Free Agency Luke Dahlhaus [joins Geelong as an Unrestricted Free Agent]

[Orange Agent]

Cats have a lot of kids on base wages and thats the weakness of the club

It depends on the way you look at it, when you can grab a mature body like Kelly for base wages for 2 years it helps a lot.

 

[pinot]

Cats have a lot of kids on base wages and thats the weakness of the club

Like Duncan, Menegola, Menzel, Stewart, Murdoch, Guthrie, Smith, Bews and Stanley?

Seriously good for you paying everyone so much money and staying under the cap

 

[Shadow89]

Lachie Henderson and Zach Tuohy left for Geelong for $400-500k no idea how they fit all these players in.

It's simple, it's the culture of the club. No-one earns more than the captain (including Danger) who earns around 900K or so. Hawkins and Taylor earn around 700-800K. Duncan earns around 600K with Menegola, Tuohy, Scooter, Henderson, Blicavs and Ablett earning around 500K. Everyone else at the club earns less than that and no-one gets turfed out because someone else wants more money. Our remaining 11 or so best 22 players are Henry, Bews, Parfitt, Cockatoo, Ratugolea, Kelly, Menzel, Kolodjashnij, Stewart, McCarthy and Stanley with fringe players getting paid the remainder. It's a good balance of youth and talent, with no-one commanding over 1 mil so as to not upset the balance of the club. Been this way for years, hence why we have lost very few best 22 players. No fancy accounting, just priorities.

Smith and Thurlow looking like being traded during the off season, along with possible delistings for Gregson and others. Will re-rookie some players and Menzel a chance to go if he wants a longer contract. Should have a bit of free space by the end of the year. Possible that Taylor retires too.

 

[pinot]

It's simple, it's the culture of the club. No-one earns more than the captain (including Danger) who earns around 900K or so. Hawkins and Taylor earn around 700-800K. Duncan earns around 600K with Menegola, Tuohy, Scooter, Henderson, Blicavs and Ablett earning around 500K. Everyone else at the club earns less than that and no-one gets turfed out because someone else wants more money. Our remaining 11 or so best 22 players are Henry, Bews, Parfitt, Cockatoo, Ratugolea, Kelly, Menzel, Kolodjashnij, Stewart, McCarthy and Stanley with fringe players getting paid the remainder. It's a good balance of youth and talent, with the no-one commanding over 1 mil so as to not upset the balance of the club. Been this way for years, hence why we have lost very few best 22 players. No fancy accounting, just priorities.

Or shadowy mathematics. But good on you for pulling off whopping third party deals

 

[Shadow89]

Or shadowy mathematics. But good on you for pulling off whopping third party deals

I wouldn't call 500K 'whopping', by any stretch of the imagination. Seems like you have a real agenda when it comes to this particular topic. We've also had Bartel, Johnson, Enright, Mackie, Kelly, Motlop, Caddy, Lonergan, all retire, be traded or finish up at another club, in the last 3 years. That's about 4 mil right there.

 

[pinot]

I wouldn't call 500K 'whopping', by any stretch of the imagination. Seems like you have a real agenda when it comes to this particular topic. We've also had Bartel, Johnson, Enright, Mackie, Kelly, Motlop, Caddy, Lonergan, all retire, be traded or finish up at another club, in the last 3 years. That's about 4 mil right there.

The only issue I have being a top team should be maxed on your salary cap and yet still going for free agents on top dollar where they should be going to other clubs that have real salary cap space.

So when I see clubs with huge third party deals keep bringing in quality where my club got done for third party deals - yeah it kinda sucks if I may say so myself

 

[BEEG]

Think he still has plenty to offer will be a good get for the Cats.

 

[Orange Agent]

It's simple, it's the culture of the club. No-one earns more than the captain (including Danger) who earns around 900K or so. Hawkins and Taylor earn around 700-800K. Duncan earns around 600K with Menegola, Tuohy, Scooter, Henderson, Blicavs and Ablett earning around 500K. Everyone else at the club earns less than that and no-one gets turfed out because someone else wants more money. Our remaining 11 or so best 22 players are Henry, Bews, Parfitt, Cockatoo, Ratugolea, Kelly, Menzel, Kolodjashnij, Stewart, McCarthy and Stanley with fringe players getting paid the remainder. It's a good balance of youth and talent, with no-one commanding over 1 mil so as to not upset the balance of the club. Been this way for years, hence why we have lost very few best 22 players. No fancy accounting, just priorities.

Smith and Thurlow looking like being traded during the off season, along with possible delistings for Gregson and others. Will re-rookie some players and Menzel a chance to go if he wants a longer contract. Should have a bit of free space by the end of the year. Possible that Taylor retires too.

My understanding is we have very similar structure, either players buy in to the culture and the ability to offer a different lifestyle to the fishbowl based clubs, or they can go and chase the $$$ and claim they are 'homesick'.

 

[Orange Agent]

The only issue I have being a top team should be maxed on your salary cap and yet still going for free agents on top dollar where they should be going to other clubs that have real salary cap space.

So when I see clubs with huge third party deals keep bringing in quality where my club got done for third party deals - yeah it kinda sucks if I may say so myself

Didn't you guys bring in Lobbe on $500k a year and played VFL most of the year?

 

[Shadow89]

The only issue I have being a top team should be maxed on your salary cap and yet still going for free agents on top dollar where they should be going to other clubs that have real salary cap space.

So when I see clubs with huge third party deals keep bringing in quality where my club got done for third party deals - yeah it kinda sucks if I may say so myself

Mitch McGovern and Alex Fasolo look like they're coming to your club, and possibly Dylan Shiel. You have Charlie Curnow, Fisher, Marchbank, Plowman, Cuningham, Matt Kennedy, Dow, Lang, McKay, Weitering, Kerridge, Pickett, De Koning and O'Brien, all taken within the top 30 draft picks over the last few years. Whether it be through trade, free agency or draft, you have a raft of talent that exists at your club. Half of your team is from GWS and was not developed by your coaches, so I don't think you can cry poor when it comes to recruiting talent from other clubs. I have no issue with Carlton asking for help given that they have languished at the bottom of the ladder, but don't take shots at sides who have better recruiters, better drafting mechanisms and better talent growth institutions.

In regards to your comment about 'free agents being paid top dollar', that's a little bit of a misnomer too. Dangerfield is the only player being paid 'top dollar' as a free agent, with all other recruits being paid around the 500K mark. This will likely be the same with Dahlhaus.

Lastly, I would like you to provide sources for 3rd party deals that you got 'done for', and 'huge third party deals' that Geelong aren't getting done for. If you're going to make outlandish claims like that, then please back it up with verifiable sources.

As a bit of a parting FYI, these are all the players at your club who have played at another club:

Sam Kerridge
Jed Lamb
Aaron Mullet
Matthew Lobbe
Matthew Kennedy
Sam Docherty
Darcy Lang
Lachie Plowman
Cam O'Shea
Caleb Marchbank
Matthew Wright
Dale Thomas
Jarrod Pickett
Andrew Phillips
Liam Jones
Sam Rowe
Ed Curnow

Bolded are those who are most likely best 22. Pretty sure you're doing fine when it comes to talent coming to your club, it's your management that needs fixing.

 

[Andrew Birch]

Didn't you guys bring in Lobbe on $500k a year and played VFL most of the year?

It was a salary dump from Port, hence the really late pick. I believe they're still paying a % of his wages.

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

Small lockdown defender and speedy wingman. Both pkayed their roles to perfection. So yes very best.

Billy played his role so perfectly he got delisted.

Only the very best, smh.

 

[Isaac Norm Smith]

Really excited to see what Dahlhaus can contribute to us. Recruiting him, given there is no trade required is an absolute no-brainer. There is no reason why he can't re-capture his best form with a change of environment and a new challenge. He'll be a brilliant pickup imo.

 

[Phat Toni]

Really excited to see what Dahlhaus can contribute to us. Recruiting him, given there is no trade required is an absolute no-brainer. There is no reason why he can't re-capture his best form with a change of environment and a new challenge. He'll be a brilliant pickup imo.

I'd agree, if you don't have to give up anything and you're not paying$$ over the top it's a no brainer.... What i find interesting is he's kick to handball ratio is really strange, he's close to 2 handballs to every kick this year and he and Wallis are out on an island compared to their teammates kick/handball ratio. I wonder if it's a confidence thing, or maybe a role thing, you just hope it's not an injury problem that's driving that.

 

[Virgin Dog]

I'd agree, if you don't have to give up anything and you're not paying$$ over the top it's a no brainer.... What i find interesting is he's kick to handball ratio is really strange, he's close to 2 handballs to every kick this year and he and Wallis are out on an island compared to their teammates kick/handball ratio. I wonder if it's a confidence thing, or maybe a role thing, you just hope it's not an injury problem that's driving that.

He's always been an atrocious kick, so it's possible he's started handballing even more in order to basically cover his weakness. Basically playing as a lesser Scott West, who was a similarly terrible kick but was used as the supplier for the more reliable users

 

[Turbocat]

Mehhh ... cant see him being that good or that bad for us. The age profile is good just wish he was coming off a better year.

Dog Supporters ...can he play as a def mid? we probably need a player who can.

 

[Turbocat]

I'd agree, if you don't have to give up anything and you're not paying$$ over the top it's a no brainer.... What i find interesting is he's kick to handball ratio is really strange, he's close to 2 handballs to every kick this year and he and Wallis are out on an island compared to their teammates kick/handball ratio. I wonder if it's a confidence thing, or maybe a role thing, you just hope it's not an injury problem that's driving that.

Someone said he was carrying a foot.leg injury... not sure if that encouraged more handball..

 

[Phat Toni]

He's always been an atrocious kick, so it's possible he's started handballing even more in order to basically cover his weakness. Basically playing as a lesser Scott West, who was a similarly terrible kick but was used as the supplier for the more reliable users

probably makes sense and from what ive seen of Wallis he has the same problem in that his kicking is largely inconsistent so might be a directive from Bevo

 

[Virgin Dog]

probably makes sense and from what ive seen of Wallis he has the same problem in that his kicking is largely inconsistent so might be a directive from Bevo

Yeah there's really a limit to the amount of shit ball users you can have in a side. It's no secret that a lot of Dogs players are crap kicks, but we need to prioritise which ones we keep for the future. Naughton and Cordy are both questionable, but are very promising KPDs so we've committed to them. Dunkley and Wallis are also both crap kicks, but have shown they can offer a lot more than Dahl can to the side to compensate for it (Dunks as a big bodied inside mid, Wallis has added goalkicking to his repertoire along with improving his kicking).

There's obviously a limit to how much Dogs want to pay him, and Geelong's offer must be dwarfing it because otherwise I'd think Dahl would be staying if it was only a matter of 50-100k difference per year

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

Yeah there's really a limit to the amount of shit ball users you can have in a side. It's no secret that a lot of Dogs players are crap kicks, but we need to prioritise which ones we keep for the future. Naughton and Cordy are both questionable, but are very promising KPDs so we've committed to them. Dunkley and Wallis are also both crap kicks, but have shown they can offer a lot more than Dahl can to the side to compensate for it (Dunks as a big bodied inside mid, Wallis has added goalkicking to his repertoire along with improving his kicking).

There's obviously a limit to how much Dogs want to pay him, and Geelong's offer must be dwarfing it because otherwise I'd think Dahl would be staying if it was only a matter of 50-100k difference per year

From what I've seen Geelong are an excellent kicking team. This could be why they can offer more than us.

 

[Isaac Norm Smith]

He's always been an atrocious kick, so it's possible he's started handballing even more in order to basically cover his weakness. Basically playing as a lesser Scott West, who was a similarly terrible kick but was used as the supplier for the more reliable users

Has he? Or are you just exaggerating that now he is leaving? I understand kicking is not his strong suit, but there is no way he plays 154-games of AFL and kicks 110 goals over 8-years if his kicking is atrocious. He simply would not have survived if that were the case.

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

Has he? Or are you just exaggerating that now he is leaving? I understand kicking is not his strong suit, but there is no way he plays 154-games of AFL and kicks 110 goals over 8-years if his kicking is atrocious. He simply would not have survived if that were the case.

True.

Up until last year he was quite a good short kick and a good shot at goal.

In 2017 and 2018 he has been no where as good. In part because

1. We have been a poor team the last 2 years and a lot of his kicks have been under pressure.
2. He's had a bad knee this season.

Having said that he has never been able to kick 40 m or more, he will never hurt you will his kicking.

That's why he may do well st Geelong. If he can get the ball out to Danger, Selwood or Duncan he will have done his job

 

[Virgin Dog]

Has he? Or are you just exaggerating that now he is leaving? I understand kicking is not his strong suit, but there is no way he plays 154-games of AFL and kicks 110 goals over 8-years if his kicking is atrocious. He simply would not have survived if that were the case.

I'm not exaggerating at all. Dahlhaus is well known both within the club and outside it as one of the worst kicks in the AFL. I am not implying that he's a bad player at all; only reason he's leaving is because we have his role covered for the future and can't justify the wage. Same reason Sydney got rid of Tom Mitchell

He is a brilliant snap shot in front of goal, but ask him to kick in a straight line and more often than not he will shank it. Not to mention that he struggles to kick anything over 45m distance.

And to address your point about not surviving if he were an atrocious kick - Scott West came extremely close to winning multiple Brownlow Medals, and he was also a very questionable kick. Not as bad as Dahlhaus, but still pretty crap. Doesn't mean he didn't have a place in our side. Kicking is not the only trait of a modern footballer. Look at Clayton Oliver - he's one of the best players in the comp yet he very heavily favours handballing over kicking

 

[Isaac Norm Smith]

True.

Up until last year he was quite a good short kick and a good shot at goal.

In 2017 and 2018 he has been no where as good. In part because

1. We have been a poor team the last 2 years and a lot of his kicks have been under pressure.
2. He's had a bad knee this season.

Having said that he has never been able to kick 40 m or more, he will never hurt you will his kicking.

That's why he may do well st Geelong. If he can get the ball out to Danger, Selwood or Duncan he will have done his job

Good summary, thanks for that info

 

[Phat Toni]

Yeah there's really a limit to the amount of shit ball users you can have in a side. It's no secret that a lot of Dogs players are crap kicks, but we need to prioritise which ones we keep for the future. Naughton and Cordy are both questionable, but are very promising KPDs so we've committed to them. Dunkley and Wallis are also both crap kicks, but have shown they can offer a lot more than Dahl can to the side to compensate for it (Dunks as a big bodied inside mid, Wallis has added goalkicking to his repertoire along with improving his kicking).

There's obviously a limit to how much Dogs want to pay him, and Geelong's offer must be dwarfing it because otherwise I'd think Dahl would be staying if it was only a matter of 50-100k difference per year

I'm sure the dogs would be happy to keep him at the right price as he is a good player who has just been down on form. With all your young players Bevo has probably found a couple of younger players that can fill the Dahlhaus role who may have better skills and/or can do it at a cheaper price.