Leaving a front-end contract early.

[fishardansin]

Why is nothing said about players leaving front-end contracts the year before their pay drops. Surely, this a cheeky move and one that clubs should hold them to, especially if they're moving to another club for a pay rise as well. What is the rule on that and what protections do clubs have?

 

[Freomaniac]

Why is nothing said about players leaving front-end contracts the year before their pay drops. Surely, this a cheeky move and one that clubs should hold them to, especially if they're moving to another club for a pay rise as well. What is the rule on that and what protections do clubs have?

Its a good topic to talk about....

But it also depends on the situation too. I got one good example.

I will mention Brad Hill. I hae posed this many times.

He got traded to the dockers at the end of 2016 After 5 seasons and 3 flags at the hawks from 2012-16. Hawks could of held him for another season as he was contracted until 2017. Dockers handed Hawthorn pick 23.

Brad Hill signed a 5 year contract at the dockers from 2017 to 2021 at $2.5 million. Most would of assumed it was 5 years at each year being $500,000 a year.

How ever it wasnt the case, It was front ended. It was actually $700,000 for 2017 and 2018. $500,000 in 2019. Had he stayed in 2020 and 2021, he would be on only $300,000 a year.

Funny thing was His manager at the time sent out feelers to see if Brad Hill would go to another club. Saints offered him $900,000 a year for 5 seasons.

Peter Bell who was our CEO or Operations manager at the time demanded a couple of 1st rounders, which one of them was demanded to be pick 6.

Saints traded pick 6 for a couple of late 1st rounders.

In the end, Dockers traded Brad Hill and a 2020 3rd rounder to the saints. On the other hand, dockers didnt get the 2 1st rounders they wanted but still got a good decent package. Saints gave up Blake Acres, Pick 10, pick 58, a 2020 2nd rounder and 2020 4th rounder.

Saying that, Brad Hill still ended up getting that big contract at the saints at $900,000 a year from 2020 to 2024.

 

[RUNVS]

Ablett Jnr did it at Gold Coast and I was not a massive fan of that. His contract was heavily front ended too.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Afl should have a rule that means players cant get new contract when move clubs. Conditions of contract need to stay the same even if only 1 year left on contract. That's the risk clubs take trading in players. Its not like that many players are traded anyway

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Ban the managers getting any commission payments when a player leaves a frontloaded deal halfway through for more cash elsewhere.
That should get rid of a lot of these 'trade requests'.

 

[Don Won]

it has long been a bugbear of mine, it happened with both Fantasia and Ryder. I think that the new club/departing player need to even out the contract over the remaining years of that players contract (garnishing wages back to previous club).

The current system makes it too attractive to shift.

 

[Freddy Swift]

I don’t know a lot about player contracts but is the front loading part done to benefit the clubs in some way? I’ve often wondered why the players, if they choose to leave early, don’t have to pay back some of the money in these cases? Or have I got it all wrong?

 

[Tasmanian saint]

This is what Geelong and rowan marshal were trying to do he had been paid the majority of his contract in the first two years with us , it’s absolutely not fair the club trading or the player should have to buy out the contract and return the extra money that they were paid

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Ban the managers getting any commission payments when a player leaves a frontloaded deal halfway through for more cash elsewhere.
That should get rid of a lot of these 'trade requests'.

That’s a bit rich on Geelongs part look what they did with the Gold Coast deal a few seasons back got paid a first round pick to take on a bad contract and then they didn’t actually take the contract on it was a joke they allowed to re do the contract after the trade.

 

[Fud#3]

This is what Geelong and rowan marshal were trying to do he had been paid the majority of his contract in the first two years with us , it’s absolutely not fair the club trading or the player should have to buy out the contract and return the extra money that they were paid

And the saints did the right thing, hold the player to the contract they signed. Clubs need to get tougher and not trade contracted players unless they get the right deal.

This year was actually good to see IMO, players like Merrett, Marshall, Humphrey being made to honour the deal.

Maybe players and managers will start to think twice about longer deals structured like this.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Afl should have a rule that means players cant get new contract when move clubs. Conditions of contract need to stay the same even if only 1 year left on contract. That's the risk clubs take trading in players. Its not like that many players are traded anyway

So many things when it comes to drafting, trading really falls into the "Do what the NBA do you absolute morons"

 

[Don Won]

I don’t know a lot about player contracts but is the front loading part done to benefit the clubs in some way? I’ve often wondered why the players, if they choose to leave early, don’t have to pay back some of the money in these cases? Or have I got it all wrong?

Yes, it is designed to manage the cap - both to meet the minimum total player payments in teams that have less players on big contracts (struggling and rebuilding), or to create a ‘war chest’. So clubs have derived a benefit along the way.

 

[schmuttt]

This is what Geelong and rowan marshal were trying to do he had been paid the majority of his contract in the first two years with us , it’s absolutely not fair the club trading or the player should have to buy out the contract and return the extra money that they were paid

what the ****?

St Kilda front loaded contracts INTENTIONALLY to set up what they've done this year with recruiting - why are you complaining????

 

[TheLastCall]

Clubs should make sure the last year of a contract is equal to their highest pay year of the contract, that way the play knows they will miss out, jumping early. Move money from the middle of a long contract, not the last year. Clubs often move contract money early, when they have room in their cap. They should avoid doing so on the last year of the contract, unless it's part of a contract extension.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

what the ****?

St Kilda front loaded contracts INTENTIONALLY to set up what they've done this year with recruiting - why are you complaining????

It goes both ways, So you don’t see a problem with a player getting paid extra money over a couple of seasons and then when it comes time to be getting the smaller amounts decides to go somewhere else on more money double dipping

 

[schmuttt]

It goes both ways, So you don’t see a problem with a player getting paid extra money over a couple of seasons and then when it comes time to be getting the smaller amounts decides to go somewhere else on more money double dipping

It literally benefited your club - Marshall can request a trade if he wants, that is the risk you took front loading his deal so you could offer other guys more money towards the end of his contract.

Clubs sign off on these deals as well, I think there is plenty of fair criticism for AFL players these days but both parties (Club and player) are agreeing to this.

 

[Dogflogger]

if the contract length and amount in any way dictates the players value in a trade then it is a bit silly to be able to reorganize the contract after the fact.

 

[projectv]

Clubs that have done this and then have a player that wants to leave just need to hold the player to their contracts, or trade them for overs.

Like what the Saints did with Rowan Marshall

19

Rowan Marshall

Age

30

Ht

201cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.4

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

CL

3.4

5star

HO

20.2

5star

D

12.9

3star

K

9.3

4star

HB

3.6

2star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

17.8

5star

D

10.6

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

7.8

5star

.

 

[SSSSSS]

It's not a great look but I also don't like clubs like Collingwood punting out the likes of Treloar because they couldn't manage their cap properly, or the Saints trying to shift on Steele because they don't want to pay an aging star 7 figures.

It's a two way street.

 

[craffles]

It's not a great look but I also don't like clubs like Collingwood punting out the likes of Treloar because they couldn't manage their cap properly, or the Saints trying to shift on Steele because they don't want to pay an aging star 7 figures.

It's a two way street.

The saints have been savage this off season. Interested to see how it all works out, but don’t mind what they are doing.

 

[eastfreo75]

Can clubs put a clause in the contract that the player must pay back the money if they get trade?

Example player x has a contract worth $4m over 4 years. Years 1 and 2 are $1.5m and years 3 and 4 $0.5m. The player gets traded in year 3 and pay the club $1m back.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Can clubs put a clause in the contract that the player must pay back the money if they get trade?

Example player x has a contract worth $4m over 4 years. Years 1 and 2 are $1.5m and years 3 and 4 $0.5m. The player gets traded in year 3 and pay the club $1m back.

100% how it should be

 

[fishardansin]

It's not a great look but I also don't like clubs like Collingwood punting out the likes of Treloar because they couldn't manage their cap properly, or the Saints trying to shift on Steele because they don't want to pay an aging star 7 figures.

It's a two way street.

The players still get full value of their contract though.

 

[Lana]

The club with the contract has all of the power.

They have a veto over any movement. The low contract puts any negotitation on their terms. They can demands significant overs. Now that clubs have access to three years worth of picks, it is even more in their favour.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I think the best time to trade players out is in contract. I think for a rebuild side, if you front end all the contracts having B+ plus players leave in contract can be brilliant for the long term future of the club.