong building block if it works out.
 

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They are, BUT with Laird going in the midfield he might get more banged up than we have seen previously and that could slow him down quickly.
5 year deals for anyone 27+ is very risky.
Retention in the 2021 AFL landscape for any half decent footballer unfortunately.
 
Retention in the 2021 AFL landscape for any half decent footballer unfortunately.
For us. Not for most clubs I wouldn't think.

We really should be focussed on our next generation, particularly players who have come from interstate. Sign them up on longer deals.
Older guys from SA who are zero chance of wanting to leave, don't need 5 year deals.
 
For us. Not for most clubs I wouldn't think.

We really should be focussed on our next generation, particularly players who have come from interstate. Sign them up on longer deals.
Older guys from SA who are zero chance of wanting to leave, don't need 5 year deals.
Hasn't it been mentioned on here numerous times Rory's girlfriend is based in Victoria or am I mistaken?

And I just want to re-sign good footballers and I think Laird is that.
 
Retention in the 2021 AFL landscape for any half decent footballer unfortunately.
And then you end up with Collingwood-style fire sales when all the long term contracts no longer fit within the salary cap and/or needs of the playing list (i.e. need to pay more to younger talent).

Yes, it's Class 101 - Retention 2021, but it's still a disaster waiting to happen. We've already been bitten by it twice (Betts & Jenkins), with another disaster just beginning to unfold (Sloane). Maybe we need to find a way of breaking the cycle?
 
Exactly they initially tabled a 3 year deal according to the media.


Adelaide has tabled a three-year deal for Rory Laird, who will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Foxfooty.com.au understands the 27-year-old wants to stay at the Crows but is looking for longer term security than three seasons.

Laird would be 32 when he comes out of contract if he pens a five-year deal, which is what other clubs will throw at him if he elects to explore his free agency options later in the season.
Yeah, but we only need to sign him for 3 years.
 
And then you end up with Collingwood-style fire sales when all the long term contracts no longer fit within the salary cap and/or needs of the playing list (i.e. need to pay more to younger talent).

Yes, it's Class 101 - Retention 2021, but it's still a disaster waiting to happen. We've already been bitten by it twice (Betts & Jenkins), with another disaster just beginning to unfold (Sloane). Maybe we need to find a way of breaking the cycle?
I don't think Laird is going to be on a back ended $900k a year deal.

We'd barely be on our min 90% cap ATM
 
5 year deals for anyone is very risky.

EFA.

Its the price you need to pay if you want to keep your talented players in their prime. They're going to get 5 years elsewhere.
 
I don't think Laird is going to be on a back ended $900k a year deal.

We'd barely be on our min 90% cap ATM
It's the cumulative effect of all these long-term contracts, which reduce the flexibility of our list management crew.

I've got a horrible feeling that Milera's contract is another which is going to hurt us badly. Signing him to a long-term contract was right at the time, given his age. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious knee injury in the trial match - and the nature of that injury is such that he may never return to the level he was at before he got injured. Milera remains contracted until 2025, and I've got a strong suspicion that it's not a small contract.
 

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For us. Not for most clubs I wouldn't think.

We really should be focussed on our next generation, particularly players who have come from interstate. Sign them up on longer deals.
Older guys from SA who are zero chance of wanting to leave, don't need 5 year deals.
How many 'older guys from SA who are zero chance of wanting to leave' to we have on our list that are approaching FA age?

Smith - signed for 3 years at 28
Laird
Lynch - signed for 3 years at 28
Brown - signed for 3 years at 27

Of all those, Laird is the most highly decorated and clearly that's his market value.

Wait longer, and then still have to offer 5 years at higher rate.
 
EFA.

Its the price you need to pay if you want to keep your talented players in their prime. They're going to get 5 years elsewhere.

Would we be better letting Laird get his 5 years elsewhere while bringing in someone else's player on a 5 year deal?
 
It's the cumulative effect of all these long-term contracts, which reduce the flexibility of our list management crew.

I've got a horrible feeling that Milera's contract is another which is going to hurt us badly. Signing him to a long-term contract was right at the time, given his age. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious knee injury in the trial match - and the nature of that injury is such that he may never return to the level he was at before he got injured. Milera remains contracted until 2025, and I've got a strong suspicion that it's not a small contract.

Milera did not deserve that contract. Hes been inconsistent and injury prone, appalling decision.
 
For us. Not for most clubs I wouldn't think.

We really should be focussed on our next generation, particularly players who have come from interstate. Sign them up on longer deals.
Older guys from SA who are zero chance of wanting to leave, don't need 5 year deals.

'Premium' FA contracts in the past 3 years:

Crouch: 4 years
Atkins: 5 years
Williams: 6 years
Corr: 5 years
Ellis: 5 years
Lynch: 7 years
Lycett: 5 years.

Yeah, no, it's not us. Its the landscape.
 
'Premium' FA contracts in the past 3 years:

Crouch: 4 years*
Atkins: 5 years
Williams: 6 years
Corr: 5 years
Ellis: 5 years
Lynch: 7 years
Lycett: 5 years.

Yeah, no, it's not us. Its the landscape.

Pretty sure most of those players were 8-year FAs not 10-years like Laird. Giving 5 years to a 25 year old is very different to a 27 year old
 
Pretty sure most of those players were 8-year FAs not 10-years like Laird. Giving 5 years to a 25 year old is very different to a 27 year old

Most were 26-27.

Would we be better letting Laird get his 5 years elsewhere while bringing in someone else's player on a 5 year deal?

And who is going to come to us that isn't going to cost us more then Laird would? In both collateral (in which we cannot afford to be trading our 1st round picks currently), and salary because that is all we can offer anyone.

There are two key warnings in that list of FAs. Atkins and Corr...
 
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Would we be better letting Laird get his 5 years elsewhere while bringing in someone else's player on a 5 year deal?
Would we be able to bring in a player of similar quality for 5 years given our ladder position ??
 
Milera did not deserve that contract. Hes been inconsistent and injury prone, appalling decision.
That's fair. I was thinking more in terms of his age. Under normal circumstances, there's a lot less risk in giving a 5 year contract to a 23yo than a 27yo.

... and then the 23yo gets the type of knee injury which is career terminal more often than not.

I'm not suggesting we should invent a time machine, and prevent Milera's contract from happening. While his contract is likely to hurt us, the reasons for it were completely unforeseeable. In contrast, it's quite obvious that signing a 27yo to a 5-year contract comes with significant risk.
 
sh*t teams can still land marquee trades. Usually because they're sh*t and need to spend the money on somebody.
How many players did North Melbourne throw truck loads of cash at, only to be turned down time after time, after time?

Yes, it's possible... but it doesn't happen very often.
 
It's the cumulative effect of all these long-term contracts, which reduce the flexibility of our list management crew.

I've got a horrible feeling that Milera's contract is another which is going to hurt us badly. Signing him to a long-term contract was right at the time, given his age. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious knee injury in the trial match - and the nature of that injury is such that he may never return to the level he was at before he got injured. Milera remains contracted until 2025, and I've got a strong suspicion that it's not a small contract.
Long term contracts actually offer more flexibility, if you think the player is going to be on the list in 5 years.

It allows you to shuffle the salary, front end and open up cap space in the later years. For a club, $800k over 5 years offers more flexibility than $100k over 4 years.
 
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