2018 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[barry]

It would have to be the players themselves through the AFLPA. I don't think the league wanted free agency. It was inevitable because the league has a losing legal position if the AFLPA challenged player employment restrictions. Still, I think the AFL has one of most restricted free agency agreements in pro sports. It seems that the players are finding ways to effectively lower the restrictions and are heading closer to greater freedom to change clubs.

AFLPA may have suggested it, but someone in the AFL must have drawn up the current rules.

This idea that the AFL draft and cap was a restraint of trade and would fall over in court is a myth. No one is forcing you to play AFL. Its like working for BHP. You may have to go live in broken hill. Dont like it, there is the door.

[AnnieH]

Yes, the maths of the cap is a quandary. Say it's $10.8M and a team has a list of 38, then the average is $284K PA.
If Buddy is on $1.1M, Hanners on $800K, JPK & Parker on $700K for instance, there is $7.5M to pay 34 players.
So those 34 guys are averaging $220K PA. Add in Reid, Heeneys, Mills, Lloyd on $400K to $500K, then by now
the bottom 30 guys on the list are averaging $180K PA. Sure, it's likely not to be quite that simple, but you get the picture.

The rookies are on about $70k a year - at most.

[waswan]

As much as buddy is on and its not the most in the comp, grab his salary withthe next 5 in sydney and our top 5 or 6 would be similar to any other teams

Rory lobb is on 700k for christ sake

richmond had 5 players taking up nearly 5 mil and are about to bring in lynch

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Free agency us screwed until they hold players to contracts, even if they want to be traded, and they bring in max contracts based on yrs served

a 3yr player should not be able to get offered the same as a 7yr player

[Bloods05]

AFLPA may have suggested it, but someone in the AFL must have drawn up the current rules.

This idea that the AFL draft and cap was a restraint of trade and would fall over in court is a myth. No one is forcing you to play AFL. Its like working for BHP. You may have to go live in broken hill. Dont like it, there is the door.

Yeah, the law doesn't quite work that way. It's pretty obvious that the AFLPA had the AFL over a barrel with this one. I can't imagine them giving in if they didn't have solid legal advice that they couldn't win a restraint of trade action. You seem to be under the impression that the AFL is actively working to undermine the evenness of its own competition. That is surely absurd. To what end would they be doing such a thing?

[liz]

Yeah, the law doesn't quite work that way. It's pretty obvious that the AFLPA had the AFL over a barrel with this one. I can't imagine them giving in if they didn't have solid legal advice that they couldn't win a restraint of trade action. You seem to be under the impression that the AFL is actively working to undermine the evenness of its own competition. That is surely absurd. To what end would they be doing such a thing?

I have my doubts about whether the law would intervene to determine that the draft is a restraint of trade. Maybe it would, but I think it's far from a fait accompli.

On the other hand, the AFLPA is a powerful organisation (which, to a degree, is fair enough - without the players there wouldn't be a game). Every time a new CBA is negotiated, it is a long and protracted affair, sometimes linked with a threat to strike. That may be an empty threat but the AFL needs to meet players at least partway on what they want. The AFLPA had free agency on the agenda for a while and it was something they were adamant on achieving, with or without threats of legal challenges to the draft and trading mechanisms.

[Boddo]

The elephant in the room is third party payments. Some clubs have a higher cap than others when you factor in all of this. E.g Martin promised that he when he retires he’ll have a lot of avenues to earn more money. Does anyone seriously think Gold Coast could offer this to any of their players?

[ugg]

Some quotes from Hanners on AFL Trade Radio

Hannebery: "It's no surprise I've got a strong family connection in Melbourne. We are a close family. I've been happy in Sydney but a trade still has to be done."

Hannebery: "I've had a number of conversations with Horse and Tom Harley. Both parties think it's the right call (to leave)."

Hannebery: "I'm dealing with St Kilda exclusively."

Barrett: "Did they (St Kilda) go to you?"
Hannebery: "They didn't come to me direct. My manager Nick Gieschen said there was some interest from Melbourne (clubs)."

Hannebery: "I thought I'd be a Swan for life. But we thought it could be a good opportunity to part ways. It all just happened spontaneously."

Hannebery: "They've (St Kilda) actually got a better list than most people think. Membrey, Gresham, Steven, Ross. They've got a developing list, their facilities are outstanding."

Wallace: "Is there any coincidence that there seems to be more movement out of Sydney this year than before?"
Hannebery: "You'd have to ask Tom Harley if something's brewing. I'm pretty confident (Jake) Lloyd will stay. Rohan has family connection in Victoria."

Hannebery on his body: "The last few weeks I was running better than before the 2016 Grand Final. I'm more than confident with the right treatment, I'll be fine and hopefully playing for as long as the contract goes."

Hannebery: "You never know what is going to happen 2-3 years down the track. The extra carrot of the 2 years (extra on the contract) is a factor."

Hannebery: "I'm extremely close with Horse. We regularly have open discussions. We both just think it could be a great opportunity. There's a huge drive to come back to Melbourne, as Horse has always known."

Hannebery: "At the end of the day, there's no guarantees I'll get back to my best form. They (Sydney) are doing what most smart and successful clubs do."

Also on Shiel
Connors on Shiel: "I wouldn't be surprised either way. He won't be going to Fremantle or Adelaide or the other Sydney team. He will be at GWS or in town (in Melbourne)."

[barry]

Very interesting line:
Hannebery: "You'd have to ask Tom Harley if something's brewing...."

[AnnieH]

Some quotes from Hanners on AFL Trade Radio"

I'm beginning to think what a tosser!!
I'm also beginning to think that he spent this year "choking", in order to get a trade to Melbourne.... "The last few weeks I was running better than before the 2016 Grand Final. I'm more than confident with the right treatment, I'll be fine and hopefully playing for as long as the contract goes."
I think he has a problem with Tom Harley.
It's best that he leave. If he misses out, he'll definitely be a reserve for the remainder of his contract.

[waswan]

Sounds like horse stayed clear and away from it and harley asked the tough question of hannas to take a pay cut to fit others in
Both doing their roles

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and hannas maybe agreed to take a cut for additonal years on his contract which wasnt accepted

[Ludwig]

I'm beginning to think what a tosser!!
I'm also beginning to think that he spent this year "choking", in order to get a trade to Melbourne.... "The last few weeks I was running better than before the 2016 Grand Final. I'm more than confident with the right treatment, I'll be fine and hopefully playing for as long as the contract goes."
I think he has a problem with Tom Harley.
It's best that he leave. If he misses out, he'll definitely be a reserve for the remainder of his contract.

It's a flat out lie that he's been running better the last few games than before the 2016 GF. I think we would have noticed. The last 8 games before the 2016 GF he racked up between 29 and 41 possessions. He's been walking through games this year.

I suggested earlier in this thread that there might have been some friction about his rehab and he may be dissatisfied with how that's gone and holding the Swans responsible for his poor year. Those words with the right treatment makes me think that could be the case.

Harley seems like The Smiling Assassin. I wouldn't want to have a run in with him. Being the captain of that incredible Geelong team says to me that he's someone liked and respected, if you're on his side. Our Board had plenty of time to look him over and must feel he's the man for the CEO job.

Gaff's manager said that his choice of club was not about money. If that's true, then I think we are still in the picture. We couldn't match some of the offers coming from the Melbourne clubs. Gaff is the best player available for us in the trade market given that he's a perfect fit and a free agent.

[Markwebbos]

Some quotes from Hanners on AFL Trade Radio

Hannebery: "I've had a number of conversations with Horse and Tom Harley. Both parties think it's the right call (to leave)."

Barrett: "Did they (St Kilda) go to you?"
Hannebery: "They didn't come to me direct. My manager Nick Gieschen said there was some interest from Melbourne (clubs)."

Hannebery: "I thought I'd be a Swan for life. But we thought it could be a good opportunity to part ways. It all just happened spontaneously."

Hannebery: "I'm extremely close with Horse. We regularly have open discussions. We both just think it could be a great opportunity. There's a huge drive to come back to Melbourne, as Horse has always known."

Hannebery: "At the end of the day, there's no guarantees I'll get back to my best form. They (Sydney) are doing what most smart and successful clubs do."

Very interesting Ugg. This supports my belief that the club decided to find a better use for his salary some time ago. Itching to find out what we've got up our sleeve. But no chance of Shiel. I don't think he's the one.
Annie I don't understand your enmity toward Hanners. He's been a great servant of the club and has been pretty honest about his reasons.
Re: Harley. I think he's bringing a new ruthlessness to the club. But I could be wrong.

[Plugger46]

No problem at all with any of that from Hanners. We'll never know the absolute truth - i.e. whose call it is.

[AnnieH]

Very interesting Ugg. This supports my belief that the club decided to find a better use for his salary some time ago. Itching to find out what we've got up our sleeve. But no chance of Shiel. I don't think he's the one.
Annie I don't understand your enmity toward Hanners. He's been a great servant of the club and has been pretty honest about his reasons.
Re: Harley. I think he's bringing a new ruthlessness to the club. But I could be wrong.

My animosity towards Hanners goes back a long, long way.
He's a bit of a mummy's boy... he dobbed me in to his mother about 8 years ago... I had the audacity to say that he'd had an ordinary game, and when I was in Melbourne a few weeks after, I saw him with his family. He pointed me out and said, mum, that's the girl that said I played bad.
Really?
Grow up.

[MattW]

I'm beginning to think what a tosser!!
I'm also beginning to think that he spent this year "choking", in order to get a trade to Melbourne.... "The last few weeks I was running better than before the 2016 Grand Final. I'm more than confident with the right treatment, I'll be fine and hopefully playing for as long as the contract goes."
I think he has a problem with Tom Harley.
It's best that he leave. If he misses out, he'll definitely be a reserve for the remainder of his contract.

It's hard to tell from those quotes, but that's not my read. He's suggesting it's mutual, which wouldn't surprise me. I believe him that he thought he'd always be a Swan, which may suggest it wasn't totally his idea. I don't think he was choking at all. I thought he tried really hard in the last month, albeit his touch had gone. He's too competitive to deliberately underperform.