Dal Santo - Re-sign or trade him this week.

[WinnersOnly]

This thread saddens me.

Agreed totally TEFLON the guy is an absolute club champion and because one leaves for financial reasons everyone is fair game. Wow people loyalty starts at home and Dal deserves more than has been shown in this thread!

[SinCitySainter]

We should definately try to sign him up now.
If we cannot sign him now we will lose him next year.
Though why Dal would sign now I don't know when he can probably get himself the last big paycheck and maybe even a chance at a flag if he goes down the free agency route.
I know only one big name has changed hands this time but now that the players have seen how well that can work for you expect it to happen far more often from next year onwards.

[Old Mate]

That's the problem....Why would Dal sign now, it's not in his best interests and his manager will advise him accordingly.

[SaintPav]

That's the problem....Why would Dal sign now, it's not in his best interests and his manager will advise him accordingly.

Maybe and assuming he has a good year but what if he doesn't or gets injured.

[bergholt]

Actually what happens is that the Collingwoods of this world will bring in a top liner at the expense of a player like Dawes.

They didn't bring in a top-liner, they brought in Quinten Lynch.

[dragit]

This thread saddens me.

Agreed totally TEFLON the guy is an absolute club champion and because one leaves for financial reasons everyone is fair game. Wow people loyalty starts at home and Dal deserves more than has been shown in this thread!

Not sure how you could consider wanting to consolidate his contract with us for the next 3 years as not being loyal?

Plain dumb waiting until late next year to try to re-contract a guy this good.

Letting potential FA superstars get into the last year of their contract will become a thing of the past before long, unless the player already knows he wants to move.


It's no like Dal is an unknown quantity, he's been consistent for 10 years, let's just sort it out now and sign him.

[Dal_Santos_Gal]

I don't have much to add but
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO way, not a freaking chance in hell, I will add that this thread suck balls big time...

[sax]

Yep.

For three first rounders!!!!!

[dragit]

I don't have much to add but
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO way, not a freaking chance in hell, I will add that this thread suck balls big time...

You don't want to re-sign him then? Cause that's what this thread is about for the main.

[seano1]

ask this 1st will he or has he in the past won us games of his own boot ?
Also have heard a rumour that he would love to play for the Dons also as thats the team his family followed and hoped he would play for.

[Teflon]

ask this 1st will he or has he in the past won us games of his own boot ?
Also have heard a rumour that he would love to play for the Dons also as thats the team his family followed and hoped he would play for.

I don't buy the Dons story

I've often heard Dal Santo speak of StKilda as his "home" - sure, just words but I never heard Goddard express it so fanatically.

Regardless , what a sad time for football IF Free Agency plays out with major club stars walking to new clubs each year. It's one thing to idolize the colors...... but culture is borne from legends, stories and heroes.... seeing kids going to a game with a saints gurnsey on and number 35 on their back meant more than "I just follow the saints" .....particularly in his prime... it also meant "we have this bad @ss mid whose gonna tear you a new one opposition fans cause he bleeds for the cause"

If FA screws that it effectively means we've outsourced heroes to "player consultants" who don't ever really "buy in" to the cause.

[Megamaguire]

The club will i'm sure work hard to keep Dal Santo as a vital senior player in a midfield group that at least has the chance to become top 4. It would be too destabilising i think to entertain the idea of pushing him out if we could keep him.
I'd rather have Dal over BJ in terms of raw midfield talent. He has had 1 year under Watters - i'm still very interested to see a second at least.
Senior talented players like Lenny and Dal provide stability that is in a sense priceless i think.
Look the Saints with a smidgeon of extra luck would have finished 8th. this year and could conceivably have repeated a finals berth in 2013 - i still think the team can finish 8th. or better next year and that Watters has the vision to emulate R.Lyon and get the club back into top 4 contention. You have to have faith and letting Dal go if it is unnescessary isn't smart.
With a functioning tall defender and genuine good ruck to partner up with McAboy we may (i know this is only 'may') see a team that both surprises and pleases us all.
Bj going is disruption enough and a big enough loss of talent - The Saints need to build on team structures not throw out the structures and begin building everything again.
I've always liked Dal at our club and greatly appreciated his brilliance. I firmly believe he can get better still.

KEEP DAL SANTO!
GO SAINTS!

[bergholt]

Did anyone in this thread bother to engage with the substance of what the OP wrote?

Or are you all just sooking at what you think he might have written? He said Dal should be re-signed this year so that we don't run the risk of losing him next year, and if he's not willing to re-sign then that means he's likely to leave so we should trade him. Is that so hard to understand?

[dragit]

Did anyone in this thread bother to engage with the substance of what the OP wrote?

Or are you all just sooking at what you think he might have written? He said Dal should be re-signed this year so that we don't run the risk of losing him next year, and if he's not willing to re-sign then that means he's likely to leave so we should trade him. Is that so hard to understand?

Thanks bergs… feels like the twilight zone on here sometimes… people start frothing at the mouth as soon as they've read the title.

If people are getting emotional at the thought of trading him, imagine how we'll feel if he walks like Goddard in 12 months time.

I can't see anything disloyal about wanting to sort out his contract now instead of in 11 months time. For mine Dal is clearly our player of highest value at the moment considering age/quality/durability, of course other sides are going to come hard for him when he approaches free agency.

If we have implemented a new salary structure, then I assume we are going to stick to it, which means we know exactly what our highest bracket is. Dal being probably our most valuable player is entitled to this figure… so we should be able to sort out this year if he'll stay with us for this figure or not.

It doesn't have to be all argy bargy, we can sit down with him and outline why we need to sign him up now or risk costing the club long-term, no hard feelings if he wants a massive cheque like BJ, but we need to gain maximum return if that is the case.

The alternative is to suck our thumbs all year and pray for good will… then if that doesn't come, roll up to AFL headquarters and hope that their magical 'AFL-determined-formula' is kind again - NO THANKS!


After BJ this year, is it really worth testing out player loyalty next year?
What if we only win 4 games next year, then try to offer Dal a 2 year deal @ $650,000, while a premiership contending side might offer $900,000 for 4-5 years… What do you expect him to do then?

You guys straight up saying "NO DEAL" at the thought of trading him have your heads in the sand, Free Agency is here, we can't ignore it… If 'stars' won't commit beyond the last year of their current deal then we have to do the best thing by the club.

[Teflon]

Did anyone in this thread bother to engage with the substance of what the OP wrote?

Or are you all just sooking at what you think he might have written? He said Dal should be re-signed this year so that we don't run the risk of losing him next year, and if he's not willing to re-sign then that means he's likely to leave so we should trade him. Is that so hard to understand?

yeah I got all that - still doesnt alter the fact that such circumstances have been bought on by the introduction of FA - I think most lament that rather than suggesting anything bout the op.

[Watts the Buzz]

I'm embarrassed that people are talking about trading out Dal like he's cattle; we're talking about a guy that could have left already to chase bigger dollars and didn't because he wanted to stay with his mates and more than likely felt some sort of loyalty to the club. Not all of our champions are going to go the way BJ did and put the almighty dollar above all else.

Dal is a class act and IMO he is definitely untouchable....show some respect.

[Moods]

I don't think we can just shove a contract under Dal's nose right NOW and claim that FA has forced our hand, so he better sign it or we'll trade him. If we did that I would leave if I was Dal - cos that IS like treating him like a piece of meat. I understand the premise of the OP, and it's probably not a bad idea moving fwd for future dealings, but it smacks of panicking and lack of trust twds Dal if we insist he sign a contract within a week of him having a look at it. It could well just force him out the door. He's too important to lose through mismanagement, or through insensitivity.

This needed to be thought of well before October. Maybe if we'd offered him a contract in August and he still hadn't signed I would agree with the OP - that probably should be the way we go moving fwd with all our stars

[dragit]

I'm embarrassed that people are talking about trading out Dal like he's cattle; we're talking about a guy that could have left already to chase bigger dollars and didn't because he wanted to stay with his mates and more than likely felt some sort of loyalty to the club. Not all of our champions are going to go the way BJ did and put the almighty dollar above all else.

Dal is a class act and IMO he is definitely untouchable....show some respect.

Show some respect? by letting an absolute gun head into free agency unsigned?

One thing is certain, if he 'tests the water' of free agency like BJ, he definitely won't be 'untouchable' he will walk out the door.

If you'd asked me a few years ago, who the most loyal, bleed for the jumper players are at StKilda, my top 5 would have definitely included Ball & Goddard.

The players collectively demanded free agency, now they have to understand that clubs must keep them signed or risk losing them for an unknown compo.

I don't think we can just shove a contract under Dal's nose right NOW and claim that FA has forced our hand, so he better sign it or we'll trade him. If we did that I would leave if I was Dal - cos that IS like treating him like a piece of meat. I understand the premise of the OP, and it's probably not a bad idea moving fwd for future dealings, but it smacks of panicking and lack of trust twds Dal if we insist he sign a contract within a week of him having a look at it. It could well just force him out the door. He's too important to lose through mismanagement, or through insensitivity.

This needed to be thought of well before October. Maybe if we'd offered him a contract in August and he still hadn't signed I would agree with the OP - that probably should be the way we go moving fwd with all our stars

You are right here… probably completely impractical to try and force this issue now, for starters he would be away on holidays… But you have to ask why we haven't already re-signed him, surely we have put contracts to him earlier in the year considering he is approaching FA?

Effectively, after next week, he is a free agent with one week to serve on his existing contract & the club has made it pretty clear they will not be matching obscene free agency offers.

Sorry for being so offensive and disrespectful to our idols by suggesting that we should re-contract them before they enter a Free Agency period…

I'll let everyone get back to giving two thumbs up while using terms like 'heart & soul' & 'bleeds for the club' just like we used to with Luke & Brendon.

[stinger]

This thread saddens me.

Agreed totally TEFLON the guy is an absolute club champion and because one leaves for financial reasons everyone is fair game. Wow people loyalty starts at home and Dal deserves more than has been shown in this thread!

absolutely.....

[savatage]

Another quality thread.

[dragit]

Another quality thread.

Thanks, a lot of quality replies like yours…

Look, we've lost 2 absolute stars in 3 years, who have walked for a pittance

Surely it's okay to talk about how we can prevent this from continuing?

[savatage]

Just because we had one recent mercenary doesn't mean that all our players are c0ckheads & will walk out on the club. Players like Dal Santo have signed without issue in the past. It was patently obvious to so many that Goddard looked disinterested for the best part of 2 seasons with us. Chalk & cheese scenario.

[Old Mate]

Goddard at 27 compared to Dal Santo at 29 is a far more appealing free agent selection for clubs. Dal Santo certainly wouldn't be persuaded with a 4 year-3m contract put in front of him like Goddard was.

[borderbarry]

I would put Dal up, but only to GWS, and I would either want picks 3 and 12, or 3 and the highly rated Jed Anderson, who GWS will pick up as their N.T. zone player.

[Moods]

Goddard at 27 compared to Dal Santo at 29 is a far more appealing free agent selection for clubs. Dal Santo certainly wouldn't be persuaded with a 4 year-3m contract put in front of him like Goddard was.

Why wouldn't he? What 29 yr old wouldn't be? The only problem is what club would be stupid enough to offer a 29 yr old a 4yr 3m contract?

The reality is , is that he's far less likely to be offered that sort of contract because of his age.

Dragit - not sure why you are getting defensive? Perfectly reasonable thread, and good discussion as well. I for one hadn't thought of Dal in these terms before. It's probably not realistic THIS week but it's an interesting discussion re FA as we're moving fwd. I think we all find it impalatable the thought of trading any of our long term stars. We ALL need to get our heads around it sadly. Luckily the supporters with all their emotion are not doing the wheeling and dealing. Hopefully hard nosed football business ppl who know what's best for our club will make those decisions and we can all wail about it on football forums. And after we finish wailing about it, hopefully we will forget all about it because our team is more successful than what we imagined the following year because of it.