Free Agency Ben McKay [Joins Essendon as RFA]

[bootz79]

North should today offer 800k x 4 to McKay, if he signs great - if he doesn’t we hopefully have bumped up his value to band 1

 

[Jeremias]

I got the point - the poster took bits and pieces from an article and "got a feeling" we would be disappointed.

Will the feeling police be disappointed if we aren't disappointed if we don't get band 1?

No, you completely missed the point and now you're trying to deflect.

The post you quoted suggested North are open to letting McKay go for a second round pick. It is of course implied that should a first be attainable they will go for it.

Unless you believe North would decline it because they've got their sights set on a second round pick, which would obviously be lunacy.

If the article is to be believed, it could also be fairly suggested that they know they're unlikely to receive Band 1 compensation.

As for the fun police, I am not them so won't speak on their behalf. Feel free to ask them elsewhere if you'd like.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

North should today offer 800k x 4 to McKay, if he signs great - if he doesn’t we hopefully have bumped up his value to band 1

lol

how in the blue hell is McKay worth 800k x 4.

actually............do it north

If Essendon offer anywhere near band 1 for McKay than dodo should finally get the bullet.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

No, you completely missed the point and now you're trying to deflect.

The post you quoted suggested North are open to letting McKay go for a second round pick. It is of course implied that should a first be attainable they will go for it.

Unless you believe North would decline it because they've got their sights set on a second round pick, which would obviously be lunacy.

If the article is to be believed, it could also be fairly suggested that they know they're unlikely to receive Band 1 compensation.

As for the fun police, I am not them so won't speak on their behalf. Feel free to ask them elsewhere if you'd like.

we would be complete morons to offer anywhere near band 1, so that would put some accuracy to that quote i guess.

 

[Le Archie]

No, you completely missed the point and now you're trying to deflect.

The post you quoted suggested North are open to letting McKay go for a second round pick. It is of course implied that should a first be attainable they will go for it.

Unless you believe North would decline it because they've got their sights set on a second round pick, which would obviously be lunacy.

If the article is to be believed, it could also be fairly suggested that they know they're unlikely to receive Band 1 compensation.

As for the fun police, I am not them so won't speak on their behalf. Feel free to ask them elsewhere if you'd like.

He doesn't get it. Bill wants to live in fantasy land where a club magically offers 800k for 5 years to McKay and triggers band 1 compo

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Not sure why some are getting a wee bit antsy over the 600k figure.

While Ralph generally has good North info, the 600k figure reads as a complete guess based on his assumption that North would be happy enough with an early second because they are rebuilding.

Ben has been on the record saying he won't start discussing a new contract until the end of the season, and negotiations haven't even started yet. Therefore, any current figures related to North, Port, Essendon or anyone else ATM are complete media guesses, or his agent playing agent games pre-negotiation.

No point in anyone losing their crap, or waste their time arguing, until either he signs a new contract or North get a compo pick. The final compo pick will give a more accurate indication into what he is actually being paid.

 

[Great8]

If Essendon offer anywhere near band 1 for McKay than dodo should finally get the bullet.

If paying $800k is all it takes to get the fraud sacked I hope we offer McKay $1m

 

[Keystone agony]

Not sure why some are getting a wee bit antsy over the 600k figure.

While Ralph generally has good North info, the 600k figure reads as a complete guess based on his assumption that North would be happy enough with an early second because they are rebuilding.

This makes zero sense

If your rebuilding you want the best picks possible and never settling for worse no matter what the situation

Id assume North match anything that is band 2

 

[Wild Bill]

He doesn't get it. Bill wants to live in fantasy land where a club magically offers 800k for 5 years to McKay and triggers band 1 compo

Maybe read through the thread before posting rubbish. I have stated all along band 1 would be great but if we don't get band 1 we have options.

 

[Wild Bill]

lol

how in the blue hell is McKay worth 800k x 4.

actually............do it north

If Essendon offer anywhere near band 1 for McKay than dodo should finally get the bullet.

I would prefer Mckay walk for nothing and ess give dodo another 20 years.

Shiel is doing well to get 800k as a sub.

 

[Jeremias]

Shiel is doing well to get 800k as a sub.

This has nothing to do with McKay.
Just another poor attempt at trolling.

If you can’t contribute, head elsewhere.

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

That's entering tinfoil hat territory isn't it?

The media has never ever shied away from reporting band 1 money if it's on offer. Obviously we take all the specifics the media offers with a massive grain of salt, but it's strange you'd suggest the media wouldn't report it if it's even speculated to be on the table.



It helps if you don't misinterpret the sections of the article you believe were "cherry picked" out of the discussion.

You've completely missed the point Bill.



Yes that sounds about right, though nobody is proposing you walk into the draft with those picks. You can trade them prior or on draft night if you so choose.

Im saying why would Essendon show their hand this early on if they were contemplating paying band 1. Bad business.

 

[rye]

Im saying why would Essendon show their hand this early on if they were contemplating paying band 1. Bad business.

early on?

i would wager most free agents have made their decision by this time of the year and have agreed to a deal in principle, including the financials

mcstay was basically signed at collingwood last year from may

 

[Taylor]

early on?

i would wager most free agents have made their decision by this time of the year and have agreed to a deal in principle, including the financials

mcstay was basically signed at collingwood last year from may

And Beams was done back to the Pies mid season too, all the public stuff is PR. The public aren't mature enough to deal with players being professionals trying to earn their best living anywhere.

 

[Ambrosia]

Agree with the sentiment that North aren’t in a position to let him go for any less than band 1.

 

[tiger_tough]

And Beams was done back to the Pies mid season too, all the public stuff is PR. The public aren't mature enough to deal with players being professionals trying to earn their best living anywhere.

I know for a fact Buddy was done to Swans before queens birthday weekend of 2013.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

I would prefer Mckay walk for nothing and ess give dodo another 20 years.

Shiel is doing well to get 800k as a sub.

lol you need a time out if your going to get emotional.

if you guys value McKay anywhere near that much - keep him. Theres no way he is worth anywhere near it.

id offering 500k over 4 years and a lot of that would be performance tiggered.

 

[Ants]

This makes zero sense

If your rebuilding you want the best picks possible and never settling for worse no matter what the situation

Id assume North match anything that is band 2

Of course they want the best picks. But if the competition is only willing to hand McKay a salary to get Band 3, despite him being a free agent, that implies that the competition don't actually rate him that highly. Whether it is Essendon, Port, Bulldogs, whoever, if someone has agreed to pay McKay $600k, it almost certainly means that they don't rate him highly enough to hand over a first rounder.

At that point, North has a choice. Take the top 25 pick Band 3 would equate to. Match and try and convince McKay to stay, which as we've seen with Papley and others can work. Or risk that McKay burns the relationship down to get out, and you're left picking up a mid-late second rounder in trade.

Now, I've absolutely no freaking idea how much McKay wants out, and how he'd perceive North matching a Band 3 bid. But from the outside, if I'd won 7 odd games in 8 years after being left in the VFL for years early, I could absolutely see a player saying "I've done my dues, they had a decent offer, F them". It would be a risk.

So, if the competition is offering only Band 3 kind of money, then Ralphy may be correct that North thinks they'll just take the second rounder and move on.

 

[Taylor]

lol you need a time out if your going to get emotional.

if you guys value McKay anywhere near that much - keep him. Theres no way he is worth anywhere near it.

id offering 500k over 4 years and a lot of that would be performance tiggered.

How much would you buy a draft pick for? That's really the calculation. Trading for him would probably cost a second round pick on top of the salary you're paying. So to avoid that, how much would you spend?

Fremantle bought a second round pick in 2021 from Gold Coast for $400,000. Geelong bought a first round pick from them in 2022 for $800,000.

Your $500 + $400 = $900k seems about right based off that.

 

[Keystone agony]

Of course they want the best picks. But if the competition is only willing to hand McKay a salary to get Band 3, despite him being a free agent, that implies that the competition don't actually rate him that highly. Whether it is Essendon, Port, Bulldogs, whoever, if someone has agreed to pay McKay $600k, it almost certainly means that they don't rate him highly enough to hand over a first rounder.

At that point, North has a choice. Take the top 25 pick Band 3 would equate to. Match and try and convince McKay to stay, which as we've seen with Papley and others can work. Or risk that McKay burns the relationship down to get out, and you're left picking up a mid-late second rounder in trade.

Now, I've absolutely no freaking idea how much McKay wants out, and how he'd perceive North matching a Band 3 bid. But from the outside, if I'd won 7 odd games in 8 years after being left in the VFL for years early, I could absolutely see a player saying "I've done my dues, they had a decent offer, F them". It would be a risk.

So, if the competition is offering only Band 3 kind of money, then Ralphy may be correct that North thinks they'll just take the second rounder and move on.

I struggle to see any world where North accept Band 3 compensation

And dont match forcing a trade

Hes a KPD who broke the record IM last year

Has played pretty good footy the last 5 weeks. Is 25/26 entering his prime

Hasnt missed a game since round 4 from memory

 

[HirdsTheWord]

How much would you buy a draft pick for? That's really the calculation. Trading for him would probably cost a second round pick on top of the salary you're paying. So to avoid that, how much would you spend?

Fremantle bought a second round pick in 2021 from Gold Coast for $400,000. Geelong bought a first round pick from them in 2022 for $800,000.

Your $500 + $400 = $900k seems about right based off that.

if i understand correctly it comes down to the question if we need the draft pick

which we dont.

 

[Taylor]

if i understand correctly it comes down to the question if we need the draft pick

which we dont.

That's right, you don't need the draft pick because you get to just buy the player due to a very narrow list management mechanism.

Outside of free agency, where you can argue that a player has added interest, McKay would need to be traded for on top of the salary attraction - which has a cost.

Let's assume it's $300k for a second round pick, that's $800k for Essendon to get the player they want and the player they draft/trade the second round pick with that they didn't need to use to secure McKay.

It's still good business. It's better business to get him even cheaper. I'd argue that near $500,000 a year for him as a free agent is basically free. As in totally free.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

That's right, you don't need the draft pick because you get to just buy the player due to a very narrow list management mechanism.

Outside of free agency, where you can argue that a player has added interest, McKay would need to be traded for on top of the salary attraction - which has a cost.

Let's assume it's $300k for a second round pick, that's $800k for Essendon to get the player they want and the player they draft/trade the second round pick with that they didn't need to use to secure McKay.

It's still good business. It's better business to get him even cheaper. I'd argue that near $500,000 a year for him as a free agent is basically free. As in totally free.

I get what you are saying.

I just don't think that's something we need/want.

we dont need another player + McKay. I would ne offering 500k over 4 for McKay, if that doesnt get it done walk.

 

[Taylor]

I get what you are saying.

I just don't think that's something we need/want.

we dont need another player + McKay. I would ne offering 500k over 4 for McKay, if that doesnt get it done walk.

What about $1.7m over two?

 

[HirdsTheWord]

What about $1.7m over two?

hell

no