Recommitted Andrew Gaff [re-signed]

[reload141]

Connors pretty much eliminating North.

 

[GreatBradScott]

Connors pretty much eliminating North.

He said basically nothing, which is the point. You be so ambiguous, everyone reads what they want into it.

 

[reload141]

He said basically nothing, which is the point. You be so ambiguous, everyone reads what they want into it.

Money is not a factor, clearly indicates not North.

 

[GreatBradScott]

Money is not a factor, clearly indicates not North.

Exactly what I'd want to be the public narrative if I was potentially signing a $1.2m a year deal.

 

[Chadwiko]

Connors pretty much eliminating North.

lol

 

[The Warlord]

Hmm, if its isn't about money then you'd think Gaff would want to go to a club moving upwards on the ladder, not one that regressed this season.

Seems to indicate North a good shout over St Kilda, Essendon and Carlton.

 

[Taylor]

Nobody wants to tarnish their good guy reputation by making the public chatter about their motives focused on money.

Geelong really need him.

 

[mezaire]

Nobody wants to tarnish their good guy reputation by making the public chatter about their motives focused on money.

Geelong really need him.

I suggested a trade with Geelong a while back and got shut down pretty quick but if Gaff wants to move and it's not for $$ then why not something like.. ..
Gaff decides he really wants to go to Geelong, bet Geelong can only offer Gaff $800k which obviously WC can match.
But WC and Geelong to a deal where for WC not matching, they get Kelly for the Lycett compo pick and a later pick upgrade.
Geelong get Gaff, pick 25ish, pick 68
WC get Kelly and pick 20ish, pick 47

I know people will say 'but Gaff is worth way more than Kelly and two pick upgrades'but it's far better than just pick 20 and Geelong get Gaff cheap but have to give Kelly cheap too.

 

[Tas]

I don't have any reason to believe Conners is being dishonest. I think Gaff would prefer to stay with the Eagles and I don't think money is the main consideration, he is likely torn up between his desire to be loyal to the Eagles and his team mates and his desire to return home to be closer to his family, particularly when his father is going through some health issues.

I think if there were other clubs in the picture the media would have asked Conners about likely suitors, perhaps there are other realistic options that none of us are aware about, but it is so far off the media's radar they do not even bother putting the question to his manager which would be a bit of a surprise.

 

[Tas]

Nobody wants to tarnish their good guy reputation by making the public chatter about their motives focused on money.

Geelong really need him.

It wouldn't make sense to move to Geelong if you want to return home to be closer to his family who live in Melbourne, while the commute between Melbourne and Geelong isn't horrific, it isn't something you would ideally want to be doing all the time. It is the main reason Dangerfield didn't consider any Melbourne clubs when returning home because the commute would be horrific to do constantly.

I know a lot of people who commute from Geelong and some from regional Victoria to Melbourne every day for work, while it is doable, they basically do it because they don't have much in the way of options. Gaff has more lucrative offers closer to home.

 

[Tas]

I suggested a trade with Geelong a while back and got shut down pretty quick but if Gaff wants to move and it's not for $$ then why not something like.. ..
Gaff decides he really wants to go to Geelong, bet Geelong can only offer Gaff $800k which obviously WC can match.
But WC and Geelong to a deal where for WC not matching, they get Kelly for the Lycett compo pick and a later pick upgrade.
Geelong get Gaff, pick 25ish, pick 68
WC get Kelly and pick 20ish, pick 47

I know people will say 'but Gaff is worth way more than Kelly and two pick upgrades'but it's far better than just pick 20 and Geelong get Gaff cheap but have to give Kelly cheap too.

That works if Gaff doesn't want to be either at West Coast or close to his family.

 

[pantskyle]

Nothing has changed, still Eagles or North.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Only have read a transcript - so haven't heard tone.

Seems fairly categoric to me that all options remain on the table and nothing is ruled out.

He's not a lock to North as many have purported. He's not "definitely" staying either.

Seems to me he is taking his time to make a measured decision. Though the "money not a factor" is a promising factor for WC.

I'd say it looks 50:50 for us, which is better than the 80:20 (leaving) it felt a few weeks ago

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Nobody wants to tarnish their good guy reputation by making the public chatter about their motives focused on money.

Geelong really need him.

Polec did - and to be honest it's childish to pretend it isn't

Sure when the choice is a $8m over 6 years or $9 over 7 year - then money may become a little less consequential

But when one amount is life changing - why is it poor character to take it. I'd suggest you are foolish to not take it in most cases.

 

[Scotland]

Nobody wants to tarnish their good guy reputation by making the public chatter about their motives focused on money.

Geelong really need him.

He'd be their 6th or 7th best mid with all the superstars they already have.

 

[The Filth Wizard]

Only have read a transcript - so haven't heard tone.

Seems fairly categoric to me that all options remain on the table and nothing is ruled out.

He's not a lock to North as many have purported. He's not "definitely" staying either.

Seems to me he is taking his time to make a measured decision. Though the "money not a factor" is a promising factor for WC.

I'd say it looks 50:50 for us, which is better than the 80:20 (leaving) it felt a few weeks ago

I agree completely on the 50/50 split. Could go either way based on exposed information. I do tend to believe the decision is still up in the air.

The "money not a factor" thing can be taken a few ways... some could look at it as a compliment to West Coast if he stays as it was a club driven decision, if he joins North it can soothe the narrative that it's only for the cash and thirdly it can create some more discussion about other clubs in Victoria. Either way another week will go by nobody knows any more.

 

[Scotland]

Players move for money every year, but most of the time it isn't guys at the top end.

Gaff will get a minimum $800k or so wherever, he's not going hungry. His manager has probably fielded half a dozen offers ranging from $800k to $1.2m. Whatever deal he signs he'll be well looked after officially and outside the cap/into the future.

Someone like Joel Hamling on the other hand was probably getting paid dick all at the Bulldogs after floating around the system for a few years. A 3 year deal for $400k a year is a big deal to someone in his position. Ditto guys like Menzel and Waite who can move for multi year deals when they only have one year deals in front of them to stay.

 

[Tas]

Only have read a transcript - so haven't heard tone.

Seems fairly categoric to me that all options remain on the table and nothing is ruled out.

He's not a lock to North as many have purported. He's not "definitely" staying either.

Seems to me he is taking his time to make a measured decision. Though the "money not a factor" is a promising factor for WC.

I'd say it looks 50:50 for us, which is better than the 80:20 (leaving) it felt a few weeks ago

Generally speaking, most players who intend to stay have re-signed long before now or indicated that they would. Martin held out the longest because he was aggressively haggling for a better deal with Richmond and he doesn't seem to be as phased at pushing the club, he shopped himself around his previous contract as well. Conners has indicated Gaff isn't a decision because of the money.

So he is trying to decide between loyalty vs family. I think that is far worse for WCE than it being a Loyalty vs Money consideration.

If and when he chooses to return for family reasons, then a host of other factors come into play like Money vs Success vs Culture, etc These would determine how probable he would be to choose us over anyone else. These factors haven't been up for much debate by the media. They seem to believe if he chooses family then he chooses North. How true that is nobody will know until the s**t hits the fan.

WCE going up against the father with health issues is going to be extremely hard sell and doubt anyone at the Eagles would be pushing him to put family second. I'd be less optimistic if I was an Eagles fan than I would be had it been an issue of money.

 

[Obeanie1]

That works if Gaff doesn't want to be either at West Coast or close to his family.

Geelong is a hell of a lot closer to family and friends in Melbourne than Perth.

But that doesn't suit your narrative.

 

[Scotland]

Credit to North fans. At least they don't ridiculously overrate their own players. They know Gaff would be close to if not their best mid.

 

[The Filth Wizard]

Credit to North fans. At least they don't ridiculously overrate their own players. They know Gaff would be close to if not their best mid.

He'd be our best mid easily.

 

[Tas]

Geelong is a hell of a lot closer to family and friends in Melbourne than Perth.

But that doesn't suit your narrative.

Sure, it's closer. I grant that. If you wanted to visit your parents more than occasionally, would you move somewhere it took 60-90 minutes each way or somewhere that could be sub 15 minutes? If he was going to rarely see his parents, he could stay at Perth and be given some leeway to fly back to Melbourne 2-3 times a week, it would be just as s**t as living in Geelong.

 

[Obeanie1]

Only have read a transcript - so haven't heard tone.

Seems fairly categoric to me that all options remain on the table and nothing is ruled out.

He's not a lock to North as many have purported. He's not "definitely" staying either.

Seems to me he is taking his time to make a measured decision. Though the "money not a factor" is a promising factor for WC.

I'd say it looks 50:50 for us, which is better than the 80:20 (leaving) it felt a few weeks ago

The not money thing is also promising for quite a few other Melbourne based clubs who are looking close to success.

It its $800- 900k pa and not silly money like$1.2m (which I think is actually only $1.1) then the likes of the Hawks, Melbourne, Essendon and even Collingwood start coming into the picture.

Things are heating up in Melbourne though. A lot of high end talent wanting to move to Victoria this off season.

Shiels - Blues / Essendon / Saints
Hannebery - Saints
Polec - Norths
Hall - Norths
Lynch - Richmond
May - Collingwood
Gaff - ????
McGovern - Blues / Hawks / ??
Wingard - Dogs

I see the Gaff RFA crap compo formula has spooked a few clubs into exploring trading a year before a gun becomes a RFA.

And as predicted interstate clubs lose players to more attractive Vic clubs.

 

[Tas]

Credit to North fans. At least they don't ridiculously overrate their own players. They know Gaff would be close to if not their best mid.

He would easily be our best midfielder. Higgins isn't even a midfielder, he has just moved there from half-forward due to everyone retiring. Cunnington is a great extractor, but his lack of endurance really limits him from having a well rounded game. Gaff would lose that mantle in 2019 if we manage to usurp Kelly though.

 

[Scotland]

He would easily be our best midfielder. Higgins isn't even a midfielder, he has just moved there from half-forward due to everyone retiring. Cunnington is a great extractor, but his lack of endurance really limits him from having a well rounded game. Gaff would lose that mantle in 2019 if we manage to usurp Kelly though.

Yeah but Kelly would also be our best midfielder. He's pretty handy.