Free Agency 2012

[scottydeewah]

So we get involved this draft, hopefully a key position prospect and a couple utilities/mids. Maybe use the Ablett Pick too.

We have some players who can still go around again, a a few with 2-4 more seasons.

Then we look at free agency.

The clubs to attempt to rape are those who arent looking flash. St Kilda, Richmond, Port, West Coast, Brisbane, North, Richmond. It is about convincing players of our culture, of the facilities, the board, the coaches and our kids. It is trying to get a player who is 25-28 to jump ship. A good player, and maybe a mate.

For the first time we can have "who can we get" without the "what do we need to give for him". Still there is money, but with loaded contracts, retirements and other player movements we may get some dough.

IS there anybody we could take a ping at?

 

[Rosso]

I think you hit this a bit more significantly than trade week. Free agency when you don't have a salary cap squeeze means going after big fish. From the clubs you mentioned (St Kilda, Richmond, Port, West Coast, Brisbane, North) you'd lood at the likes of :

Reiwoldt x 2, Goddard, Delidio, Martin, Cotchin, Boak, Scott Selwood, Rich, Wells amongst others.

Our recruiting dept tends to take care of things pretty well but to add a couple of handy sorts to an already competitive side may mean that we remain a challenger for many years to come.

The other thing to keep in mind is that there might be some disgruntled GC boys that are not prepared to wait another 3 or 4 years to play finals.

 

[Turbocat]

Scotty , the partial FA rules mean that it will still be reasonably restrictive.
The most obvious players to target would be Rucks and keys when you have a deficiency but anyone worth their salt will be a highly paid player. Which mean a player that has reached 10 years at a club meaning a 2003 draft player or before that by 2012.

Once you start looking at who's around from that era to fill holes in your list I sort of wonder how it will benefit us. For instance Rucks , maybe McIntosh from North , meh Full Back Merritt from Brisbane ...

It will help teams like Port more in my opinion. A club that may be looking at loneg rebuild can go and get few seasoned guys that may just prevent them being a the weekly percentage booster while their kids get a boost.

 

[AM]

Isn't it eight years if you've been at one club, in the top ten players and are out of contract, Turbo?

Reckon there will be quite a few in that category. However, the reality is most players stick with their club if they been reasonably well looked after so I can't see huge movement.

 

[Turbocat]

Isn't it eight years if you've been at one club, in the top ten players and are out of contract, Turbo?

Reckon there will be quite a few in that category. However, the reality is most players stick with their club if they been reasonably well looked after so I can't see huge movement.

We are really see the mechanism really work but as I understand it

A player can be a FA if:
He has been at the one club for 8 years .
Edit: Clubs have the right to match the offer of any player in the top 10 for remuneration
or
He has been at the one club for 10 years.

The club the player moves from will receive a pick using the same method that was used fro GC and will be used for GWS

It could be rather messy when working out if a players is or is not in that 25% group if he paid a loaded contract. Take Balls contract at the Pies for instance. He will now be one of the lowest paid after two years as one of the highest. Do we use the last year or ave etc ...

So with this in mind what quality of players will be available? Hard to say , any player that lasts 8-10 years on an AFL list is seriously talented , will they be washed up? Well GA drafted in 2001 so would have completed 10 years at the end of 2011. Obviously a talented side like ours will have some handy types not in the top 25% Just for the sake of it lets name them.

Bartel, Selwood, Ling, Corey, Ottens, Chapman , SJohnson , Hawkins , Scarlett , Milburn , Kelly , Enright.

I will assume that AFLPA gets its way , there is no longer a Rookie list and we have 48 on our list thats 12 top 25% players
So players of the standard of Wojo , Hunt , Mackie , Mooney would be able to walk to whoever they wanted to. Im not sure these guys would be the ones you would be targeting to be your be dollar signing.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Isn't it eight years if you've been at one club, in the top ten players and are out of contract, Turbo?

Reckon there will be quite a few in that category. However, the reality is most players stick with their club if they been reasonably well looked after so I can't see huge movement.

It is eight years, but if you're in the top ten money earners, the existing club gets last right of refusal (that is if we make x $ bid for a player, they can choose to match that). The only players who have full FA at 8 are those outside the top 10/25%.

Everyone gets full FA after 10.

I reckon it might be useful as a 'last piece of the puzzle' get that older guy in, probably a ruckman, when you think you're about to push for a flag.

 

[Turbocat]

It is eight years, but if you're in the top ten money earners, the existing club gets last right of refusal (that is if we make x $ bid for a player, they can choose to match that). The only players who have full FA at 8 are those outside the top 10/25%.

Everyone gets full FA after 10.

I reckon it might be useful as a 'last piece of the puzzle' get that older guy in, probably a ruckman, when you think you're about to push for a flag.

Yes you are spot on , i was in error on the right to match. Its explained quiye well here.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/89809/default.aspx

Three things grabbed my attention reading it , the underlining of 'First Time" , so if a player has a contract post that mark then does he still have FA rights ? I think not.
The second as its eight , clubs may have have a theoretical right to match but as we have just seen with ball , what's to stop a wild offer that is then balance later.
The third , is a player delisted with less than 8 years service have FA rights.