Moneyball: The latest contract updates and trade news in the AFL
The AFL wants to implement a mid-season trade period next year – but how will it affect the salary cap, player contracts and club lists? Here’s how it could all play out.
How would AFL clubs get around the salary cap implications of the mid-season trade period the AFL is keen to implement as part of a player movement overhaul next year?
AFL clubs believe there are three possible outcomes.
1. The club that trades a player to a rival for more opportunity might have to retain his salary for that season while he plays elsewhere, rewarded by the draft pick they secure in exchange.
2. Their new club might be given flexibility to absorb their new player’s salary but push it forward into the TPP over the next two or three years.
3. Or their new club might have to push back existing contracts into later seasons – back-ending current deals – to create the space to sign their new player under the existing cap.
Veteran player manager Colin Young has been at the front of the queue advocating for a mid-season trade period.
He believes only three or four players might move each year, but it might revitalise their careers.
“If a player was happy to be traded for more opportunities and his existing club secured a quality pick you would think they would pay a considerable amount of his salary that year so that trade could go through,” Young said.
“If you are a good list manager everything is negotiable and everything can be manoeuvred. Plenty of clubs need key backs and this year would have been willing to trade good picks in a mid-season trade period to get one in the middle of the year. If it brings longevity to a player’s AFL career and even adds two or three years, why wouldn’t the AFL go for it.”
Dons make their move in bid to keep star defender
Essendon has officially lodged a contract offer for free agent Mason Redman as part of its hard court press to secure the brilliant rebounding defender.
But his contract decision is still likely to be pushed back until the end of the season as he assesses strong rival interest.
Redman was handed a comprehensive pitch by Essendon about its future direction that involved Simon Madden, a club legend who also wore the No.27 jumper.
Essendon has huge cap space, but the offer to Redman is not likely to be enough for him to immediately sign up with Brad Scott’s side.
The Dons would have to offer 25-year-old Redman a five-year deal – likely above $600,000 – to secure his signature.
The Herald Sun revealed in round 5 Adelaide had significant interest in Redman.
He might well still stay but Brisbane is keen on Adelaide free agent Tom Doedee, and if he left, the Crows would be even more determined to find an intercept marking defender.
Tigers keen on early pick
Richmond is keen to get back into the first round of the 2023 draft and has its eyes set on Gold Coast’s pick, which is currently at pick 7.
The Suns are hopeful of securing all three of their academy kids who could fall in the top 10 in the draft order – potential top-five key talls Jed Walter and Ethan Read and midfielder Jake Rogers.
The Suns have already stockpiled plenty of extra selections to use as points, having secured the Giants’ and Adelaide’s second-round picks and Collingwood and Adelaide’s third-round picks.
But Richmond has aspirations to secure a first-round selection after trading their 2023 first-rounder in the Jacob Hopper deal and could give up a package that provides more draft points than the No.7 pick for the Suns’ selection.
The Tigers have been vindicated on trading picks 12 and 19 to the Giants for Tim Taranto.
But their current first-round pick, which is in GWS’ keeping, is at No.4, so they will want to make a finals surge so they don’t hand over such a cherished selection.
Tribute for list management guru
The AFL’s list bosses and player managers found a perfect way to send off veteran recruiter Matt Rendell while on the Gold Coast for the AFL’s Under 16 carnival.
Rendell was a long-time Adelaide and Collingwood recruiter who passed away of a heart attack last week and was extremely popular across the AFL industry.
His former Fitzroy teammate Leon Harris, most recently at Brisbane as a recruiter, spoke at the Gold Coast drinks alongside veteran recruiters Graeme Allan and Scott Clayton.
Rendell was remembered fondly by his colleagues after a lengthy recruiting career that then saw him providing frank list assessments in print columns and radio slots.
Another Silvagni making waves in the AFL industry
The latest Silvagni to enter the AFL landscape continues to make solid progress with Steve Silvagni’s third son Tom making waves as a young accredited player manager with Kapital Sports.
The growing player agency has around 70 clients after Marty Pask’s firm joined forces with Peter Lenton, with Tom Silvagni on board for the past 18 months.
Jack Silvagni is awaiting a free agency contract from Carlton while middle son Ben was drafted by the Blues and is now playing VFL football for Collingwood.
Tom has signed up 2023 draft prospect Will Lorenz, the grandson of Hawthorn great Graham Arthur, who is a clever 186cm midfielder from Oakleigh Chargers.
Like his brothers Tom came through Oakleigh Chargers, with father Steve having fallen out with Carlton but now well entrenched at St Kilda as list boss.
Clubs circle young key defender
Clubs looking for the next key back to bring into their club are assessing the VFL form of Gold Coast’s Caleb Graham, who only signed a four-year deal with the club last August.
The Suns have high hopes for 195cm defender Graham, but Charlie Ballard and Sam Collins are locked into the key defensive slots and top-10 pick Mac Andrew has emerged as a rising star.
With Joel Jeffrey also being trialled as a marking defender, Graham has slipped down the pecking order.
Clubs also have interest in unsigned midfielder Sam Flanders, one of the few remaining priority signing this year for the Suns.
Elijah Hollands, the No.7 draft pick from 2020, has also attracted rival interest after playing the last 10 games in the VFL.
He is contracted to 2024 and the Suns would be crazy to let him go given his talent, with his VFL form modest as he averages 81 ranking points and 18 possessions on the wing.
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