ROK - Re signs with swans for 4 years. (Confirmed)

[swansrule100]

okeefes missus must be expensive to keep

[ugg]

PSD + DEES = new 3 year contract with Swans

I've heard Dees have major salary cap issues. Probably can't afford the ROKster.

[Jewels]

I've heard Dees have major salary cap issues. Probably can't afford the ROKster.

How could the Dees have cap troubles and not Carltank?

[ugg]

How could the Dees have cap troubles and not Carltank?

Because the AFL is making them reduce their total player payments to 92.5% of the salary cap.

And judging from the relevation that Nathan Carroll is on a $250k/year contract, they could have some problems fulfilling that commitment.

Demons facing salary cap cuts - realfooty.com.au

[ScottH]

Is that an (poor) attempt at linking ROK and rubble?

It's what the rouble is worth.

[CureTheSane]

It reeks of,if not greed, then a desire to maximise his income. It also reeks of management telling him what is good for him (with their own vested interest) rather than the club (with its own vested interest) - except the club has no obligation to act in on his behalf and in his best interests. An agent does.

I am not sure why anyone is surprised. His contract is up. He has one more decent sized contract left in his career. He is established in he top echelons of those who play the game. This is his last grab for the big bucks. He is probably my favourite player but that does not make me think he is not motivated by the money more than loyalty, especially at this stage in his career. And why not? 3 weeks of tough negotiating now could be worth $500K over 4 seasons. That's a lot to put into your super.

I'm all for getting the best possible deal.
And this is a normal way to go about it being an uncontracted highly desirable player.

What ROK needs to remember though, is that the Swans are the team which delivered to him what many players never see, a premiership.
And he also needs to consider the general conditions at the club, training facilities etc which are also regarded highly.
Sometimes some extra $ isn't worth the extra potential crap at a new club.....

[BeeEmmAre]

If he can get the moolah, he'll take it, but if he can't he'll stay in Sydney for what we are offering him.
Please ROK, stay loyal to the mighty Swans and don't become a traitor like Greg Williams.
2005 will be the only thing making you better than him if you go and will put you on a par with mummy's boys Anthony Rocca and Shannon Grant.
The choice is yours and all yours ROK.

[AnnieH]

I'm all for getting the best possible deal.
And this is a normal way to go about it being an uncontracted highly desirable player.

What ROK needs to remember though, is that the Swans are the team which delivered to him what many players never see, a premiership.
And he also needs to consider the general conditions at the club, training facilities etc which are also regarded highly.
Sometimes some extra $ isn't worth the extra potential crap at a new club.....

He's goooooooonnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeee.
If he decided to stay (and take the Swans most generous offer of 3 years), in my honest opinion, he'd probably be spending those three years in the ressies. The "swans" don't like it when you talk out of school - especially when it's your "new" manager** doing all the talking.



(**see Davo)

[Lucky Knickers]

I've heard Dees have major salary cap issues. Probably can't afford the ROKster.

Shirley?

I think the prospect of that option would have ROK running back to Ricky with open arms offering to play for free.

[swansrule100]

okeefe is overrated anyway

[Mogg0]

I agree with that. I think he's a great player but he's overrated. He works hard but his workload/effectiveness ratio is off kilter and leaning waywardly to the left.

He's never been a main target up forward because he's probably 3 inches too short and his goal-kicking is suspect. Sometimes he slots them from 55 with ease, other times he struggles to kick a straight 30 metre drop punt.

Before anyone accuses me of saying this now to help stem the bleeding, I had this belief earlier in the season and I remember posting about it. I want him at the Swans and I'll be devastated to see him leave, but he's definitly overrated.

For the amount of work he puts in, the payoff is lacking.

[monopoly19]

If he decided to stay (and take the Swans most generous offer of 3 years), in my honest opinion, he'd probably be spending those three years in the ressies. The "swans" don't like it when you talk out of school - especially when it's your "new" manager** doing all the talking.

Oh please. The Swans are a business. They understand that players are going to try and make as much money as they can in the short amount of time they have to play football. If he's at the Swans next year it means they've put up a lot of $$$ to keep him. They're hardly going to pay that money and then try and teach him a lesson about loyalty by relegating him to the ressies. Be realistic.

[Nico]

$600,000 is surely way over the top for him. He's not worth that much and there are few in the comp that are: he and his manager are dreaming, but if that's what he has put on his head then surely someone rates him very highly and have said "yep we'll take you at that".

As a matter of interest that is $200,000 shy of the $800,000 that Eddie McGuire had shaved off our salary cap, being the go home factor. Another reason why it should have been retained.

He is 28 in January and a 4 year deal of $600,000 at age that is a huge risk for any club. Few clubs now even have 4 years on their radar. I'm not sure that physically he is sound so he will need a thorough veterinary check. 28 is outside both Essendon and Carlton's mantra of "too old" and maybe outside that of the Pies.

Trade week looks very interesting indeed but few players plonk themselves in the PSD of his type. Does he want to put himself at the mercy of the WCE or Fremantle? If it's on, is North the dark horse and with Grant having retired he is a straight replacement with similar style.

[AussieAnge]

Chasing a premiership can be a difficult task just ask Buckley.....

[Nico]

Oh please. The Swans are a business. They understand that players are going to try and make as much money as they can in the short amount of time they have to play football. If he's at the Swans next year it means they've put up a lot of $$$ to keep him. They're hardly going to pay that money and then try and teach him a lesson about loyalty by relegating him to the ressies. Be realistic.

Correct, a pretty irrational assertion.