Free Agency Tom De Koning - Joins St Kilda as an RFA, Carlton get Band 1 compensation (Pick 9)

[Jeremias]

This thread might be going for a while. Please respect board rules and each other.

As a starting point, let's leave any references to 'culture' at the door.

Thread bans and infractions will be handed out as necessary.

Thanks.

 

[THE_GUN]

I don't believe for one second anyone is offering him that much money. Especially not the Saints.

Oh they certainly are

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Oh they certainly are

A team with Rowan Marshall is offering an oppo ruckman who needs heavy ruck minutes to excel 1.7 a year... Highly doubt it. That's double what Marshall would be on lmao. Playing both of them would be a complete waste too as neither are genuine forward options.

Just like all these things, the media are just talking it up for clicks. Or a manager using the Saints to extract more money from their original club knowing full well they'll be staying. Happens about 6 times a season.

 

[THE_GUN]

A team with Rowan Marshall is offering an oppo ruckman who needs heavy ruck minutes to excel 1.7 a year... Highly doubt it. That's double what Marshall would be on lmao. Playing both of them would be a complete waste too as neither are genuine forward options.

Just like all these things, the media are just talking it up for clicks. Or a manager using the Saints to extract more money from their original club knowing full well they'll be staying. Happens about 6 times a season.

StKilda like playing Marshall foward and TDK also has the ability to play foward
But Marshall will be 30 this year

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

StKilda like playing Marshall foward and TDK also has the ability to play foward
But Marshall will be 30 this year

Not really, anyone who's watched him knows he's a mediocre forward.

 

[THE_GUN]

Not really, anyone who's watched him knows he's a mediocre forward.

He is currently the most sought after player in the AFL as a free agent
Eagles supporters believe Allen will get offers over $1mi

I was told months ago that the saints are making a massive offer for TDK and thats before the Callaghan offer was rejected
apparently, they have the most amount of cap space of any team in 2026 with what they have banked

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

He is currently the most sought after player in the AFL as a free agent
Eagles supporters believe Allen will get offers over $1mi

I was told months ago that the saints are making a massive offer for TDK and thats before the Callaghan offer was rejected
apparently, they have the most amount of cap space of any team in 2026 with what they have banked

Thats great, but he's still a mediocre forward and makes 0 sense for the Saints who already have Marshall there on half the cash.

If the Saints truly are dumb enough to be offering that money for a ruckman then good luck to them, but it's absolutely horrendous list management.

 

[bluebaggerjuls]

We should think about upping our offer. 1 million a year is going to seem disrespectful if he keeps this up

 

[Daka]

Rated the 2nd best ruck atm... Brodie Grundy down the bottom always knew he was overrated as.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Rated the 2nd best ruck atm... Brodie Grundy down the bottom always knew he was overrated as.
View attachment 2267314

Sam De Koning has players worse than him on this list?

 

[stavro#4]

A team with Rowan Marshall is offering an oppo ruckman who needs heavy ruck minutes to excel 1.7 a year... Highly doubt it. That's double what Marshall would be on lmao. Playing both of them would be a complete waste too as neither are genuine forward options.

Just like all these things, the media are just talking it up for clicks. Or a manager using the Saints to extract more money from their original club knowing full well they'll be staying. Happens about 6 times a season.

Marshall is 30 this year. A very limited shelf life left if we plan on rucking him in his own for the rest of his career.

It also allows us to have one of TDK or Marshall resting/playing deep forward.

They don’t need to be amazing - get a goal a week out of them and a contest that brings the small into play and it’s a big win.

Also helps having 2 rucks who can dominate with a lacklustre midfield.

Plenty of value in going hard for TDK.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Marshall is 30 this year. A very limited shelf life left if we plan on rucking him in his own for the rest of his career.

It also allows us to have one of TDK or Marshall resting/playing deep forward.

They don’t need to be amazing - get a goal a week out of them and a contest that brings the small into play and it’s a big win.

Also helps having 2 rucks who can dominate with a lacklustre midfield.

Plenty of value in going hard for TDK.

Marshall is still moving fantastically and likely goes for the next 2-3 years at least. 30 for a ruck isn't even that old normally.

If it was TDK for 8-900 it would make sense, but paying him the largest contract in AFL history to split ruck duties is utterly stupid imo. I don't buy it for a minute.

 

[THE_GUN]

Marshall is still moving fantastically and likely goes for the next 2-3 years at least. 30 for a ruck isn't even that old normally.

If it was TDK for 8-900 it would make sense, but paying him the largest contract in AFL history to split ruck duties is utterly stupid imo. I don't buy it for a minute.

That really depends on what cap space they have banked for the last few years
Carlton early stages were taking salary dumps to get picks and fill in players and this is just another way of using the cap space

 

[stavro#4]

Marshall is still moving fantastically and likely goes for the next 2-3 years at least. 30 for a ruck isn't even that old normally.

If it was TDK for 8-900 it would make sense, but paying him the largest contract in AFL history to split ruck duties is utterly stupid imo. I don't buy it for a minute.

Your thinking confuses current state and future state.

Marshall moving well today doesn’t mean we don’t need to set up the future from next season.

Being in control of the ruck for an entire game with 2 rucks that have different skill sets and both are capable of getting big numbers whilst rucking would be a massive luxury.

There would be an element of his salary that will be influenced just to make the move. No saints fan is under an illusion to that. But on his current trajectory TDK is likely the premier big man by the end of next season if not this.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

TDK will be offered the biggest per year contract in AFL history. Anyone even pretending otherwise is off their rocker

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

That really depends on what cap space they have banked for the last few years
Carlton early stages were taking salary dumps to get picks and fill in players and this is just another way of using the cap space

If the Saints wanna Saints then nobody can stop them, it doesn't mean it's any less stupid.

Marshall and TDK are both mediocre forwards who require high minutes around the ball to impact games. Can just look at how TDK has performed next to Pittonet vs without him to see what awaits regarding splitting minutes.

Would be as dumb as the Darcy and Jackson combo, only for an even more enormous chunk of their salary cap.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

TDK will be offered the biggest per year contract in AFL history. Anyone even pretending otherwise is off their rocker

From another team, very likely. From the Saints, I don't believe it.

Sydney or Geelong would be the best spots for him to land. Absolutely putrid ruck stocks and a quality playing list around him.

Saints doesn't make any sense other than SOS being a potato list manager.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

If the Saints wanna Saints then nobody can stop them, it doesn't mean it's any less stupid.

Marshall and TDK are both mediocre forwards who require high minutes around the ball to impact games. Can just look at how TDK has performed next to Pittonet vs without him to see what awaits regarding splitting minutes.

Would be as dumb as the Darcy and Jackson combo, only for an even more enormous chunk of their salary cap.

Marshall is alot better forward then you realise in that example. TDK is rucking 80% of the game to Marshalls 20%

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

From another team, very likely. From the Saints, I don't believe it.

Sydney or Geelong would be the best spots for him to land. Absolutely putrid ruck stocks and a quality playing list around him.

Saints doesn't make any sense other than SOS being a potato list manager.

I think Collingwood is the most likely scenario here. Darcy Cameron heads back west, probably to WCE and TDK comes in

One to watch

 

[Elixuh]

Carlton needs to pay up for TDK. Some of the players they have massively overpaid for will be coming off their crazy deals over the next few years and commanding far less money. That should just go to TDK.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Harry McKay would have insanely high interest from Essendon, Geelong and North.

Suspect Geelong would give up pick 16 for him for sure

 

[stavro#4]

If the Saints wanna Saints then nobody can stop them, it doesn't mean it's any less stupid.

Marshall and TDK are both mediocre forwards who require high minutes around the ball to impact games. Can just look at how TDK has performed next to Pittonet vs without him to see what awaits regarding splitting minutes.

Would be as dumb as the Darcy and Jackson combo, only for an even more enormous chunk of their salary cap.

The 2 times he kicked multiple goals last season - Pittonet played both games.

There was also the Geelong game he kicked 0.3 playing as a ruck forward.

Stretching the truth when you say he is mediocre. Evidently has an impact.

 

[stavro#4]

Harry McKay would have insanely high interest from Essendon, Geelong and North.

Suspect Geelong would give up pick 16 for him for sure

So Carlton lose a key forward in a forward line that is Curnow and McKay and sweet all else.

Just to pay TDK the majority of Harry’s salary and a pick 16 that probably turns into 20’something on the night.

Like it doesn’t even give them the ability to bring in someone else.

Brutal spot to be in.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Harry McKay would have insanely high interest from Essendon, Geelong and North.

Suspect Geelong would give up pick 16 for him for sure

Geelong giving up a pick below 20 for a player? Unheard of

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

The 2 times he kicked multiple goals last season - Pittonet played both games.

There was also the Geelong game he kicked 0.3 playing as a ruck forward.

Stretching the truth when you say he is mediocre. Evidently has an impact.

Think this just about sums it up.

Watched every game he's ever played and can say categorically that he's a mediocre forward when splitting minutes there.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Carlton needs to pay up for TDK. Some of the players they have massively overpaid for will be coming off their crazy deals over the next few years and commanding far less money. That should just go to TDK.

Williams the biggest anchor. 800k for 5 good moments a season.