Free Agency: Some clubs will never win a flag again.

[Ghost Dog]

( By the way, this article is wrong. We will definitely win a flag. See Port - Basket case of the AFL under Primus. Empty stands, tiny membership. Now doing quite well. I do think free agency needs a tweak. The purpose of FA wasn't to allow veterans to win a flag for their own personal gratification. ) What are your thoughts on the article below?


Jon Ralph
Herald Sun
October 03, 2014 9:00P

WE were told 2015 was the year the battling teams would strike back at the Empire.

Armed with untold equalisation funds and new salary cap rules allowing them to bank cash then raid rivals, the promise was any team could win on any given Sunday.

Instead the last few days have seen a series of worrying developments that turns a gulf between the good and bad into a gaping chasm.

Think Port Adelaide are coming with a rush?

What about when Patrick Ryder turns them from 2014 sleeper into 2015 rolled-gold premiership contender?

Believe Hawthorn is going quietly into the night after their three hours of Grand Final perfection?

Not with 26-year-old James Frawley shoring up the backline without costing the club a draft pick or breaking the bank.

Consider for a second what happens if Mitch Clark explodes next year, as those close to him believe he is totally capable of doing.
James Frawley is set to strengthen Hawthorn’s backline. Picture: George Salpigtidis.

James Frawley is set to strengthen Hawthorn’s backline. Picture: George Salpigtidis.

All of a sudden Geelong has arguably the best forward line pairing in the competition, equal to Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett.

Remember that Clark was the most dominant forward in the competition early in 2012 with his 29 goals in 11 games in a side which won just two of those contests.

Anyone think Geelong would still be in decline?

And then consider Sydney, which might lose Nick Malceski but will gain a top-five pick in Isaac Heeney for the price of selection 18?
Mitch Clark will return to footy with Geelong. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Mitch Clark will return to footy with Geelong. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

The Bear has well and truly been poked — the Swans will rage over their pathetic Grand Final performance all summer and come out breathing fire.

More and more, the good players go to the best clubs.

Even the power clubs admit it behind closed doors while they gleefully accept another star who plays for unders or something like it to become a premiership player.

It might point to an enticing premiership race, but what about Any Given Sunday?
Troy Chaplin thought he was leaving a basketcase only to see Port Adelaide thrive. Pictur

Troy Chaplin thought he was leaving a basketcase only to see Port Adelaide thrive. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

At least Melbourne gets huge overs as compensation for James Frawley, but does anyone think they are close to breaking their premiership drought?

Spare a thought for the perennial battlers like Melbourne (last premiership 50 years ago), the Western Bulldogs (only premiership 60 years ago) and St Kilda (only premiership 48 years ago).

They are all trying to push bold and inventive trade solutions to garner perhaps one extra top-20 selection in November’s national draft.

But while the Dogs could have to give up pick 5 and a Higgins compo pick to get a pick high enough for a quality key tall, Hawthorn plucks one in Frawley without giving up a single pick.

There are exceptions — Hawthorn lost Lance Franklin, Troy Chaplin was lured by big cash to battling Richmond in 2012, Eddie Betts went to a side outside the eight (although he went home).

Yet the clubs outside the eight luring quality players do so by paying huge money (Dale Thomas to Carlton, Chris Dawes to Melbourne) or by preaching increased opportunity (Shannon Byrnes).

Once if you were down and out you could commit to a savage rebuild through bottoming out, knowing in a cyclical competition you would pass your rivals on your way up.

Now there is no reason for the likes of Hawthorn and Geelong to ever bottom out, and little hope of some clubs winning a flag again.

[FrediKanoute]

Well given he flogged my whole point I agree with it.....

[mjp]

Well, given we didn't win one between 1955 and the START of free agency, has anything really changed?

Oh yeah. Any article based on the virtues of James Frawley and Mitch Clark has foundations in bs.

[Hotdog60]

What would happen if the AFL introduced a wages award would it stop players being poach buy clubs offering huge salaries.
Something like this starting with a first year player:
Level 1 = 50,000
Level 2 = 100,00
Level 3 = 150,000
Level 4 = 200,000

This could go on until a player reaches 8 years and then it's capped.

You could sow in bonus payments or extra levels for players performing above the average. Eg: Griffen, Judd, etc.

Also include a sort of super for after footy to go with fixed wages.

If something like this was put in place the only movement would be if players weren't happy for one reason or another or the club moves them on.

[Bulldog4life]

I like what Damian Hardwick said.The top four teams for the season cannot list any free Agents. It is a simple remedy.

[Before I Die]

Well, given we didn't win one between 1955 and the START of free agency, has anything really changed?

Oh yeah. Any article based on the virtues of James Frawley and Mitch Clark has foundations in bs.

Having seen Dempsey, Quinlan, Thorpe and Round sold off to keep us afloat, while the big clubs with large cashbooks cherry picked the interstate elite, I find I am much happier today than I was back then. Let's give free agency a few years to see how things settle.

[KT31]

Having seen Dempsey, Quinlan, Thorpe and Round sold off to keep us afloat, while the big clubs with large cashbooks cherry picked the interstate elite, I find I am much happier today than I was back then. Let's give free agency a few years to see how things settle.

Agree BID and we are in a much better position now.
We are wiping out our debt, have brilliant facilities and have IMO a fair better President than we did in those dark days.
If we can get a fair ground deal and get that money back into our coffers who is to say we wont be the club every aspires to be.

[Topdog]

What an absolute load of crap. It will increase the time teams stay up top and down bottom but ultimately the change will come.

In 3 years time when the Hawks haven't had a pick in the top 15 for 5 years there depth of young players will be awful. In the next 3 years they will also have to replace Lake (done), Mitchell, Burgoyne, Sewell, Gibson, Hale and Hodge. You could probably argue Lewis too with his style of football.

[1eyedog]

You draft your way to a position of power then you attract quality free agents when you're in your window.

[jeemak]

I don't know why - apart from him being an idiot - he would use Port as being an example of the balance tipping against the lower ranked clubs and their inability to attract players. Surely they are a prime example of how FA can help teams on the rise.

This dickhead gets a gig on TV on a high salary whilst I have to work my arse off on a decent salary. It makes me mad!

The AFL media (particularly the News set) is atrocious. They are so lazy, ill-considered and amateurish.

[Remi Moses]

Ain't that the truth .
Jon Ralph is a peanut, but he's amongst a cast of thousands who write and commentate on the game.