Bulldogs to lodge complaint

What do the Bulldogs think, that GWS will wait until October to start approaching players and building their list??

Would be interested to see what the actual rules are around this... obviously the AFL have created this distasteful situation, but aside from players coming clean mid-season and admitting they are leaving (a la Rugby League which I think most people agree is poor), what alternative did the AFL have?

well done bulldogs

$5m for Callan Ward?

Yeah, sure, he's a good player. Probably at a B-grade level now, and might become an A-grader eventually. But that amount of money for him is ludicrous.

Nothing will come of this btw.

What, they are they going to get fined?? ANd who pays that?? Oh yeah, the other 17 clubs (really 16).

What a disgraceful joke this us.

$5m for Callan Ward. He'd be mad not to take it.

Tapping up of a player is a serious concern.

I'm aware it is done in secret by all clubs, but when evidence is presented as it is and a club makes a complaint, a sanction must be imposed.

But, how does the AFL sanction GWS? Remove draft picks?

This is going to become ludicrous.

I think Ward must be going and has gone to the dogs and said "how could I resist? They put it to me 3 weeks ago and said I had 2 weeks to decide."

If he was staying, I don't see why the dogs would go running to the AFL.

I'm aware it is done in secret by all clubs, but when evidence is presented as it is and a club makes a complaint, a sanction must be imposed.

Reading between the lines, my understanding (correct me if I'm wrong) is that GWS can make approaches to players - but not directly to them. I.e. They would approach their manager instead. As such, if Ward himself was approached, it would breach the poaching rules put in place.

Take it Callum. Less for Skulls

Take it Callum. Less for Skulls

Yep. Hate to say it but better them than us.

So do we still believe Tom when GWS have spoken to Ward and he says no one has approached him or his management. Tell me they would go to Scully before Ward.

So do we still believe Tom when GWS have spoken to Ward and he says no one has approached him or his management. Tell me they would go to Scully before Ward.

I believe they have approached Ward.

I'm starting to be very suspicious of these "approaches".

I do believe they are after Tom, and probably callum ward but come on.

According to the sources scull would get 6m over 6, and ward 5 over 5.

Now I understand that they have extra cap room but is this really making any sense in terms of building a side

Either they have a) given up on scully and turned their attention to ward (I hope). Or B ) they are just trying to get clubs to overspend on certain players in order to access others.

E.g. I don't think Cale Morton will be fetching a huge contract anywhere, but after we lock up scully it's probably unlikely the club will see it as possible or reasonable to sign Cale to the money and more importantly the years he will be seeking - suddenly the price GWS pay for Cale is much more reasonable, enough more to entice him to play in such crap colors, but not too much that it prevents them from building a decent list

Yeah no worries, Demetriou has already cleared them.

“There’s a wide range of penalties (if they have) but I’m pretty confident that that is not what they’ve done."

Yeah no worries, Demetriou has already cleared them.

“There’s a wide range of penalties (if they have) but I’m pretty confident that that is not what they’ve done."

Case closed!

So do we still believe Tom when GWS have spoken to Ward and he says no one has approached him or his management. Tell me they would go to Scully before Ward.

Tom Scully is not a liar.

Tom Scully is not a liar.

Tom Scully is not a liar.

Say it enough times until you believe it.

Some one help me here. Just how much is GWS allowed to spend on players each year. Must be one hell of a cap.

Some one help me here. Just how much is GWS allowed to spend on players each year. Must be one hell of a cap

As previously pointed out - it is not only the extra Million in their cap - it is also that they will have an abonormally large amount 1st year draftees that are on fixed (low) salaries for two years - this again gives them more to spend on out of contract players.

I think what will be interesting is their ability to retain drafted players year three - When market forces start to dictate what their true salaries will be. For example Swallows salary will jump dramatically year 3 - I do wonder if both GC17 and GWS will be able to hold the host of budding stars they have.

As with many aspects of the draft and trade rules when they're applied to the new franchises there is a massive conflict of interest here.

The AFL is promoting the new franchises and is committed to them thriving in the competition. That seems to override everything else and if the Bulldogs believe they should be dealt with fairly, they're unlikely to receive what is called natural justice if a conflicted AFL is supposed to be the arbiter on such matters.

Perhaps they're barking up the wrong tree!

As previously pointed out - it is not only the extra Million in their cap - it is also that they will have an abonormally large amount 1st year draftees that are on fixed (low) salaries for two years - this again gives them more to spend on out of contract players.

I think what will be interesting is their ability to retain drafted players year three - When market forces start to dictate what their true salaries will be. For example Swallows salary will jump dramatically year 3 - I do wonder if both GC17 and GWS will be able to hold the host of budding stars they have.

GC and Swallow is interesting, as I believe both Swallow brothers are on record saying they want to play together at some point in their careers.

A lot of clubs will start to target those GC rejects I believe. 5 a year rather than the typical 3 and some of them are going to be pretty good.

Yeah no worries, Demetriou has already cleared them.

“There’s a wide range of penalties (if they have) but I’m pretty confident that that is not what they’ve done."

Was just about to post exactly the same quote. The article suggests it is a "direct and seemingly illegal approach" so where does his confidence come from. In fact if nothing has come "across" his desk about this how on earth could be have an opinion at all about it? 

He also says:

“I think (AFL football operations manager) Adrian Anderson is obliged to make inquiries. I think the media likes using the word investigation, he will probably make some inquiries.”

Hardly fills you with confidence the matter will be seriously looked at when the boss is basically saying  "nothing to see here, move on" to the fans and the silly old media.

His complete dismissal of concerns about a high draft pick going off to GWS after only 2 years (sculls) was similarly contemptuos and his argument that the CEO's signed off on it disengenous at best given the punishment he would mete out if they objected (fixturing, TV exposure, bail out money etc etc)

Geez he has done an ok job but he can come off as a supercillious [censored] can't he?

what alternative did the AFL have?

Maybe the AFL should have aloud the existing clubs to nominate 5-10 players to keep, Then GWS would be able to approach the rest all year. This would seem alot fairer, then straight out getting robbed....

Geez he has done an ok job but he can come off as a supercillious [censored] can't he?

I'd say more pusillanimous.

Just a [censored]

Exceptionally clever diversion from the damaging coverage of the Justin Sherman incident?

There'll be no repercussions for the dogs if the allegations are false.

Callan Ward doesn't seem to have made any sort of statement.

Surprise, surprise. Seriously F*** the AFL I was in the Dogs position I would be really pi$$ed off. What's the point in having rules if they're just allowed to breach them anyway? If the shoe was on the other foot and one of the AFL's pet projects was getting stooged you can bet there would be repercussions.

AFL gives green light for talks between Ward & GWS

Surprise, surprise. Seriously F*** the AFL I was in the Dogs position I would be really pi$$ed off. What's the point in having rules if they're just allowed to breach them anyway? If the shoe was on the other foot and one of the AFL's pet projects was getting stooged you can bet there would be repercussions.

AFL gives green light for talks between Ward & GWS

Exactly - the AFL have two, or maybe better to say multiple sets of rules to cover many situations, but woe betide anyone who dares question this megalomaniac's latest pet project, the expansion.

He knows that it is the right way to go, because He dreamed it up, and He has decided that it must succeed, and stuff the clubs that have been part of the competition long before he or his forebears had even heard of Australua. Bugger tradition. Pay lip service to helping struggling traditional clubs, but let his new pet projects screw them as they start to rise anyway.

The [censored] behaves like Mussolini or Pol Pot ---- "I know what is right, even if it is clearly wrong".