It's Contract Time

[prattsta]

Nope. I don't rate MJ as a player at all, but he's currently doing better than other blokes, so why shouldn't he get a gig before them.

Because he's better than some of his competition and has a few more strings to his bow. Makes more sense to cut from the bottom up.

If ever there was a season for alot of our players to step up and show their worth, this was it. Saying that, he has lifted his game in the second half, while others haven't.

It just sounds like we'd be giving him a contract by default.

"No worries MJ, sure you were bad, but you weren't as bad as others."

These are the out-of-contract players we have (from what I can gather)-

Johnson
Schammer
Crowley
Palmer
Houghton
Bollenhagen
Hayden
Hinkley
Grover

Houghton, Bollenhagen and Grover (unless he retires) will get contracts. Hayden could also get a contract if he wants one.

Hayden retires (likely) - replaced by Lower on the senior list.

Schammer is de-listed - replaced by our first round draft pick.

Hinkley is de-listed - replaced by our second round draft pick.

Crowley is de-listed - replaced by our third round draft pick.

Palmer is traded - replaced by...no idea it could possibly be a pick next year.

I don't know IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN but I'd simply take another pick (PSD?) or upgrade any of Pearce, Ruffles and Bucovaz waaaay before I gave MJ another contract.

 

[Freo4life]

Well of course, we re-sign Crowley and he can get his 3 disposals and shut down Judd and MJ can average his 14 game turning disposals. What more could we possibly want?

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

It just sounds like we'd be giving him a contract by default.

"No worries MJ, sure you were bad, but you weren't as bad as others."

That's basically the situation, it has been in the past and it will be in the future. I'm sure it will be sugar coated, but that's the situation we find ourselves in.

Harvey has stated during the season that MJ wouldn't be getting a game if we had more depth. The fact that we don't is a reason why he continued to be selected when not deserving of it, and through extension is a reason why he may retain his place on our list for another season.

I understand where you are coming from, I'd rather MJ retain his place on our list purely based on his performance, but there are other elements involved that mean this may not be the case.

I don't know IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN but I'd simply take another pick (PSD?) or upgrade any of Pearce, Ruffles and Bucovaz waaaay before I gave MJ another contract.

How often do PSD picks, or kids taken at the tail end of the draft for that matter, turn out to be regular AFL players? Why delist MJ if his replacement isn't a fairly good chance to be a better player for us? Cutting your nose off to spite your face etc.

With those three players listed, I think that's more a case of disliking MJ as a player than rational list management. Ruffles showed a bit in his first season, but has barely been able to get back on the park in the 3? years since. Keeping him at the expense of MJ would be just like that BoB discussion all over again.

Pearce has probably shown just as much as MJ this season, but only offers us something so-so in an area we do have a fair bit of depth. I don't mind Clancee, but I think he's far more expendable to us.

As for Buca, I think he has got something to offer us, and were it not for his knee injury, I think he would still be on the main list.

Like I said, I'm not a fan of MJ, but we also have other flaws to fix, which is the only reason I'm even arguing that it could be worth keeping him around longer.

 

[Clay Davis]

MJ will be retained but should be on the outer of best 25 considerations. He is 28 this year, and offers very little.

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Damn I'm glad I found that ignore button.

Hai Clay.

 

[yakamoto]

MJ will turn 27 later this year. Hasn't been his best season by any stretch but is one of the few players on our list who actually does something constructive with his possessions. Will get a two year deal.

 

[Nickos66]

The stupid paper today said MJ was only 26... Wait. He is.

Only 1 year older than Mzungu.

 

[Rob]

MJ will turn 27 later this year. Hasn't been his best season by any stretch but is one of the few players on our list who actually does something constructive with his possessions. Will get a two year deal.

If he gets a 2 year deal then we may as well board the place up. We should just give Schammer another 2 year deal as well.

1 year deal at close to minimum salary. At the absolute best. If it was up to me I would have delisted him 6 weeks ago.

 

[PapaJ]

I'm with junglemuffin - MJ is no where near as bad as people round here are making out. He's had a poor year, terrible early, average to OK latter when moved away from defence where he's always been suspect, but comparing him to Schammer or Thornton is just way off AFAIC - he has way more ability than them and has proven so often enough in the past.

Having said that, I wouldn't mind Schammer's work rate, hardness and ticker combined with MJ's ability though.

 

[Patty_Moz]

As said Johnson only gets a game cos he adds key position depth and we are desperately short on KPP's and if Pav, tho he hasnt had a great yr, doesnt play next yr were ****ed. Crowley allows the development department not to get to busy next yr, they dont like too much work.

Still I'm happy if Palmer is traded, Schammer is cut, one of Hayden/Hinkley go and Pav to vets list and 4 picks in the draft for rookies not mature aged players!!!

 

[Moo]

MJ certainly is worth a 1 year deal, Crowls is the one that we should say bye bye.

There is a whole lot of Josh Carr (the slow fat one not the angry Eagle bashing variety) ...would rather another youngster on the list.

 

[Clay Davis]

If he gets a 2 year deal then we may as well board the place up. We should just give Schammer another 2 year deal as well.

1 year deal at close to minimum salary. At the absolute best. If it was up to me I would have delisted him 6 weeks ago.

Exactly.

I get the feeling there's a core of our supporters who have watched Freo so long they've forgotten what a quality player actually looks like. For example, certain posters saying Stephen Hill is one of the best players they've ever seen.

He probably will get a two year deal. Doesn't mean he'd even get a contract extension at any other decent club that has premiership aspirations. If you want an indicator of why Freo has been historically so poor, the reasons are encapsulated in Michael Johnson.

 

[muzzington]

I think his uninjurebility is something the club values more than anything.

 

[Lach72]

Ha ha so pathetically true.

A while ago I was reading on the othe place. (have mercy on my soul!)

Someone had the temerity to criticise MJ and some peanut said something along the lines of:
"MJ to get a new contract...he's one of us".

Vomit

 

[malpaso]

I would think that we would re-sign MJ just because he improves our depth. I don't see him being best 22 next year unless he pulls his finger out in preseason.

If we can get some quality in the draft, possibly pick up some mature age players. MJ is good to have in order to extend our AFL ready list by more than 22. Our depth sucks at the moment, I'd rather have MJ on standby than delist him. We need to have players battling for positions and eager to get into that 22.

If he's valuable in a trade scenario then so be it but otherwise re-sign him.

 

[Leslie_Chow]

I think his uninjurebility is something the club values more than anything.

Wonder why he never gets injured

 

[kp junior]

Wonder why he never gets injured

I was thinking the same thing.

Absolutely appalling year from a "senior" player who has remained uninjured, and therefore should have stood up in others' absence.

Trade bait, and I'd sack him if there were no takers.

 

[Clay Davis]

I would think that we would re-sign MJ just because he improves our depth. I don't see him being best 22 next year unless he pulls his finger out in preseason.

If we can get some quality in the draft, possibly pick up some mature age players. MJ is good to have in order to extend our AFL ready list by more than 22. Our depth sucks at the moment, I'd rather have MJ on standby than delist him. We need to have players battling for positions and eager to get into that 22.

If he's valuable in a trade scenario then so be it but otherwise re-sign him.

Yeah, we have crappy depth and this draft is shallow, so he certainly earns a one year retention. Ideally, he shouldn't be considered best 22 next year.

However, what will happen is he gets a two year deal and plays every game next year.

 

[prattsta]

Like I said, I'm not a fan of MJ, but we also have other flaws to fix, which is the only reason I'm even arguing that it could be worth keeping him around longer.

Harvey loves him, so he'll get another contract. I just think it's strange that people think we couldn't do any better than a flaky half forward.

I'd rather another Adam McPhee type on the list, or someone like Hibberd at Essendon (also a PSD pick from memory). There are always players available through the PSD, if you've been looking in the right places.

The stupid paper today said MJ was only 26... Wait. He is.

Only 1 year older than Mzungu.

MJ turns 27 in October, he's played 123 AFL games. That's more than enough time to become a consistent/reliable contributor. At some point people need to realise that the player he is now, is the player he will always be.

Mzungu turns 26 in February, he's played 12 AFL games. He will get better, I'd probably be happy enough if he didn't. That's the difference.

As said Johnson only gets a game cos he adds key position depth and we are desperately short on KPP's and if Pav, tho he hasnt had a great yr, doesnt play next yr were ****ed. Crowley allows the development department not to get to busy next yr, they dont like too much work.

MJ isn't a KP player. He's just a tall flanker. At no point in his career has he been able to hold down a KP. He has to play as a third tall - even in the forward line - which is a complete waste, as he can never step up and play competitively as a KP if their is a game day injury.

Chris Mayne is played at FF ahead of him. Dylan Roberton is played as a KP defender before him.

Heck, Antoni Grover has had to play as an undersized KPD for how long now with the 194cm Michael Johnson floating around in the same side?

I would think that we would re-sign MJ just because he improves our depth. I don't see him being best 22 next year unless he pulls his finger out in preseason.

If we can get some quality in the draft, possibly pick up some mature age players. MJ is good to have in order to extend our AFL ready list by more than 22. Our depth sucks at the moment, I'd rather have MJ on standby than delist him. We need to have players battling for positions and eager to get into that 22.

If he's valuable in a trade scenario then so be it but otherwise re-sign him.

If MJ is on our list he will play every single week he is available. There were plenty of opportunities to drop him this season. Harvey let him play like rubbish for 12 weeks. That's half a season. He's a B grade player at best and Harvey carried him for twelve weeks. Twelve weeks. Twelve. Since then, he hasn't once shown why he was persisted with for so long.

Where does MJ actually provide depth? When has he shown that he can perform at the required level to contribute at AFL level on a consistent basis?

I'd rather take another year from Roger Hayden where he doesn't play a single game than put up with another season worth of Michael Johnson.

Whatevs Freo, give him another year, I'm sure he'll make it worthwhile...

 

[dominguez]

I'm with junglemuffin - MJ is no where near as bad as people round here are making out. He's had a poor year, terrible early, average to OK latter when moved away from defence where he's always been suspect, but comparing him to Schammer or Thornton is just way off AFAIC - he has way more ability than them and has proven so often enough in the past.

He was runner up in the Doig medal in 2006 playing predominantly down back.

 

[dominguez]

I would think that we would re-sign MJ just because he improves our depth. I don't see him being best 22 next year unless he pulls his finger out in preseason.

That would be great Mal if the coaches see it the same way but this season his form has gone from embarrassingly terrible to tolerable and he has been selected every week. Atleast Crowley has been dropped a couple of times so if his form continues he'll be a deptth player but all indications point to Johnson being in the line up round 1 2012 regardless of form.

 

[bruzaar62]

That would be great Mal if the coaches see it the same way but this season his form has gone from embarrassingly terrible to tolerable and he has been selected every week. Atleast Crowley has been dropped a couple of times so if his form continues he'll be a deptth player but all indications point to Johnson being in the line up round 1 2012 regardless of form.

Seriously the selectors have no balls with many questionable selections this year..with MJ at the top of the list (first half of year) .......tonight all the Emergencies should be playing instead of Pearce,Duffield types who have had their chance and failed to impress

 

[prattsta]

Seriously the selectors have no balls with many questionable selections this year..with MJ at the top of the list (first half of year) .......tonight all the Emergencies should be playing instead of Pearce,Duffield types who have had their chance and failed to impress

Schammer shouldn't be playing either TBH. Seriously, what is the point?

 

[PapaJ]

He was runner up in the Doig medal in 2006 playing predominantly down back.

Right you are . He mostly played spare-man in those days, and you're right he was great. He could contest a mark, run clear of congestion and has always had reasonable disposal.

Perhaps better to say, he's been suspect in more recent times as a back man particularly when he has to tightly match-up on a player. I'm not sure why that is so, but he's clearly played better up the ground than back this year. That is the point I'm making, and that he actually does have AFL level talent as 2006 showed.

 

[strobe00]

Nothing justifies his performance in the first half of the season, same as his performance in the first half of the season doesn't discount the fact that he's played well on a several occasions, and often been our only forward looking like a viable option.

That could have something to do with the fact that we haven't be playing decent forwards as forwards all season.

MJ definitely played better in the forward line than he did the back line, where he was absolutely f*cking dire. But he took a spot from Bradley and possibly JA, when either of those guys deserved to be picked instead. Let alone the fact that Pav was in the team but being played in the wrong spot.

Old ground. Dug over again. Can't be bothered. Just like MJ.