Free Agency Tom De Koning - Joins St Kilda as an RFA, Carlton get Band 1 compensation (Pick 9)

[Jeremias]

This thread might be going for a while. Please respect board rules and each other.

As a starting point, let's leave any references to 'culture' at the door.

Thread bans and infractions will be handed out as necessary.

Thanks.

 

[Saints43]

Curnow was still at least getting shots on goal.

And you don't have someone like Pittonet??? You've got Rohan Marshall lmao?????

It was a crack at your ruck stocks should TDK leave, chief.
Marshall will either predominantly play forward as the second ruck, or leave and bring in a pick leaving us with a 5 year younger ruckman for an increase in draft capital.
Crazy SOS.

 

[Mofra]

Which Free Agent midfielder should we be targeting this year ?.

Worpel would for nicely into the Saints midfield.
Anecdotally, you guys have plenty of cap to get deals done.

 

[Atomboy]

Worpel would for nicely into the Saints midfield.
Anecdotally, you guys have plenty of cap to get deals done.

Probably about the only one going I would have thought

 

[aussierulesrules]

Not just this year - should have been working it up last year - if your LM manager was any good.

Alas - stubborn SOS is more concerned about having a “win” than building a list.

Here’s a crazy thought, maybe he (and the vastly experienced Gubby Allen) know more about the fine details of our salary cap than you do, and knew that if we spent our cap space on a very big fish too early, that it wouldn’t allow us to bank cap space for that last year, which would cost us being able to spend 105% of the cap 4 years from now? When we’re hoping to contend?

Just a crazy thought.

 

[CCurnow3picks]

Here’s a crazy thought, maybe he (and the vastly experienced Gubby Allen) know more about the fine details of our salary cap than you do, and knew that if we spent our cap space on a very big fish too early, that it wouldn’t allow us to bank cap space for that last year, which would cost us being able to spend 105% of the cap 4 years from now? When we’re hoping to contend?

Just a crazy thought.

“When we’re hoping to contend”.

Crazy it is…

 

[bluebaggerjuls]

Disappointing we’ve put in a very fair offer of 1.1m a year and are no where in the range needed to keep him

 

[Saints43]

“When we’re hoping to contend”.

Crazy it is…

Maybe contending isn't as easy as it looks. How are you finding it?

 

[CCurnow3picks]

Maybe contending isn't as easy as it looks. How are you finding it?

It has its ups and downs

 

[aussierulesrules]

“When we’re hoping to contend”.

Crazy it is…

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Worpel would for nicely into the Saints midfield.
Anecdotally, you guys have plenty of cap to get deals done.

Just because we have cap space doesn’t mean we are a certainty to get anything done. We offered the biggest deals in history to Callaghan, and Rowell

 

[Bagger72]

Worpel would for nicely into the Saints midfield.
Anecdotally, you guys have plenty of cap to get deals done.

They do - but as Milera will ask for more than 1.3-1.4m.

I find it amazing Saints are going to spend 20% of their cap on two players.

 

[aussierulesrules]

They do - but as Milera will ask for more than 1.3-1.4m.

I find it amazing Saints are going to spend 20% of their cap on two players.

It would only be 20% (or more) in year 1 though.

You can bet your bottom dollar that we’d front-end both contracts, so that it’s not taking up so much in year 2, 3, 4…

And if it’s correct that we’ve been banking cap space for 4 years now, that means we can pay up to 105% of the cap for the next 4 years.

And caps will presumably continue to go up, up, up.

 

[SurreyBlue]

Just because we have cap space doesn’t mean we are a certainty to get anything done. We offered the biggest deals in history to Callaghan, and Rowell

Respect for these 2 has risen.

 

[Falchoon]

Sainters out there how have you liked the look of TDK's awesome forward craft we've heard about from you all year despite us Baggers telling you it doesn't exist?

Given we've watched every game of his career you'd think we'd have a fairly good understanding of his strengths and weaknesses as a player...

Well behind Marshall in forward craft.

 

[Bill Crouse]

Disappointing we’ve put in a very fair offer of 1.1m a year and are no where in the range needed to keep him

That is still massive overs based on his output this year.

 

[Ash1337]

He's completely checked out at Carlton. Expect he'll be a much better player with a much better ruck like Marshall than Pittonet.

 

[Sector 7G]

He's completely checked out at Carlton. Expect he'll be a much better player with a much better ruck like Marshall than Pittonet.

TDK's problem is that the ruck rules have changed and no-one is being allowed to jump at the ball. Godwin was just talking about how Gawn no longer jumps and what a travesty it is. Rucks will become big bodied brawlers or giraffes

 

[aussierulesrules]

TDK's problem is that the ruck rules have changed and no-one is being allowed to jump at the ball. Godwin was just talking about how Gawn no longer jumps and what a travesty it is. Rucks will become big bodied brawlers or giraffes

Agree completely that the new rules have killed the jumping-Jacks, but I think there’s so much talk about how ugly it is now that it will be one of Swann’s priorities to change things back. So that could really work in Toms favour going forward, if he does.

 

[Sector 7G]

Agree completely that the new rules have killed the jumping-Jacks, but I think there’s so much talk about how ugly it is now that it will be one of Swann’s priorities to change things back. So that could really work in Toms favour going forward, if he does.

I hope so regardless of where TDK ends up. Hacks like Xerri and Meek are becoming top rucks and we are backtracking to the intervention that lead to the line across the centre circle

 

[SurreyBlue]

According to the new AFL boss, ruck rules set to change. Athletic rucks like TdK will be back in vogue.
It’s currently an awful look, so glad it’s been looked at.

 

[Saint]

I can't understand St Kilda's thinking over a big $$ offer for TDK. I don't know why Carlton would pay overs to keep him when Pittonet is a better ruckman, but not better around the ground.

Has there been an example of a ruckman being paid overs to leave and it being a success story? Grundy is playing well this year, but that's with Sydney out of contention.

I think all you need is a serviceable ruckman and paying big bucks for a ruck is like paying big bucks for a back pocket. You need them, but they're very replaceable. I'm not sure TDK is the type of player who will dominate games consistently enough to warrant a big pay cheque.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

I can't understand St Kilda's thinking over a big $$ offer for TDK. I don't know why Carlton would pay overs to keep him when Pittonet is a better ruckman, but not better around the ground.

Has there been an example of a ruckman being paid overs to leave and it being a success story? Grundy is playing well this year, but that's with Sydney out of contention.

I think all you need is a serviceable ruckman and paying big bucks for a ruck is like paying big bucks for a back pocket. You need them, but they're very replaceable. I'm not sure TDK is the type of player who will dominate games consistently enough to warrant a big pay cheque.

The people that say you don’t need a good ruckman are generally from clubs that don’t have one or have Elite midfields that cover not having one which st kilda don’t have. Can you get buy without one yes but if given a choice you would rather have one

 

[Saint]

The people that say you don’t need a good ruckman are generally from clubs that don’t have one or have Elite midfields that cover not having one which st kilda don’t have. Can you get buy without one yes but if given a choice you would rather have one

Why do St Kilda want two Number 1 rucks is my main head-scratcher. Most teams have a Number 1 and a back up. Some clubs have 2 backups. Carlton have 2x Number 1s, St Kila already have a Number 1.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

I can't understand St Kilda's thinking over a big $$ offer for TDK. I don't know why Carlton would pay overs to keep him when Pittonet is a better ruckman, but not better around the ground.

Has there been an example of a ruckman being paid overs to leave and it being a success story? Grundy is playing well this year, but that's with Sydney out of contention.

I think all you need is a serviceable ruckman and paying big bucks for a ruck is like paying big bucks for a back pocket. You need them, but they're very replaceable. I'm not sure TDK is the type of player who will dominate games consistently enough to warrant a big pay cheque.

I think aside from his strong on-field form/potential (noting the late-season dip), the motivations behind this are mostly political:

1. They’ve got banked salary cap space they need to use or risk forfeiting it.

2. They’re trying to sell the narrative of finally landing a “big name” - something that appeals to both fans and potential recruits. After being knocked back multiple times, this signing helps repair their image.

The downside is that the size of their offer became public very early on. Now that it’s common knowledge how much the Saints are willing to spend, there could be internal and external pressure to match that level of financial commitment when targeting future players.

 

[Saint]

I think aside from his strong on-field form/potential (noting the late-season dip), the motivations behind this are mostly political:

1. They’ve got banked salary cap space they need to use or risk forfeiting it.

2. They’re trying to sell the narrative of finally landing a “big name” - something that appeals to both fans and potential recruits. After being knocked back multiple times, this signing helps repair their image.

The downside is that the size of their offer became public very early on. Now that it’s common knowledge how much the Saints are willing to spend, there could be internal and external pressure to match that level of financial commitment when targeting future players.

And when it comes to Rowan Marshall's pay packet, if he's the better player, his loyalty will be truly tested if he's offered less than TDK. And then the Saints are paying two ruckmen $3m+ per year (combined) when the league average total spend on rucks is probably <$1m (combined). Then one plays out of position and gets grumpy..... How long did Grundy last at Melbourne?