Dylan Roberton

[tbarker]

Peake, Clarke and Polo would have been on minimum wage, their delistings would have made no difference to the salary cap squeeze which kept us from offering Dawson the money he wanted. Unless you have information otherwise?

I am told that they were more expensive than first year juniors (draftees). It may not have been much but every cent would have helped if it meant that we kept our full-back.

 

[Squizz]

Peake, Clarke and Polo would have been on minimum wage, their delistings would have made no difference to the salary cap squeeze which kept us from offering Dawson the money he wanted. Unless you have information otherwise?

Pelchen acknowledged these guys (along with Dempster and Ray) took a hit financially. "Full credit to these guys and their managers because they were well across the situation and our restraints and they were supportive. There was no argy-bargy, no threats from them."

 

[mysainters]

Peake, Clarke and Polo would have been on minimum wage, their delistings would have made no difference to the salary cap squeeze which kept us from offering Dawson the money he wanted. Unless you have information otherwise?

What's minimum wage?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I am told that they were more expensive than first year juniors (draftees). It may not have been much but every cent would have helped if it meant that we kept our full-back.

Dawson was not worth it at "any price"
For example if we paid him more then Ben McEvoy to keep him ( which probably would have been the case ) then Ben would have asked for more, Armo and Steven on the band wagon. Then before you know it we are maxed out again without the ability to get better players.

 

[mysainters]

Dawson was not worth it at "any price"
For example if we paid him more then Ben McEvoy to keep him ( which probably would have been the case ) then Ben would have asked for more, Armo and Steven on the band wagon. Then before you know it we are maxed out again without the ability to get better players.

How much did the Saints offer Brown?

 

[Fehring]

Dawson is very overrated imo, while at St Kilda he was protected by Fisher and now at Freo he's protected by McPharlin. In reality he's actually quite poor.

I think the opposite is true. Fisher was protected by Dawson. He hasn't been the same since he's had to be accountable for a player and hasn't had the luxury of a genuine FB. The damage done to our backline through the absence of Dawson has been absolutely massive. No point crying over it, but it's true.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

How much did the Saints offer Brown?

Not sure but my understanding is he wanted to either :
a) Play AFL
b) Move closer to family
c) both of the above.

While we offered massive trades to West Coast I dont remember any discussion regarding massive dollars to Brown.

 

[saintsrfreak]

Offer to Brown was allegedly about $350k IIRC

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Offer to Brown was allegedly about $350k IIRC

and Pick 24 & 25 just to get him over, Would have been the worse decision the club has every made considering we could have missed out on Wright & White, But i guess we were desperate for a KPD should get him cheaper this year if he doesn't Re-sign with the Eagles.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

and Pick 24 & 25 just to get him over, Would have been the worse decision the club has every made considering we could have missed out on Wright & White, But i guess we were desperate for a KPD should get him cheaper this year if he doesn't Re-sign with the Eagles.

Offer them Milera in a straight swap.
If they don't go for it let him walk.
They had the chance to trade fairly last year.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Offer them Milera in a straight swap.
If they don't go for it let him walk.
They had the chance to trade fairly last year.

Hopefully he can somehow do a Roberton get Eagles to delist him and we signed him as a Delisted Free Agent.

 

[Defacto]

Offer to Brown was allegedly about $350k IIRC

thats not alot of money

 

[Tragic sainter]

Does roberton remind anyone else of Andrew mackie? I think they are very similar players right down to the boyish good looks!

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Hopefully he can somehow do a Roberton get Eagles to delist him and we signed him as a Delisted Free Agent.

Normally I like the idea of fair trades but they had their chance, and screwed us over for Cripps.

 

[mysainters]

Does roberton remind anyone else of Andrew mackie? I think they are very similar players right down to the boyish good looks!

I think he attacks the contest a bit more than Mackie.

He is a good looking boy, and taller than I expected.

 

[Tongue In Cheek]

What's minimum wage?

$80,000

 

[saintsrfreak]

$80,000

Isn't that rookies? Pretty sure minimum wage for senior listed players is more than that

 

[Tongue In Cheek]

Isn't that rookies? Pretty sure minimum wage for senior listed players is more than that

In 2011, the minimum rookie salary was $35,000. This year it's $49k. Next year at $54k it will be just 10% less than the first-year primary list minimum.

http://www.aflpa.com.au/images/uploads/AFLPA067_Wellbeing_Program_Factsheet_WEB.pdf

The minimum senior player salary in 2011 was $66,900 plus match payments. The $80k figure is from a report last December in The Australian. Try finding a published version of the CBA after 2011! Not so easy.

Also keep in mind in the context of the Dawson discussion that these figures have moved upwards every year.

 

[Tongue In Cheek]

Pelchen acknowledged these guys (along with Dempster and Ray) took a hit financially. "Full credit to these guys and their managers because they were well across the situation and our restraints and they were supportive. There was no argy-bargy, no threats from them."

Given that we had 39 primary list players and 7 rookies. We could arguably have delisted those three, taken two first year players at picks 85 and 91 and another rookie. Savings? Maybe $35k + $15k + $15k.

Then consider that we would then be supporting two highly speculative talents on the primary list for two years minimum.

Was $65k going to be the difference for Dawson?

Was Dawson going to be the immediate difference for a premiership?

Was shoring up the list with hard bodies a better interim decision than taking three bottom-of-the-draft newcomers?

Haven't we gambled recklessly at short-term draft decisions for too many years already?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Given that we had 39 primary list players and 7 rookies. We could arguably have delisted those three, taken two first year players at picks 85 and 91 and another rookie. Savings? Maybe $35k + $15k + $15k.

Then consider that we would then be supporting two highly speculative talents on the primary list for two years minimum.

Was $65k going to be the difference for Dawson?

Was Dawson going to be the immediate difference for a premiership?

Was shoring up the list with hard bodies a better interim decision than taking three bottom-of-the-draft newcomers?

Haven't we gambled recklessly at short-term draft decisions for too many years already?

In fact we could have directly drafted Horsley and Dunell.
Looking at that draft now, Geelong look like doing very well out of Blicavs.

 

[tbarker]

Given that we had 39 primary list players and 7 rookies. We could arguably have delisted those three, taken two first year players at picks 85 and 91 and another rookie. Savings? Maybe $35k + $15k + $15k.

Then consider that we would then be supporting two highly speculative talents on the primary list for two years minimum.

Was $65k going to be the difference for Dawson?

Was Dawson going to be the immediate difference for a premiership?

Was shoring up the list with hard bodies a better interim decision than taking three bottom-of-the-draft newcomers?

Haven't we gambled recklessly at short-term draft decisions for too many years already?

I see your point and perhaps $65k would not have made the difference. I guess it depends on the difference between the offers to Dawson. Does anyone know the difference? I appreciate what you say about keeping hard bodies on the list but the reality is that none of those 3 were ever going to make it and simply clogged the list for 12 months. They all played mostly at Sandy and were all mid-sized so it wasn't as if they were back-up full backs like Blake. We had blokes running around in the development squad because those 3 were playing for Sandy seniors. I agree with Fehring that the whole backline was better with Dawson in the team.

 

[Tongue In Cheek]

I see your point and perhaps $65k would not have made the difference. I guess it depends on the difference between the offers to Dawson. Does anyone know the difference? I appreciate what you say about keeping hard bodies on the list but the reality is that none of those 3 were ever going to make it and simply clogged the list for 12 months. They all played mostly at Sandy and were all mid-sized so it wasn't as if they were back-up full backs like Blake. We had blokes running around in the development squad because those 3 were playing for Sandy seniors. I agree with Fehring that the whole backline was better with Dawson in the team.

And you're right that we may have been better off cutting those players in an attempt to keep Dawson.

The compromises and risks involved in such a strategy never seem to be included in these discussions, and it's time they were.

 

[Patty_Moz]

Sorry to intrude, just came to have a look at how you guys are rating Roberton and was impressed to read this

I thought he'd be a GOP, he's fast turning out to be our B & F top 3 contender.

From what I've seen he's looked good for you guys and I always rated him, livid he wanted to go home but happy he seems to be doing well- good get for a freebie. FWIW I think the Dockers originally recruited him on the back of Mundy's success in turning a tall HBF into a tall midfielder which I've always thought could work, pace maybe an issue but maybe worth a try.

I think Freo secured Zac for $300 a season wasn't it?

He wasn't a star, but we'd have not gone two seasons without an option.

That's about right I think the original contract was $1 million over 3 yrs.

 

[Sunshine Saint]

Sorry to intrude, just came to have a look at how you guys are rating Roberton and was impressed to read this


From what I've seen he's looked good for you guys and I always rated him, livid he wanted to go home but happy he seems to be doing well- good get for a freebie. FWIW I think the Dockers originally recruited him on the back of Mundy's success in turning a tall HBF into a tall midfielder which I've always thought could work, pace maybe an issue but maybe worth a try.



That's about right I think the original contract was $1 million over 3 yrs.

Patty thanks for comment. Roberton wasn't welcomed warmly by many on here, when first drafted. But his performance and obvious qualities as a person have endeared him to most. We now realise why a number of Freo supporters posted on here, why there were sorry that he was going. Expect that he will have a long career with us.

As Zac is being discussed above, can you give us a take on him at Freo. His performance last year and then this year, that from an outsider appears to be not as good.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

And you're right that we may have been better off cutting those players in an attempt to keep Dawson.

The compromises and risks involved in such a strategy never seem to be included in these discussions, and it's time they were.

Its a hard call. When do you back your emerging youth, and when do you get reliable backup.
In 2010 ( draft ) we basically had the same midfield we have now + Goddard + Baker + McQualter + Heyne.
Emerging youth Pahh - Zip, zilch, zero,.
It probably wasn't stupid to retain Peake and to get Polo and Gamble. ( Polo I thought was quite serviceable ), or to retain Eddy on the rookie list.
Lyon was probably vindicated with Polo due to Lenny's injury.
Gamble, not that necessary, but the discovery of Sippo may have caused him to get less games.
No one can accuse Lyon of not being cautious.

Why not draft a mature ager from a State league instead of Polo. Once again risk. More than 30 players from outside the TAC cup were rookied that year. I cant comment on nearly all of them, they are in "red" in Wikipedia which largely means there is nothing to talk about.
( Dalhaus instead of Eddy would have been good though ).

After the 2011 season. Baker, McQualter, Heyne, Eddy, and Gamble were let go.
Sippos, Cripps, and Ledger hand shown that they could contribute to an AFL game, and rather than top up the recruiters selected some "mature" players. Basically they backed themselves with Sipp, Cripps, Ledger and the newly drafted Milera, Saad, Shenton, and Dunell.
Its pretty amazing really that three of the four have been able to make an impact at AFL level.

Would have been a massive call to also delist Peake, and Polo, on the grounds that Newnes would be able to play straight away.

After the 2012 season, it was still a reasonably big call to delist Peake and Polo, given that Cripps was moving on. Roberton more than replaces Raph.
To me it represents some faith by the coaches and recruiters that some of Ledger, Ross, Curran or this year's draftee's will step up to the plate.
Backing their choices, Baking the youth.