AFL Rich 100: Revealing the bargain and bust contracts in the AFL for the 2023 season
With a big deal comes big expectations. Who is living up to their high price tag and who is yet to repay the faith? See the best and worst value deals in the AFL.
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It’s been the trend in recent years, can you have a cut-priced superstar on your list to help manage your salary cap while you’re in the premiership window?
It was a mantra of Hawthorn’s three-peat in the early 2010s and is still a strong trend as shown in the 2023 AFL Rich 100.
Tom Stewart is the poster boy down at the Cattery with the four-time All Australian following in the footsteps of teammates Patrick Dangerfield and Tom Hawkins in not commanding top-end salaries to allow them to lure opposition players in the trade period, Jeremy Cameron, Jack Bowes, Ollie Henry, and Tanner Bruhn say hello.
It’s a similar scenario at Brisbane. Josh Dunkley left the Western Bulldogs and has slotted himself alongside Lachie Neale as the premier midfielders for the Lions but his bargain base salary is a far cry from his output so far this season.
But where there’s value there’s also players who aren’t living up to their price tag.
West Coast paid a high price for their 2018 premiership with Elliot Yeo, Jack Darling, Andrew Gaff and Jeremy McGovern all commanding more than $700,000 despite a severe lack of durability in recent seasons.
At Carlton, Zac Williams’ long-term injury is unfortunate given his hefty contract while Mitch McGovern’s value will continue to dominate right through to October’s trade period with the Blues unlikely to pay the intercept defender him $750,000 plus deal again.
See all the super value contracts and some that are not-so-much below.
SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE FULL AFL RICH 100 AND HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE BEST AND WORST DEALS IN THE LEAGUE
10 SUPER VALUE CONTRACTS
SHAI BOLTON, $600,000-$700,000
Is arguably Richmond’s most important and dynamic player heading into the post-Damien Hardwick era and at least this year he is still sitting on that old deal on around $600,000. That’s exceptional value, given his output and his ability to change a game in an instant. Has since signed a bumper five-year deal which will kick in next year. That will better reflect his worth to the team, and push the midfielder/forward almost into the $1 million bracket.
CONNOR ROZEE, $650,000-$750,000
The Port Adelaide star and his mate Zak Butters are destined to become $1 million players in the future. For the moment, their current deals look ridiculously good value for money. Rozee is on between $650,000 to $750,000 for the next two seasons, while Butters is on just $500,000 until 2025 and is just outside of the top 100 right now. Port Adelaide knows they are going to have to pony up on big deals in the coming years.
JACK SINCLAIR, $550,000-$650,000
One of the best value players in the top 100 as he transformed from good player into one of the Saints’ most critical players. His latest deal was signed in the middle of 2021, but he has since taken his game to a new level. The Saints will need to start work on a potential long-term deal as he comes out of contract at the end of 2024.
TOM STEWART $625,000-$725,000
How do the Cats do it? The way they keep players happy — and keep bringing more in — while keeping the salary cap smoothed out is the most savvy in the competition. How is it that a player as important as Tom Stewart is paid between $625,000-$725,000 when he would earn so much more anywhere else. Add to that the skipper Patrick Dangerfield who only just squeezed into top 100, while Tom Hawkins and Mark Blicavs are just outside the Rich 100.
TIM TARANTO $700,000-$800,000
Not worth $750,000? Not in the AFL’s top 150 players? Please! Tim Taranto has been a revelation for Richmond since making the move from the Giants late last year and he has quite rightly has firmed into one of the leading Brownlow Medal candidates. He has taken his game to a new level and with his deal spread out across seven seasons, he is proving to be very good value.
TOBY GREENE $850,000-$950,000
Is it strange to say that someone earning around $900,000 per season is good value for money? Well, it is when you are talking about the face of the Greater Western Sydney Giants in skipper Toby Greene. He is the lifeblood of this team and his contribution could be so much higher than it is. He will be a Giant for life and at his best he is one of the best five players in the competition. Superstar!
JORDAN DE GOEY $775,000-$875,000
Nick Daicos is the best value for money player at Collingwood, earning in the mid-$200ks in his second season. He is set for a monster payday in the years ahead. But one of the other Pie bargains in a different sense is Jordan De Goey’s deal. Before his recent suspension the Collingwood midfielder was playing like a $1 million player, but he accepted less to stay. St Kilda was the biggest suitor but in the end De Goey chose to stick with what he knew best and if he can have a flawless run through to the end of the season — and the Pies push for a flag — this $800,000-plus deal will look ridiculously cheap.
JOSH DUNKLEY, $625,000-$725,000
Not many club best and fairest winners exit a club, but Dunkley wanted a fresh start at the Lions and his output has been of an exceptionally standard in his first year up north. He could have demanded more, but was happy to leave some money on the table. At his best, he is worth $800,000 or more, so the Lions have got themselves a nice deal.
JORDAN DAWSON $650,000-$750,000
Can you believe there was a time when some questioned whether the Crows had paid too much for Jordan Dawson when he left the Swans to come home? Not anymore! He’s not only one of Adelaide’s most important players, his leadership on and off the field as skipper has played a significant part in the Crows’ more competitive edge. Great value.
CHARLIE CURNOW $650,000-$750,000
Could it be back-to-back Coleman Medals for Carlton star forward Charlie Curnow? The Blues have had a difficult season, especially with their scoring woes, but Curnow has still managed to turn in some good performance on his old deal that sits at around $700k. The big deal kicks in next season, but for the moment, he is providing good value for money.
THE NOT-SO-GOOD VALUE CONTRACTS
CHAD WINGARD, $700,000 - $800,000
Injuries and inconsistent form, as well as change in the Hawthorn list dynamic, has meant Wingard’s output for the Hawks has been limited in recent times. Does that mean he could be on the move at the end of 2023 as a fresh start could be the right thing for both parties?
GRIFFIN LOGUE, $600,000-$700,000
The Kangaroos copped criticism for offering the former Dockers defender a five-year deal netting around $650,000 per season. He hasn’t yet lived up to that return in his first season at the club, but in fairness, it hasn’t been much fun being a Kangaroos defender. He also had an interrupted preseason, so let’s give him some time. In fairness to the Kangas, you have to pay a premium to wrest a rival player out of a club. Still, Logue needs to do more.
ZAC WILLIAMS $700,000-$800,000
Williams has had a wretched run with injury since joining Carlton from the Giants, which means he hasn’t had the chance to justify what the Blues agreed to pay him. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. Still three years to run on this deal. Can he turn it around in 2024? The Blues need him to, as he can play a valuable role off half back.
MITCH MCGOVERN $750,000-$850,000
There will be relief when McGovern’s deal comes to an end later this year. It hasn’t been value for money, partly because the defender has struggled to find consistency in form and continuity in his body. His best is good enough, but we don’t see it often enough. If he happens to stay with the Blues, it will be at a vastly reduced rate.
JEREMY MCGOVERN $1,000,000-$1,100,000
Has been a warrior for the Eagles and was a key member of the club’s 2018 premiership side, but injuries have cruelled him in recent years. Is still exceptionally well paid, and he knows it, so that’s why he has been prepared to take pay cuts in the past two years to help even it out. Has just signed a new two-year deal on a reduced rate and hopefully at 31 he can get back to his best in 2024.
BRADLEY HILL $825,000-$925,000
Ross Lyon has been a breath of fresh air for Brad Hill as he is starting to play some good footy again, But is he a $825,000-$925,000 player? The short answer is no. The Saints put him on a bumper deal to get him from the Dockers and it hasn’t quite panned out as well as anyone would have hoped. But there is no doubt he is playing better under Rossy.
ANDREW GAFF $750,000-$850,000
This is the final year of Gaff’s unusual deal which was initially a two-year commitment then with a trigger of four more. It’s worth around $800,000 this season. He’s been a good servant of the Eagles, but he’s not playing at the top end level at the moment. Almost returned home to Victoria once before, and that’s what forced West Coast to offer the big deal.
ELLIOT YEO $700,000-$800,000
You can see why the Eagles offered up big time for Elliot Yeo when he was in his prime as he was one of the club’s best players. But his body has let him down in recent years and the deal hasn’t quite worked out. Sometimes that happens in footy. The hope is that once he gets the continuity in his body, that his output will go back to his best years.
JADE GRESHAM $600,000-$700,000
Hasn’t reached the level that the Saints thought he would off the back of some injuries and some inconsistent form. Just doesn’t impact games often enough but has undoubted talent. Could be on the move next season so it will be a watch this space.
JACK DARLING $700,000-$800,000
You can understand why the Eagles had this premiership forward in the high end bracket of their salary cap figures, but his drop off — and West Coast’s lack of competitiveness — has hurt the value of this deal. He wants to stay and has one more year of the deal remaining.
SCOTT LYCETT $600,000-$700,000
While this figure looks overs now, that’s what happens in the weird and wonderful world of free agency. Again, at his best, he can be the kind of weapon ruckman that the Power can use so effectively in their flag chase. He has shown in recent times that he can take on and beat the best big men in the game. He just needs to do it more often.
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