List Mgmt. Contract, Trade and Draft Discussions - 2024 Edition

[Keys]

Quick links:
Player contract status
Draft prospect video highlights (thanks to noobermensch)
AFL retirements and delistings

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Latest news and rumours:

• Tom Barrass officially requests trade to Hawthorn
  • Duffield: Eagles want two first round picks - "It may have to be in this year’s draft rather than a future pick."
  • Morris: Josh Battle is set to join Barrass at Hawthorn in 2025 - Ralph: Unclear if Hawks will pay enough for Band 1

• Kysaiah Pickett interested in a trade
  • "Club and management are confident they can work through his concerns"
  • Daniels: Pickett’s preference is Fremantle. Fremantle are keen, but Bolton the priority. Getting both “not impossible”. West Coast “an option if things get complicated.”

• Jai Culley, Coen Livingstone, Loch Rawlinson in line for one-year deals (The West)
  
  
• Liam Baker and Shai Bolton
  29

  Shai Bolton

  Age

  25

  Ht

  176cm

  Wt

  77kg

  Pos.

  M/F

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  12.3

  3star

  K

  6.9

  3star

  HB

  5.4

  4star

  M

  2.8

  3star

  T

  2.9

  4star

  CL

  1.4

  4star

  D

  12.7

  3star

  K

  9.2

  4star

  HB

  3.5

  2star

  M

  3.0

  3star

  T

  2.7

  4star

  CL

  1.8

  4star

  D

  9.2

  3star

  K

  4.6

  2star

  HB

  4.6

  4star

  M

  2.0

  3star

  T

  2.6

  4star

  CL

  0.0

  1star

  officially request trades to WA
  • Daniels: Bolton is Fremantle’s priority

 

[Choogler]

Fair.

If we parted with say pick 23 for Graham I'd be irritated. But 58 or whatever? Meh, if we used that pick it's highly likely it would be a bust anyway.

Graham comes free as an unrestricted free agent...

 

[ghostbat12]

You owe me like 3 apologies and never gave 1 so im not expecting you to come back if it comes out in the press so whats the point

You only count 3 apologies after all the crap you have been saying? I’d count that’s about 697 apologies you have to give for being wrong.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Flynn also wasnt coming here to play WAFL, but now he might not even break into the side next year if his late season WAFL form is anything to go by.
Things change

I think injury has created that mess moreso then our wants.

With the talk of Soldo being grump I almost wonder if a swap between Flynn and Soldo could be on the cards with Port saving some cash and perhaps Flynn getting 1 year extra from Port to make it worthwhile to come over as Sweets backup

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

You only count 3 apologies after all the crap you have been saying? I’d count that’s about 697 apologies you have to give for being wrong.

As if i promised id be correct every time? I think thats peoples assumptions. Like when people assumed I said Rotham was going to Adelaide when in actuality it was reported on the news for example...

 

[twce13]

…source?

 

[stallon]

I think injury has created that mess moreso then our wants.

Doesnt matter, the point is the same. A player can be pushed out of the best 22 if theyre not good enough.

Graham would comfortably be best 22 for at least a couple of years, if a kid takes his spot after that then so be it, he can ask for a trade halfway through his 4 years if he wants

 

[Wooshaaaa]

what is not positive about that? It represents fair value for someone who is 28 and has a permanent back issue. And remember, pick 12 becomes 11 if the Hawks lose and Carlton win in the first week of the finals. Also, it would make GC 6 and 13, 6 & 12.

They all have permanent musculoskeletal issues mate, by the time they're 25. All of them. Some, have them before they get drafted but still carve a career out, win Brownlows, premierships and B&Fs.

On Pixel 6 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[eaglevision]

I think injury has created that mess moreso then our wants.

With the talk of Soldo being grump I almost wonder if a swap between Flynn and Soldo could be on the cards with Port saving some cash and perhaps Flynn getting 1 year extra from Port to make it worthwhile to come over as Sweets backup

We wouldn’t push Flynn out the door after asking him to move across the continent. Barnett for Soldo, straight swap no fuss and trade for a developing ruck who can’t get a game like Knobel.

 

[Choogler]

Ok
So Barrass wants out
Baker and Graham want in
We need midfielders and a ruck
So we are off to a reasonable start.
You beauty!

Soldo disenchanted at Port. Worth the enquiry because he did a big number on Bailey at the start of the season so is obviously better

 

[shooshka]

He only costs us money. His defensive profile will free up Harley and easy the grunt work Yeo has to do. we need mature bodies to protect the battered up veterans (Yeo) and prevent the kids from getting battered (reid etal)

Relax.

On Pixel 6 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

Yep, and if Kelly to a wing/HFF role and Yeo to HBF extends their careers (note they have to show form to keep B22 spots) even better.

That is the best part, we can find another 3-4 high end mids (including at least 1 who is defence first) and not be too mid-heavy. HR is obviously one, hopefully Hall/Hewett come on also, but we are far from maxed out that we shouldn’t look at 26yo free agents


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Wooshaaaa]

Doesnt matter, the point is the same. A player can be pushed out of the best 22 if theyre not good enough.

Graham would comfortably be best 22 for at least a couple of years, if a kid takes his spot after that then so be it, he can ask for a trade halfway through his 4 years if he wants

And we need the competition for spots. For three years now players have been gifted games week I'm and out BC of injury. I want the kids to prove themselves worthy of selection. It's what happens on every team with players in the VFL plying their trade until called upon. We just called upon them too soon, and now you all think they're shit BC they can't cut it.

On Pixel 6 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Ace McKane]

A little interruption to the relentless Barrass/Baker/Graham/I want 57 apologies:

No real spot to put this, but I had to go back and look at highlights of Lewis Jetta after listening to parts of Simmo's podcast on Backchat this morning.



Man he was good. Speed, rebound, unbelievable foot skills. Probably an underrated player and underrated loss for us. Wonder when our next Jetta comes around.

 

[stallon]

And we need the competition for spots. For three years now players have been gifted games week I'm and out BC of injury. I want the kids to prove themselves worthy of selection. It's what happens on every team with players in the VFL plying their trade until called upon. We just called upon them too soon, and now you all think they're shit BC they can't cut it.

On Pixel 6 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

The idea that every kid under 198cm needs a game in their first season has for some reason seemed to become the norm among wce supporters lately. Its really not the case at all they can wait a bit, no rush

 

[Choogler]

They all have permanent musculoskeletal issues mate, by the time they're 25. All of them. Some, have them before they get drafted but still carve a career out, win Brownlows, premierships and B&Fs.

On Pixel 6 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

not sure you realise the extent of TB's

AFL premiership hero reveals full extent of terrifying ‘forever’ injury

The 28-year-old admits he was ‘very lucky’ not to become a quadriplegic, just months after his second son was born.

7news.com.au

 

[Ishmael_]

Never had an employer go back on their word?

It bloody stings and gets messy quick when it effects your family

Eagles doing the right thing but sometimes there carnage

Yup. Barrass has made the mistake of thinking that if he takes a bit less now, the company will recognise his loyalty and output and he'll be rewarded on the backend.

He's discovered that an ambiguous verbal commitment isn't worth a hell of a lot. Best intentions be damned, if it's not in your contract it doesn't mean much. It's an early career move that many of us make. Even if you're in the business of giving advice and you'd advise your client differently, we're all human.

And that's important because markets change, things change and the business is responsible to its owners. Whatever relationship you may have, if you aren't an owner and somebody else pays your wage, get it in writing.

 

[new breed]

Baker will be an Eagle, friendly with Eagle players during games ...bookmark it.

Don't think Harley has wrestled him yet either although that's probably a sign of affection .

 

[WA footy mad]

Baker noooooooo unless its a really late pick

 

[ziad]

Yup. Barrass has made the mistake of thinking that if he takes a bit less now, the company will recognise his loyalty and output and he'll be rewarded on the backend.

He's discovered that an ambiguous verbal commitment isn't worth a hell of a lot. Best intentions be damned, if it's not in your contract it doesn't mean much. It's an early career move that many of us make. Even if you're in the business of giving advice and you'd advise your client differently, we're all human.

And that's important because markets change, things change and the business is responsible to its owners. Whatever relationship you may have, if you aren't an owner and somebody else pays your wage, get it in writing.

Heaps of speculation about. But contracts are contracts and the only certainty is change.

 

[mattyc75]

Never had an employer go back on their word?

It bloody stings and gets messy quick when it effects your family

Eagles doing the right thing but sometimes there carnage

Working for BHP definitely gets you used to your employer going back on its word


On SM-S921B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Keys]

Said to people something along the lines of "im not sure why players would stay" to a few people in the media

Kind of along the lines of suggesting "why wouldnt any player want to leave" type comment.

Not really something he should say out allowed when you got guys like Yeo who just signed on if you ask me

Will Schofield was on 6PR last night for his regular spot with Adam Papalia

When asked why Barrass might be leaving, Schofield made the comment more than once along the lines of why would he stay, the teams been crap for 3 years. He also expressed surprise that other players hadn’t asked to leave for the same reason

The impression I got was Schofield was giving his own opinion. Maybe TB had said that to him privately to him at some point, maybe not. It is fair to say Schofield is on TB’s side on this as he he also claimed that West Coast had pulled the rug out from under Barrass

Perhaps whoever told you got Schofield and Barrass mixed up but that’d be me guessing

Personally I doubt Barrass is telling media people what he thinks as he strikes me as someone who’d prefer not to talk to them

And finally, if he is fed up at the team being shit then it’s hard to blame him - I’ve no doubt Sam Mitchell reminded him in his conversations that we’re bad and might be for a while yet

I’ve no ill will towards Barrass and hope he plays well at Hawthorn and gets a deserved AA spot at some point. I also hope he remains a one premiership player

 

[HoneyBadger35]

A little interruption to the relentless Barrass/Baker/Graham/I want 57 apologies:

No real spot to put this, but I had to go back and look at highlights of Lewis Jetta after listening to parts of Simmo's podcast on Backchat this morning.



Man he was good. Speed, rebound, unbelievable foot skills. Probably an underrated player and underrated loss for us. Wonder when our next Jetta comes around.

Jetta delisted and later in the offseason the AFL invented the stand rule. heck he could have done some damage.

 

[mattyc75]

People get that improving your floor doesnt include the words '4 year contract" to a guy surely

Graham isnt coming here to play WAFL. He is coming to play every single week for the next 4 years.

No one in Graham's position is being guaranteed 4 years of playing time.
Let's face it he's coming because of a longer contract and much less competition for a spot in the best 22

On SM-S921B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Wooshaaaa]

not sure you realise the extent of TB's

AFL premiership hero reveals full extent of terrifying ‘forever’ injury

The 28-year-old admits he was ‘very lucky’ not to become a quadriplegic, just months after his second son was born.

7news.com.au

Not sure you know what all that medical mumbo jumbo actually means mate. Catastrophization has become a thing with injury in the work place a bit lately.

It's a compression fracture of the 8th thoracic vertebra. You can't become a quadriplegic at that level, so that's just wrong reporting/info. The bad ones that have potential to cause harm to the spinal cord have surgery, TB didn't....

If there was any risk of instability and the condition getting worse as per that article, he would've been advised to stop playing.



On Pixel 6 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Ochre]

People get that improving your floor doesnt include the words '4 year contract" to a guy surely

Graham isnt coming here to play WAFL. He is coming to play every single week for the next 4 years.

Every other player in the league must be kicking themselves that they didn't add this 'not allowed to be dropped' clause to their contract then

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

No one in Graham's position is being guaranteed 4 years of playing time.
Let's face it he's coming because of a longer contract and much less competition for a spot in the best 22

On SM-S921B using BigFooty.com mobile app

It probably depends on his contract makeup too to be fair. If its 4 years and he earns literally bugge all in the 4th i can sotmach it a bit better.

I also think what stallion mentioned a while ago. If Graham can get us a cheaper deal for Baker then that helps