Opinion Six $1m players in the AFL in 2019 - GWS with potentially 3 for 2020

[Orange Agent]

Whats the odds Lachie has signed for somewhere around $700k a year? Money would not of influenced this contract signing at all.

 

[THE_GUN]

Welcome home Tom Green (2022)

 

[KermitJagger]

The evidence is that GWS haven't been busted for rorting the salary cap.

And then you will inevitably say 'well that's because GWS are an AFL lovechild and it's being covered up with shady deals'.

I'm not going to say that, but other professional sports teams at least publicize player salary.

The AFL simply says that they're not and that we simply have to trust them on that fact.

 

[lamby]

but I don't think there's been a club with more $1m+ deals fit under a single cap than this current Giant's side....

Lynch
Dusty
Riewoldt
Rance
Cotchin

 

[LordLucifer]

With Whitfield re-signing being great news for the club on another reported 'mega deal' of 7 years and Cameron reportedly close on a similar deal it would leave the following deals in the last few years.

The quests have to be asked, how much 'ambassadorial' money is flowing into these contracts?

Toby Green - reported 6 years @ $1m a season
Josh Kelly - reported 10 years @ $1m+ a season
Stephen Coniglio - reported 7 years @ $1m a season
Lachie Whitield - reported 7 years @ $1m a season

Tim Taranto - Extended for 2 years in 2019 in a year he went on to win the B&F? $600-$800k estimate.
Jeremy Cameron - Circa $1m deal incoming...

Then there's Hopper, Davis, Shaw, Williams, Himmelberg


The above 6 consume around 50% of the salary cap, with around $170k on average remaining to pay the remainder of the 80% of the playing list.


They've certainly lost a few players along the way, but I don't think there's been a club with more $1m+ deals fit under a single cap than this current Giant's side....

It was reported that Toby Green took a paycut to help the club fit some of the other players in under the salary cap so I think you need to revisit your theories.
.

 

[Gralin]

The evidence is that GWS haven't been busted for rorting the salary cap.

And then you will inevitably say 'well that's because GWS are an AFL lovechild and it's being covered up with shady deals'.

That's not evidence. That's the current situation which could change.

There is no evidence available publicly to answer the question either way, that doesn't mean there isn't an answer.

The assumption is that they are under the cap because the AFL has not punished them. That's like assuming everyone is paying their taxes in full because the ATO hasn't taken them to court.

Maybe GWS are paying half their players in ambassadorial payments or VISY deals or maybe they are just flouting the salary cap at will with the AFL's blessing.

However that's all just conjecture. No point arguing that because nothing I could say would make people change their minds on a conspiracy.

Conjecture is right, on both sides.

One thing we know is that the AFL is not a level playing field. There are many ways they publicly and privately meddle for the outcome they want.

Equalisation, the fixture, finals venues, academy and F/S bidding, direct hand outs or lack of, sign off or rejection of trades, stopping Swans from trading, punishing Melbourne for not tanking.


It's fairly reasonable to question their motives and the situation given the history of the AFL and other sporting codes are no different.

Fertile ground for conspiracies no doubt but I don't think someone questioning how the Giants can afford all of these contracts is automatically a conspiracy nut.

They've cleared some big dollars off their books in recent years with Shiel, Scully, Patton and others moving, and we know their rotating door of early picks come in on low wages. Be interesting to see how they go next off season though

 

[THE_GUN]

Nobody knows the figures, the media guess.
Its weird that supporters of clubs that proudly celebrate the cultures their clubs have built over the past few years are the same ones in here launching conspiracy theories against the actual same thing.
Players want to be in Sydney for the lifestyle benefits and will take unders to keep it.
Contracted players with back ended deals can be traded out.

No other club has this amount of talent on the big $$$ and these players would not sign for 50% of what they would get from a club 'Back Home' so they are on very good coin. Whitfield,Cameron,Greene,Coniglio,Kelly would all be well in the $1 mil bracket then you have the following players like
Ward,Davies,Toranto,Hopper,Himmelberg,Williams who would all have to be in the $500k range

Not leaving alot for players like Taylor,Green,Hately,Caldwell in a few years time

But players will slip out its just a matter of which ones and can GWS snag a flag or 2 in that time, Its all about the NOW for GWS

 

[WWSD]

GWS can re-sign as many players as they want to. These players all signing big contracts will only look bad if the Giants don’t win a Premiership within the next 4-5 years.

 

[Pykie]

It was reported that Toby Green took a paycut to help the club fit some of the other players in under the salary cap so I think you need to revisit your theories.
.

Where was it reported out of interest? The only one you have correct IMO is that Cameron is a million dollar player. Green, kelly cogs whit would all be under a mil a season.

What WAS reported was all those players you mention making a pact two years ago to take unders to stay together.

I agree the cap is tight.... but you can't just make up that they are all on a mill

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[Forward Press]

That's not evidence. That's the current situation which could change.

There is no evidence available publicly to answer the question either way, that doesn't mean there isn't an answer.

The assumption is that they are under the cap because the AFL has not punished them. That's like assuming everyone is paying their taxes in full because the ATO hasn't taken them to court.


Conjecture is right, on both sides.

One thing we know is that the AFL is not a level playing field. There are many ways they publicly and privately meddle for the outcome they want.

Equalisation, the fixture, finals venues, academy and F/S bidding, direct hand outs or lack of, sign off or rejection of trades, stopping Swans from trading, punishing Melbourne for not tanking.


It's fairly reasonable to question their motives and the situation given the history of the AFL and other sporting codes are no different.

Fertile ground for conspiracies no doubt but I don't think someone questioning how the Giants can afford all of these contracts is automatically a conspiracy nut.

They've cleared some big dollars off their books in recent years with Shiel, Scully, Patton and others moving, and we know their rotating door of early picks come in on low wages. Be interesting to see how they go next off season though

I don't agree with that analogy because there are 18 clubs which get their salary cap scrutinised every year presumably by armies of accountants and auditors as opposed to the millions of taxpayers which the ATO looks at. If there were 18 taxplayers in Australia you can bet they'd be analysed closely too.

Of course the media should ask questions as to how they could afford the reported figures but I am not the expert here and if the AFL has signed it off then it's all just baseless conjecture. The only thing we knew in 2018 for example was that six were getting paid over a million per year - whether three of them were in GWS or whether Naitanui was one of them etc etc is something we are not and will not be privy to.

 

[Forward Press]

I'm not going to say that, but other professional sports teams at least publicize player salary.

The AFL simply says that they're not and that we simply have to trust them on that fact.

Sure, but until that point we don't exactly have much to go on do we? It's all an interesting sideshow as Jason Akermanis once put it. Media have to fill space and what better than throwing around random numbers on salary? You and Jon Ralph for example both know exactly the same thing about player salaries - nothing except what the AFL gives us.

 

[Gralin]

I don't agree with that analogy because there are 18 clubs which get their salary cap scrutinised every year presumably by armies of accountants and auditors as opposed to the millions of taxpayers which the ATO looks at. If there were 18 taxplayers in Australia you can bet they'd be analysed closely too.

Of course the media should ask questions as to how they could afford the reported figures but I am not the expert here and if the AFL has signed it off then it's all just baseless conjecture. The only thing we knew in 2018 was that six were getting paid over a million per year - whether three of them were in GWS or whether Naitanui was one of them etc etc is something we are not and will not be privy to.

I don't think the AFL works like that.

You assume that if it's not public knowledge then its not happening. That's your basis for evidence. There is no evidence it is happening therefor it isn't happening.

Goes both ways though, there is no evidence it isn't happening.

 

[Underarm]

Also - that would be fine, but it also discounts the fact that Wilson, Hopper, Himmelberg, Taranto and Haynes have all gotten better and signed new deals in the meanwhile.

All these players would have been well paid in the early years which makes them far more likely to stay loyal for less.

 

[Scotland]

Tomlinson
Shiel
Scully
Smith
Patton
Treloar
Wilson
Lobb
Hoskin-Elliott
Adams
Plowman
Kennedy
Steele

Probably should've kept those guys. Amateurs.

 

[Forward Press]

I don't think the AFL works like that.

You assume that if it's not public knowledge then its not happening. That's your basis for evidence. There is no evidence it is happening therefor it isn't happening.

Goes both ways though, there is no evidence it isn't happening.

That's exactly how conspiracy theories work. Like I said before, not dealing with that as it's impossible to change a person's mind if they subscribe to it.

 

[Pykie]

I'm not sure what past losses of players have to do with anything....

Yes they lost Shield, Scully, Patton, Tomlinson during a cap squeezes.

But Taranto moved off of his initial draft contract as one of their best players...

Hopper ignored advances from Victoria.

Himmelberg and Finlayson have emerged as genuine best 22 key forwards.


Swings and round about with the rest of the losses....

At the top end however, their best 6-7 players are on enormous deals in comparison to when Treloar etc left.


They also have a history of automatically extending their top draft picks onto $300k+ deals. The likes of Bonar, Ahern, Setterfield, Kennedy etc.

So there's not too many minimum contracts getting about....

 

[Scotland]

All these players would have been well paid in the early years which makes them far more likely to stay loyal for less.

Good point. It's something that seems a perfectly valid excuse for established clubs but not GWS/GC. A flag winning team can afford to re-sign Dustin Martin and then bring in Tom Lynch a year later but GWS can't have nice things? Seems a bit unfair. I certainly don't think Richmond are cheating. The AFL salary cap is rubbery as hell and everyone is in on it.

 

[Orange Agent]

No other club has this amount of talent on the big $$$ and these players would not sign for 50% of what they would get from a club 'Back Home' so they are on very good coin. Whitfield,Cameron,Greene,Coniglio,Kelly would all be well in the $1 mil bracket then you have the following players like
Ward,Davies,Toranto,Hopper,Himmelberg,Williams who would all have to be in the $500k range

Not leaving alot for players like Taylor,Green,Hately,Caldwell in a few years time

But players will slip out its just a matter of which ones and can GWS snag a flag or 2 in that time, Its all about the NOW for GWS

Players like living outside the fishbowl. Players like Davis and Ward entering the latter stages of their careers makes it easier to manage long term back ended deals. Many would ask how a club could have Rance, Reiwoldt and Cotchin on $800k+ could then afford to bring in Lynch on close to a million as the article in the OP states.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I'm not sure what past losses of players have to do with anything....

Yes they lost Shield, Scully, Patton, Tomlinson during a cap squeezes.

But Taranto moved off of his initial draft contract as one of their best players...

Hopper ignored advances from Victoria.

Himmelberg and Finlayson have emerged as genuine best 22 key forwards.


Swings and round about with the rest of the losses....

At the top end however, their best 6-7 players are on enormous deals in comparison to when Treloar etc left.


They also have a history of automatically extending their top draft picks onto $300k+ deals. The likes of Bonar, Ahern, Setterfield, Kennedy etc.

So there's not too many minimum contracts getting about....

What the media SAY a player is being paid isn't always what they are. Whitfield and Coniglio could easily be on $700-800k rather than the 1 million a year

 

[kreglze]

Looking at their list, there are a lot of roleplayers who would be on not much and a lot of rookies who haven't had a lot of senior experience.

They are gambling their depth on these A Grade players, if they get a few injuries to these big players they may struggle, however, if they all stay fit they will be up to their eye balls in finals again in 2020.

 

[Colonial]

With Whitfield re-signing being great news for the club on another reported 'mega deal' of 7 years and Cameron reportedly close on a similar deal it would leave the following deals in the last few years.

The questions have to be asked, how much 'ambassadorial' money is flowing into these contracts?

Toby Green - reported 6 years @ $1m a season
Josh Kelly - reported 10 years @ $1m+ a season
Stephen Coniglio - reported 7 years @ $1m a season
Lachie Whitield - reported 7 years @ $1m a season

Tim Taranto - Extended for 2 years in 2019 in a year he went on to win the B&F? $600-$800k estimate.
Jeremy Cameron - Circa $1m deal incoming...

Then there's Hopper, Davis, Shaw, Williams, Himmelberg


The above 6 consume around 50% of the salary cap, with around $170k on average remaining to pay the remainder of the 80% of the playing list.


They've certainly lost a few players along the way, but I don't think there's been a club with more $1m+ deals fit under a single cap than this current Giant's side....

Only cogs is on a million (possibly)

Well known Greene took 850 a year to get 6 years in stead of 4.
Cogs on a mil but have heard reports its under.
Josh on 850 for 2 years with an option for another 8 (option goes both ways).

Jezza's offer is said to be 900k for 7 years.

Once again these are all reported by the Media so could possibly be more or less.

 

[Colonial]

The evidence is that GWS haven't been busted for rorting the salary cap.

And then you will inevitably say 'well that's because GWS are an AFL lovechild and it's being covered up with shady deals'.

bullshit. Theres zero evidence.

Plenty of salt though.

 

[Colonial]

Six million-dollar men as player salaries go up again

The League has released the player payment data for 2018 and there are some familiar names at the top

www.afl.com.au

This article lists the 6 million dollar men for 2019, one of those being GWS forward Jeremy Cameron.

With the announcement of Lachie Whitfield signing a long term 7 year deal, turning down what would have been many big money offers from other clubs, GWS add another player with million dollar potential locked away.

Lach him in: Another star Giant signs mega-deal

Lachie Whitfield has signed a whopping seven-year contract extension with Greater Western Sydney, following in the footsteps of skipper Stephen Coniglio

www.afl.com.au

GWS already have Cameron believed to be on $1m. Josh Kelly signed a not inconsiderable deal, rejecting overtures from North Melbourne. Toby Greene is known to have signed a hefty deal as well.

This year, Lachie Whitfield joins Stephen Coniglio as the newest highly paid, long tenured players on the list.

With the contracts of Cameron, Greene, Kelly, Whitfield and Coniglio, it would not be a stretch to assume that at least 2 and potentially 3 of those players are pulling in 7 figures.

This begs the question - is this suspicious considering the quality of players and the huge amount of money involved? Is there any way to alleviate the concerns of the multitude of other clubs, save for making player payments public?

There is not 6 players on 1 mil a year. Absolute bullshit.

 

[Tim Evans Beard]

The GWS players have a real chance of premiership success. Their career is so short that they may prioritise onfield success over money. There are very few clubs in the home states that would be in a position to continually challenge - and they have already signed some very big fish from GWS.
There a a few ‘reported’, ‘believed’, and ‘understood’ regarding player payments. If ambassador payments lightly pad their salaries, then I am ok with it as they are ambassadors growing the game in a non- traditional territory.
Not sure what the issue is?

 

[Niggles]

Lynch
Dusty
Riewoldt
Rance
Cotchin

Lynch's deal is back ended to accommodate Dusty and his mil a year. Cotch Rance and Riewoldt $800,000