If I heard correctly, Essendon has apparently got away without factoring in the pay rises next year into our current contracts, where many other teams have it factored in. This would mean we are well placed to make a splurge. Provided JD, Zaha, Parish, McKenna and other players coming out of contract donât get too carried away. The only huge signing we have to worry about is JD with the others having potential to get medium sized.
But footy teams donât operate in a 1-year vacuum. What happens today, effects tomorrow. There was a cap. There still is one. The number of players in a team hasnât changed. Itâs swings., roundabouts, Peter and Paul. There is no âmagic extra capâ. The fight for more pay wasnât made only by, and for, the highest paid players. And pressure to retain your players is still, and will always be there. Ability or opportunity to spend more on a quick plug-in player, is matched by another team stealing one of yours. If the cap suddenly went up to $50m, the same would apply, as everyone jockeyed for their (rightful) share. And- on top of all that - we all know that when push comes to shove - player contracts are not worth a damn.
So much spare salary cap sloshing around that every club has buying-power?
May be true⌠so hopefully that means that player movement comes down to other factors, like opportunity (I hope)âŚand right now we have a obvious midfield opening for anyone that wants to come and claim itâŚwith a ready made forward line to finish off your work, and a âdecentâ defense (still have to replace Kelly and Bags to settle it with longevity).
Hopefully that can convince some prospective mids to come and take the TVSC guided tour come off seasonâŚneed a real impressive PowerPoint presentation (or whatever software the kids use these days).
There is still a minimum amount teams can spend on their players. The most you can have sloshing around, is 5%, give or take buffering from past/previous year (iirc). So the % of cap you have spare is never going to be comparatively great - itâs designed so it wonât be. The way you free up cap is not by it being greater than it was, but by trading/delisting players on your list.
Agree that the payrise doesnât mean anything poaching wise because every team gets it, but if itâs true that three or four clubs including us have structured our contracts to not include automatic pay increases in line with the new CBA, then we do effectively have a little âmagic extra capâ. Definitely not âwe can afford Martin for freeâ but maybe âwe can get tip the balance on some mid-level dealsâ type money.
Letâs say weâre after Zak Jones, and at the start of the year were roughly in the same salary position as the swans (as you point out, everyoneâs paying most of the cap). Hookerâs on 5 years @ 700k, so is Heeney. New CBA is signed, Heeneyâs now on 5 years @ 840k, Hookerâs still on 700k. Now whatever the swans offer Jones, we can add up to an extra 140k before weâre having to give up as much, relatively speaking, as the swans.
The effect is likely more muted than that given how many players come out of contract compared to the number on long, large contracts, but itâs possible that over the next few years we will have an extra bit of cash compared to most other teams. Not a war chest, but at least a wallet.
All this is true and correct. The thing to add to it is, contracts are continuously being lapsed, resigned, and remade, while teams are constantly vying for the services of contracted players from other teams, managers are peddling their clients, young stars are improving and becoming more valuable, etc etc. This makes for a far more complex landscape than most people think.
Agree, hence the rest of my hedging. Iâm thinking of it as kind of on par with the difference between finishing 6th or 8th in terms of attracting players, a minor advantage that might get a deal over the line, but hardly the advantage of being the reigning premiers.
I would expect any increase in the cap would be offset by an equal increase in players expectations (or a contract that automatically increases by the increase). If the cap increase was to put a good player at a destinct disadvantage their manager would be onto the club to fix it or negotate a trade. Effectively there is zero difference.
If Essendon players did not negotate a âcap increase clauseâ in their contract it was either because they are loyal, or the contract this year had a considerable âbonusâ for signing on, which was expected to be reduced by the cap increase next year .
Having players who play for unders to stay at a club, and/or clearing cap space with retirements/delistings are the only way to create a âwar chestâ even so, evidence has shown it wonât work unless the player wants to leave anyway.
How the Recruits and Draftees are going: Essendon (Part 1)
ConorRoar Rookie
By Conor, 29 Jun 2017 Conor is a Roar Rookie
How the Recruits and Draftees are going: Essendon (Part 1)
Andrew McGrath is one of many new faces in the Essendon squad this year. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
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Essendon Bombers news
Recently, I discussed how Collingwoodâs recruits and draftees are going. In todayâs article, I am moving on to look at how Essendonâs recruits and draftees are travelling 11 rounds into the season.
Josh Green â delisted free agent from Brisbane
Green was delisted by the Lions last season after struggling with injuries and form, but has seamlessly slotted into the Bombers line-up. He has played all but two games this season, which he missed with a hamstring injury, and has collected 115 disposals and 12 goals playing in the forward line. The 24-year-old certainly looks like being an important part of the Bombers future.
James Stewart â traded from GWS for Pick 77
Stewart, traded to the Bombers after playing only 18 games in four years at the Giants, has been solid in 2017. He started the year in the VFL, kicking eight goals in four games. Since coming into the senior team, he has played six games and kicked nine majors in that time.
Andrew McGrath â Pick 1, 2016 AFL Draft
McGrath received high interest from the Giants, with him being the reason for GWS trading up the draft order. However, the Bombers took him with pick one. He has so far been impressive, averaging 19.4 disposals and slotting a major. He certainly looks like a star of the future.
Andrew McGrath Essendon Bombers AFL 2017
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Jordan Ridley â Pick 22, 2016 AFL Draft
Ridley has struggled to get out on the field this year, with a stress fracture in his foot keeping him out for a large chunk of the season. He has looked promising in his last two games, but doesnât look like making a debut this year.
Josh Begley â Pick 31, 2016 AFL Draft
Begley has looked nice at VFL level, playing ten games and slotting 14 majors. He is one who can slot in as a winger and small forward in the Essendon line-up in the future and will be hoping for a debut later this year or early next year.
Kobe Mutch â Pick 42, 2016 AFL Draft
Mutch is looking like a classy player in the VFL in 2017, being named in the best twice and kicking two goals in nine games. Heâs developing nicely in his first year on an AFL list.
Dylan Clarke â Pick 63, 2016 AFL Draft
Clarke, the brother of North Melbourne midfielder Ryan, has looked nice this year, playing ten games in the VFL, kicking two goals, and being named in the best once playing as a midfielder. He will be wanting to push for a debut later this year or early next year.
Sam Draper â Pick 1, 2016 AFL Rookie Draft
Draper has been a quality player in the VFL this year, averaging 16.5 hit outs per game. He is a player who can develop to be Essendonâs number one ruckman in a few years.
Given how many quality ruckmen have come through the rookie draft, such as Aaron Sandilands, Dean Cox, and Majak Daw â the latter yet to take advantage of his potential â history is on Draperâs side to become a quality ruckman.
Ben McNiece â Category B Rookie, 2016
McNiece has looked nice this year, playing off half-back after being recruited as Category B Rookie from Essendonâs VFL side. He made his debut in Round 5, playing two games and averaging 12.5 disposals.
There you go, Essendonâs recruits and draftees so far. Comment your thoughts so far, and keep an eye out for the Fremantle article.
I hope all 4 of the old guys (Watson, BJ, Stanton, Kelly) donât retire at the same time. We are seriously lacking in experience if they do. My preference would be to plead with Goddard to stay on for 1-2 more. And Kelly. Watson and Stanton are at sitck-a-fork-in-them level basically. Hocking and Howlett arenât up to it.
You wonât have to plead with Goddard because a) he has a trigger clause in his contract which heâs about 3 games off triggering and b) he strikes me as a guy who wonât retire so much as be forcefully escorted from the premises screaming that heâs got one good year left in him.