Ralphy’s trade wrap: Pies will continue to pay Grundy salary, Hawthorn’s next move after missing McKay
They went hard at Ben McKay but ultimately missed out. Who else in on Hawthorn’s off-season radar. Get all the latest trade news here.
Collingwood has no intention of trying to wriggle out of any contract obligations to Brodie Grundy despite him moving onto a third club in the coming trade period.
Despite trade speculation the Pies might ask the AFL if they still had a responsibility to pay Grundy $250,000 a season for four more years, Collingwood is aware of its commitment.
They signed a heads of agreement with Grundy rather than the Demons to pay a portion of his contract, with Melbourne paying the extra $650,000 plus.
The Pies are in a great spot list-wise but will continue to look for some ruck cover and even another key position defender.
They have been linked to Adelaide free agent Tom Doedee — who also has interest from Brisbane and Sydney — and even Todd Goldstein as ruck cover.
Hawthorn will not splash the cash in desperation to find another key defender after missing out on Ben McKay and Esava Ratugolea.
The Hawks are determined to be targeted and smart.
They had hoped their late-season improvement might convince trade targets they were close to finals but it has now lucked out on Liam Henry (St Kilda-bound), Ratugolea (Power-bound) and McKay (Essendon-bound).
The Hawks have also lost Tyler Brockman to West Coast and Jacob Koschitzke to Richmond — pending trades — so will have to pivot in their strategy.
Hawthorn is keen on Gold Coast forward-ruck Mabior Chol but rather than throw cash at another key defender might go into 2024 with James Sicily, Sam Frost and James Blanck.
The Hawks are locked and loaded for the 2024 free agency period — player agents look out — but haven’t landed the big fish they wanted so far.
Lachie Keeffe is the only unsigned player to take the field in the Collingwood-GWS preliminary final and his hopes of a new deal might rest on whether Adelaide will let go of Elliott Himmelberg.
The Giants have loved being able to pick a jack-of-all-trades like 33-year-old Keeffe in their side.
But the Giants are waiting on an answer over whether the Crows will release 25-year-old Himmelberg to play a similar role given Adelaide is on the lookout for key position reinforcements.
If he stays at Adelaide he is a free agent next year so could reunite with his brother Harry at GWS, but it might allow Keeffe another season.
GWS free agent Matt Flynn is likely to move to West Coast but the Giants won’t expect much free agency compensation if he leaves.
Carlton full back Lewis Young remains determined to fight for his spot next year despite the trade market hotting up for under-utilised key position backs.
He has shuffled further down the pecking order with the newly re-signed Brodie Kemp dropped, Caleb Marchbank closing in on a new deal and Mitch McGovern re-signed and in the Blues best 22.
But having signed a new deal mid-season — and having bought a house in Melbourne — he will back himself in to win back his spot.
David Cuningham and Marchbank are in talks for new deals with Lochie Fogarty having just signed a new extension.
Third-year players who dominate the competition could still earn as much as $500,000 under the league’s new rules which hand top-20 draftees mandatory three-year deals.
AFL player agents were briefed on those deals on Friday afternoon, with players who hit performance targets able to earn a base of $190,000 in their second year and $300,000 in their third season.
A player of the ability and achievements of Collingwood’s Nick Daicos could earn up to $500,000 in his third year when bonuses kick in for the All Australian and Rising Star award and best-and-fairest achievements.
The players will be limited in how early they can sign up to deals past the third season, only able to lock in new deals after round 6 of their debut seasons.
But there will be a range of triggers that will include games played over those two years that will top up their overall take-home pay and elevate their base salaries.
Under that policy Daicos would have topped up his salary after playing at least 46 games in his first two years and winning the 2022 Rising Star ahead of a likely top three Brownlow Medal finish.
Under the new pay deal the base payments for top-10 picks will start at $130,000 with $4000 match payments, so a player who played 25 games in 2024 would make $230,000 in his debut season.
If that first-year player is involved in 18 or more games their base payment for their second year rises $60,000 to $190,000.
Depending upon their performances in the second year their third-year base wage can rise $110,000 to $300,000.
With match payments of $5000 in his third year he could earn over $400,000.
But if a player of Daicos’ calibre would then top up his earnings with those incentives from the Rising Star, All Australian and Brownlow Medal.
It means players are locked in for three seasons of security – allowing non-Victorian teams the chance to keep them long-term.
But the players will need to earn their big pay packets in the third season rather than being guaranteed $450,000 or more, which had become the standard deal for top-10 picks accepting early two-year extensions.
Player agents were told the TPP increases per year will be 10 per cent (2023), 5.1 per cent (2024), 12.6 per cent (2025), three per cent (2026) and 0.8 per cent (2027).
More Coverage
Tiger delight as North pays heavy price for final draft night pick
On a night where little caused a surprise, North Melbourne waited until the last moment to pull a stunner, paying a significant price and taking an even more significant risk.
‘Absolute blunder’: Essendon’s ‘staggering’ draft move smashed
The Bombers had a relatively quiet trade period by their standards, with their focus on Isaac Kako. Now after securing the small forward, their method has been whacked by a draft expert.