And will Geelong be acting in Dangerfield's best interest? I would hope so. Not organising a reasonable trade would be very ordinary, sending him to another club would be a low-act by your club - wouldn't it? I would say that all of the posters on BF saying that Geelong will hang AFC out to dry, are so far off base they need to check themselves. No way a deal doesn't get done early. It would be traitorous of Geelong to leave PD hanging on the threat of PSD and a club like Carlton or Brisbane jumping into the mix.
Again with this?
Lets walk through it together ...
... what you have to realize about Free Agency (restricted or not) is that it's primary reason for existence is to allow players more freedom to decide where they play.
PD has complete freedom to choose Geelong - he has exercised that "primary" reason for FA (restricted or not)
By matching the Cats offer, you are removing Paddy's freedom to exercise that right and demanding that he move on your terms.
No one is removing anyone's rights by matching. We aren't demanding that he move on our terms, we are exercising OUR rights. PD has freedom to choose the club he wants to move to - he doesn't have the freedom to demand what the terms of that movement are.
This by it's nature is restricting.
Finally, I was waiting for someone to pick up on the restricted bit.
Say what you like about within the rules or the cats being responsible for what happens next, but you started the process by removing his initial right to move freely in order to serve your own purposes.
No, PD started the process by saying he wanted to move under RFA, now Geelong and Adelaide are responsible for what happens next. By all means feel you are free as a club to not trade for Patrick. Send him to the PSD, and move on with your trading. I love that you AFC as the ones that are trying to "serve our own purposes" and Geelong as some social do-gooder that just wants PD to be happy. ALL clubs serve their own purposes, even yours.
Obviously the crows have done nothing yet, but I'm hearing a lot of defence of something that is indefensible. Sure it's within the rules, but still smells a bit.
I couldn't imagine what you must think of a club like ours. We develop a player to be the best and fairest at our club, respect his decision to move home for family reasons. Treat him with nothing but open-arms and decency. Then want to get something in return when he leaves. What a bunch off selfish bastards. Try and step back and look at it from a more neutral pov. Ask anyone who is not involved if they think PD to Geelong for this years first round and next years first round is "indefensible". It doesn't smell at all.