Future list and depth analysis

[liz]

Would be interesting when the next long term deal comes along - Josh Kelly to Norths on one million a year for seven is really no different. I agree that the current situation would seem easily challenged but the reality is that the clubs know that to do so would mean the whole system might come crashing down like a pack of cards and then we end up like soccer overseas where the same rich clubs are the only ones year after year in the running for a title.

It would be different because it wouldn't come under free agency - or, more specifically, restricted free agency.

I don't believe that there is a "Buddy rule" for Sydney. The rule applies to any player recruited as a restricted free agent and the requirement that the whole contract falls under the salary cap is quite reasonable. Otherwise restricted free agency would be open to all sorts of abuse.

However, the restriction is (as I understand it) more draconian than has been discussed on RWO. Not only does the whole contract have to be counted under the salary cap, the pattern can't be shifted between years. So say both Reid and Jones left this year and the Swans couldn't (or chose not to) recruit other players to take up the salary cap that would be free as a result. They are not allowed to shift salary due to Buddy in, say, his final year forward to 2018 to reduce the risk of them bearing a large chunk while he is no longer able to play. That bit I am not 100% sure whether it applies to all RFA players, or if that was something specifically applied to the Buddy situation. You'd like to think the former, but who knows with the AFL.

More generally, once any player is contracted by any club, they have a commitment that needs to be counted under the salary cap unless that player is traded away and the new club agrees to take on the contract. There may be some modification to this is a contracted player refuses to play out his contract, or if he is incapable of doing so for a reason other than a football-related injury. But a player who retires due to a football injury still gets his full contract value, and it still counts in the cap.

Which year it counts under can be a bit complicated. The rules may have changed but there was a time when, if a player retired due to injury, the entire remaining contract value counted in the cap when he retired. Clearly that can be problematic for a club that is close to its limit, especially where the retirement wasn't foreseen at the start of the year. But it explains why Brisbane retained Voss on their list for a season after he had retired in practice, and why the same happened to the Swans with Fosdike. Both clubs had to play a man short the following year because Voss and Fosdike were still included on their lists. Had they cut them from their lists at the end of the season they stopped playing, the would have had salary cap issues for those years.

[snajik]

It's almost impossible for a club to maintain significant, experienced depth. Players who are good enough to be in the best 22 of a team but who can't break in will generally look elsewhere for an opportunity (see Nankervis, Membrey for two recent examples). Most clubs will have one or two younger players who can make some kind of contribution at senior level in their first year while they develop physically, but these will generally progress into the "best 22" by their second or third year.

My concern is that Aliir may consider joining this group at season's end. I really don't get this aversion to playing him; far too good a player to be languishing in the twos. Yet here we are with 4 games remaining of the regular season and there he remains. I don't really buy this 'he's been overtaken by Melican' line either. He's has enough versatility and x-factor to be played elsewhere than a key position defender. Would be a sad day if he turns up in another strip due to limited opportunities.

[liz]

My concern is that Aliir may consider joining this group at season's end. I really don't get this aversion to playing him; far too good a player to be languishing in the twos. Yet here we are with 4 games remaining of the regular season and there he remains. I don't really buy this 'he's been overtaken by Melican' line either. He's has enough versatility and x-factor to be played elsewhere than a key position defender. Would be a sad day if he turns up in another strip due to limited opportunities.

He can't at the end of 2017 as he is still under contract. Things may change if he continues to struggle to break into the senior team next year (and who could blame him).

In our favour are:

- he's not from Melbourne, and probably doesn't have strong roots in Perth either. Not sure if most of his family is still up in Queensland. It does mean that the "go home factor" is probably neglible. I suspect that also played a part in the Membrey and Nankervis decisions. (Yes, I know Nankervis is from Tasmania, not Melbourne, but he did express a keenness to move "closer to home".)
- Aliir was a Swans supporter as a kid. Not sure how much of a difference this would (or should) make if he's not getting a game and other clubs are knocking on the door but it might be a minor factor if he just thinks he needs to wait until Grundy retires.

[Boddo]

He can't at the end of 2017 as he is still under contract. Things may change if he continues to struggle to break into the senior team next year (and who could blame him).

In our favour are:

- he's not from Melbourne, and probably doesn't have strong roots in Perth either. Not sure if most of his family is still up in Queensland. It does mean that the "go home factor" is probably neglible. I suspect that also played a part in the Membrey and Nankervis decisions. (Yes, I know Nankervis is from Tasmania, not Melbourne, but he did express a keenness to move "closer to home".)
- Aliir was a Swans supporter as a kid. Not sure how much of a difference this would (or should) make if he's not getting a game and other clubs are knocking on the door but it might be a minor factor if he just thinks he needs to wait until Grundy retires.

I think his family still live in Perth. Well they did the last time I spoke with someone from east freo but it was a while ago. He would be ideal for freo but I think they'd prefer to draft Naughton.

[aardvark]

The coaches would have said to Aliir these are the areas you need to improve to play seniors. He would have replied yes I'll go away and work on it. I find it hard to believe he'd sook it and skulk off somewhere else. I think that young man likes a challenge and I believe he'll get there sooner rather than later.

[Ludwig]

The coaches would have said to Aliir these are the areas you need to improve to play seniors. He would have replied yes I'll go away and work on it. I find it hard to believe he'd sook it and skulk off somewhere else. I think that young man likes a challenge and I believe he'll get there sooner rather than later.

He doesn't have to work on his game. He's already got his game. We saw how he plays in the AFL last year. Of course, every player hopefully improves with time and experience, and you would think that will hold for Aliir as well. The problem is not with Aliir, it's with Longmire. It's Longmire that needs a stint in the 2s to improve his weak points. Rhyce Shaw can take over as the head coach. He seems to know what he's doing and all the players love him.

[Markwebbos]

He doesn't have to work on his game. He's already got his game. We saw how he plays in the AFL last year. Of course, every player hopefully improves with time and experience, and you would think that will hold for Aliir as well. The problem is not with Aliir, it's with Longmire. It's Longmire that needs a stint in the 2s to improve his weak points. Rhyce Shaw can take over as the head coach. He seems to know what he's doing and all the players love him.

There has been a major change since last year: Lewis Melican. AA has to either outperform the Pelican or find another role.

[S.S. Bleeder]

He doesn't have to work on his game. He's already got his game. We saw how he plays in the AFL last year. Of course, every player hopefully improves with time and experience, and you would think that will hold for Aliir as well. The problem is not with Aliir, it's with Longmire. It's Longmire that needs a stint in the 2s to improve his weak points. Rhyce Shaw can take over as the head coach. He seems to know what he's doing and all the players love him.

Don't forget that his form is nowhere near what it was last year. He was given a chance in the seniors at the start of the season and failed. That may be because of a limited pre-season but that's not Horses fault

[Ludwig]

Don't forget that his form is nowhere near what it was last year. He was given a chance in the seniors at the start of the season and failed. That may be because of a limited pre-season but that's not Horses fault

It is Longmire's fault because he played an underdone player, as he did with Kieran Jack. It is Aliir's fault that he missed his opportunity by arriving late for a training session, but he's been back in form for quite some time now, so there's no reason not to play him now. I know that Longmire likes the setup with Mills in the back line, but Aliir can take his place and Mills can move to the midfield. I think it will end up like that anyway, so why wait? Aliir is more suited to handling a bigger forward than Mills and Mills will be a star wherever he plays.

[Mug Punter]

The problem is not with Aliir, it's with Longmire. It's Longmire that needs a stint in the 2s to improve his weak points. Rhyce Shaw can take over as the head coach. He seems to know what he's doing and all the players love him.

I assume this is tongue and cheek given the seniors' form last night and over the last 13 rounds.

You are obsessed by Aliir, you can't help beating his drum at any opportunity. I actually would prefer to have Melican in the side (there I said it) as a KPD and I reckon Longmire, Blakey, Dew and a few other blokes that know a hell of a lot more about footy than you do feel the same way.

Why? Because he almost never makes a mistake and with Aliir you've always got your heart in your mouth and I like my defenders dour, risk free, boring and effective. Blue collar if you like.

Given he is not in our best 2 KPDs I'd like to know where you'd prefer to play him and who he should replace.

Yep it seems harsh for him not getting a run in the best 22 but surely last night's result might indicate the selectors aren't doing too bad a job.

[Ludwig]

Yes, I was just joking on the Longmire/Shaw swap, but I do think we need to play another tall defender to help mitigate getting caught out by some of the more clever coaches who know how to expose this weakness. I'm not sure if Aliir is the answer, but he's the best we have to fill that role and he did play very well in the seniors last year. I think it's worth a try. My idea is to play Aliir in the the role of Mills and move Mills to the midfield. We can only play one of our 3 ruckmen if this happens. Take your pick. Even though I've been critical of him, Sinclair would be my pick of the bunch right now. In the end, it will probably cost Towers his spot.

This structural change also gives us another tall marking target when kicking out from the goal square, another area we have had trouble with. It would also allow Rampe to play more as an extra in defence as he reads the play well and is good at marking in front of one on one contests. This structure is basically the same as we had back in the days when we played Reg, Ted and LRT as our 3 KPDs and Mattner played the role I propose for Rampe. It makes a lot of sense to me.

[Nico]

Something was very obvious last night. Grundy will be very hard to replace. When he was off Geelong kicked 2 goals. When he came back, stability returned down back.

[Matty10]

Something was very obvious last night. Grundy will be very hard to replace. When he was off Geelong kicked 2 goals. When he came back, stability returned down back.

And yet he still frustrates me - has for years.

My main gripe is the fact that he goes to ground for no apparent reason (like he thinks it gives him an acceptable out). I put it down to a lack of self-confidence (which, based only on what I see on-field, he seems to battle with). He really is an old-school defender at times - and maybe every team needs one. When he is up and about he is super hard to beat. I just wish Rampe was a bit taller.

Despite all my griping, he is absolutely one of our most important players - and he will be remembered as such - we would struggle if he got seriously injured.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mel_C]

Something was very obvious last night. Grundy will be very hard to replace. When he was off Geelong kicked 2 goals. When he came back, stability returned down back.

I was thinking the exact same thing during the game.

[Scottee]

I was thinking the exact same thing during the game.

Absobloodylutely,

Sent from my SM-T805Y using Tapatalk