the raids start.....

[stinger]

Clubs move to lock in stars


Greg Denham | April 08, 2008

BRISBANE's Jonathan Brown, Hawthorn's Lance Franklin, St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt and Port Adelaide's Chad Cornes head a hit list for the new Gold Coast club mooted to start in 2011.

Agents working behind the scenes for the new club have identified the four elite players in a bid to lure at least two of them north as marquee players when the 17th club licence is activated.

This follows an AFL proposal, revealed by chief executive Andrew Demetriou to The Australian last week, to introduce a form of free agency and provide the Gold Coast team with one uncontracted player per club at the end of 2010.

But the 16 clubs are moving swiftly to ensure they don't lose any of their star players to the Gold Coast, which will be armed with an abundance of cash in pursuit of quality players. The Lions are about to start contract negotiations with Brown's agent Glenn Warry on a new deal.

Brown, who will earn $1.2 million this year on a back-ended contract that expires at the end of the season, yesterday refused to comment on his future.

"I'm not prepared to talk about it," Brown said. "I'm not entering into any contract talks from now on, discussions will be private between myself and the club."

Brisbane is preparing to re-sign their 26-year-old co-captain for a period of between three and four years, which would secure him from any massive incentives from the Gold Coast.

Riewoldt, recruited from the Gold Coast by the Saints, will be harder to budge because St Kilda will be able to use the intricate workings of the veterans' list to pay him more money in his next contract.

He is contracted until the end of 2010 and the Saints have already identified that his next three-year contract will qualify him for veteran status, which carries the benefit of having to declare only half his 2013 remuneration under the salary cap.

The Saints will look at re-contracting Riewoldt, 25, either next year or in 2010, and could back-end a lucrative deal that would possibly go close to matching what the Gold Coast is preparing to offer.

As well, Riewoldt said earlier this year that his loyalty to the Saints was rock-solid, and that he had no plans to play out his career with another club.

"It's my home and I love playing there," he said of St Kilda. "Ever since I came down (from southeast Queensland), there was all this talk about going to Brisbane.

"It was basically seen as a formality. I would turn around and go home after a couple of years ... there hasn't been the thought of ever leaving St Kilda."

Cornes is 28, but that has not stopped the Gold Coast from making him a priority in three years' time.

He is contracted to the Power until the end of 2009 and Port Adelaide will offer him a multi-year contract to play out his career in South Australia, according to chief executive John James yesterday.

"Our priority with the players we want is that we will do everything possible to lock them away past the deadline of the expansion clubs," James said.

Franklin, from Western Australia, is the youngest on the Gold Coast's short list of most wanted.

The 21-year-old star forward has the most upside because of his age, but the Hawks have already secured him until the end of 2010 and will be moving early on him to keep him at Waverley during the initial years of the new club.

The second-tier players the Gold Coast are interested in include first-year Adelaide ruckman Kurt Tippett, Brisbane full-back Daniel Merrett, Richmond's Andrew Raines, who all hail from Southport, and fellow Queenslanders David Armitage (St Kilda) and North Melbourne ruckman/forward David Hale.

Last week, player agent Ricky Nixon told The Australian that for some uncontracted players, being landed by the Gold Coast would be "like winning Tattslotto".

"It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some, a player paradise," he said.

Nixon said he would not be recommending any of his clients to sign on at their current clubs beyond 2010.
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[esaint66]

Clubs move to lock in stars


Greg Denham | April 08, 2008

BRISBANE's Jonathan Brown, Hawthorn's Lance Franklin, St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt and Port Adelaide's Chad Cornes head a hit list for the new Gold Coast club mooted to start in 2011.

Jesus how many big fowards do they want ?

[SENsei]

I can understand them looking at younger players like Franklin and Riewoldt. Armitage also and the like aged players.

But Cornes? Seriously? Make a bloke who is going to be 30+ a marquee player priority? Doomed to failure if that is their thinking.

They should be looking at guns of the age of 21 now so they are 25 when the time comes and nearing their prime.

Not saying they will get them, but players of the calibre of:
Franklin
Armitage
David Hale
Sam Gilbert
Shaun Hampson
Danyle Pearce

But don't get sucked in by the speculation. This is all media hype designed to talk up the Gold Coast experiment. Nothing more.

[Ralphy]

doubt they'll get riewoldt, but they prob will get armo i think

[Armoooo]

I would be surprised if they got any of those 4, Hawthorn will fight to the death to keep Buddy, Roo wont want to leave, Brown will go to Victoria if he goes anywhere and didn't Cornes' dad play for Port, they have a strong family atmosphere at Port and I doubt that he would leave...

[plugger66]

I would be surprised if they got any of those 4, Hawthorn will fight to the death to keep Buddy, Roo wont want to leave, Brown will go to Victoria if he goes anywhere and didn't Cornes' dad play for Port, they have a strong family atmosphere at Port and I doubt that he would leave...

Cornes dad hates Port and refuses to barrack for them even though he has 2 sons playing for them.

[Ralphy]

I would be surprised if they got any of those 4, Hawthorn will fight to the death to keep Buddy, Roo wont want to leave, Brown will go to Victoria if he goes anywhere and didn't Cornes' dad play for Port, they have a strong family atmosphere at Port and I doubt that he would leave...

Cornes dad hates Port and refuses to barrack for them even though he has 2 sons playing for them.

i would think Buddy will leave hawks eventually just got that Feeling, 'proberlly wrong'

but riewoldt loves stkilda too much cant see him leaving,

[Mr Magic]

3 years is a long way away for some players, especially young superstars like Buddy.

Who knows what he'll be doing and where he'll be doing it in 2011?

As for the others mentioned, why are we spending time worrying about stuff that may/may not happen in 3 years time? When their contracts come up for negotiation I'm sure their respective clubs will do whatever is necessary to keep them if they are required players.

[esaint66]

I would be surprised if they got any of those 4, Hawthorn will fight to the death to keep Buddy, Roo wont want to leave, Brown will go to Victoria if he goes anywhere and didn't Cornes' dad play for Port, they have a strong family atmosphere at Port and I doubt that he would leave...

Cornes dad hates Port and refuses to barrack for them even though he has 2 sons playing for them.

I would too if i had coached the adelaide crows and played and been a SANFL legend playing against port adelaide.

[saintbrat]

Nixon tricky is just on radio saying he is advising player not to sign past 2010 because there will be $$$$$$$ coming from the coast.

[Ralphy]

Nixon tricky is just on radio saying he is advising player not to sign past 2010 because there will be $$$$$$$ coming from the coast.

didnt brisbane offer riewoldt 5 million to go there when he was out of contract last year??

and we wanted brennan....

[riccardo]

I would be surprised if they got any of those 4, Hawthorn will fight to the death to keep Buddy, Roo wont want to leave, Brown will go to Victoria if he goes anywhere and didn't Cornes' dad play for Port, they have a strong family atmosphere at Port and I doubt that he would leave...

Cornes dad hates Port and refuses to barrack for them even though he has 2 sons playing for them.

i would think Buddy will leave hawks eventually just got that Feeling, 'proberlly wrong'

but riewoldt loves stkilda too much cant see him leaving,

No doubt the same has been said about Barrassi at Melbourne, McKenna at Collingwood, etc, etc, etc. We have had a number of "loyal" stars leave us over the years, Stewart, Ditterich, Lockett, etc.

When money talks, loyalty shuts up and slinks away.

[Mr Magic]

I would be surprised if they got any of those 4, Hawthorn will fight to the death to keep Buddy, Roo wont want to leave, Brown will go to Victoria if he goes anywhere and didn't Cornes' dad play for Port, they have a strong family atmosphere at Port and I doubt that he would leave...

Cornes dad hates Port and refuses to barrack for them even though he has 2 sons playing for them.

i would think Buddy will leave hawks eventually just got that Feeling, 'proberlly wrong'

but riewoldt loves stkilda too much cant see him leaving,

No doubt the same has been said about Barrassi at Melbourne, Stewart at St Kilda, McKenna at Collingwood, etc, etc, etc.

When money talks, loyalty shuts up and slinks away.

I cannot talk about the Barassi or McKenna situations, but money had nothing to do with Ian Stewart leaving the Saints.

IIRC it was basically a decision by Jeans that he could no longer tolerate him playing for the Club.

[Ralphy]

I would be surprised if they got any of those 4, Hawthorn will fight to the death to keep Buddy, Roo wont want to leave, Brown will go to Victoria if he goes anywhere and didn't Cornes' dad play for Port, they have a strong family atmosphere at Port and I doubt that he would leave...

Cornes dad hates Port and refuses to barrack for them even though he has 2 sons playing for them.

i would think Buddy will leave hawks eventually just got that Feeling, 'proberlly wrong'

but riewoldt loves stkilda too much cant see him leaving,

No doubt the same has been said about Barrassi at Melbourne, Stewart at St Kilda, McKenna at Collingwood, etc, etc, etc.

When money talks, loyalty shuts up and slinks away.

I cannot talk about the Barassi or McKenna situations, but money had nothing to do with Ian Stewart leaving the Saints.

IIRC it was basically a decision by Jeans that he could no longer tolerate him playing for the Club.

AH Ok,

dont know much about the early days at stkilda, etc why players left,

[saintsRrising]

When money talks, loyalty shuts up and slinks away.

I actually think that there are very few players that have swapped clubs just for the money..........and the vast majority of players who have remained where they are for less money.


Normally there has to be some other reason for discontent first...

[Ralphy]

When money talks, loyalty shuts up and slinks away.

I actually think that there are very few players that have swapped clubs just for the money..........and the vast majority of players who have remained where they are for less money.


Normally there has to be some other reason for discontent first...

wasnt hamil just for money he said no then got offered 5 mill or am i wrong

[Mr Magic]

When money talks, loyalty shuts up and slinks away.

I actually think that there are very few players that have swapped clubs just for the money..........and the vast majority of players who have remained where they are for less money.


Normally there has to be some other reason for discontent first...

wasnt hamil just for money he said no then got offered 5 mill or am i wrong

Yep, you are wrong.
The story goes that Sydney offered him more than we did.

He left Carlton because of a dispute with their President John Elliot.

[Ralphy]

oh right, i didnt know that,

why did hall & everitt leave for

[Mr Magic]

oh right, i didnt know that,

why did hall & everitt leave for

Others may have better info than me but basically

Hall went to Sydney because he wanted a change of scenery (much like Plugger in the 9o's). I'm not sure the Saints were so happy in losing him but on the other hand the draft pick we got from Sydney was used to pick Dal Santo.

Everitt went to Hawthorn because the Saints under GT felt he wasn't going to give us value anymore. He had been ivolved in some 'dramas' at teh Club and was considered a bit of a 'd-head', so when his contract was up for renewal I believe he was told to look elsewhere.

[Ralphy]

oh right, i didnt know that,

why did hall & everitt leave for

Others may have better info than me but basically

Hall went to Sydney because he wanted a change of scenery (much like Plugger in the 9o's). I'm not sure the Saints were so happy in losing him but on the other hand the draft pick we got from Sydney was used to pick Dal Santo.

Everitt went to Hawthorn because the Saints under GT felt he wasn't going to give us value anymore. He had been ivolved in some 'dramas' at teh Club and was considered a bit of a 'd-head', so when his contract was up for renewal I believe he was told to look elsewhere.

i think spida was a D-Head, he was arrogant,


but hall was nice as! and i was sorry to see him go.

[saintsRrising]

wasnt hamil just for money he said no then got offered 5 mill or am i wrong

Jack Elliot clashed with him.....which made him want to leave.

[Megamaguire]

Lyon will no doubt be looking hard at Armo's development as he could prove the rock solid dare i say it B. Kirk type that we still need to unearth @ St.K.

If he produces the qualities that make our midfield faster and more solid i wouldn' just accept that the likes of ricky nixon can just redirect him away from us towards the gold coast. Just reflecting on how the bulldogs found that extra physicalityafter a few years of 'Potential' just convinces me that persevering with Armo like we are with Raph could yet pay off handsomely.

Geary has been a breath of fresh air so far this year and armo has the potential to keep that trend going. As disappointed as i was with the fade out against the bullies i am convinced we can bounce back with a vengence.

TAKE HEART SAINTERS!

[esaint66]

oh right, i didnt know that,

why did hall & everitt leave for

I think hall left ebcause he wanted to sort of slip into a good side and not have the whole big 'following' of football sort of around him. (much like players from NSW and QLD coming down to the storm).

[stinger]

oh right, i didnt know that,

why did hall & everitt leave for

I think hall left ebcause he wanted to sort of slip into a good side and not have the whole big 'following' of football sort of around him. (much like players from NSW and QLD coming down to the storm).

they left for the money ffs...end of story.....

[GrumpyOne]

oh right, i didnt know that,

why did hall & everitt leave for

I think hall left ebcause he wanted to sort of slip into a good side and not have the whole big 'following' of football sort of around him. (much like players from NSW and QLD coming down to the storm).

they left for the money ffs...end of story.....

Hall - money and the anonymous existance of an AFL player in a Thugby dominated state.

Everitt - money and disputes with GT over discipline issues.