chef
15-07-2011, 08:55 AM
THE AFL has not ruled out Western Bulldog Callan Ward joining Tom Scully in the "top echelon" compensation category if he leaves for Greater Western Sydney.
League football operations manager Adrian Anderson last night confirmed the Dogs could also land two first-round draft picks in return if Ward's contract offer was found to be in the same range as Scully's.
Anderson said Scully's status as a No.1 draft pick was "secondary" in the compensation formula, with a far stronger weighting placed on a player's age and the size of his contract offer from GWS.
Asked if Ward could be worth two first-round picks, Anderson said: "I expect he would, if he was getting paid the same".
But Anderson said he would not speculate further because he had no information that any offer to Ward would be in the Scully ballpark.
"He may be on less money and he is slightly older. It's possible but it depends on what the offer is," Anderson said.
GWS has made an official offer to Scully in the range of $1 million a season over five years. Given Scully is only 20, and the offer puts him in the elite pay bracket, the league has indicated Scully is in the same compensation category as Gary Ablett, who left Geelong for the Gold Coast last year.
Ward is only a year older than Scully and there has been speculation in recent weeks that GWS is prepared to offer him $700,000 to $1 million a season.
The league's salary cap watchdog Ken Wood views each offer before compensation is officially announced and it may be a close call if Ward will earn almost as much as Scully to join the new club.
It is now clear the fact that Scully was a No.1 draft pick and Ward, at No.19, would not play a major role in any compensation decision.
"Pick 20 might end up being the best player in the comp and the most valuable," Anderson said, explaining why draft position was not the main deciding factor.
"There is a panel - Kevin Sheehan and Andrew McKay - and they look at other factors such as performance and where they went in the draft but they are secondary factors.
"The two primary factors are the age of the player and what they are being paid by the new club - the market is the best judgment."
The AFL made a late change to its rules last year to allow Ablett-level special compensation given his superstar status in the game.
Under the rules, any team gaining the maximum compensation of two first-round draft picks would have five years to use them.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ward-could-be-worth-two-prime-picks/story-e6frf9jf-1226094921348
League football operations manager Adrian Anderson last night confirmed the Dogs could also land two first-round draft picks in return if Ward's contract offer was found to be in the same range as Scully's.
Anderson said Scully's status as a No.1 draft pick was "secondary" in the compensation formula, with a far stronger weighting placed on a player's age and the size of his contract offer from GWS.
Asked if Ward could be worth two first-round picks, Anderson said: "I expect he would, if he was getting paid the same".
But Anderson said he would not speculate further because he had no information that any offer to Ward would be in the Scully ballpark.
"He may be on less money and he is slightly older. It's possible but it depends on what the offer is," Anderson said.
GWS has made an official offer to Scully in the range of $1 million a season over five years. Given Scully is only 20, and the offer puts him in the elite pay bracket, the league has indicated Scully is in the same compensation category as Gary Ablett, who left Geelong for the Gold Coast last year.
Ward is only a year older than Scully and there has been speculation in recent weeks that GWS is prepared to offer him $700,000 to $1 million a season.
The league's salary cap watchdog Ken Wood views each offer before compensation is officially announced and it may be a close call if Ward will earn almost as much as Scully to join the new club.
It is now clear the fact that Scully was a No.1 draft pick and Ward, at No.19, would not play a major role in any compensation decision.
"Pick 20 might end up being the best player in the comp and the most valuable," Anderson said, explaining why draft position was not the main deciding factor.
"There is a panel - Kevin Sheehan and Andrew McKay - and they look at other factors such as performance and where they went in the draft but they are secondary factors.
"The two primary factors are the age of the player and what they are being paid by the new club - the market is the best judgment."
The AFL made a late change to its rules last year to allow Ablett-level special compensation given his superstar status in the game.
Under the rules, any team gaining the maximum compensation of two first-round draft picks would have five years to use them.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ward-could-be-worth-two-prime-picks/story-e6frf9jf-1226094921348