Free Agency - Is it a problem?

[Maggie5]

Thinking about all the clubs and their current salary cap issues, I don't think that Free Agency is going to be a problem. Most clubs are having trouble replenishing their list under the current salary cap. How then can they make a bid for a 'big name' player and still be within the salary cap?

If we are having problems finding room for Brent Mac (assuming the club wants to keep him), a player say in our bottom ten, how much more room do we need to make for say a Goddard?

I think that the way the AFL has thrown money at the two new clubs and the salaries they can pay is a bigger problem.

 

[Ed D]

Free Agency is only a problem if you have players wanting to leave the club (either not getting opportunities or wanting on field success). Clubs like Collingwood are likely to be the ones on the receiving end being a big club with great facilities etc.

Don't forget players have to be at a club for 8 years before they're eligible for 1st phase free agency so it's not that likely we'll have players that old that want to jump ship.

 

[Dundalis]

Free Agency is only a problem if you have players wanting to leave the club (either not getting opportunities or wanting on field success). Clubs like Collingwood are likely to be the ones on the receiving end being a big club with great facilities etc.

Don't forget players have to be at a club for 8 years before they're eligible for 1st phase free agency so it's not that likely we'll have players that old that want to jump ship.

If you have players leaving the club not only will you then likely have room in your cap to sign others in free agency, but I think the AFL is providing clubs compensation picks like they do for clubs that lose players to GC and GWS.

So even losing players may not be as bad for clubs as you might think.

 

[DermiesLuvChild]

There will always be a risk of losing players under free agency. There is also the downside of matching offers for restricted free agency players, which in turn creates more salary cap pressure, resulting in the loss of other players that the club cannot afford to keep on their list.
Some players will remain loyal & reject offers from other clubs, however other players will milk whatever they can squeeze out.
We are in danger with Cloke next year. We can match an offer next Oct 2012, however if it is a $800-900,000 offer (for example) then we probably have to let him go (otherwise our salary cap is shot & we have to delist other players & weaken our overall list depth).
The upside: If we do lose a big fish, then we receive compensation from AFL (draft picks similar to GC/GWS compensation picks) & we then have the ability to go out & land our own big fish (with extra cap space).
Bottom line: The upper echelon players (big fish) will increase their % share of the TPP & the lower echelon players will be squeezed (decreased % share of TPP). The stars get the $$, the work horses receive the scraps (if you can call $200,000 p.a scraps).

 

[the distributer]

there will be teething problems, but we as a club we will do alright, it's the interstate clubs that will benifit the most though, we'll just have to take the good with the bad, it's only for players who have been at the one club for 6 or 7 years though, shouldn't be to bad, and as Dundalis said i'm pretty sure there's some form of compo.

 

[Ed D]

there will be teething problems, but we as a club we will do alright, it's the interstate clubs that will benifit the most though, we'll just have to take the good with the bad, it's only for players who have been at the one club for 6 or 7 years though, shouldn't be to bad, and as Dundalis said i'm pretty sure there's some form of compo.

Pretty sure it's 8 years for restricted free agency and 10 for unrestricted. There aren't many players that are at clubs for that long that choose to change clubs unless it's for success or going back to their home state.

 

[blaze036]

we will do better outa it than most clubs no doubt

 

[DermiesLuvChild]

Pretty sure it's 8 years for restricted free agency and 10 for unrestricted. There aren't many players that are at clubs for that long that choose to change clubs unless it's for success or going back to their home state.

Restricted (8 years) - end 2012 season - Cloke is eligible (out of contract end 2012).
Heath Shaw 8 years end 2012, although not sure of his contract status.
Does the 8 years include years on rookie list?? or main list only?

 

[McOrist]

Pretty sure it's 8 years for restricted free agency and 10 for unrestricted. There aren't many players that are at clubs for that long that choose to change clubs unless it's for success or going back to their home state.

If you're an 8 year player in the top 25% of the club's salaried players, it's restricted free agency. If you receive an offer from another club, your current club can match it, then you cannot switch clubs.

If you are an 8 year player below the top 25% at your club (based on players' salaries) or if you are a 10 year player -it's unrestricted free agency. If you get an offer you like, you can leave and your current club can't stop you going.

There will be a set compensation formula for clubs that lose players to free agency movements -like the compensation clubs received for losing players to GC or GWS.

 

[McOrist]

Restricted (8 years) - end 2012 season - Cloke is eligible (out of contract end 2012).
Heath Shaw 8 years end 2012, although not sure of his contract status.
Does the 8 years include years on rookie list?? or main list only?

If you played at least one senior match (promoted up from the rookie list) that year counts in the 8 years -eg Jarryd Blair was on the rookie list in 2010, but he got promoted and played senior footy, so he will be going into his 3rd year in 2012.

 

[Quicky]

I see it as another avenue that we can utilise in the same way as the scholarship program, international and irish rookies and the unregistered with an AFL club rules. It's just another tool for Hine and our football department to use. I'd be worried if our club had an inept footy department but we have proven to be pretty shrewd over the last decade.

 

[Knightmare]

Being up the top of the ladder makes things interesting.

A couple of players might want to leave for opportunity or more money.

But on the flip side being a successful and big market team it might just encourage quality to come join us.
Can imagine a Brendan Goddard would be very keen to join us with St.K likely to slide down the ladder with the lack of quality youth coming through.


Will overall help the big market teams - Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton, Hawthorn, Adelaide, West Coast.
While the likes of Port Adelaide, North Melbourne the Western Bull Dogs among others the more likely to suffer.

 

[Primetime Pricey]

i cant wait for it. You will actually get big name players moving instead of guys like Mitch Clark being the biggest name.

 

[MarkT2]

Well run clubs will benefit and poorly run clubs will suffer. I can't see why that should be any other way but rules will eventually come in to prevent or compensate this because there is a belief that success is an entitlement in the AFL and a TV rights necessity.

 

[Bay Pie]

Lists in:

Harry O- restricted
Heater - restricted
Cloke - restricted
Ben Johnson - unrestricted.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/130821/default.aspx

Why is Brendan Goddard restricted? Drafted in 2002. 10 years service at the end of this year????

 

[daics cousin]

The only problem we will have with Free Agency is trying to fit everyone under the salary cap,cos there will be a lot of players that will want to come to Collingwood especially from some lower clubs who have not tasted success,Collingwood for some of those players will be their last chance to win a flag at a real club.

What problem?

 

[Rohan25]

Lists in:


Why is Brendan Goddard restricted? Drafted in 2002. 10 years service at the end of this year????

It could be that it's his first time out of contract since he served 8 years. In that case, he would only be unrestricted if he was not one of the top 25% highest paid players at the club.

 

[blaze036]

Only with hindsight will we know if its good for us, but its nothing to worry about. If we lose something we will gain something, if anything it should slighlty help us due to our premiership window, big crowds and exellent management/facilities.

I think players like macaffer / goldsack will be the type to move around

 

[stui magpie]

Top clubs will have a tight salary cap and be unable to throw big dollars at stars.

They will be vulnerable to raids from bottom clubs who are cashed up and able to offer big money to get a "star" to their club.

Players who move as free agents will be doing it purely for the dollars and moving mainly to bottom clubs. Yet another means of equalisation of the teams.

 

[TradeDraft]

Lists in:

Harry O- restricted
Heater - restricted
Cloke - restricted
Ben Johnson - unrestricted.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/130821/default.aspx

Why is Brendan Goddard restricted? Drafted in 2002. 10 years service at the end of this year????

Because he be in the Top 10% payed players at Saints.

Want to go after Kosi?

 

[Dundalis]

It could be that it's his first time out of contract since he served 8 years. In that case, he would only be unrestricted if he was not one of the top 25% highest paid players at the club.

I don't get this? Surely Goddard didn't sign a 10 year contract when he was drafted? If so he must have signed a second contract sometime post draft.

Be good if someone could clarify this ruling, I read a dot point about it on the AFL website, but the wording just made it confusing.

There are some interesting unrestricted free agents. Hawthorn and Geelong have some massive names on the unrestricted list. If we had the cash in the cap, which we probably don't, I like Jamar from the Demons to help sure up the ruck, and also Gwilt from the Saints. I know we don't necessarily need half back flankers, but I quite like Gwilt as a player. Quite underrated. He's basically a more refined version of Harry. And still pretty young for an unrestricted free agent. Obviously not in their top 25%.

 

[rustyg70]

I don't get this? Surely Goddard didn't sign a 10 year contract when he was drafted? If so he must have signed a second contract sometime post draft.

Be good if someone could clarify this ruling, I read a dot point about it on the AFL website, but the wording just made it confusing.
quote]

He has re-signed with the Saints before his contract ran out.
i.e: Had a 3 year contract and re-signed on for another 3 years before his existing contract had expired.
Hence,he has never come out of contract.
He just kept topping it up.

 

[Rohan25]

I don't get this? Surely Goddard didn't sign a 10 year contract when he was drafted? If so he must have signed a second contract sometime post draft.

Be good if someone could clarify this ruling, I read a dot point about it on the AFL website, but the wording just made it confusing.

No he might have been out of contract before, but this is his first time out of contract since he reached 8 years of service.