2016 Team

[neilfws]

April, must be time for a "Mitchell to Carlton" story.

http://m.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-2016-blues-rekindle-interest-in-offcontract-swan-tom-mitchell-20160405-gnyxuc.html

[Nico]

What a load of codswallop. "Go home" factor is rubbish as he spent a lot of his youth in Perth. He seems to be one of these people who is adaptable anywhere, not in the mould of a lot of Melbourne boys who develop home sickness when the $$$$ are right. He will be a leader of our club shortly. Barring injury, a 200+ player. Don't you live these made up stories. A headline, a bit of made up speculation, then when you read the body of the story he is going nowhere.

[Triple B]

Mitchell had ample opportunity to leave in the past and given he was struggling to get a game in the seniors could have been forgiven for taking the easy option. The fact he toughed it out and has now absolutely cemented himself in an elite, young midfield group, it's hard to see why he would jump ship now...

[liz]

Mitchell had ample opportunity to leave in the past and given he was struggling to get a game in the seniors could have been forgiven for taking the easy option. The fact he toughed it out and has now absolutely cemented himself in an elite, young midfield group, it's hard to see why he would jump ship now...

Money?

I am sure clubs like Carlton will throw a lot more at him than the Swans can afford under the salary cap. Just depends on how much more and what Tom's priorities are.

[Triple B]

Money?

I am sure clubs like Carlton will throw a lot more at him than the Swans can afford under the salary cap. Just depends on how much more and what Tom's priorities are.

You don't think he was offered big money a few years ago? Tom would be much more aware of where he sits in the scheme of things now and his priorities last time didn't appear motivated by money so hopefully nothings changed.

[liz]

You don't think he was offered big money a few years ago? Tom would be much more aware of where he sits in the scheme of things now and his priorities last time didn't appear motivated by money so hopefully nothings changed.

He probably was, but I suspect he'll be offered bigger money this time around, given that he's now established as a senior player. And he'll look around and see Parker and Hanners signed on long term contracts for what I am sure is very healthy money. And he'll look behind him at the two wonderkids - Heeney and Mills - who will command big rises once their initial contracts expire. And he might remember Bird, who was resigned on some pretty good coin after a good season, only to find himself shipped off a season or so later to the first club willing to take him after he was squeezed out of the senior team for just a year.

I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Mitchell will leave for more money but it is at least a possibility that he'll get offers too good to refuse.

[Ludwig]

Mitchell is a very good player and getting better. If he is on the market looking for more money there will be more than just Carlton after him. You would think that Richmond, after losing Treloar to the Pies would have a crack. St. Kilda and Hawthorn could be other destinations.

I think Mitchell will stay and hope he does, but if he chases the money I think we will let him go. There will be others at our club looking for big contracts soon enough. As good a he is, he is a player that we can let go without much effect to the team due to our quality midfield depth. Heeney, Mills, Hewett and Jones are lining up to fill any hole his departure would leave.

If I'd had to choose between keeping Hewett or Mitchell, it would be Hewett. I think he will turn out to be the better player and more adaptable to the modern game.

[Swansongster]

He probably was, but I suspect he'll be offered bigger money this time around, given that he's now established as a senior player. And he'll look around and see Parker and Hanners signed on long term contracts for what I am sure is very healthy money. And he'll look behind him at the two wonderkids - Heeney and Mills - who will command big rises once their initial contracts expire. And he might remember Bird, who was resigned on some pretty good coin after a good season, only to find himself shipped off a season or so later to the first club willing to take him after he was squeezed out of the senior team for just a year.

I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Mitchell will leave for more money but it is at least a possibility that he'll get offers too good to refuse.

It also goes without saying that this is particularly so with likely new TPP cap after renegotiated media rights. Not just Carlton. Many clubs will have war chests and will need to spend up to reach the minimum that AFL requires.

A required minimum spend which also makes me wonder how overpaid some players are at some of the underperforming clubs.

[Triple B]

If I'd had to choose between keeping Hewett or Mitchell, it would be Hewett. I think he will turn out to be the better player and more adaptable to the modern game.

Even the modern game has a place for a guy who gets his hands on it over 30 times a game as consistently as Mitchell does. I doubt that capability will ever go out of fashion in any era...

[Plugger46]

He's going to get some big offers if his current form continues. Certainly offers bigger than we'll be able to accommodate.

[liz]

Even the modern game has a place for a guy who gets his hands on it over 30 times a game as consistently as Mitchell does. I doubt that capability will ever go out of fashion in any era...

Absolutely. For all that Hewett has some appealing characteristics and looks like he might become a good player, it's a bit premature to be projecting him ahead of Mitchell.

[Mug Punter]

He probably was, but I suspect he'll be offered bigger money this time around, given that he's now established as a senior player. And he'll look around and see Parker and Hanners signed on long term contracts for what I am sure is very healthy money. And he'll look behind him at the two wonderkids - Heeney and Mills - who will command big rises once their initial contracts expire. And he might remember Bird, who was resigned on some pretty good coin after a good season, only to find himself shipped off a season or so later to the first club willing to take him after he was squeezed out of the senior team for just a year.

I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Mitchell will leave for more money but it is at least a possibility that he'll get offers too good to refuse.

+1

I suspect he'll be offered a deal comparable to that Hanners and Parker were offered, maybe slightly less but certainly not more. I imagine we had a pretty good idea of the new deal's effect on the cap and both Hanners and Parker's deals were framed around a new salary structure with them in the A list. Regardless of what Tom is offered elsewhere we won't be offering him a salary that destroys the new wage structure before it even begins.

I'd say he'd be looking at a good $100,000 to $200,000 haircut per year on what a club like Carlton could offer. Good players can just about always go elsewhere for more money if they want to but I'd imagine a $600,000 per year 2 year deal taking him to free agency in 2019, hopefully with a Premiership Medallion in his pocket, could be a compromise solution to Tom's situation. By then Callum and Hewett would be approaching elite and we'd probably be happy to let Tom move on to accommodate their improved deals.

If I had to choose between Hewett and Mitchell I'd choose Tom as I'm pretty sure we'd construct a trade around Mitchell that would deliver us a KPD to replace Ted plus change

[Ludwig]

Absolutely. For all that Hewett has some appealing characteristics and looks like he might become a good player, it's a bit premature to be projecting him ahead of Mitchell.

Mitchell is already a grade A footballer and will surely get better. Projecting that Hewett will be even a better player is just a call, or educated guess, based on what I've seen from his limited senior exposure and 2 years in the reserves. Hewett is a better (dual-sided) kick than Mitchell and a better decision maker at the same time in their respective careers. I said on several occasions that I don't see any weaknesses in Hewett's game. He does all the fundamentals of football well. He's got very good vision of the game unfolding, particularly for someone his age. His development could just stop in its tracks tomorrow and I'd be wrong. It's easy to make the wrong call when comparing players a couple of years apart in their respective development.

[CureTheSane]

Awww, I really can't decide who I want to trade, Mitchell or Hewett.
Do I have to decide now?

[aardvark]

Any sentence containing the words "Mitchell" and "Trade" should be banned from this website.