Is Billings gone?

[Impatient Sainter]

Damian Barrett reporting Nth Melbourne are very confident they will pick up Josh Kelly as a FA at seasons end. I doubt Billings goes there if that is correct.

I wouldn’t mind having Josh Kelly, surely we have a spare $800k+ to throw his way??

Not at his asking contract of 8m over 7 years - I very much doubt we could fit him into our cap. Kelly isn't worth those dollars and it would create inequitable player payment issues. We already have two highly paid liabilities at the club. Kelly is a good player but not a match winner!

[B.M]

Isn’t he in the leadership group?

Why would the relationship be broken… thought Ratts was a great relationship builder?!

His form, whilst average recently (probably playing a bit sore) was excellent in the fist 10 games.

[Ghost Like]

Not sure what to make of this and David King is certainly not a fan of the Saints in broad terms, but he made a curious comment on First Crack last night: that the relationship between Billings and the Saints is "broken" and we should let him go for what we can get.
If this is the case, I can't see us landing Kelly.

I do not rate David King, nor do I trust him. Seems like a person with a ridiculously high opinion of himself as well as someone with an agenda. Seems easy to point to a monitor and tell us why a play has happened after the event, nearly as easy as reading ridiculous stats ad nausea to back a claim given after the fact.

Would be interesting to know how or why and what part(s) of it is/are "broken". I suspect he would not elaborate on those key aspects of his claim.

[bangaulegend]

Apparently playing injured & probably is but his body language IMO doesn't look like he really wants to be there but he's not the only one

[SydneySainter]

Let him go, for whatever we get.
If he ain't part of the solution, then he's part of the problem

Teflon and I have had different opinions on the worth of JB and his value but even he'd agree this statement is silly. In fact it smacks of all that has been wrong with our trading and recruiting over the past *decade*.

Did Essendon let Carlisle go for whatever they could get?

Did Sydney let Hannebery go for whatever they could get?

Did Freo let Hill go for whatever they could get?

Unfortunately there's only one club like St Kilda and we don't get to deal with them.

I think the club still jumps at it’s own shadow since the Ball debacle.

[Teflon]

Not sure what to make of this and David King is certainly not a fan of the Saints in broad terms, but he made a curious comment on First Crack last night: that the relationship between Billings and the Saints is "broken" and we should let him go for what we can get.
If this is the case, I can't see us landing Kelly.

I do not rate David King, nor do I trust him. Seems like a person with a ridiculously high opinion of himself as well as someone with an agenda. Seems easy to point to a monitor and tell us why a play has happened after the event, nearly as easy as reading ridiculous stats ad nausea to back a claim given after the fact.

Would be interesting to know how or why and what part(s) of it is/are "broken". I suspect he would not elaborate on those key aspects of his claim.

Yeah agree wouldn’t be touting David King as my source
Let’s hope IF it’s broken his broken old club Nth ride in with a squillion dollar deal Jack can’t refuse ...

[Teflon]

From Mikka BF

Billings to Sydney years end you heard it here first.
Was told this last night by someone close to the action. Club trying to work on a way to get band 1 comp for him. They’re willing to work with us. With Buddy, Kennedy near the end and they’re keen on Billing’s with his age bracket for the kids. They have a huge cap space once Buddy retires. Parker off contract years end that gives them flexibility with front and back ended terms on both.

[Teflon]

I’d offer them Dan as well.

[The_Dud]

Sydney certainly owe us one!

[Teflon]

From Stewart66 BF......seems to get/have reasonable inside info......

Let’s get this out there ….sick of people saying he’s not being offered big dollars .he is.
Connors ( Billings Mgr ) has met with StKilda ..2 clubs have offered over $200 thousand
what StKilda have offered……restricted free agent .why he hasn’t signed fielding offers.
Little doubt Billings has played injured , majority of the year .
Hardly trains, most of the sessions only very very light , little or no participation in match simulation.

[SaintPav]

Swans want Billings to help out Swans with the kids.

Good luck with that.

[Teflon]

IF he’s being offered 200k above what we are prepared to pay....at minimum you’d have to think he’s already on 550-600? That’s gonna take home near the 750-800k range....in reduced salary Covid times you’d have to think Band 1 comp is also reduced in kind....we must be a chance...

[Banger9798]

If its band 1 , we have to start throwing more games like we nearly did tonight....

No point finishing 9th

[Teflon]

If its band 1 , we have to start throwing more games like we nearly did tonight....

No point finishing 9th

It’s the biggie isn’t it?
Truth is scraping home to beat cellar dweller pies gives us little really
I’d love 2 round 1 picks this year abs top 5-6 in a strong mid draft could get us a gun....
We could really-load next year , softer draw , hopefully better injury run plus have some gun mids in the bank to then start Bing planning end 22....
I think we are seeing some shifts in the list ..
Dunstan has reinvented himself and all of a sudden Ross looks odd one out
Byrnes has been superb a real mid find
Leo looks handy
Highmore very capable - if we can find 1 more bigger defender I think our backline looks starts to look ominous
Imagine this side with some A grade younger mids coming through ...,Bing Ming up forward and another key defender??? I think our depth issues start to disappear ..,

[The Recruit]

If the club wants three picks in the top 20, they must be confident of landing Ben this year.

[ace]

Apparently playing injured & probably is but his body language IMO doesn't look like he really wants to be there but he's not the only one

Foot problem = foot planted in face.
Latin name = plantar fasciitis

[ace]

If its band 1 , we have to start throwing more games like we nearly did tonight....

No point finishing 9th

It’s the biggie isn’t it?
Truth is scraping home to beat cellar dweller pies gives us little really
I’d love 2 round 1 picks this year abs top 5-6 in a strong mid draft could get us a gun....
We could really-load next year , softer draw , hopefully better injury run plus have some gun mids in the bank to then start Bing planning end 22....
I think we are seeing some shifts in the list ..
Dunstan has reinvented himself and all of a sudden Ross looks odd one out
Byrnes has been superb a real mid find
Leo looks handy
Highmore very capable - if we can find 1 more bigger defender I think our backline looks starts to look ominous
Imagine this side with some A grade younger mids coming through ...,Bing Ming up forward and another key defender??? I think our depth issues start to disappear ..,

Looks like we are getting games into our backup players.
If you aren't getting a game now don't expect a contract for next year.
Alabakis, Joyce, Clavarino, Hunter
Lonie will have to take what is put on the table again as he got no takers in last trade period.
Kent will want a few games before season end.
Carlisle is finished.
Hannebery to be negotiated into retirement.
Roberton already gone.