Opinion Top 4 sides should not be able to access free agents.

[Monkey King]

If the club acquiring the player has to give up draft picks for the 'free agent' thats literally the same as trading...

im not saying your wrong or right just its a bit weird to call it free agency then

Free agency is about a player’s freedom to choose a suitor. So long as the player has that, then it’s free agency. What happens at the club end has nothing to do with it.

Under the proposed system, if you’re a club willing to spend the currency (salary cap space & draft points), then click your fingers and the deal is done. This is not “literally the same as trading”.

 

[citizen-erased]

It's not free agency if you're restricting which teams they move to.

This.
Sentiment is right but restricting clubs isnt right
Perhaps have a system where the top 4 lose the pick in the round the compensation is given.
So tigers lose a pick from 15-18 for getting lynch.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Nothing wrong with "superteams".

If the reason they're super teams is because they are given an advantage by the AFL that only they get - then I do think there's something wrong with it.

 

[situationz]

If the reason they're super teams is because they are given an advantage by the AFL that only they get - then I do think there's something wrong with it.

GWS?

 

[Freomaniac]

Um.......... theres a salry cap for a reason.

 

[queensberryrules]

I don’t know about you guys but watching Tom Lynch absolute tear apart a prelim for Richmond doesn’t exactly fill me with good feelings. He abandoned a side on the bottom of the ladder to go to a side coming off winning a premiership and then making a prelim.

Now it’s absolutely nothing against him or against Richmond per se, it’s just how I feel about it. I don’t think in the interests of running a fair and even competition we can have top 4 sides acquiring superstar players from bottom sides for almost nothing. That’s how good sides stay good and bad sides get worse.

How do you feel about it? Do you like the theatre of it? Or are you with me here?

You are a pussy. Players go where they want thus the free in agency. Salary cap handles the rest.

On SM-G955F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Ron The Bear]

No bastard complained when the likes of Brad Miller, Shaun Hampson, Aaron Edwards, Sam Lonergan, Taylor Hunt were the best we could attract.

To the main board's general credit, there aren't many agreeing with the OP.

 

[Furn2]

Lynch would still be a tiger, they would have just traded for him and GC would be worse off.

 

[Marcel Proust]

Free agency is about a player’s freedom to choose a suitor. So long as the player has that, then it’s free agency. What happens at the club end has nothing to do with it.

Under the proposed system, if you’re a club willing to spend the currency (salary cap space & draft points), then click your fingers and the deal is done. This is not “literally the same as trading”.

If the club getting the player needs to cough up draft picks, its the same as trading and not FA

 

[00Stinger]

so Free agents aren't really free to go where they want?

 

[tugga]

OP fails to grasp the very concept of free agency, which is not surprising seeing there must be so much salt on his keyboard.
It was brought to enable players who have given a club good service, the ability to move clubs more easily.
It was NEVER brought in for the clubs.
It was introduced for the players.

 

[tugga]

It’s not free agency then is it?
You understand what the term means don’t you?

Obviously he doesn't.
Clueless.

 

[KermitJagger]

"Subject-to-terms-and-conditions-agent"

 

[evo]

I think the important thin is that they police the salary cap super strictly. Any team should have access to free agents but make sure there is no cap shenanagins. None of this 'ambassador' crap. No jobs for players wives. Nothing.

 

[Virgin Dog]

So long as the top 4 can lose players to free agency, they should be allowed to gain them too. Something should be done about the way compensation works though. Make the formula more clearly defined and open to audit, and impose a cost on the receiving club when they gain a free agent

 

[Monkey King]

If the club getting the player needs to cough up draft picks, its the same as trading and not FA

That’s like saying if a club coughs up salary cap space it’s not free agency. What a club gives up is irrelevant.

There are obvious differences in clubs paying the compensation and negotiating a trade.

 

[Marcel Proust]

That’s like saying if a club coughs up salary cap space it’s not free agency.

Its nothing like that.

What a club gives up is irrelevant.

Wrong.

Giving away draft picks for a FA makes free agency even more than a joke than currently

If a team acquiring the player is required to offload draft picks, its near identical to trading for the player which is a pointless system

 

[Aramis]

I agree. Was upset Sydney got Buddy. Put a real dampener on that time in my life

Lucky we received 3 big shiny cups to fill with our tears.

 

[Marcel Proust]

I don’t know about you guys but watching Tom Lynch absolute tear apart a prelim for Richmond doesn’t exactly fill me with good feelings. He abandoned a side on the bottom of the ladder to go to a side coming off winning a premiership and then making a prelim.

Now it’s absolutely nothing against him or against Richmond per se, it’s just how I feel about it. I don’t think in the interests of running a fair and even competition we can have top 4 sides acquiring superstar players from bottom sides for almost nothing. That’s how good sides stay good and bad sides get worse.

How do you feel about it? Do you like the theatre of it? Or are you with me here?

So if this were to happen; Richmond, GWS, Geelong, Collingwood would not be able to get FA this season.

Would this be a good outcome for footy big picture? Maybe

 

[Duskfire]

It should never be restricted. But it does feel as if Free Agency helps the more successful clubs. Maybe it will balance out long term though.

 

[captain blood 17]

OP doesn't understand how free agency works and that the AFLPA is behind it. OP also had no issues when May went to a team that played in a prelim the year previously. OP also had no issues when Hawthorn were gutting teams and topping up and winning flags.
#welcometobigsooky

 

[Jakksynn]

OP doesn't understand how free agency works and that the AFLPA is behind it. OP also had no issues when May went to a team that played in a prelim the year previously. OP also had no issues when Hawthorn were gutting teams and topping up and winning flags.
#welcometobigsooky

I absolutely had a problem with all of those situations. I do understand how free agency works but i’m Asking if people think it needs to be restricted to balance things.

 

[tazaa]

The issue isn’t top 4 sides gaining free agents.
It’s perennial bottom 4 clubs feeding them.

 

[Ron The Bear]

There’s more than enough handicapping of the top sides already through fixturing and so-called luxury tax.This discussion is really socialism v growth in microcosm.

 

[Kavliaris69]

For any sort of equalisation I would prefer that this years top 8 play each other twice next year and the bottom only once. The bottom teams to play each other twice and play the top 8 only once.

Maybe then you may have a more even draw and give bottom teams a better chance to make finals. Will bring more members, more income, more diverse coverage, etc.

Free agency is not the problem as culture and organisation make a destination club. The AFL won’t let that happen though for the sake of ratings.