Ok...who are we freeing salary cap space for???

[saintsRrising]

If BJ goes, and that seems more and more likely now....who, or whom is the slary cap space being reserved for?


There does not seem to be any free-agents at BJ's level that we would want, and taking a lesser agent would probably reduce our compo for BJ to just the player we gain, or little more than.

So is the money for:

* to hold on to all our current players, upgrade some young-uns...and bring in some lesser lights

* or is there as well some name or at least handy player that we are going to trade for?

What deals has Pelchen got in motion?

There will be a strategy in place...we just do not know what it is yet.

[Spinner]

Who knows...

Can't see us paying anyone else...

[jays]

buddy hehe

[dragit]

Exactly J-man.

Probably not for 2013, we could be making space for the next 3-4 years of free agency… Buddy Franklin would be worth making space for… compared to a utility.

[paddy]

i am not too familiar with salary cap rules, but can we use the space we have to pay off some of our other players contracts early?

make more space for a big play in 2014?

[Old Mate]

i am not too familiar with salary cap rules, but can we use the space we have to pay off some of our other players contracts early?

make more space for a big play in 2014?

As long as it's in the salary cap. Clubs often amend contracts, as long as the club and player agree it can be done.

[luc1966]

Cale Hooker anyone?

[bhtay1]

Also have to remember Rooey contract is only half the size it's been over last 3 years.. that means we've effectively freed up +$1m
(not to mention the likes of Dal, Rooey, Joey, Milne and Blake joining Kosi and Hayes on the veterans list, freeing up around $100k each...

[chook23]

Also have to remember Rooey contract is only half the size it's been over last 3 years.. that means we've effectively freed up +$1m
(not to mention the likes of Dal, Rooey, Joey, Milne and Blake joining Kosi and Hayes on the veterans list, freeing up around $100k each...

Some others would increase in 2013...........so we have not freed up $1m +..............................

[SainterK]

I'd hope nobody.

Surely if this is a principle thing, we won't pay someone overs when we weren't willing to pay overs for one of our own?

[ROLS-LEE]

Hope we steal hurley if they take goodard. But we cant do it this year. I would straight swap in a trade thou

[noob]

Hope we steal hurley if they take goodard. But we cant do it this year. I would straight swap in a trade thou

Maybe in a few years time when we challenge again and hurley just hits free agency we can haha

[mad saint guy]

I can't really see anyone on the market that we'd be after with the space freed up. We'd be mad to take another free agent considering the lack of quality in that pool and I don't see us trading aggressively for a big name. I get the feeling we'll land two or three fringe/homesick/young players from other clubs but no one that would be on big money. I think the football department has decided that we're not going to challenge for a premiership in the next few years and could be trying to stop the imminent free-fall we're due to have when Roo, Lenny, Milney, Fisher, Dal and Joey retire.

They may well be loading up on kids now to try and establish a new core (along with Siposs, Stanley, Saad, Ross, Newnes, Simpkin etc) and then target big-name free agents to bring us back to a top-four level in two or three years time.

Let's say that after next year we no longer have Hayes, Milne, Blake, Gram and Kosi. But we have added 5-6 kids to the list and pumped games into the current 20-22 year old group. In the off season we get a gun tall forward through FA with the huge amount of cap space freed up.

In 2014 the likes of Fisher, Dal, Joey, Schneider and Dempster are the 30+ veterans still playing a role but no longer A-graders and will retire either that year or next, continuing to free up more space while the draftees from 2010-2012 have between 30-80 games under their belt. We add another one or two quality free agents again in any area we are lacking.

Then by 2015 (maybe 2016) I believe the club will try to challenge again. The previously mentioned core will be hardened, experienced AFL players by this stage and hopefully some of the draftees turn out to be elite talent. The players taken through free agency (our version of Jolly/Ball/Tarrant/Krakouer, Mumford/Kennedy/Richards/McGlynn or Hale/Burgoyne/Gunston/Gibson) should turn any deficiencies into strengths and the team should be ready. I believe the club figures taking a talented kid with pick 13 will be of more help at this stage than a 31 year old Goddard.

It's hard to accept that we won't be challenging for a flag for the next couple of years considering we have effectively been in all-out premiership mode since 2004, but it's the only conclusion I can come to going by the club's actions.

[chook23]

I'd hope nobody.

Surely if this is a principle thing, we won't pay someone overs when we weren't willing to pay overs for one of our own?

not a principle thing a TIMING OF THE CYCLE outcome

Essendon belive in their cycle point they can pay overs .........one day we probably will to


welcome to the Free agency era.

[SainterK]

I'd hope nobody.

Surely if this is a principle thing, we won't pay someone overs when we weren't willing to pay overs for one of our own?

not a principle thing a TIMING OF THE CYCLE outcome

Essendon belive in their cycle point they can pay overs .........one day we probably will to


welcome to the Free agency era.

Watters may need to have this explained to him, he wants a Geelong model in an era where it's just no longer possible and very romantic.

[Buckets]

I'd hope nobody.

Surely if this is a principle thing, we won't pay someone overs when we weren't willing to pay overs for one of our own?

not a principle thing a TIMING OF THE CYCLE outcome

Essendon belive in their cycle point they can pay overs .........one day we probably will to


welcome to the Free agency era.

Watters may need to have this explained to him, he wants a Geelong model in an era where it's just no longer possible and very romantic.

No he wants a balanced team one that doesn't have a really bad bottom 6. Look at hawthorn even buddy isn't paid 1m and he would have to be the highest profile player on their list!

Free agency will see inflated salaries for the first couple of years however you should see this decrease as clubs become more effective at the practice.

[St Chris]

I'm pretty sure, at the start of this year, I heard someone from the club (Pelchen, Nettlefold etc) saying we wanted to run at a maximum 95% of cap space from here on, maybe we're just freeing some space to keep total player payments down on the balance sheet....

[saintsRrising]

I'd hope nobody.

Surely if this is a principle thing, we won't pay someone overs when we weren't willing to pay overs for one of our own?

I hope that it is not a principle thing, and would be very pissed off it it was........Egos should have nothing to do with it. It should be instead be driven bya logical and realistic look at our list, the relative worth of each player and our needs.


My OP was not mean to imply that we now pay "overs"....but rather just to wonder as to what the money will be used for. Indeed I am postive that we will not pay overs and that this is aprt of the new strategy.

I suspect it will be for raft of things. Part to pay for the improving Stevens, Siposs etc...plus others like Stanley who will become due for more.....and part to probably pay for several reasonable players that we need structurally. FB being the main one, but a back ruck is another.

I am not expecting any stars...but more the Swans approach.

[saintsRrising]

I'd hope nobody.

Surely if this is a principle thing, we won't pay someone overs when we weren't willing to pay overs for one of our own?

not a principle thing a TIMING OF THE CYCLE outcome

Essendon belive in their cycle point they can pay overs .........one day we probably will to


welcome to the Free agency era.

Watters may need to have this explained to him, he wants a Geelong model in an era where it's just no longer possible and very romantic.

Salary Cap will ensure that Free Agnecy does not run out of control.

If the Dons pay overs for BJ and he is a not a star for them...it will cause them pain for the next few years and his salary will squeeze others out.

[Scollop]

I'd hope nobody.

Surely if this is a principle thing, we won't pay someone overs when we weren't willing to pay overs for one of our own?

My thoughts exactly. Discipline starts with revenue and TPP and will hopefully transcend from the management of our club to everything on and off the field.

Unless you are a Juddy or Gaza jnr...or a five times best and fairest winner, then sacrifices have to be made if you want to create a sense of team.

[saintsRrising]

Hickey, Caddy, Stevens...all rumoured to be on the shopping list along with the mystery FB that we have claimed to focussed on.

Could be that Pelchen is looking to assemble a young group to build on the younger players tat we already have.

[bergholt]

Unless you are a Juddy or Gaza jnr...or a five times best and fairest winner, then sacrifices have to be made if you want to create a sense of team.

Agreed. I reckon we're freeing up space so that we can pay fifteen guys good money, rather than paying three guys great money and ten guys ok money - and have two players walk out because they're underpaid.