Thoughts on Free Agency

[Master Q]

"Even though the 'unrestricted' or 'restricted' status is only determined based on the last year of a player's contract? Players could be earning 1mil a year but if their contract is heavily front-loaded then they can still qualify for unrestricted free agency."

"Players who are in the top 25 per cent of salaries at their club (that is, in the club

Does it not also say "in the relevant contract year"?

shower, copy paste issue stuffed up my post.  cbf typing it up again.

In short, you have to have spent at least 8 years at a club to be unrestricted, regardless of the contract iirc. Unless you are a 2nd year rookie who doesn't want to resign.

[Big Mac]

"Even though the 'unrestricted' or 'restricted' status is only determined based on the last year of a player's contract? Players could be earning 1mil a year but if their contract is heavily front-loaded then they can still qualify for unrestricted free agency."

"Players who are in the top 25 per cent of salaries at their club (that is, in the club

Does it not also say "in the relevant contract year"?

shower, copy paste issue stuffed up my post.  cbf typing it up again.

In short, you have to have spent at least 8 years at a club to be unrestricted, regardless of the contract iirc. Unless you are a 2nd year rookie who doesn't want to resign.

Not sure what you are arguing.

"eligible for restricted free agency the first time they are out of contract, if they have served at least eight years with the club"
"eligible for unrestricted free agency if they have served at least eight years with the club"

A player has to spend at least 8 years at a club to be any type of free agent. But what does that have to do with what I said?
You said that compensation for UFA's makes no sense, but then I said that a player's free agency status (restricted or unrestricted) is only determined "in the relevant contract year" i.e. the final year of their contract. So if a player earns 2 million over 2 years, they would be earning on average 1 million a year, and would easily be in the top 25% of salaries at their club and qualify for restricted free agency. But if their contract was front-loaded so that they earned 1.7 million in the first year and 300k in the second, their low earning final year would not fit in the top 25% of player's salaries and therefore they would be an unrestricted free agent. So you are saying that because this player's contract was front-loaded they should not warrant compensation?

[Master Q]

I'm saying your second paragraph isn't 100% correct  :P

I'm going to leave it though as we may be arguing different things.

IMO clubs should only receive compensation picks for first and second year players.

[Dudge]

In a very uneducated view, as I don't go deep enough into all the rules, it does seem all the unrestricted " better players " seem to leave the lower clubs, with not much chance of a flag, to head to a team with a premiership window' Not saying I/we wouldn't do the same, but it does seem in the infancy of FA is making the stronger clubs stonger

[Grazz]

My two cents is the comp was alot more even before free agency came in. :(

[Mailman the 2nd]

Has done absolutely nothing. Just force players to find trades or make them go into the PSD

[Sweetness]

Saw this on facebook:

GWS and GC to voluntarily delist Ward and Ablett, then buy each others player, get compo picks 5 and 10, then trade the players back. End up with free draft picks.

#logic

[meow meow]

Saw this on facebook:

GWS and GC to voluntarily delist Ward and Ablett, then buy each others player, get compo picks 5 and 10, then trade the players back. End up with free draft picks.

#logic

Picks are awarded on the value of a player lost vs the value of any players gained. They wouldn't get extra picks. Unless they did it over a two year period, which is what the smart teams will do. Melbourne might sign a free agent next year with the Frawley money and they'll have pick 3 for free. The compo picks need to be abolished!

[Big Mac]

Saw this on facebook:

GWS and GC to voluntarily delist Ward and Ablett, then buy each others player, get compo picks 5 and 10, then trade the players back. End up with free draft picks.

#logic

Picks are awarded on the value of a player lost vs the value of any players gained. They wouldn't get extra picks. Unless they did it over a two year period, which is what the smart teams will do. Melbourne might sign a free agent next year with the Frawley money and they'll have pick 3 for free. The compo picks need to be abolished!

What if Nathan Jones leaves via FA next year?

[meow meow]

Then you'll have a flowerton of money to lure other FA's. Stop making it sound like nobody wants to play for Melbourne. Didn't have any trouble luring a young player (Tyson) and an older player (Vince). Lumumba would have signed up this year as a FA if he was able to. Garlett has nominated the Dees as his club of choice. Although it was a fail (not at first), Mitch Clark was lured with a big money contract.

What if we lost Griffen this year then signed Cotchin next year, would we deserve to have an extra first round pick too? Hell no.

[Big Mac]

Then you'll have a flowerton of money to lure other FA's. Stop making it sound like nobody wants to play for Melbourne. Didn't have any trouble luring a young player (Tyson) and an older player (Vince). Lumumba would have signed up this year as a FA if he was able to. Garlett has nominated the Dees as his club of choice. Although it was a fail (not at first), Mitch Clark was lured with a big money contract.

What if we lost Griffen this year then signed Cotchin next year, would we deserve to have an extra first round pick too? Hell no.

Oh sorry - someone would have signed as a FA? Well that's the same thing isn't it? Every player you listed was traded for. If trading works so well (as you say) then why the flower does free agency exist?

You keep assuming the perfect situation where one FA leaves and you receive compo. Then the next season no free agents leave the club and there is another equal standard free agent waiting who doesn't want success, but wants to go to your club over all the other bottom clubs capable of offering the same money.

So far a player has left Melbourne every year via free agency since its inception - Rivers/Moloney, Sylvia, Frawley. So you're just going to assume that this trend won't continue?

Look at what has happened so far:

Good players who have left via FA:

Franklin - Sydney
Goddard - Essendon
Dal Santo - North
Betts - Adelaide
Thomas - Carlton *
Frawley - Hawthorn
Malceski - Gold Coast *

So that's 2/7 free agents in three years who have left to go to a lesser team for money. Although, Carlton were a top-8 side when Thomas signed and Gold Coast clearly have one of the best lists in the competition and will experience success very shortly. A top player is also yet to go to a bottom 6 club via FA. So if it is as easy as offering big contracts to good free agents to get them to a weak club, why hasn't it been happening?

Even looking at Average players:

White - Port Adelaide
Pearce - Freo
Chaplin - Richmond
Rivers - Geelong
Higgins - North

None went to weaker clubs.

[Master Q]

http://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/comments/2gqg6e/a_look_at_free_agency/

Franklin, Betts moved to clubs at similar level btw. Besides, Franklin was looking for a change not a flag, and Betts was pushed out in favour of Daisy.

[Big Mac]

http://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/comments/2gqg6e/a_look_at_free_agency/

Franklin, Betts moved to clubs at similar level btw. Besides, Franklin was looking for a change not a flag, and Betts was pushed out in favour of Daisy.

I never said anything to the contrary?

[Dudge]

http://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/comments/2gqg6e/a_look_at_free_agency/

Franklin, Betts moved to clubs at similar level btw. Besides, Franklin was looking for a change not a flag, and Betts was pushed out in favour of Daisy.

I never said anything to the contrary?

The Franklin bit is a bit of pie in the sky. He saw Sydney as a flag opportunity, too Goode's to refuse. Yeah the Hawks won it, but just saying.  + BIG BICKKIES :P

[Master Q]

http://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/comments/2gqg6e/a_look_at_free_agency/

Franklin, Betts moved to clubs at similar level btw. Besides, Franklin was looking for a change not a flag, and Betts was pushed out in favour of Daisy.

I never said anything to the contrary?

Did you read the link?