Speculation Chad Warner [OOC 2025]

[frenchconnection]

Baker just went to West Coast for this reason.

Didn’t Jackson do the same thing by choosing Freo over WCE when he left Melbourne - even though at the time would have been a better fit at WCE due to Nic Nat calling it a day. Anyway the rest is history of course and he ended up where he wanted to be.

 

[THE_GUN]

Sure you wouldnt pick your childhood team over another if it meant a lot of money, but if it was marginal difference in contracts and short term team performance youd be very tempted

Baker got the best of both worlds
More cash and his childhood team

 

[javaguice]

Overrated

 

[stallon]

Once you start playing, you'd immediately lose that childlike adoration. Think about the trash talk that would happen on the field too.

i doubt it, your new club may be your new #1 team, but players will still have a soft spot for their old favourite team for sure

 

[RonnieRaven]

That isn’t a great analogy, because Bolton is a big game player ~

That’s a myth
8 finals averaging 13d and .9 goals
Sonny who like Shai played most of his finals when he started
13 finals ave 15d 2.5 goals a game

 

[danster168]

i doubt it, your new club may be your new #1 team, but players will still have a soft spot for their old favourite team for sure

I don't agree. You'd identify with the players in the team, not the uniform. So you think a player goes up to line up at full forward and the full back calls him 'a weak ****'' that he is still going to think about his childhood team in favourable manner? Nup. That'd go right out the window immediately.

Ever heard of the expression, 'never meet your heroes'. There's a reason for that.

 

[My Tilly]

Overrated

I agree.
Not an alpha and never will be but with the right pieces around him, as is the case at Sydney, can put up nice numbers on a yearly basis.
Bit like Adam Treloar throughout his career.

 

[JammoMonty]

Baker got the best of both worlds
More cash and his childhood team

For Baker, McQualter being named coach of WCE was the only thing he was weighing up. Even though he didn’t need to, he nominated an hour or so after WCE announced McQualter to take over coaching at the eagles. That was the driving force behind his decision, not money or a team he went for as a kid.

 

[THE_GUN]

For Baker, McQualter being named coach of WCE was the only thing he was weighing up. Even though he didn’t need to, he nominated an hour or so after WCE announced McQualter to take over coaching at the eagles. That was the driving force behind his decision, not money or a team he went for as a kid.

West Coast deal was higher than Richmonds offer and most likely Freo's as well

Play for the team you support and make the most amount of $$$$ after having 2 premiership medals in your pocket was the dream scenario for Baker

 

[MadMundy]

It won't matter if West Coast have more to offer if Warner nominates Fremantle.

 

[THE_GUN]

It won't matter if West Coast have more to offer if Warner nominates Fremantle.

LOl
Freo $1,000,000 x 8 years
Eagles $1,500,000 x 8 years

$4,000,000 difference
I would put money on him selecting the eagles

 

[stallon]

For Baker, McQualter being named coach of WCE was the only thing he was weighing up. Even though he didn’t need to, he nominated an hour or so after WCE announced McQualter to take over coaching at the eagles. That was the driving force behind his decision, not money or a team he went for as a kid.

Baker was always going to the Eagles, Mcqualter was just a bonus

 

[MadMundy]

LOl
Freo $1,000,000 x 8 years
Eagles $1,500,000 x 8 years

$4,000,000 difference
I would put money on him selecting the eagles

His mates are all at Fremantle, we'll be playing finals and looking to contend, sure West Coast might offer a bit more, I think there's more incentive to come to us than being stuck in a midfield still early in the rebuild.

 

[stallon]

His mates are all at Fremantle, we'll be playing finals and looking to contend, sure West Coast might offer a bit more, I think there's more incentive to come to us than being stuck in a midfield still early in the rebuild.

Do oppo fans think the Eagles have just started rebuilding or something?

We are a lot further along than people give us credit for, and after another year we will only be closer

 

[kuhni]

Do oppo fans think the Eagles have just started rebuilding or something?

We are a lot further along than people give us credit for, and after another year we will only be closer

Your list is genuinely at a similar level to Richmond's outside of Reid.

B to A grade 25-28 y.o. that could be around for next finals are Allen, Waterman, Duggan, Ryan.

Other than Reid (A grade) you have a few young B graders in Ginbey, Hewitt, Hough.

Wouldn't be able to name any other decent young players.

 

[freo_leo29]

LOl
Freo $1,000,000 x 8 years
Eagles $1,500,000 x 8 years

$4,000,000 difference
I would put money on him selecting the eagles

WC have historically underpaid their players

Why does everyone think they are going to suddenly dump 3 million on 2 players?

Cap will be 18.44 mil in 2027, so spending roughly 16% of their cap on 2 players for the next 8 years

They've then got to pay 42 other players

Can't see them doing it tbh, reckon the money is going to be closer than you think, then take ~45%~ for tax and it will be even closer money actually in hand

 

[anotherletdown]

I don't care which Club... what picks and/or players are heading back our way is the important bit

 

[CaseySibosadoHOF]

Do oppo fans think the Eagles have just started rebuilding or something?

We are a lot further along than people give us credit for, and after another year we will only be closer

The problem is you guys appear to be further along in time than in actual steps taken. You'd think bottom 3 for 3 years in a row and bottom 10 for 4 years in a row means a lot of the work is done. But looking at the results, the age profile is still a fair bit wonky for a rebuilding team + for the most part there appears to be a large gap btwn the floor and ceiling of what your younger players will become. Even guys like Ginbey and Hewett who I'd be fairly surprised if they don't become 150+ game players: there's a gap btwn a Chris Masten and an Andrew Gaff. And then there's a ton of guys like Archer Reid, Rhett Bazzo, Jack Williams, Campbell Chesser, etc where I think 3 years from now each of them can be best 22, but each of them can also be out of the system.

Freo are a decent example of a team where they rebuilt for quite a while and actually drafted well in that time, but the results didn't match that. 2016-2024 is a 9 year period where we made finals once (granted, most would say the rebuild is really 2016-2021, but that's still 6 years). Taking 2016-2021, in all but 1 of those drafts (ironically the 2018 Superdraft) we traded and drafted fairly well. But the constant revolving door (this isn't a problem for you guys) and some weird trades which contradicted rebuilding aims (this could be a problem for you guys) meant it was always 3 steps forward 2 steps back.

It could be that in a year or 2 from now, a strong, deep young core emerges out of hits with non-1st rounders and mid-season draftees as well as NGAs and father-sons adding depth around the 1st rounders. Right now, that feels closer to optimistic prediction than certainty.

 

[THE_GUN]

WC have historically underpaid their players

Why does everyone think they are going to suddenly dump 3 million on 2 players?

Cap will be 18.44 mil in 2027, so spending roughly 16% of their cap on 2 players for the next 8 years

They've then got to pay 42 other players

Can't see them doing it tbh, reckon the money is going to be closer than you think, then take ~45%~ for tax and it will be even closer money actually in hand

Just have a look at their list

They will be lucky to meet the cap floor the next 3-4 years will all the players that left and are going to leave
And only Reid a priority

Freo have Darcy , Serong , Bolton , Amiss , treacy , Brayshaw , Jackson , Young and probably 1-2 more that will be pushing or over $1 mil in the next 2 years

 

[THE_GUN]

His mates are all at Fremantle, we'll be playing finals and looking to contend, sure West Coast might offer a bit more, I think there's more incentive to come to us than being stuck in a midfield still early in the rebuild.

He has more mates in sydney and will make mates at the eagles
doesnt justify dropping 4 mil

They can go out for drinks away from football

Trent Cotchin was best mates with Kreuzer Brendon Fevola with Chris Newman
very over rated

 

[Schauermann]

Warner will not leave Sydney to go anywhere other than a WA side. That’s a fact.

Mitch Clark wanted to go home West as well. And ended up a Demon...

 

[richoatthedisco]

That’s a myth
8 finals averaging 13d and .9 goals
Sonny who like Shai played most of his finals when he started
13 finals ave 15d 2.5 goals a game

It's not a myth.

First off, half of Bolton's finals were played in shortened games in 2020, so your stats comparison is misleading and irrelevant. He had an excellent finals series that year and was one of our best players in all four games but especially in the prelim and grand final.

His first three finals he was a 20-year-old bit player in 2019. In 2022 he didn't have a great game against Brisbane but still kicked 2 goals.

The other difference is that most (75%) of Shai's finals have been the higher standard, tougher, qualifying finals, prelims and grand finals, whereas a higher proportion of Sonny's have been elimination finals and semis (45%) against lesser opposition. Shai was 21 or under for every final he's played except the last one. Sonny over 23 for four of his 11.

Both great players, with many similarities. Sonny a more reliable kick for goal and better field kick, Shai better at just about everything else, including overhead, pack marking, making something from nothing, and running through the midfield. I love Sonny but it boggles my mind so many Freo fans still don't know what they're getting in Shai.

You're going to laugh when you realise how good he is.

I don't agree. You'd identify with the players in the team, not the uniform. So you think a player goes up to line up at full forward and the full back calls him 'a weak ****'' that he is still going to think about his childhood team in favourable manner? Nup. That'd go right out the window immediately.

Ever heard of the expression, 'never meet your heroes'. There's a reason for that.

Wayne Harmes won three flags and a Norm Smith for Carlton and never stopped being a Richmond supporter. Still is.

 

[RonnieRaven]

It's not a myth.

First off, half of Bolton's finals were played in shortened games in 2020, so your stats comparison is misleading and irrelevant. He had an excellent finals series that year and was one of our best players in all four games but especially in the prelim and grand final.

His first three finals he was a 20-year-old bit player in 2019. In 2022 he didn't have a great game against Brisbane but still kicked 2 goals.

The other difference is that most (75%) of Shai's finals have been the higher standard, tougher, qualifying finals, prelims and grand finals, whereas a higher proportion of Sonny's have been elimination finals and semis (45%) against lesser opposition. Shai was 21 or under for every final he's played except the last one. Sonny over 23 for four of his 11.

Both great players, with many similarities. Sonny a more reliable kick for goal and better field kick, Shai better at just about everything else, including overhead, pack marking, making something from nothing, and running through the midfield. I love Sonny but it boggles my mind so many Freo fans still don't know what they're getting in Shai.

You're going to laugh when you realise how good he is.


Wayne Harmes won three flags and a Norm Smith for Carlton and never stopped being a Richmond supporter. Still is.

I’m not disputing if his any good only a big game player.
Facts are Shai performs better in home and away then finals so he’s not a big game player
Sonny is what you would could call a big game player.
Goals career average 1.5
Finals ave 2.5
Shai has never ave 2 goals a game in his career
Stoked to have Shai but mayo a little thick calling him big game

 

[richoatthedisco]

I’m not disputing if his any good only a big game player.
Facts are Shai performs better in home and away then finals so he’s not a big game player
Sonny is what you would could call a big game player.
Goals career average 1.5
Finals ave 2.5
Shai has never ave 2 goals a game in his career
Stoked to have Shai but mayo a little thick calling him big game

Utter horseshit. Go watch Richmond's 2020 finals series.

Sonny is a stay at home forward. Shai spends plenty of time in the midfield. Compare their centre clearances.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

He has more mates in sydney and will make mates at the eagles
doesnt justify dropping 4 mil

They can go out for drinks away from football

Trent Cotchin was best mates with Kreuzer Brendon Fevola with Chris Newman
very over rated

It’s not only that . It doesn’t justify choosing a club who can’t do the trade over one that can.

Warner has a bit more class then Bailey Smith and I can’t see him going to a club who won’t really be able to complete the trade AND lose 5 mill at the same time.