http://www.courierma...6-1226492372863

Is anyone else as worried about this as I am!?!?

For them to have a full side worth of 1st rnd draft picks I really feel they will absolutely dominate the AFL for 10 years+ once they get some game time into their players. They will be able to field a full 22 field side and have 3 emergencies, all as 1st rnd picks! That is scaring the hell out of me! They also for 7 or so years have a bigger salery cap than any other club and they will have a bigger list for 7 years and also they have the living allowance in Sydney.

There is an obvious problem that they do face though. They financially will not be, in any way be able to hold onto all of these talented players as they will want more money as they begin to rise is stature. Some homesick players will leave and some that may not be getting enough opportunity will leave and this will bring them back to the field a little, but they should still be lightyears ahead of everyone else, even Gold Coast!

I also fear even though the dees seem to be making the most of their current position (picks wise) and trading to get guns for the future, they will still be trumped with the sheer number of 1st rnd picks that GWS will hold. I really think the decision by the AFL to give the giants such a big helping hand is going to result in one of the biggest blunders ever in the AFL.

Edited October 10, 201212 yr by young dee enthusiast

Being positive and hoping the dees will be pushing for a premiership in a few years . Unfortunately for all of us though is that this dees side is going to be coming good in the same era as the suns and giamts. Just like 88 and 2000 we will be possibly trying to win a cup against some of teh all time great teams. talk about rotten luck.

Look at how many first round picks we have and where they have got us.

They have received a significant leg up, but that is all.

Am I worried about them? Sure, just like I worry what 16 other teams do.

Right now, I worry a lot more about us

Look at how many first round picks we have and where they have got us.

They have received a significant leg up, but that is all.

Am I worried about them? Sure, just like I worry what 16 other teams do.

Right now, I worry a lot more about us

Yeah we did get a few, but the number we got was still nothing compared to them! imagine if they don't stuff any up

If it were as simple as collecting the most high picks we would have played finals this year. Yes it's looking ominous but nothing is written in stone. I have no doubt GWS at least will win a flag because the AFL will ensure it but years of dominance is not something easily achieved. Even Geelong winning 3 flags only won one of them (2009) in the last 2 minutes off a flukey toe poke and another (2011) in the last quarter against a dominant side which had deteriorated towards the end of the season, possibly due to playing into October the year before.

Plus don't forget if we ever do come across them in the big one, at least we will have the home ground advantage.

Also the salary cap decreases each year over the next 7 years until it is on par - they will have the extra COLA like the Swans do (though hopefully in the meantime someone like Eddie gets on their high horse like they did about Brisbane and it is taken off them) but I still think it is going to be impossible for them to keep every single player. GC has already lost one (Caddy) and another never played up to his pre-career expectations (Toy) - another has also signified he wants to head back home (Hickey). GWS looks like it will lose Giles as they won't meet his contract requirements. I think they will lose a few through salary cap pressures/homesickness plus players just not wanting to go through the hard yards in the early years when they're getting smashed every other week in front of 10K people while their mates from junior days are playing big games every other week. They're not going to lose all of them but there's no doubt some will fall from the tree.

GWS I feel are in a better position than GC just because they seem to be developing a better culture - it's difficult to say in these early days but it really does seem they're ingraining that "us against them" Sheedy mentality which may assist them to keep players down the track. But nothing is inevitable and as we well know it is hard enough to win just one flag let alone 2, 3 or 4.

EDIT: With regards to the salary cap - they will also have extra players on their list during the period of time it is decreasing - I haven't looked very far for anything official but an old 2009 article from the clubs inception states they will $60K extra for each additional player on their list above 38 plus the average veterans allowance (approx. $375K) that other clubs receive. The veterans list rules have changed so I'm not sure how that is factored in but they also have extra rookie spots on their list (up to 9) in addition to the extra players. As their list reduces their salary cap will too and many of their first round draft picks will be offered decent sized contracts to jump ship (they would be on minimum wage currently as they are on their first contract. This won't mean they will all leave but it may be enough to squeeze a couple out.

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=86208

Edited October 10, 201212 yr by Dr. Gonzo

Sounds like Scully might become the most expensive back pocket in VFL/AFL history.

2001 super draft first round - 19 players total:

4 stars (Hodge, Ball, Judd, Bartel)

7 okay-to-good players (Polak, Hale, Reilly, Dal Santo, Ladson, Kelly, Gram) [And I've been generous in some of these cases]

8 duds (X.Clarke, Sampi, Molan, S.Power, Cole, A.Watson, Brooks, S.Harvey)

Pro-rate that against GWS's 25 first rounders and you get 5 stars, 9 ok players and 11 duds. Also a club with too many star players on its list is going to end up under a massive salary cap squeeze; though we've seen clubs like Brisbane Lions and Geelong manage this in the past.

Sure 5 stars is scary on that scale, but that's the very very worst case. With the numbers of absolute lemons that have been picked in the first round even in strong drafts, I don't think the GWS list will be as terrifying as some seem to think.

2001 super draft first round - 19 players total:

4 stars (Hodge, Ball, Judd, Bartel)

7 okay-to-good players (Polak, Hale, Reilly, Dal Santo, Ladson, Kelly, Gram) [And I've been generous in some of these cases]

8 duds (X.Clarke, Sampi, Molan, S.Power, Cole, A.Watson, Brooks, S.Harvey)

Pro-rate that against GWS's 25 first rounders and you get 5 stars, 9 ok players and 11 duds. Also a club with too many star players on its list is going to end up under a massive salary cap squeeze; though we've seen clubs like Brisbane Lions and Geelong manage this in the past.

Sure 5 stars is scary on that scale, but that's the very very worst case. With the numbers of absolute lemons that have been picked in the first round even in strong drafts, I don't think the GWS list will be as terrifying as some seem to think.

I hope you're right!

2001 super draft first round - 19 players total:

4 stars (Hodge, Ball, Judd, Bartel)

7 okay-to-good players (Polak, Hale, Reilly, Dal Santo, Ladson, Kelly, Gram) [And I've been generous in some of these cases]

8 duds (X.Clarke, Sampi, Molan, S.Power, Cole, A.Watson, Brooks, S.Harvey)

Pro-rate that against GWS's 25 first rounders and you get 5 stars, 9 ok players and 11 duds. Also a club with too many star players on its list is going to end up under a massive salary cap squeeze; though we've seen clubs like Brisbane Lions and Geelong manage this in the past.

Sure 5 stars is scary on that scale, but that's the very very worst case. With the numbers of absolute lemons that have been picked in the first round even in strong drafts, I don't think the GWS list will be as terrifying as some seem to think.

You're looking at one draft. GWS has effectively accumulated the top 5 picks over three drafts

You're looking at one draft. GWS has effectively accumulated the top 5 picks over three drafts

2 drafts.

So, when does poaching season officially start?

I smell a $cully payback on the cards.

No wonder GWS were playing nice with their MD picks.

Not worried in the least. Firstly let's see them keep them all and secondly a champion team beats a team of champions. In reality theyre just an amalgamation of limited experienced kids. As Neeld recognizes until there's an average of 80-100 games across the board they're not as competitive as those that have.

It'll be at least 10 years til the DNA is furtive

Hawthorn has a lot of first round draft pick players. Good team. Sydney beat them. How many first round draft picks did they have playing?

No doubt GWS will eventually be a good side, but first round draft picks don't necessarily result in gun players. Look at Richmond in 2005. Look at us in recent times.

Some of their top picks won't work out. Others will leave to return home.

Don't panic.

Don't panic.

The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Good luck keeping a quarter of them

We target their kids. As soon as those contracts are up we swoop. A number of them will be dying to come back to civilization.

This "war chest" should be opened just for GWS. Oh to target Green/Cameron/Cognilio- it would just... it would just be so so sweet.