2015 Headline Free Agents

[Mofra]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

I have to admit at the start of pre-season I was really hoping we'd target a tall backman free agent this year, but the more I think about it the more I want us to leave FA alone.

Yes we'll front-load Boyd's contract next year and have signed up our future A graders to 1-2 contract extensions beyond their AFL mandated 2 year contracts, but then what?
Bonti has surpassed all expectations and is practically our marquee player at age 19. He just beat a tag on the weekend through sheer workrate (10 tackles!) and is already being compared with Pendles. He will be on huge money.

Libba when fit is elite. Stringer & Macrae will command big dollars, and this year we are likely to obtain a high draft pick which, considering Dalrymple's last few drafts, is likely to be a gun.

We may end up with 6+ A graders on our list plus a range of better than average players who will soak up the cap in time.

[boydogs]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

I have to admit at the start of pre-season I was really hoping we'd target a tall backman free agent this year, but the more I think about it the more I want us to leave FA alone.

We've been back and forth on KPD's a few times, but does the fact Joel Hamling can't get a game, let alone Fletcher Roberts, change your view?

[westdog54]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

We've been back and forth on KPD's a few times, but does the fact Joel Hamling can't get a game, let alone Fletcher Roberts, change your view?

To me if says that our KPD stocks might be stronger than we've given credit for.

If also says that the season is only one round old.

[boydogs]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

To me if says that our KPD stocks might be stronger than we've given credit for.

If also says that the season is only one round old.

True. Though no-one has Hamling as an in this week in the selection thread so that's 2 weeks. He and Roberts might need to work on their forward craft and challenge Redpath for a spot in the side

[Remi Moses]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

I have to admit at the start of pre-season I was really hoping we'd target a tall backman free agent this year, but the more I think about it the more I want us to leave FA alone.

Yes we'll front-load Boyd's contract next year and have signed up our future A graders to 1-2 contract extensions beyond their AFL mandated 2 year contracts, but then what?
Bonti has surpassed all expectations and is practically our marquee player at age 19. He just beat a tag on the weekend through sheer workrate (10 tackles!) and is already being compared with Pendles. He will be on huge money.

Libba when fit is elite. Stringer & Macrae will command big dollars, and this year we are likely to obtain a high draft pick which, considering Dalrymple's last few drafts, is likely to be a gun.

We may end up with 6+ A graders on our list plus a range of better than average players who will soak up the cap in time.

My thinking as well . We've got some high class young talent that should be well remunerated, and we could run into some issues down the track.
One for the bean counters, but if I were Patrick Dangerfield we'd be a better option on field wise than Geelong

[Mofra]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

We've been back and forth on KPD's a few times, but does the fact Joel Hamling can't get a game, let alone Fletcher Roberts, change your view?

The fact that a skinny slow developer and a guy with an interrupted pre-season who hasn't managed a full year of senior football at any level yet hasn't played is not surprising at all.

Given the size of forwardline I do believe teams will need three legitimate KPD sized players as part of the back 6. Morris still fights above his height even with Roughy & Talia back there and there is no obvious replacement.

[Sedat]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

At the risk of being shot down I wouldn't bother chasing Dangerfield, he's a good player but his reputation is better than his output. He plays mostly inside (not as well as Libba) and doesn't do enough on the outside. For what he'd cost we could spend the money better.

My preferred next FA target would still be a gun key defender with pace or a lockdown small defender. They'd cost less too.

Appreciate you're not saying we should only be chasing Dangerfield btw BT

I would throw the king's ransom at Daniel Talia in 2017 (assuming he is out of contract at the end of 2016). Otherwise happy to keep the current list growing and developing in 2015 and 2016 as we are realistically not going to be a top 4/premiership threat. Dangerfield is a (very, very) nice cherry on top, but someone like Daniel Talia is the solid frame on the best house imaginable.

[Sedat]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

Just exploring the Dangerfield situation in more detail. When Chris Judd left West Coke at the end of 2007 he was every bit as damaging and brilliant a burst midfielder as Dangerfield is right now - similar age at the time as well if I'm not mistaken. He wasn't a FA as such but his addition to Carlton has not resulted in much on-field success for them at all, and he has maintained a high standard of play during his time at Carlton. Judd did come to Carlton a little banged up and has had to adjust his role (more inside, less outside) to suit - I would suggest with the kamikaze way that Dangerfield goes about his footy, he will follow a very similar path to Judd later in his career. For that reason I would be reluctant to enter the bidding frenzy that will accompany Dangerfield at the end of this season.

[Happy Days]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

Just exploring the Dangerfield situation in more detail. When Chris Judd left West Coke at the end of 2007 he was every bit as damaging and brilliant a burst midfielder as Dangerfield is right now - similar age at the time as well if I'm not mistaken. He wasn't a FA as such but his addition to Carlton has not resulted in much on-field success for them at all, and he has maintained a high standard of play during his time at Carlton. Judd did come to Carlton a little banged up and has had to adjust his role (more inside, less outside) to suit - I would suggest with the kamikaze way that Dangerfield goes about his footy, he will follow a very similar path to Judd later in his career. For that reason I would be reluctant to enter the bidding frenzy that will accompany Dangerfield at the end of this season.

Dangerfield has a lot more tread on his tyres than post-WCE Judd, but I agree that he just isn't worth it from a cost-benefit perspective.

It's almost like picking a Supercoach side in a way; by not tying up $700k in Ablett, you can spread the love to areas that need it more.

[chef]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

Judds groin was screwed though, plus the blues paid way over what he was worth.

[Bornadog]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

I would love Dangerfield at the club. I think he is explosive, exciting and can be anything.

[Axe Man]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

I would love to steal a Suns player as payback for Harbrow. Would we have any interest in one of these talls at the end of 2016? Smith as a Minson replacement, Dixon as a Forward/Ruck or Thompson as another big key back alongside Roughy?

Suns knocking on free agency door

GOLD Coast talls Charlie Dixon, Rory Thompson and Zac Smith could become free agents at the end of next season after just six years in the AFL, while teammate Danny Stanley could become eligible after seven years' senior service at his second club.

Given free agency's minimum eligibility period is eight years and Gold Coast did not enter the competition until 2011, no other Suns will qualify until 2018 at the earliest.

However, AFL.com.au understands Dixon, Thompson and Smith will be deemed to have completed eight years at the Suns if they play there to the end of next season because they were eligible for the 2008 national draft but bypassed it to sign with Gold Coast.

Knowing that the Suns would only field a TAC Cup team in 2009 and a VFL team in 2010, the three Queenslanders were effectively putting their AFL careers on hold for two years.

But those two years' service outside the AFL will count towards the trio's free agency eligibility.

Former Magpie Stanley also played in the Suns' VFL team in 2010 after Gold Coast took him in the rookie draft at the end of 2009, with that year's service making him eligible for free agency in 2017 if he remains at the Suns.

Dixon, Thompson and Smith were among the first players to sign with Gold Coast as part of the club's initial local concession picks, at a time when the Suns were still bidding for an AFL licence.

Fellow Queenslander Dayne Beams was also heavily courted by the Suns in 2008, but opted to nominate for the draft and was selected by Collingwood at pick No.29.

In his first two seasons, Beams played 43 games and was a member of the Magpies' 2010 premiership team.

Dixon, Thompson and Smith had to wait until 2011 to make their AFL debuts.

All three foundation Suns are contracted to the end of this season, so could bypass free agency next year by re-signing with the club beyond 2016 or moving to a rival club.

However, they will become eligible if they sign one-year contract extensions this year.

Stanley is contracted at the Suns to the end of 2016 and would join the 2017 free agency pool if he signs a one-year extension.

Six other current Suns played in the club's 2010 VFL team but that year will not count towards their free agency service.

Five of those players – Brandon Matera, Trent McKenzie, Tom Nicholls, Matt Shaw and Luke Russell – were among the 17-year-old concession picks the Suns took ahead of the 2010 draft.

The other, David Swallow, would become the No.1 pick later that year but was given AFL permission to play for the Suns in the VFL ahead of the draft.

Given the 2010 draft was the first that all six players were eligible to enter, their Gold Coast careers are deemed to start from that time for free agency purposes.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

I'd take any of the above. The salaries might not be too excessive, and at no draft pick or player costs. For sure.

If the Suns think they might go out the door for free agency draft picks (which will stall their development), they may be motivated to trade at year's end. They have a good coach who was always fair in trading and might like to have Minno or his others favourites back with him again...

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

Thompson would be a good get.

[Maddog37]

Re: 2015 Headline Free Agents

Thompson would be a good get.

He is a poor kick......