Think this belongs in this forum - as it's all about the consequences of drafting.

Seems to me, with the exit of McLean (who would have been offered a contract of, say, $300-350k?) that we almost have to get a marquee player, one who realistically commands $700k or so.

Either that or special dispensation from the AFL to pay below 92.5% of SC.

If we don't, front loading of contracts of our young players will become absurd.

And if we do have to get a marquee player. Who? Who's available? Who'd want to come to the MFC?

(2 ironies in all this for me:

1. 2 years ago, we were maxed out on SC - and getting flogged. Today, we are a better team, realistically at 80% of SC

2. Financially, with new MCG deal & debt demolition etc, we are in our best position financially than we have been for ages.

So it goes)

Thoughts?

No point in getting a marquee player for the sake of it. Front loading is best bet for now.

Is it possible that part of the reason for delay on Davey's contract is that we're figureing out how much we need to pay him, and how much to frontload it, in order to push us above the require player payments?

Also, note that frontloading contracts for 2010 means that there will again be a dip in 2011, for another round of front loading, and so the cycle continues. Hopefully we can keep it up until we have a couple of stars (from the Davey, Moloney, Rivers, Sylvia, Jamar group) on the veterans list, cutting their official salary for cap purposes to half. Eventually retirements to the last of the guns of 2000 (Green, Bruce) will open up even more space.

Our salary cap position should mean that we are able to keep this amazing group of kids together for the full run. And after this draft, it's actually quite likely that we'll have the positional requirements all in place for the next decade, with the bare minimum (3 required) delistings/picks in each draft keeping the group tight and stable.

If someones on offer, why not. We got the room, and we got the need, especially if it is a key forward.

If someones on offer, why not. We got the room, and we got the need, especially if it is a key forward.

Mentioned here that Bradshaw from the lions may be available.

But he's 31 in Nov.

Davey on a new contract, frontloaded, will earn near a $1m.

Gotta pay someone.

Davey on a new contract, frontloaded, will earn near a $1m.

Gotta pay someone.

Confirmed?

i don't think we need to buy a marquee player, i reckon we develop our own marquee player(s). but if we were to go after a marquee player, i would only consider looking at players 24 & <24 years of age

Liam Jurrah, Aaron Davey and Jack Grimes.

Let alone the two Number one picks.

We're laughing.

Liam Jurrah, Aaron Davey and Jack Grimes.

Let alone the two Number one picks.

We're laughing.

Why stop there?

Cale Morton, Jack Watts... Sam Blease, James Strauss... I can keep going and going

i know he isn't marquee but would luke ball be worth a shot ?( i cringe as i do this, because i more than most hate the ... what about player x posts)

he is better than mclean, has is no longer number 1 picked at his club and we have trading currency now...

if we got rid (and by this i mean actually let him go) of mclean because his body wasn't right then ball might be an option. if we did it because we believe this sort of player doesnt fit into the modern game, then maybe ball wouldnt be.

an interesting possibility nonetheless, albeit with bugger all chance of happening

Goose Maguire??? Luke Ball???? Shaun Burgoyne????

pay Davey whatever he wants to get him to sign that contract!

Guys, read the OP.

Mono is talking about using the mandatory 92.5% of the salary cap that we are about 82-85% at this minute.

You can give a silly salary to someone like a Burgoyne or a Ball, or you can spread the love around to all our very good young players and inflate their salary so much that in 3 years time we can't fit them all in.

Have a think about that and then post in this thread.

That was patronising, I apologise.

I'm antsy and anxious, and a little sleepy.

Why stop there?

Cale Morton, Jack Watts... Sam Blease, James Strauss... I can keep going and going

Ive seen Morton and Watts do some good thins, (Watts mainly at casey) but all i have to go on is hearsay with Blease and Strauss....

Is Strauss actually that good?

I have no doubt we will need a marquee player soon, just to make the salary cap. But it isn't this year. Who would want to play for us this year, the way we treat our better players I doubt we'll be able to attract a decent player for 2 years.

When we start to drag ourselves off the bottom of the ladder and we become a promising side marquee players will start to filter in, and we'll have room in the salary cap to attract them as well, that is when we should jump.