Cerra

[B.M]

Apparently Melbourne are now the front runners?!

See, this I don’t get?!

They are the top team, they have at least 6 A Graders (Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, May, Lever, Salem)

They have plenty of other good players to pay good coin to (McDonald, Fritcsh, Harmes, Viney, Brayshaw, Langdon, Neale Bullen, Pickett, Jackson)

Yet they can afford another 600k+ player?!

Same with J.Cameron going to Geelong last year

Lynch and Prestia going to Richmond a few years back

Frawley going to Hawthorn

It’s like players get to free agency and just go to the best team to win an easy flag?!
That’s not how FA was supposed to work?!?!

And HTF can those teams afford to add these players to their list??

Apparently we’re bursting?! How so when better teams are not?!

[cwrcyn]

Might be doing what Essendon is doing. Getting a former player who is a multi multi millionaire to arrange highly paid jobs for family members of players they trade into their club.

[Wayne42]

Today's press is saying Freo has told Melbourne, you want Cerra, we want Luke Jackson, let's deal.

Who is the winner if that deal ever came to fruition.

[CURLY]

Apparently Melbourne are now the front runners?!

See, this I don’t get?!

They are the top team, they have at least 6 A Graders (Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, May, Lever, Salem)

They have plenty of other good players to pay good coin to (McDonald, Fritcsh, Harmes, Viney, Brayshaw, Langdon, Neale Bullen, Pickett, Jackson)

Yet they can afford another 600k+ player?!

Same with J.Cameron going to Geelong last year

Lynch and Prestia going to Richmond a few years back

Frawley going to Hawthorn

It’s like players get to free agency and just go to the best team to win an easy flag?!
That’s not how FA was supposed to work?!?!

And HTF can those teams afford to add these players to their list??

Apparently we’re bursting?! How so when better teams are not?!

Probably the same reason Cameron Ling owns half the Geelong foreshore on minimum wage at Geelong.

[amusingname]

Apparently Melbourne are now the front runners?!

See, this I don’t get?!

They are the top team, they have at least 6 A Graders (Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, May, Lever, Salem)

They have plenty of other good players to pay good coin to (McDonald, Fritcsh, Harmes, Viney, Brayshaw, Langdon, Neale Bullen, Pickett, Jackson)

Yet they can afford another 600k+ player?!

Same with J.Cameron going to Geelong last year

Lynch and Prestia going to Richmond a few years back

Frawley going to Hawthorn

It’s like players get to free agency and just go to the best team to win an easy flag?!
That’s not how FA was supposed to work?!?!

And HTF can those teams afford to add these players to their list??

Apparently we’re bursting?! How so when better teams are not?!

Its all about contract structure, front loading and backending, its why CEO's and Football Bosses are paid big in the AFL, to be able to structure deals to keep within the cap with the most talent possible.

Also, I think from a players point of view, that is exactly how Free Agency was supposed to work, not being tied to a club because they drafted you and refuse to trade you where you want to go so you just have to re-sign with them rather than go back into the draft.

[B.M]

Jackson is far more important than Cerra

He would be the last player Melbourne would trade!

[saynta]

Might be doing what Essendon is doing. Getting a former player who is a multi multi millionaire to arrange highly paid jobs for family members of players they trade into their club.

Carlton and the filth are pretty good at that too.

[saynta]

Today's press is saying Freo has told Melbourne, you want Cerra, we want Luke Jackson, let's deal.

Who is the winner if that deal ever came to fruition.

Freo by the length of the straight.

[MC Gusto]

Are we seriously bursting / at our cap?? Has this been formally reported or stated anywhere?

If we are it is damning…but I highly doubt we are TBH. Who the heck could be taking it up based on our list??

[saynta]

Are we seriously bursting / at our cap?? Has this been formally reported or stated anywhere?

If we are it is damning…but I highly doubt we are TBH. Who the heck could be taking it up based on our list??

No I don't think so either.

[older saint]

Are we seriously bursting / at our cap?? Has this been formally reported or stated anywhere?

If we are it is damning…but I highly doubt we are TBH. Who the heck could be taking it up based on our list??

No I don't think so either.

Don't think we would be bursting either. Just renegotiated Hanners and last year of a terrible deal anyway. Hill and Crouch through to 2025 on big money(not obscene) , Howard to 2024. Carlisle, Dunstan off the books of those who could be on reasonable money. Not sure what happened with Robbo but his contract expires 2021 if any was a carry over.

Could actually clear some cap space this off season depending what happens with Ross, Battle, Billings ( expect to stay but not silly money) .

My guess is will draft this year and save space and make big play next be that Ben King as many dream , or a gun mid fielder which is the need . Keep first round pick, some trading around the edges and get the academy kids in if they are any good. Turn over some dead wood also

[B.M]

Hill 900
Hannebery 800 - looking at a reduced contract
Billings 700 - looking at a reduced contract
Crouch 600
Ross 600 - looking at a reduced contract

Then there’s Marshall, Jones, Howard, Gresham, Membrey, King, Higgins, Clark, Wilkie, Sinclair

They have a fair few to pay well!

They should spread Hannebery over two seasons 400K

[The_Dud]

Because as a bottom 10 club we get taken advantage of in Free Agency by blokes padding their retirement fund (Dan H, Hill etc) while the top clubs get players happy to take a small pay cut for the promise of imminent success.

The system is broken, but we also shouldn't allow ourselves to get taken advantage of over and over again. And to double down on the f-up, now other potential players we look at (or players already on our list) can say "this guy is getting paid X amount and I think I'm better than him, so I want X plus a bit more".

[skeptic]

I’m starting to come round more and more to the idea that the best way forward whether buying or drafting is to get 6-8 elite to A-Grade players, pay them what it takes... and get your solid players that do their jobs and pay them what they’re worth...

And the fallacy is is paying large money for the middle tier and somewhat overrated players

The challenge with our list is a number of guys of $600-$700k that are not producing anywhere near the return

[ace]

Hill 900
Hannebery 800 - looking at a reduced contract
Billings 700 - looking at a reduced contract
Crouch 600
Ross 600 - looking at a reduced contract

Then there’s Marshall, Jones, Howard, Gresham, Membrey, King, Higgins, Clark, Wilkie, Sinclair

They have a fair few to pay well!

They should spread Hannebery over two seasons 400K

11 games for each of two seasons.
No chance.
Spread over 5 season at 4 games a season would be better.

[B.M]

I’d be trying to maximise DH

15-20 per year over the next two

That’ll give him 50 games in 5 years at a Saint

Not a complete failure - if he plays well…. Not good value, but something.
If he plays, he still adds great value.

Different money but same trade outlay

M.Gardiner play 50 odd over 5 seasons. Played 3 games in his first two seasons.

[B.M]

Hill was 26 when recruited- so not a retirement fund!

He was also considered Elite in his position.

Most on here we’re chuffed to get him ATT

Only now some are critical- that is hindsight

[saynta]

From the age.com.au

"Carlton paid 105 per cent of the salary cap this season after spending big on half-back flankers Adam Saad and Zac Williams, but with Marc Murphy, Levi Casboult and Eddie Betts all leaving the club the Blues believe they have the salary cap room for Cerra and at least one more player.

That player, right now, is Sydney’s George Hewett, who is considering leaving the Swans as a free agent.

The Blues see Hewett as a perfect addition to a midfield that has in recent years been too reliant on too few."


And if you believe that I have a bridge for sale.

[The_Dud]

Hill was 26 when recruited- so not a retirement fund!

He was also considered Elite in his position.

Most on here we’re chuffed to get him ATT

Only now some are critical- that is hindsight

I believe if you go back you'll see a lot, including myself, thought we paid overs at the time, and the resulting 2 years have just further cemented that.

[B.M]

We overpaid yes

But nearly everyone wanted him, and most were happy to pay overs for him.

He was considered almost the best pure wingman in the league (with Gaff) from 2017-2019.

We were after outside run and good ball use

[Ghost Like]

Apparently Melbourne are now the front runners?!

See, this I don’t get?!

They are the top team, they have at least 6 A Graders (Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, May, Lever, Salem)

They have plenty of other good players to pay good coin to (McDonald, Fritcsh, Harmes, Viney, Brayshaw, Langdon, Neale Bullen, Pickett, Jackson)

Yet they can afford another 600k+ player?!

Same with J.Cameron going to Geelong last year

Lynch and Prestia going to Richmond a few years back

Frawley going to Hawthorn

It’s like players get to free agency and just go to the best team to win an easy flag?!
That’s not how FA was supposed to work?!?!

And HTF can those teams afford to add these players to their list??

Apparently we’re bursting?! How so when better teams are not?!

Its all about contract structure, front loading and backending, its why CEO's and Football Bosses are paid big in the AFL, to be able to structure deals to keep within the cap with the most talent possible.

Also, I think from a players point of view, that is exactly how Free Agency was supposed to work, not being tied to a club because they drafted you and refuse to trade you where you want to go so you just have to re-sign with them rather than go back into the draft.

It seems that our off field structuring is far worse than our on field has been.

Whilst I agree with amusingname that FA is working how the platers wanted it to, I believe the AFL erred in not making that destination club stump up something. Obviously not a player or pick, perhaps a money reimbursement to the club said player came from.

The salary cap was meant to help clubs and the competition but imposing a minimum payment of 95% is only an advantage to the powerful clubs as clubs like ours are forced to pay overs for their players & targeted recruits.

[saynta]

Apparently Melbourne are now the front runners?!

See, this I don’t get?!

They are the top team, they have at least 6 A Graders (Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, May, Lever, Salem)

They have plenty of other good players to pay good coin to (McDonald, Fritcsh, Harmes, Viney, Brayshaw, Langdon, Neale Bullen, Pickett, Jackson)

Yet they can afford another 600k+ player?!

Same with J.Cameron going to Geelong last year

Lynch and Prestia going to Richmond a few years back

Frawley going to Hawthorn

It’s like players get to free agency and just go to the best team to win an easy flag?!
That’s not how FA was supposed to work?!?!

And HTF can those teams afford to add these players to their list??

Apparently we’re bursting?! How so when better teams are not?!

Its all about contract structure, front loading and backending, its why CEO's and Football Bosses are paid big in the AFL, to be able to structure deals to keep within the cap with the most talent possible.

Also, I think from a players point of view, that is exactly how Free Agency was supposed to work, not being tied to a club because they drafted you and refuse to trade you where you want to go so you just have to re-sign with them rather than go back into the draft.

It seems that our off field structuring is far worse than our on field has been.

Whilst I agree with amusingname that FA is working how the platers wanted it to, I believe the AFL erred in not making that destination club stump up something. Obviously not a player or pick, perhaps a money reimbursement to the club said player came from.

The salary cap was meant to help clubs and the competition but imposing a minimum payment of 95% is only an advantage to the powerful clubs as clubs like ours are forced to pay overs for their players & targeted recruits.

Good suggestion.

[footynut]

Simple.... 3 way trade
Hill to Lions
Neal to Freo
Cerra to Saints

[B.M]

Brisbane rogered in that suggestion

[Wayne42]

Brisbane rogered in that suggestion

Yes, they wouldn't want the player we paid overs for.