Free Agency James Worpel - Joins Geelong as a Restricted Free Agent, Hawthorn receive Band 4 Compensation

[Jack Richards]

End of 2nd round compo pick is going Hawks way

 

[Hawks_Footy]

If it was a 5yr deal I think it would likely be band 2 but given it's supposedly 4yrs with a trigger for 5yrs I think it's likely band 3

 

[JasRulz63]

Would make it band 4.

 

[Elixuh]

Band 4 is fair for someone like Worpel.

 

[bzparkes]

The demand for farms just went up down Geelong way...

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Band 4 is fair for someone like Worpel.

You reckon?

Band 4 is a pick in the 40's (in a weak draft).

Silvagni just went for Band 2 (pick 19).

On the market, I reckon he'd be at least worth an early 2nd rounder. He's only 26 and finished top 4 in the in the B&F of a finals team last year (and the year before). (Top 35 in the Brownlow both years too)

 

[crankygeese]

Would make it band 4.

Band 4? Jeez, not a big dollar contract then.

Band 4 is approximately 31% to 50% of player contracts across the league.

To be fair, with 650ish players in the league, that's about where Worpel sits as a player, 195-325.

 

[STPer18]

The low compensation is because Jimmy (we call him Jimmy now) has agreed to take a pay cut to play for Geelong.

 

[MaxiBont]

You reckon?

Band 4 is a pick in the 40's (in a weak draft).

Silvagni just went for Band 2 (pick 19).

On the market, I reckon he'd be at least worth an early 2nd rounder. He's only 26 and finished 4th in the B&F of a finals team last year (and 26th in the Brownlow the year before).

Saints massively overpaid for Silvagni, Cats didn’t for Worpel.

Can’t compare the compo

 

[SSSSSS]

Would be funny to match and just hold out for Geelong's 2nd rounder (a mere 2 spots above the compo pick).

I doubt we'd do it though. This draft looks a doozy.

 

[JasRulz63]

Band 4? Jeez, not a big dollar contract then.

Band 4 is approximately 31% to 50% of player contracts across the league.

To be fair, with 650ish players in the league, that's about where Worpel sits as a player, 195-325.

Specifically of players aged 25 and over as well, so that rules out most of the draftee/rookie contracts.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

Meh is what it is, would be nice if one of our bog average players could net us a bs compo like so many others though.

Maybe one day

 

[HairyO]

Band 4 is fair for someone like Worpel.

Means the Geelong contract is around 4 x $500k for a 26 year old.

St Kilda would be around 5 x $850k for a 28 year old Silvagni.

So we are to believe Worpel will be paid in the bottom 1/3 of 25 and over players, and by his 4th year will be paying him below average across all players.

No farms or pubs or anything involved here Im sure.

We would be stupid to not match. The money is literally **** all. Below average money for an average player to me feels like a good deal.

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Saints massively overpaid for Silvagni, Cats didn’t for Worpel.

Can’t compare the compo

Even if you ignore Silvagni, my point stands (a pick in the 40's is much lower than what he would fetch on the market).

Normally free agent contracts (especially RFA's) attract increased dollars (to lure the player).

In the last 2 years, Ben McKay went for Band 1
Jade Gresham went for Band 2
Tom Doedee went for Band 2
Josh Battle went for Band 1
Harry Perryman for Band 1
Isaac Cumming for Band 2
(and now Silvagni for Band 2)

Worpel is definately the outlier here at Band 4.

 

[Hawks_Footy]

Twomey on gettable today said contract is between 650-700k

 

[HairyO]

Twomey on gettable today said contract is between 650-700k

Which is either wrong or the AFL is shafting us because that would absolutely be Band 3 not Band 4.

 

[Hawks_Footy]

Which is either wrong or the AFL is shafting us because that would absolutely be Band 3 not Band 4.

Twomey wouldn't be wrong.. he would've sourced that before he went on air.. bugger all difference between band 3&4 in this instance anyway

 

[SSSSSS]

Would love to figure out what the secret herbs and spices are.

One day.

 

[Elixuh]

Means the Geelong contract is around 4 x $500k for a 26 year old.

St Kilda would be around 5 x $850k for a 28 year old Silvagni.

So we are to believe Worpel will be paid in the bottom 1/3 of 25 and over players, and by his 4th year will be paying him below average across all players.

No farms or pubs or anything involved here Im sure.

We would be stupid to not match. The money is literally **** all. Below average money for an average player to me feels like a good deal.

500kpa is below afl avg lol. What a great deal for Geelong.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

HairyO conspiracy count at 3 since lodgment this morning.

 

[Coasters7]

Would love to figure out what the secret herbs and spices are.

One day.

They don’t exist. AFL have said dollars and age are pretty much the only components when trying to defend other moves but the maths don’t quite add up when looking at ones like this.

650-700k 26 year old is worth pick 40? Wouldn’t have thought so.

 

[SSSSSS]

They don’t exist. AFL have said dollars and age are pretty much the only components when trying to defend other moves but the maths don’t quite add up when looking at ones like this.

650-700k 26 year old is worth pick 40? Wouldn’t have thought so.

Twomey must have his figures wrong then.

It's looking like Worpel is on some really terrible wages. He needs a new agent lol.

 

[crankygeese]

Would love to figure out what the secret herbs and spices are.

One day.

I know most folks on BigFooty will never read them, but they've been documented a fair bit over the years, and some folks went to great length to document them and source them.

Just go to the section about Compensation and Compensation Bands.

The only bit of information we don't have is the actual average salary. But we can at least narrow it down depending on the band.

Resource - FAQs: Rules, Regulations and Resources for Player Movements in the AFL

List sizes Club age and height profiles Salary cap information Trading rules including salary dumps Father/son & academy draft bids Free agency compensation formula & more

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Guardian Hawk]

I know most folks on BigFooty will never read them, but they've been documented a fair bit over the years, and some folks went to great length to document them and source them.

Just go to the section about Compensation and Compensation Bands.

The only bit of information we don't have is the actual average salary. But we can at least narrow it down depending on the band.

Resource - FAQs: Rules, Regulations and Resources for Player Movements in the AFL

List sizes Club age and height profiles Salary cap information Trading rules including salary dumps Father/son & academy draft bids Free agency compensation formula & more

www.bigfooty.com

It's just hard to put the pieces together here.

To be a restricted free agent, Worpel's current contract needs to be in the top 25% of players at Hawthorn.

To be deemed Band 4, doesn't his new contract need to be lower than that?

Also, averages must have shifted significantly since a year ago, given 700K for 4 years for a 26 year old would have been Band 3 (nudging Band 2) and this year, it's Band 4.

 

[crankygeese]

It's just hard to put the pieces together here.

To be a restricted free agent, Worpel's current contract needs to be in the top 25% of players at Hawthorn.

To be deemed Band 4, doesn't his new contract need to be lower than that?

Also, averages must have shifted significantly since a year ago, given 700K for 4 years for a 26 year old would have been Band 3 (nudging Band 2) and this year, it's Band 4.

Yes, for this year, so his deal could have been backended to ensure that he qualified for RFA so that the Hawks retained matching rights if they wanted them.

Maybe, but probably yes - Depends on the Hawks and Cats pay structure.

Yes, averages shift over time, that's why they do it in percentage bands rather than static dollar values. To keep up with the player salary market Those averages shift a lot when the salary cap spikes and players salary spikes. Of the currrent CBA, this year and last year were the two big spike years in the TPP so the bands have shifted considerably. Doedee's contract at the Lions netted the Crows Band 2, now it would be Band 3 maybe even Band 4.

This article covers up to 2024 and is an excellent depiction of just how much has shifted - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1266770...-players-average-afl-salary-revealed-for-2024

Keep in mind, there were some HUGE contracts signed in 2023 and 2024 that would have kicked in this year, so even just going off 2024 numbers it might have shifted a lot. But that's what we have to go off so:

In 2021 there were 8/655 senior listed/non-draftee contracted players earning more than 900k. In 2024 there were 34/668.
In 2021 top 5% (Band 1) would land around 750k, in 2024 top 5% would land around 900k.

Going off 2024 numbers, Worpel at Band 4 would have an average salary roughly between 450k-650k

 

[HairyO]

Yes, for this year, so his deal could have been backended to ensure that he qualified for RFA so that the Hawks retained matching rights if they wanted them.

Maybe, but probably yes - Depends on the Hawks and Cats pay structure.

Yes, averages shift over time, that's why they do it in percentage bands rather than static dollar values. To keep up with the player salary market Those averages shift a lot when the salary cap spikes and players salary spikes. Of the currrent CBA, this year and last year were the two big spike years in the TPP so the bands have shifted considerably. Doedee's contract at the Lions netted the Crows Band 2, now it would be Band 3 maybe even Band 4.

This article covers up to 2024 and is an excellent depiction of just how much has shifted - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1266770...-players-average-afl-salary-revealed-for-2024

Keep in mind, there were some HUGE contracts signed in 2023 and 2024 that would have kicked in this year, so even just going off 2024 numbers it might have shifted a lot. But that's what we have to go off so:

In 2021 there were 8/655 senior listed/non-draftee contracted players earning more than 900k. In 2024 there were 34/668.
In 2021 top 5% (Band 1) would land around 750k, in 2024 top 5% would land around 900k.

Going off 2024 numbers, Worpel at Band 4 would have an average salary roughly between 450k-650k

And by 2027 it would put him easily in the bottom 1/3 of age 25+ players. So he is being paid bugger all.