Recommitted Sam Draper [re-signed for 4 years]

[HTPunter]

“Josh will leave the Club with our best wishes as he endeavours to explore senior level opportunities with Adelaide,” Hamilton said.

So as I thought. He's the same age as Paddy Ryder and Tom Bellchambers so it's unsurprising he sought other opportunities. He was a rookie, reliant on injuries to get upgraded and get a game, and had two entrenched ruckmen aged 22 and 23 at the time who were senior-listed and ahead of him in the pecking order.

Draper's situation is a little different, if he left it wouldn't be for lack of opportunities.

It is different but trade value wise I don't think it matters. Uncontracted and no games, leaving for a better contract or better opportunity, does it really matter?

 

[HTPunter]

To be honest I'd be astounded if he refuses that contract from St Kilda.

Yes, he's talented. Yes, he's highly rated at Essendon. Yes, he's reportedly happy at Essendon.

But he wouldn't be the first ever big bloke with talent to struggle with injury.

400k a year guaranteed for the next 4 years, when you have no guarantees in your career...

In terms of setting himself up for life, this is the best floor he can achieve. If things work out for him in terms of playing then it won't matter yes, but that's his ceiling. Taking the St Kilda offer could set him up for life with some smart investments, regardless of any good or bad fortune on the footy field.

 

[Foxx]

Jesus, calm down before you need a change of underwear.

Again, Draper is a project ruck who hasn't played an AFL game and will have to recover from an ACL. He looks a good young ruckman who was coming on well at VFL level, but do not put that amount of ridiculous mayo on it. Absolute tripe.

Essendon will get nowhere near a first round pick, if he leaves at all, for the exact reasons I've stated above.

Have you seen him play?
We'll see. I'm hoping i will be quoting this for future reference.

 

[TheKITC]

Multiple times and I won't repeat myself.

Quote away until your heart is content...

To say he is looking like a top 5 AFL ruck is fanciful at this stage of his career, and that's putting it mildly so as not to insult you. Not to say he won't become a good player, but you've gone very early and very hard.

Have you seen him play?
We'll see. I'm hoping i will be quoting this for future reference.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

To be honest I'd be astounded if he refuses that contract from St Kilda.

Yes, he's talented. Yes, he's highly rated at Essendon. Yes, he's reportedly happy at Essendon.

But he wouldn't be the first ever big bloke with talent to struggle with injury.

400k a year guaranteed for the next 4 years, when you have no guarantees in your career...

In terms of setting himself up for life, this is the best floor he can achieve. If things work out for him in terms of playing then it won't matter yes, but that's his ceiling. Taking the St Kilda offer could set him up for life with some smart investments, regardless of any good or bad fortune on the footy field.

Correct. Having proven nothing and coming off a very serious injury, unless Essendon come close to matching you’d have to think he’ll go. It’s logic.

 

[Wild Bill]

Why? Because they believe as much as Essendon does, that if his body is right he has the potential to be the best ruck in the AFL within 5 years.
St Kilda trying to snag him when his chips are down. On face value he's worth a second rounder, but a ruck with his potential is worth a first.
I'd be shattered if we lost our number 1 ruck for the next 10+ years for a first round pick.

Grundy will be 30 let alone a heap of young rucks that have shown some great signs in the AFL.

Sean Darcy, Rowan Marshall, Riley O'Brien, Tim English & Ivan Soldo are all 23 or younger.

Seriously over rating a player that has never played a senior game.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Hun saying today that we've offered him $1.4mil over 4 years, with incentives that could get him up to $1.8mil. And that Essendon's offer is currently nowhere near it.

Smart business if we've identified him as someone we really rate and who fits a significant need.

Does he play forward at all?

Re Marshall, he can play anywhere, so we're flexible as far as he's concerned.

Last year he played mainly forward/ruck and was very solid in that role, and really showed something inside 50 in one of those games in particular (kicked 2.2 and took 4 contested marks) and he also played CHB against West Coast over in Perth, and had 22 disposals.

That's crazy don't think Essendon will match not for a bloke who hasn't played a AFL game and recovering from an ACL

 

[Ambrosia]

Think this is far more likely to be Draper's agent trying to secure a better deal than there being any real chance of Sam leaving. Similar situation to what happened with Laverde

 

[Jorge]

Think this is far more likely to be Draper's agent trying to secure a better deal than there being any real chance of Sam leaving. Similar situation to what happened with Laverde

Possibly, but he would definitely have suitors. Promising young ruckmen playing VFL that are probably 12 months or more away from being the #1 ruck at their club are always ripe for the picking. $1.8m over 4 years sounds impressive but by 2023 it will hardly be above average wage.

 

[Milanista28]

Dan Richardson sounded confident on the radio yesterday that Sammy will commit to us.

Quite possible he becomes the greatest ruckman of all time.

 

[Ambrosia]

Possibly, but he would definitely have suitors. Promising young ruckmen playing VFL that are probably 12 months or more away from being the #1 ruck at their club are always ripe for the picking. $1.8m over 4 years sounds impressive but by 2023 it will hardly be above average wage.

Definitely agree. I just don't think Draper is looking to leave and Essendon will come to table with something close enough to what other clubs are offering for him to stay.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Dan Richardson sounded confident on the radio yesterday that Sammy will commit to us.

Quite possible he becomes the greatest ruckman of all time.

Would have thought more likely than possible TBH.

 

[Gosaints12]

If billing’s is on close to 900k than st kilda are more potato then I though....

It’s closer to 700k.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Loken]

Report: Saints dealt blow in pursuit of ruck signing

St Kilda's two targets look set to re-sign with their current clubs.

www.sen.com.au

Draper, who is also out of contract, looks set to re-sign with the Bombers, turning down the big money offer from the Saints.

 

[bird_man]

Report: Saints dealt blow in pursuit of ruck signing

St Kilda's two targets look set to re-sign with their current clubs.

www.sen.com.au

Blessing in disguise. What a strange move it was when we have one of the rucks in the league

 

[stfan]

Blessing in disguise. What a strange move it was when we have one of the rucks in the league

Not really as when the two offers were made it was before Marshall's had delivered a stellar rise in form from about Round 11 on.

So the offers while now unnecessary when made probably seemed like a reasonable idea.

 

[eth-dog]

Blessing in disguise. What a strange move it was when we have one of the rucks in the league

Yeah it is a bit perplexing. I love Sammy so happy he's staying.

 

[Doggy]

Blessing in disguise. What a strange move it was when we have one of the rucks in the league

So you have Marshall and no-one else .. not sure how it's a blessing when it's been reported saints are unlikely to keep Longer and Pierce

 

[Peel67skin]

So you have Marshall and no-one else .. not sure how it's a blessing when it's been reported saints are unlikely to keep Longer and Pierce

GCS can give them Nicholls for a discount 4th Rd pick.

 

[bird_man]

So you have Marshall and no-one else .. not sure how it's a blessing when it's been reported saints are unlikely to keep Longer and Pierce

We need a cheap back up. Paying Draper 450k a year to play VFL makes little sense to me.

 

[Doggy]

We need a cheap back up. Paying Draper 450k a year to play VFL makes little sense to me.

A cheap backup if Marshall gets injured or is he never going to?

 

[bird_man]

A cheap backup if Marshall gets injured or is he never going to?

Yes a cheap back up if Marshall gets injured.

I doubt he'd go his whole career without an injury.

 

[eth-dog]

A cheap backup if Marshall gets injured or is he never going to?

Yeah, they need a Nicholls or Zac Smith or Sam Jacobs

 

[dumdum]

the Saints wil have to keep Pierce now, i think i stated this on FB that Draper would stay or was it twitter i said it, either one i said ( take it to the bank ) the club isn't stupid enough to let him go, my guess is that Billy Longer will retire from the AFL.
if Essendon need a cheap Backup for Draper, either Lloyd Meek or that Darcy Cameron

 

[bird_man]

the Saints wil have to keep Pierce now, i think i stated this on FB that Draper would stay or was it twitter i said it, either one i said ( take it to the bank ) the club isn't stupid enough to let him go, my guess is that Billy Longer will retire from the AFL.

Someone like Frampton from Port should be on the radar.