Opinion "Why free agency has become an unmitigated disaster as a player movement mechanism"

[Elixuh]

Its already been said in this thread - but the Victorian clubs are not a monolith.

Do you really think Collingwood and the Bulldogs have the same financial resources at their disposal. West Coast is operating closer to Collingwood than the Bulldogs are.

We all have the same salary cap

 

[outabounds]

I totally agree that FA benefits the Geelongs, Hawthorns and Collingwoods. The criteria are too slack and eligibility needs to be put back a couple of years. Its pretty shit for young kids to see their heroes walk out on the weaker clubs. Its ruining the game.

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

We all have the same salary cap

Then what the hell is the point of this?

"I would worry for the northern clubs and even WA re ability to attract and retain talent compared to other clubs in the league, particularly those in the VFL.

I get the idea that money talks, but the 10 clubs in the VFL operate under the same cap and likely have access to more third party RORTS."

You seem to live in a parallel universe where being in Victoria means everything. The advantage of being a small Melbourne club is the GF is in your home state - but you only get to play 1 or 2 games per year at the MCG anyway.

 

[Elixuh]

Then what the hell is the point of this?

"I would worry for the northern clubs and even WA re ability to attract and retain talent compared to other clubs in the league, particularly those in the VFL.

I get the idea that money talks, but the 10 clubs in the VFL operate under the same cap and likely have access to more third party RORTS."

You seem to live in a parallel universe where being in Victoria means everything. The advantage of being a small Melbourne club is the GF is in your home state - but you only get to play 1 or 2 games per year at the MCG anyway.

Read the thread. It’s covered. I’m not repeating myself to spoon feed you.

 

[SinCitySainter]

The AFLPA will never agree to getting rid of FA. The answer to making it fairer resides in the salary cap.

Firstly, scrap the salary cap floor and allow teams to bank as much as they want. West Coast are so bad at the minute that they should not be paying anywhere 95% but the rules force them to. If they only had to pay 70% the last few years think how much they would have to spend now.
The banked money can only be used as sign on bonuses to players and not as an ongoing salary base. Clubs can only then pay a maximum of 100% of the salary with the banked money as sign on bonuses only.

Then the next step is salary cap penalties for Free Agents depending upon ladder position. If you finish in the top floor and try to recruit a FA your salary cap is hit with 200% of the salary you are offering the player. Fourth to eighth 150%, out of the finals 100%. That would stop a premiership club picking over the bottom clubs in free agency discussions as it would push their salary cap to breaking point.

 

[Suma Magic]

Biggest issue is with the compo.

Clubs now use cash to get players for no picks. All the compo picks for overpaid free agents screws the other 16 clubs not involved in the transaction.

Also, is disagree that free agency has led to higher salaries. That would have happened anyway.

 

[Suma Magic]

And while I’m here, why do bands 1, 3 and 5 link to finishing position, but bands 2 and 4 don’t?

Potentially the stupidest AFL policy mechanism of all time, and that is certainly saying something.

 

[Lore]

The AFLPA will never agree to getting rid of FA. The answer to making it fairer resides in the salary cap.

Firstly, scrap the salary cap floor and allow teams to bank as much as they want. West Coast are so bad at the minute that they should not be paying anywhere 95% but the rules force them to. If they only had to pay 70% the last few years think how much they would have to spend now.
The banked money can only be used as sign on bonuses to players and not as an ongoing salary base. Clubs can only then pay a maximum of 100% of the salary with the banked money as sign on bonuses only.

Then the next step is salary cap penalties for Free Agents depending upon ladder position. If you finish in the top floor and try to recruit a FA your salary cap is hit with 200% of the salary you are offering the player. Fourth to eighth 150%, out of the finals 100%. That would stop a premiership club picking over the bottom clubs in free agency discussions as it would push their salary cap to breaking point.

Change the eligibility to 100 games. Clubs get father/son and the player gets RFA. For KPPs and rucks that might be 6-7 years, for some early developing midfield types it might be 4-5 years.

Now the salary goes through the roof on the second or third contract (after the draft contract). Salary cap is now relevant again.

 

[Lore]

And while I’m here, why do bands 1, 3 and 5 link to finishing position, but bands 2 and 4 don’t?

Potentially the stupidest AFL policy mechanism of all time, and that is certainly saying something.

2 and 4 kind of do, but only if other clubs also have end of first or end of second round compensation. It's a bit silly.

 

[VinnieB]

I totally agree that FA benefits the Geelongs, Hawthorns and Collingwoods. The criteria are too slack and eligibility needs to be put back a couple of years. It’s pretty shit for young kids to see their heroes walk out on the weaker clubs. It’s ruining the game.

Free Agency has only done what the intention has been of the AFLPA all along and that is to artificially increase salaries.

Rarely does an A grader leave a club, but he will get a 20% boost on his salary. And the B graders, particularly anyone with size, gets a contract probably at least 30% higher than their value on the open market.

 

[Tugga27]

Biggest issue is with the compo.

Clubs now use cash to get players for no picks. All the compo picks for overpaid free agents screws the other 16 clubs not involved in the transaction.

Also, is disagree that free agency has led to higher salaries. That would have happened anyway.

Of course FA has increased salaries.

In a lot of cases, clubs do wink wink deals to overpay, so the club losing the player doesn't match and gets a better draft pick.

Ben McKay got massive overs.
Oscar Allen will too.

 

[Philhawk]

I think it’s a combo.

Free agency, tied with a completely compromised first round - makes it nearly impossible for clubs to rebuild easily.

You know how this could be fixed?

Remove the cap floor. Asking clubs like North to pay 95% of the cap to rubbish footballers OR to heavily front load it and give it to guys like Sheezel is just a recipe for disaster.

Let clubs bank the money for future years

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

The AFL are jumping up and down about NGA & Father Sons, whilst completely ignoring the fact that so far 3 club captains of sides that finished 18th, 16th & 15th are going to request trades to sides who finished top 4..

 

[go_the_dockers]

I think it’s a combo.

Free agency, tied with a completely compromised first round - makes it nearly impossible for clubs to rebuild easily.

You know how this could be fixed?

Remove the cap floor. Asking clubs like North to pay 95% of the cap to rubbish footballers OR to heavily front load it and give it to guys like Sheezel is just a recipe for disaster.

Let clubs bank the money for future years

I wonder if more players available via free agency would help clubs at all.

How does NRL compare to AFL, with how long it takes to do a full rebuild.

 

[Philhawk]

I wonder if more players available via free agency would help clubs at all.

How does NRL compare to AFL, with how long it takes to do a full rebuild.

Nrl rebuilds can happen very quickly. But it’s very tough to compare the codes. Players can sign in November for another club (18 months away from playing for the club).

That at least allows long term recruitment to be considered.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Nrl rebuilds can happen very quickly. But it’s very tough to compare the codes. Players can sign in November for another club (18 months away from playing for the club).

That at least allows long term recruitment to be considered.

That kind of implies that adding more people to the free agency pool would help.

It obviously very different, as most clubs are based on two cities with an even spread of talent in both.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

The Jordan Ridley

14

Jordan Ridley

Age

27

Ht

195cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.6

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

4.5

3star

M

6.4

5star

T

1.7

4star

MG

244.8

4star

D

17.0

4star

K

11.9

5star

HB

5.1

3star

M

6.7

5star

T

1.7

3star

MG

265.4

4star

D

13.8

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

4.2

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

1.4

4star

MG

208.2

4star

situation shows it isn’t a free agency issue but a salary cap one. When one of a bottom teams best player can up and go to the premiers who have previously signed up two very good players from the bottom teams then the salary cap simply isn’t doing its job

St Kilda are proof of this also

Fix the salary cap and free agency is fixed also

 

[Lore]

Nrl rebuilds can happen very quickly. But it’s very tough to compare the codes. Players can sign in November for another club (18 months away from playing for the club).

That at least allows long term recruitment to be considered.

I kind of like that idea. Completely flies in the face of the last minute announcements we're used to, but I'd prefer that over mid-season trades tbh. Perhaps the trade is completed mid-season but the player doesn't actually transfer until the start of the relevant pre-season.

 

[Lore]

The Jordan Ridley situation shows it isn’t a free agency issue but a salary cap one. When one of a bottom teams best player can up and go to the premiers who have previously signed up two very good players from the bottom teams then the salary cap simply isn’t doing its job

St Kilda are proof of this also

Fix the salary cap and free agency is fixed also

Essendon don't have wildly high salaries paid to anyone in particular, and Ridley is front-loaded to the best of our knowledge, so Brisbane don't really have to do a lot to match or beat it, particularly if they wait another 12 months to take him.

 

[go_the_dockers]

The Jordan Ridley situation shows it isn’t a free agency issue but a salary cap one. When one of a bottom teams best player can up and go to the premiers who have previously signed up two very good players from the bottom teams then the salary cap simply isn’t doing its job

St Kilda are proof of this also

Fix the salary cap and free agency is fixed also

Maybe if you shorten rebuilds, then players will be more likely to stay.

The more clubs stuck in the bottom, means more players leaving, which means more clubs stuck at the bottom.

 

[Philhawk]

I kind of like that idea. Completely flies in the face of the last minute announcements we're used to, but I'd prefer that over mid-season trades tbh. Perhaps the trade is completed mid-season but the player doesn't actually transfer until the start of the relevant pre-season.

Yep, just like what happens in the NRL. Dylan Brown signed with a rival 12 months in advance.

Not only did he play well for the rest of the year, by the end of the year he actually was happily benched so he could help develop his replacement before he left.

The AFL is extremely immature regarding player movements. What, do they think a player will try to deliberately lose if he signs elsewhere and still plays?

 

[Lore]

Yep, just like what happens in the NRL. Dylan Brown signed with a rival 12 months in advance.

Not only did he play well for the rest of the year, by the end of the year he actually was happily benched so he could help develop his replacement before he left.

The AFL is extremely immature regarding player movements. What, do they think a player will try to deliberately lose if he signs elsewhere and still plays?

I mean yes, or try to take club IP with him. Basically a mole inside the organisation for a year

Also means players are moving to clubs based on predictions 12 months in advance, but also that there's another trade period or two to follow when other players might also plan to join at the same start date, and perhaps you want to stay at your own club because you know X is joining next year.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Essendon don't have wildly high salaries paid to anyone in particular, and Ridley is front-loaded to the best of our knowledge, so Brisbane don't really have to do a lot to match or beat it, particularly if they wait another 12 months to take him.

Said the problem yourself. Ban front loading contracts. It’s making a mess of the salary cap situation. Do it like the NBA does. You sign for 150 mill, it’s 30 mill per year and thats final

 

[Chism]

Said the problem yourself. Ban front loading contracts. It’s making a mess of the salary cap situation. Do it like the NBA does. You sign for 150 mill, it’s 30 mill per year and thats final

This.

Would make a massive difference IMO and i doubt Curnow would want out for us if this was the case.

He signed for a massive amount heavily front loaded now all of a sudden he wants out reportedly cause the remaining years left on a contract he signed are not worth as much. It is total Bullshit and devastates a fan base and kids etc.

We have become the EPL exactly like Malthouse said we would.

AFLPA have to much say and power currently and the player managers are making millions.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

I don’t think the players have the professionalism nowadays to play with hidden contract values. Time to publish then to the public.

They only have themselves to blame for that change. They broke the trust and until that rule is changed the game willl be in disrepute.