Thanks for the info @Laverde2Langford. A few things I’d point out:
- In addition to @SplitRound’s feedback, these stats are likely further distorted by the changes in 2018, as rookies are now able to be on more than base rookie wages.
- Even without the new info, you could not categorically say that naming 13 Essendon players was an “overestimate”. The 11 players per team is an average, some teams would be more, some will be less. Essendon might have a higher share than other clubs of players earning under $200k.
- Ignoring rookies, players likely to be less than $200k in 2018 would be: McGrath, Ridley, Begley, Mutch, Clarke, Houlahan, Guelfi, Zerk-Thatcher, Long, Jerrett, Green, Dea, Brown, Hartley, Ambrose and Redman. Those are all players who are either/and still on rookie contracts, not locks for our best 22, DFA, etc. So there are a lot of candidates.
- 2018 salary cap increases may have been spent on SSS.
So overall, it does back up the view on the trade boards that delisting this “depth” is unlikely to result in major salary cap savings.