Paul Ahern

[Aucklander]

My thoughts on Paul back in 2012 when he made my EDFL team of the year.

17: Paul Ahern, Keilor (Ruck-rover) Captain

A U16 Vic Metro rep, Paul is an unassuming team player who is in and under in the clinches and gets the hard ball.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Doubt he would've been getting near that given his injury history (especially missing an entire year) and 0 AFL games.

He would have got drastic payrise though.

We had to front load a few pre-existing contracts last year due to missing out on Kelly/Dusty.

 

[La Dispute]

We had to front load a few pre-existing contracts last year due to missing out on Kelly/Dusty.

Surely you didn’t pay him 350 p/a to sit on the sidelines. That’s insane

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Surely you didn’t pay him 350 p/a to sit on the sidelines. That’s insane

Maybe not last year, but pre-contract this year, he would have been paid around that 350k mark.

 

[La Dispute]

Maybe not last year, but pre-contract this year, he would have been paid around that 350k mark.

Right, and where are these figures from?

Even that sounds sketchy given his injuries and lack of AFL experience

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Right, and where are these figures from?

Even that sounds sketchy given his injuries and lack of AFL experience

Posters with valid links to the club, which includes the salary dump on top of his normal salary at North (His third year entering North in 2017)

With the salary cap increase, a lot of very average to really talented inexperienced AFL players are on similar money this year (Between the 250-350k mark) due to a 20% increase in the salary.

Not to mention Ahern was rated highly, we had to front load contracts and we had to pay a lot of his contract on top of his North contract, so the figures are not unimaginable.

 

[Pykie]

Right, and where are these figures from?

Even that sounds sketchy given his injuries and lack of AFL experience

Well known fact he was on $350k with the Giants, he signed an extension with them for this, the reason the trade was pick 69 was because it was essentially a salary dump because GWS had to reduce their list numbers and had a reduced salary cap the following year.

 

[La Dispute]

Posters with valid links to the club, which includes the salary dump on top of his normal salary at North (His third year entering North in 2017)

With the salary cap increase, a lot of very average to really talented inexperienced AFL players are on similar money this year (Between the 250-350k mark) due to a 20% increase in the salary.

This makes a lot more sense. So effectively North are paying Ahern 200k-250k plus GWS pay a portion of his third year, let’s for arguments sake say between 100k-150k. Then whatever the club and Ahern worked out for 2018.

Thanks for the clarification

 

[Egga]

Reasonable company!

 

[dazbroncos]

Great to see another player make the poster for Knee reco success other than Menz. Hope he stays there and best of luck to him.

Go Catters

 

[Billy Not Really]

Great to see another player make the poster for Knee reco success other than Menz. Hope he stays there and best of luck to him.

Go Catters

For the record Menzels career despite his injuries has been quite exceptional, I see alot of that output similarly in Ahern, they both have great workrate.

 

[ossie_21]

Great to see him string some games together & this was a real breakout game for him. Always knew the name being a high draft pick & so many injuries, hopefully he can now have some luck to go with confidence

Great to see another player make the poster for Knee reco success other than Menz. Hope he stays there and best of luck to him.

Go Catters

Not much more inspiration for what can be achieved...just hope there isn’t as much damage everywhere else over time

 

[HTPunter]

Great to see another player make the poster for Knee reco success other than Menz. Hope he stays there and best of luck to him.

Go Catters

And Alex Johnson is nearing a return after nearly 6!! years!

Some great perseverance achievements over the last few years.

Super stoked we got Ahern.

 

[Quivorir]

My thoughts on Paul back in 2012 when he made my EDFL team of the year.

Wow. What an insight.

 

[Mazda]

We need more Ahern like trades from GWS and GC.There are alot of wasted talents sitting in there 2's who will never become stars unless playing for another team minus Carlton.lol

 

[Stocks_go_Up]

Anyone know if other clubs enquired about getting him? Surprised he got let go for pick 69 - did he elect NM?

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Anyone know if other clubs enquired about getting him? Surprised he got let go for pick 69 - did he elect NM?

He did.
Give us some credit for wanting him to have his best chance. Partly about the business with our reducing list, partly about him having family and freinds close during a very difficult time. Presumably also his confidence North's club system was a good option, and it seems it has been.
It's common for our players like Scully and Setterfield to go home to family during phases of their rehab that just require rest. It's a very difficult time for them.

 

[Engimal v3]

Anyone know if other clubs enquired about getting him? Surprised he got let go for pick 69 - did he elect NM?

Played no senior footy with seriously dodgy knees. Not that surprised he slipped down.

 

[Warhorse]

Why didnt carlton get him?

 

[SpiderBurton22]

Why didnt carlton get him?

Too talented.

 

[Augustine]

Was roughly on 350k, would easily pushing 450k+ now.

That sounds completely off to me. I would have guessed $100-120k. Particularly considering we knew he wouldn’t play a game in his first 12 months.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

That sounds completely off to me. I would have guessed $100-120k. Particularly considering we knew he wouldn’t play a game in his first 12 months.

Ahern was picked up in the 2014 draft -his first season being 2015- First round wage at this point was $77k a year with a 2 year contract automatically as a first round pick, bringing him out of contract at the end of the 2016 season.

He then signed a contract extension with GWS in early 2015 prior to doing his knee, bringing him up to 2017 with the Giants.

This final year would have likely been 250k+ (number completely pulled out of my arse, but seeing the average wage is 350k+ it's not unreasonable).

With the trade to North that contract doesn't cease to exist, we paid him whatever GWS had contracted him for, the whole point of the trade was to get him off GWS's books, which is why they let him go so cheaply, because we were paying the contract.

 

[PieLebo87]

North Melb board...jokes, I’m not one of those MB clowns.

I heard it on SEN yesterday, North are chasing that big star recruit from another club and need to realise they already have it in Ahern. He has all the makings of a future star and it cost them peanuts.

I love seeing kids who’ve had injury riddled starts turn it around and show their true ability at the top level.

Averaging 23 touches (11 contested) and 4 clearances a game as a 22 year old - not too bloody shabby in my books!

 

[Aucklander]

Wow. What an insight.

Thanks. Not on the same level as my Touk Miller thread but wtf.

 

[Bojangles17]

Good to see the lad putting sever injury behind him and playing good footy , saw a bit of last weeks game , looked pretty alright