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TheBrownDog
Its good news but 1yr only worries me WA will chase him again next yr.
List Mgmt. Max Holmes, Mark O’Connor, Ollie Dempsey, Shannon Neale, and Toby Conway have all inked new deals to extend their time at Kardinia Park.
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Its good news but 1yr only worries me WA will chase him again next yr.
I wouldn't be to worried same thing happened to Jack Henry a few years back. Signed him for 1 year and the next year he signed for 3. Think the club are just keeping their options open with their hat in the ring for players etc this year and alot of impending retirements over the next few years just gives them the chance to reward the players appropriately
dazbroncos
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Neale holds the cards.... but ill take a year.
That gives us wiggle room and time to get him games.
Dempsey too gets the same treatment.
Holmes, Shark and Conway are great pieces to build around and ill take it all.
Very firm about all of this.
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dazbroncos
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Difference is JAck lives 800 m from KP... Neale is from 3800km away...
So the threat is real IMO.
But getting him another year gives us time to work what happens next.
And they will be coming.
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I’m curious about the Dempsey one. My read of the CBA is that rookies like main draft players are given a 2 year contract. Meaning Dempsey already contracted to 23.
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New Salary Cap next year; probably one or both parties waiting to see (or punting on) what their value will be this time next year
CatToTheFuture
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They will but I think it's also a sign that he backs himself to be getting a pay bump next year
CatToTheFuture
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I think rookies are one year. Dempsey was on a one year
fpm84
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I'm as optimistic as anyone else about Neale but can we really see him getting regular gametime while Hawkins, Cameron, Stanley and Blicavs are all still cemented b22 as they will be in 2023?
Could a forward line of Hawkins, Cameron and Neale, minus Rohan, work?
Could a forward line of Hawkins, Cameron and Neale, minus Rohan, work?
Exactly. We have no idea. It's that as much as the 'go home' factor that might have led him to only sign a one-year extension.
And the one year might have come as much from the club as from him. It's all speculation.
standupand
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The fact Neale (and O'Connor for that matter) don't want to head back home after a few of the most difficult years ever in terms of freedom of travel is the huge positive here.
1 year for Neale probably makes sense for both parties. He's not exactly a star of the competition yet or a consistent AFL level player, but he certainly has that potential. So it makes sense of course for the club to retain him and see where he can get. If he thinks he can make big improvements sooner rather than later, it'll be a bonus for him and the club.
Neale taking 1 is good news and def makes sense to me (if he wants to stay long-term with us).
If WA clubs were circling, they absolutely would be offering more than 1 year and likely overs money-wise to drag him out of the cattery.
He is in a position to really step up and be worthy of a bigger contract next time around and yes, he will still be able to leave if he wants.
But I guess what I'm getting at is that if he was hanging to get home to WA... It doesn't look that way now and he has another year to become even more in love with this club.
If WA clubs were circling, they absolutely would be offering more than 1 year and likely overs money-wise to drag him out of the cattery.
He is in a position to really step up and be worthy of a bigger contract next time around and yes, he will still be able to leave if he wants.
But I guess what I'm getting at is that if he was hanging to get home to WA... It doesn't look that way now and he has another year to become even more in love with this club.
That is correct. Especially for “true“ rookies (in particular speculative ones like Ollie who hadn’t played footy!). One year is normal.
For mature age ones (or some cat B where they are coming from overseas of other sport) they tend to do 2 year rookie deals
It would just take an injury to Hawkins (not getting any younger) or Cameron (like last season), and he would get an opportunity.
fpm84
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That is true, but historically Hawkins and Cameron have been very durable, and if they play 20+ games each next year there's not much space for Neale.
Fantastic news all around. The whole bunch have genuine prospects of being massively long-term and hugely important players at this club. And yet more proof that the GFC is a good place to be, to work, and to enjoy life and footy.
Conway down to Holmes, off to Dempsey, and then lace out to Neale could be a recurring highlight reel in years to come. That's if Ollie doesn't burn Shannon (following Eddie's advice) and casually snap the GOY from the boundary instead.
IWWT.
Conway down to Holmes, off to Dempsey, and then lace out to Neale could be a recurring highlight reel in years to come. That's if Ollie doesn't burn Shannon (following Eddie's advice) and casually snap the GOY from the boundary instead.
IWWT.
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Love all those signings - especially Neale as I suspect he is well and truly on the radar of both Clubs over here.
One thing that may have been overlooked - Conway to 2025 is a huge vote of confidence in him as being the #1 ruck in the future
Wow looks like we have to do it all again next year, with a few people saying Neale is going to go home every week lol i am just happy that they are in a Geelong jumper again next year....BUT A BIG YES FOR MAX
I get the 'disappointment' that Shannon only opted for another year. But I actually think him signing for any additional deal is a massive tick for the club and how it is handling matters with players at this point.
Both W.A. clubs would be desperate to have him on their books for 2023. And would be able to point to clear opportunities for him to play lots of senior footy with them next season. As it is, he has agreed to hang around with us on the other side of the country from his family (after only one shot at senior footy this season). That's a big tick for our club culture and sense of belonging right there.
I still feel confident that he will be a more than handy AFL player in the years to come. And it would be fantastic if that ends up being with us. So I hope his positive trajectory continues into next year and he then signs for the longer term with his 'beloved' Cats.
IWWT.
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I agree and have the same concerns.
I do think the club will look to bring him in at some stage, assuming his form warrants it, either they can rest Hawkins occasionally which is less than ideal for Neale, or they could try a 3 big forwardline, it's worked for us before and with a genuine mix of talls like they have, it could work.
Especially with this newer role that Cameron is playing.
Clearly we value the 3rd tall forward role and each of Sav , Neale and Rohan can be that person IMO - just depends on how they define it.
Rohan , though undersized , competes well in the air and adds insane pressure on the opposition defence - he's also a very good goal kicker / assist player - albeit with a modest disposal average.
Sav and Neale offer a similar type tall with Sav more experienced but Neale will ultimately be a much better player - especially once he puts a few kilos on that 19yo frame and starts to hold his marks. Neale is a much , much better kick than Sav - I see similarities with Mitchell Lewis and Thilthorpe - very mobile and athletic talls.
On balance I think Rohan gets the nod this season but would expect to see Neale getting games next season.
This is totally the wild card in how we might look to accommodate some more consistent senior footy for Shannon next year. Our #5 can basically leave a key forward role free for the likes of Neale as he instead terrorises the opposition up and down the ground. After all, this season has made it very clear that 'Roaming Jez' absolutely slaughters the alternative after-match offering.
Not that it's saying much to point that out, of course. In the end, 'Roaming Domsy' patrolling the defensive goal square in his twilight years would have been more watchable than that man will ever be.
I love how some people have a fairy wand and can tell us why it is only 1 year, thank you little fairys.....you don't have a clue why it is only 1 year
