I swear the exact same article was published like three weeks ago
Right so now it all makes sense…
Hawks offered him a 2-year deal and we weren’t willing to move him off the Rookie list… absolutely a self-inflicted wound, if he turns into a gun.
has he kicked a goal and tugged his jumper yet coz I really hate that
So instead of us paying him <100k Hawks will be paying him >200k.
I would have left too.
Seriously, whose place does he take the team?
I hope he does well but it was a sound football decision in terms of his spot on our list.
The fact that Hawthorn were willing to pay more works in his favour but I just don’t see it as a loss to us.
Well for the obvious replacement, he’s 9 years younger than Nick Hind who has been a regular for us.
And isn’t as good a player as Nick Hind…who wasn’t an automatic first team player last year.
Yep if he was any good he would have taken Hinds spot.
I personally think hes at least Hinds equal.
Not as good defensively but much better moving the ball forward.
Really think we did the kid hard.
Only time will tell I guess.
He’s gone, he’s a dawk , laters, close thread.
I think we could have offered him 900k a season and left him on the rookie list if we wanted to.
The issue is putting him on the main list would have meant one less draft pick meaning we would only use our first 2 picks in the draft.
Ultimately i think hawks showed him more love.
Im surprised we matched hawthorns 2 years
He’s a decent player, but not a desperate need for the list. We offered him what he was worth to us and someone else wanted him more. It’s perfectly fine list management from us, not every fringe player is worth getting into a bidding war to keep.
Wish the kid the best.

time will tell
Unfortunately, that is a favourite line from a former failed EFC president

I think we could have offered him 900k a season and left him on the rookie list if we wanted to.
No. With his utter inability to mind a man he wasn’t worth even half that.
We clearly wanted to keep him, evidenced by upping our offer.
For a guy that only turned 20 this year, coming off his first AFL preseason I thought he did ok.
Absolutely has some AFL qualities (and some well documented deficiencies).
The whole “rookie contract freeze” thing was pretty bizarre, probably lucky it didn’t cost us Menzie as well.
Being hard arses with the salary is what’s enabling us to bring in free agents. I’m happy with this strategy, make the players earn their wage by performing.
Just because he was going to be on rookie list doesn’t mean his salary was going to be any different to a main list spot at this stage of his career
It’s only relevant to when drafted that rookie vs main list base contracts differ
And it makes zero difference these days for actually playing games either where in the past had to wait for an LTI to main list player
Hawks having a 2yr contract and offering greater chance of opportunity (and thus senior match payments) including playing as a winger was obviously what won him over.
Not that he was Hawks first choice, they were known to be into Liam Henry but he chose the Saints, would expect they were probably keen on James Jordan as a FA also and he chose Swans
I think it comes down to Scott appearing to not rate him.
I agree. I think he has potential. Saw a few of his earlier games live and thought he could add some kicking skills to the team. . So do a lot of Blitzers and Hawthorn obviously agree too.
Wouldn’t be surprised if he turns out another Bachar Houli.

Wouldn’t be surprised if he turns out anther Bachar Houli.
Doubtful. This guy isn’t in the same ball park as Houli was.