Tom Boyd Deal Could Put The Squeeze on Bulldogs

http://m.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/...20-118vp4.html

Tom Boyd Deal Could Put The Squeeze On Bulldogs

By JON PIERIK

Having set a benchmark through the audacious trade for Tom Boyd, the Western Bulldogs will soon have several of their home-grown young stars, who are also crucial to their premiership aspirations, asking for a pay rise.

After what appears to be a game-changing free agency and trade period, where players and their agents exercised greater power, the Dogs must now deal with the ramifications of Boyd's stunning seven-year deal worth about $7 million.

It has even been suggested to Fairfax Media that emerging superstar Marcus Bontempelli could debate in coming weeks whether to approach the Bulldogs and ask for his recently extended contract to be revisited.

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Bontempelli, presently overseas on holiday, is contracted until the end of 2017. He still has a year to run on his rookie contract but this year extended his tenure for another two years. However, even by the end of that deal, industry sources suggest he may only be paid, at best, half of what Boyd is on.

Bontempelli, taken with the fourth pick in last year's national draft in which Boyd was No.1, was a stand out in 2014, finishing second in the Rising Star award and was voted by the AFL Players' Association and the Bulldogs as the best first-year player in their awards.

Luke Dahlhaus, who finished fourth in this year's best and fairest, is off contract at the end of next season. He has become one of the commercial faces of the club in recent years and is a player the Dogs cannot afford to lose if they are to make true on club president Peter Gordon's assertion that they will play finals for much of the next decade.

"It's only natural that some player managers will say that if Boyd is worth that much, then their player, even if he is just an average player, is worth at least 50 or 60 per cent, even more, of Boyd's value," one player agent said on Monday.

"Not everyone will be like that but this [Boyd deal] could be a real game-changer for the club."

Midfielder Mitch Wallis, who rounded out this year's top 10 in the best and fairest, is also off contract at the end of next season.

That the Bulldogs can also afford to pay almost $1 million dollars of Ryan Griffen's contract to play with Greater Western Sydney over the next four years has player managers predicting there could be a squeeze put on the Dogs.

While impressive youngsters Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae and Jake Stringer are contracted until the end of 2016, the Bulldogs will likely open negotiations with the trio later next year.

Boyd played just nine matches for eight goals in his rookie year with the Giants, but his ability to develop into one of the game's premier power forwards meant the Bulldogs were prepared to broker a blockbuster deal. However, the message to supporters and even his teammates is that the 19-year-old will need time to mature.

"He is big and he is strong and he can mark and kick goals," Dogs' list manager Jason McCartney said.

"What we do need to understand is that he is only 19 years of age. That is the big thing."

McCartney said Geelong colossus Tom Hawkins had taken time to morph into a dominant figure and Boyd would most likely be the same.

We hear that Marcus Bontempelli could be thinking about thinking about his contract- WOW, there's some modern journalism right there :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Eastdog

http://m.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/...20-118vp4.html


Bontempelli, presently overseas on holiday, is contracted until the end of 2017. He still has a year to run on his rookie contract but this year extended his tenure for another two years. However, even by the end of that deal, industry sources suggest he may only be paid, at best, half of what Boyd is on.

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Wow they must have searched long and hard to find such enlightened industry sources.

Well I just talked to my "industry sources" and they "suggest" that the contract Bontempelli will probably get will not only see him get paid at best $600k, but it might not be for 7 years either!!!

Maybe he will start a support group with other players that aren't paid as much as their clubs million dollar key forwards, with guys like Pendlebury and that out and out star Sam Reid.

Sick of the garbage. Bob, Morris, MBoyd all going to retire in this window of resigning. Then Minson just after. The salary cap will increase. Some lesser players may have to agree to less to stay a part of it, see Joel Corey, Enright and many more.

Just an easy cheap shot, and many are taking the pot.

In all seriousness, the arrival of Boyd can only be good for Bonti. At least the pressure of being our next saviour will be shared between them now.

" sources" and " insiders" equates to I'll throw a few darts at the board and conjure up some hypotheticals.
Mitch Clark got 800 a year to leave Brisbane ( hardly earnt it) create a decent environment and you'll find guys want to stay.
Little bit to positive that thought for an article.
Is that naive to think the whiteboard wasn't out and salaries and contracts and comparisons between Wright/ Boyd/ Mccartin weren't
Thrown around ?

Did they conveniently miss the part where Boyd said he wanted to play with his mates , bontempelli being one, so I doubt he would want to leave Boyd after he got to the club because of mates.

Well when you consider that over the next 3 years we will have a minimum of about $1.5m annually to increase payments to remaining players, I am sure we will be able to entertain significant increases for those who merit it.

That is without looking at the benefits we could have in place now with front loading contracts and the juggle room for back loading later contracts.

Of course it would be more difficult if the salary cap was not going to increase.

The journos are so short sighted, but then their business is find a headline now.

There is that Griffen being paid $1M over 4 years? We pay him next year GWS pay Boyd next year and then it's done well at least "insiders sources " tell me that.

Clearly we haven't planned ahead and Boyd will be running around with kids and washed up players who can't get a game elsewhere for the rest of his career.

...and then there's the games forebears who, until recently, had to work while playing to survive......

If Bonti wants to talk about extending his contract with us....then I'd be welcoming the discussion, and the opportunity to lock him in for even longer!!

Can't there be a salary cap on footy journos? Maybe Slobbo could then get traded to The Australian with the HS paying half his salary. Then someone like a Jake Niall becomes a delisted free agent after being let go by The Age. Michael Gleeson moves interstate to the Adelaide Addy in a straight swap with Michaelangelo Rucci.

May as well do this because the scribes think they are part of the actual game.

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Originally Posted by Sedat

Can't there be a salary cap on footy journos? Maybe Slobbo could then get traded to The Australian with the HS paying half his salary. Then someone like a Jake Niall becomes a delisted free agent after being let go by The Age. Michael Gleeson moves interstate to the Adelaide Addy in a straight swap with Michaelangelo Rucci.

May as well do this because the scribes think they are part of the actual game.

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Robbo should go back to the Auskick school of Journalism for his spelling errors and shocking innacuracies.
Hell, my spelling can be pretty bad but I'm not paid to be in print.

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Originally Posted by Ghost Dog

Robbo should go back to the Auskick school of Journalism for his spelling errors and shocking innacuracies.
Hell, my spelling can be pretty bad but I'm not paid to be in print.

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Spelling errors are probably not his, truth be known he talks into a tape and someone else types it up, then you have a proof reader who obviously isn't doing the job properly..I was a proof reader :-)
However stupid statements, lies, and inaccuracies aren't the proof readers job.

Bonti is an easy target because he's on holiday. Say it about a different player and they'd be out in the press 5 minutes later saying “I'm rapt with my current deal, piss off.” I mean, for Christ's sake, Griff was supposed to be happy with his deal too. Let's just worry about what IS happening, rather than what COULD happen. I could come out of retirement myself at 32 and swallow up all the cap space. Bloody unlikely though.