here we go again

head for the hills the sky's falling !!

someone hasnt signed..( yet )

big deal...honestly.

The difference between a rival offer and our matching it (while paying 95% of the SC) is, in the equivilent of a "rounding error".

James is entitled to not the see ball come flying into the backline so often and so fast. Must be hard for him having been there for the shyte years.

However, leadership is an interesting concept in these truncated careers. If I got only 10 years in my peak earnings phase, as someone coming in with zero assets and plenty of dependencies, then I would look to maximise that. As would most folks if they're being honest.

But is leadership in this short context transportable? Does running away from something as one of the better players in a train wreck = commercial value (and does it constitute leadership?) ?

End of ramble....

I think most players at MFC would have been earning at or above there maximum value from early dorrs, especially over the last 5 years. Paying players front loaded contracts and high value contracts just so we can pay the minimum of the salary cap.

Jack Watts, Bellchambers, Boak, Travis Cloke, Pavlich...

There have been plenty of other players to put off talks, even til the end of the season, and then re-sign.

Start worrying if we get to round 11 and only have 1 win, and our losses are beltings.

Edited January 30, 201411 yr by Machsy

Not one poster here would not do the same.

My gut feeling is that he'll stay - but gut feelings and reality don't share a postcode.

I do hope he stays but in the event he doesn't do we have a clear picture on what is happening with compensation picks. The afl indicated in October last year that they were open to reviewing it with the potential to scrap the picks. Has there been any news on this?

Unfortunately this is going to happen now...this is Free Agency...we just have to suck it up as hard as it is.

But certainly Chip is a required player at Demonland!

Free agency - The bane of struggling clubs. Will only ever favoure the powefull

Seems like common sense to me.

Who'd blame him if he decided to leave after a 3 win season. The only player who I reckon would truly stay loyal at the club for his whole career would be Grimes.

And I don't believe we'd match any other offers if he wants out. No other club has matched an offer since FA has come in. Would be the equivalent of keeping a disgruntled girlfriend who has the hots for someone far more attractive (ie -Hawthorn)

Edited January 30, 201411 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

I wonder if Georgiou was recruited with this possibility in mind?

I wonder if Georgiou was recruited with this possibility in mind?

I wouldn't think so he is a mid size defender, to short to play a key role.

here we go again

head for the hills the sky's falling !!

someone hasnt signed..( yet )

big deal...honestly.

Just someone we should replace in 2015 BB

If we show a little bit, he'll stay. The fact that he's talking about delaying talks, not waiting until the end of the season has us in the box seat. Let's be honest, I don't know how many of us will be hanging around if we don't show something this year.

Wasn't there a story going around during the trade period that he would have been traded if he indicated that he wanted out?

Apparently he indicated that he wanted to stay but see how the season unfolds.

None of us like hearing or reading about him not signing yet but in all honesty who the hell could blame him for leaving.

IMO the longer it drags out the more chance he is of leaving.

For all we know the hawks could already have him lined up with a nice big fat juicy contract and with at a successful club too.

Time will tell and it's going to be another long year.

The best way to handle this is to accept that he will go elsewhere... no emotional involvement, just enjoy his final season with the Dees. I repeat, "do not get emotionally involved".

That may be best for your personal sanity but there is emotional involvement because he would be making a judgment call on our club. We celebrate when they get a kick, and sign a contract, to say that we can be so detached about one of our more important player leaving is delusional.

Only an insane person would do otherwise.

And yet there are many who routinely expect the insane, and damned a sane Watts last year for his delay and obsfucation.

Can anyone tell me how this restricted free agency thing works? If we match an offer from another club is Chip locked in to the terms of that contract with us? By that I mean the length of the contract. So for example if the Suns were to offer 6 or 8 years for X dollars and we match it, is Chip locked in to being a Dee for that period? If so this could work out in our favour and it would be smart management to make sure our gun players fall out of contract in their restricted years rather than unrestricted years.

Just found out that he is a restricted free agent. Surely we will match his offer which means that we either keep him, or get a decent player in return.

Ok - I have a thread out there somewhere that I will bump if this continues into the latter half of the season but the clift notes:

- Frawley is a RFA (and we are assuming that he is in the top 10 paid players at the club - if he is then he can go anywhere for anything)

- Clubs can offer him a contract in October (or already has been offered last October)

- IF Frawley agrees to that contract, AND if we decide to 'match' that offer (a HUGE if due to the fact that you don't want to keep players who want to leave and he would net a very good pick) there are two possibilities at this stage: 1 - he signs with our 'matched' contract so we keep him on someone else's terms, OR Frawley decides to go into the National or Pre-Season Draft.

I will repeat that last line because many don't understand - Restricted Free Agents can still go into the National or Pre-Season Drafts instead of staying at their club.

Possible Outcomes:

Frawley stays on our terms.

OR

Frawley stays on someone else's terms.

OR

Frawley leaves and we get approx. Nat Draft Pick 5.

OR

Frawley leaves through the Draft and we get nothing.

The first and third options are far more likely than the second and fourth options.

Win 4 matches in the first half of the season, be competitive and he'll have no reason to leave. It's what we all want.

Did anyone honestly expect him to sign before the season starts. He is waiting to see how the club shapes up this year, which is exactly what we all said he would and should do a few months back.

He isn't gone, as long as we start heading the right direction.

Edited January 30, 201411 yr by Forest Demon

Of course he'll stay! In one of his interviews late 2013 he claimed to 'bleed red and blue' for the Demons (see link below) and in the same month he stated that he wanted to remain in the leadership group going forward. Neither of these articles were emanating from a player who did not see his future with Melbourne.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-10-02/frawley-still-a-true-demon-in-dark-times

DEFENDER James Frawley says he still bleeds red and blue, despite conceding that the past seven seasons - in particular from 2011-13 - have been extremely trying.

Frawley, who was drafted at No. 12 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft (the year Melbourne last made the finals), said he was eager to help the Demons start the climb up the ladder next year under new coach Paul Roos.

“Me and Garlo (Colin Garland) came to the club at the same time, and we’ve had some pretty lean years, but I love this place,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“Jade Rawlings says the old line ‘if you cut the vein, it’ll bleed red and blue’, which they probably are [in my case].

“I love this place, but all I want to do is see improvement in the group … hopefully we can improve next year and get a few wins.”

Some assorted links below:

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-06-11/frawley-keen-to-stay-loyal-to-demons

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-10-15/frawley-keen-to-stay-in-leadership-group

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-10-09/players-need-to-drive-change-frawley

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-08-25/we-wasted-our-chances-frawley

I wouldn't think so he is a mid size defender, to short to play a key role.

I was thinking Garland -> Frawley, Georgiou -> Garland

Can we like Chip just wait and see, he is only one player, yes a very good one, but loyalty and footy are not in the same sentence any more, it is now money and footy...........he is like us, he doesn't want to see the ball coming in lace out to an opposition full forward with space to lead into on a regular basis.....he wants to see a bit of success, not only will this be more enjoyable to play, but it will bring in more money as well

...he claimed to 'bleed red and blue' for the Demons (see link below) and in the same month he stated that he wanted to remain in the leadership group going forward. Neither of these articles were emanating from a player who did not see his future with Melbourne.

"hey I heard someone was talking about me...."

Can someone please tell me he's not managed by Pickering?

He looked miserable in 2012 and possibly slightly less last year but still pretty miserable. As many have said, who could blame him. I don't think it would be fair to him to babble on about it being about money. He has probably suffered more on the field than anyone else being at the pointy end of the defence all these years. I would hate to feel what it's like to turn up to work everyday, do your absolute best and come away feeling like a complete looser.

Having said all of that I can't help thinking that if there are real signs that a new regime is actually turning the place around and that this playing group isn't broken beyond repair, then my guess is he is probably more likely than not to stay.

Watts said the same thing last year before Roos was appointed and then saw the right things being put in place and gave a very solid commitment with a 3 year contract.

U know what I am sick of?

I am sick of being a target for other clubs to pinch our players.

I am sick of being the joke of the AFL.

I am sick of losing.

I am sick of players wanting to leave.

I have had a gut full of bad seasons.

It needs to change this season and hopefully with PR at the helm and the injection of new players and existing ones given a new lease on life it will happen.

Must admit I am a bit nervous about the 2014 season and how we will perform.

Restricted free agent

We will match any offer for him

Nothing to worry about