Final game for Bell

[SPEEDWAGON]

Andrew Maher mentioned that Bells mother and father are flying to AAMI to watch the port game.

I have heard this rumor, it is an unusual if he is to play on.

What a career and a way to go out while still on top of his game. Hopefully we can win to send him off.

 

[dominguez]

I'm hoping that Andy Maher is wrong, if Bell retires it will leave a massive hole in our side.

I reckon the fact that Macca has been offered a new deal also suggests Belly will pull the pin.

Hopefully Harvey doesn't chase a midfielder during trade week to replace him.

 

[David_Brent]

Had an awesome career

I'd suggest he's the type of bloke who would want to end his career playing well hence the call to end it.

All the best Belly.

 

[HAZY]

I shouldn't be saying this but I can't hold it in any longer. I know Peter's brother and yes, he will retire this weekend. The family is flying over to see Peter play his last game so I hope the boys can pull off a win for him. I'm gonna miss the little dude so much, he has been a true inspiration to our side and he is still playing brilliant football. This will be a massive loss for us.

 

[Lach72]

If true I am disappointed he didn;t announce it this week so we could say good goodbye

 

[The Night Shift]

It would be belly's style to just walk away without fanfare.... that's just the way the man is - don't knock him for it. If he does - I'll support him - but geez it will be a sad day for the club.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Might have to go to the game then.

 

[wehavethepassion]

He's well and truly had the last laught on Neesham- too slow to play AFL , well AFL Neesham's style anyways but......

Goes on to play over 300games, at present 4 B&F's(includes one at Kangas),
2 premiership medallions

 

[theGav56]

Andrew Maher mentioned that Bells mother and father are flying to AAMI to watch the port game.

I have heard this rumor, it is an unusual if he is to play on.

What a career and a way to go out while still on top of his game. Hopefully we can win to send him off.

Isn't it his 150th for Dockers which gives him life membership? That would be plenty of reason to go over if you were his family. Think I'll wait till Bell says it's his last game. At this stage, all I know is he agreed to a contract till the end of next season.

 

[Jetau]

Question: I thought I read that as Belly was contracted for 2008, he would be paid under the salary cap, even if he retired? Something like $400, 000? Can someone clarify this - it seems odd that he would leave such a huge hole in the salary cap (if this is true).

 

[inferno66]

Question: I thought I read that as Belly was contracted for 2008, he would be paid under the salary cap, even if he retired? Something like $400, 000? Can someone clarify this - it seems odd that he would leave such a huge hole in the salary cap (if this is true).

Yes Bell is contracted for next year. We still have to pay the rest of his contract even if he doesn't play on next year.

 

[theGav56]

Yes Bell is contracted for next year. We still have to pay the rest of his contract even if he doesn't play on next year.

I thought we still have to allocate the money to that in the salary cap, but if he doesn't fulfil his contract then we don't actually have to pay it?

 

[Jetau]

OK, wouldn't this be a bit of a problem for us with the TPP for 2008?

Belly seems like a really honourable guy - surely he wouldn't drop us in the sh*t like this?

 

[inferno66]

I thought we still have to allocate the money to that in the salary cap, but if he doesn't fulfil his contract then we don't actually have to pay it?

Its like the Voss situation. Brisbane still have Voss in the salary cap this year even though he is retired.

 

[Jetau]

OK, but Voss was crippled with injuries toward the end. I know that Bell has had some injury problems, but he still seems to be able to run out games pretty well.

I think he would still have a lot of value to the team next year, so it seems surprising that he would retire when he's still under contract.

 

[inferno66]

I would love to see Bell playing for us next year as well. He plays with pride and passion for our football club.

 

[Dr Ralph Dagg]

I suspect that you don't actually pay the money but it is still included in your TPP. This might be to stop possible rorts of the salary cap but I haven't thought it through enough to figure out how.

 

[dominguez]

I suspect that you don't actually pay the money but it is still included in your TPP. This might be to stop possible rorts of the salary cap but I haven't thought it through enough to figure out how.

If I had a contract for half a mill I'd certainly expect the money.

It has to count in the salary cap to prevent cheating. Say a gun player plans to play one more year. If it didn't count in the cap clubs could contract the player for $100,000 in his final year then $900,000 in his first year of retirement.

 

[chook2734]

If I had a contract for half a mill I'd certainly expect the money.

It has to count in the salary cap to prevent cheating. Say a gun player plans to play one more year. If it didn't count in the cap clubs could contract the player for $100,000 in his final year then $900,000 in his first year of retirement.

Surely dom if you've got a contract you'd also expect to play on?

I'm not fussed either way on whether he will be paid or not, the bigger issue is how it affects the salary cap. If we lose a player or have to run one short next year because Bell is off pursuing other interests, then that's a pretty poor effort by him.

 

[macka6210]

i have the feeling that this is his last year but i wish that it was not . and i heard that due to his contract being back ended so much that was a risk the freo took when we re signed him

 

[wce4premiership]

Is it possible that he doesn't know yet so his parent are going just incase or has he made up his mind?

 

[malpaso]

I'm hoping that Andy Maher is wrong, if Bell retires it will leave a massive hole in our side.

I reckon the fact that Macca has been offered a new deal also suggests Belly will pull the pin.

Hopefully Harvey doesn't chase a midfielder during trade week to replace him.

Who do you suggest replacing him with then? Surely if we can trade for an experienced midfielder that would help fill that gap, we would?

Even though this season has been a big disappointment, we are a very good side and we should do everything in our power to keep it that way.

 

[masai]

If I had a contract for half a mill I'd certainly expect the money.

It has to count in the salary cap to prevent cheating. Say a gun player plans to play one more year. If it didn't count in the cap clubs could contract the player for $100,000 in his final year then $900,000 in his first year of retirement.

I'm confused.

Belly and FFC have a contract to the end of 2008 for Belly to play and FFC to pay him XXXXXX dollars for doing that. My view if Belly pulls the pin, he will not play in 2008 thus he does not fulfill his side of the contract, thus FFC doesn't pay any money.

Put simply, if a player wants the money, he must play.

Love Belly, he is an inspiration to all us semi talented sportsmen, guts and determination goes along way.

 

[dominguez]

Surely dom if you've got a contract you'd also expect to play on?

I'm not fussed either way on whether he will be paid or not, the bigger issue is how it affects the salary cap. If we lose a player or have to run one short next year because Bell is off pursuing other interests, then that's a pretty poor effort by him.

It shouldn't affect our salary cap much, we have to pay him whether he plays or not. It might mean that a guy like Foster/Webster/Browne, whose contracts would be performance based, play a few more games at $2,000-$4,000 a game. That would all be factored in at contract time, Schwab is too honest and talented to stuff it up. It may give the club added incentive to trade Murphy, players from the east are often on more money than players of equal ability from WA (Leigh Brown was our 3rd highest paid player, but certainly wan't in our best 3).

The bigger issue IMO if Bell retires is that we will lose our 2nd best player and won't get anything in return. That's what makes our results over the last 3 or 4 years really disappointing, while most clubs lose talented players to retirement on a regular basis we haven't had quality retirements since Kickett up until this year. Our onfield performance should have improved each year from 2002.

I guess the only positive is that we'll free up about half a million at the end of 2008 when Bell's contract expires, and another $400,000 12 months later when J-Lo is out of contract. I'm sure Schwab is licking his lips thinking up trade targets already.

 

[rgauci]

Is he a chance for AA?