Demons may re-draft disgruntled defender

[Dave The Man]

MELBOURNE will consider re-drafting Chris Johnson with the first pick in the pre-season draft if he's the best available player, despite the disgruntled half-back's wish to join Carlton.
Johnson, who struggled for a regular game in 2008 and intends to sign a two-year deal with Carlton after the pre-season draft, declined to stay with the Demons, who offered him a one-year deal with incentive clauses that would ensure a second year.
While it seems highly unlikely that Melbourne would use a potentially valuable first pick in the draft for uncontracted and delisted players on a player who walked out, the club's football operations manager Chris Connolly said Johnson would be considered.
"If Chris Johnson is the best player in the draft, we'll draft him back," said Connolly. "Our position is he would be considered if he's the best available player."
Connolly acknowledged that fences would have to be mended if Johnson was to be drafted back to a club that did not give him a regular game in a season in which it finished on the bottom.
Melbourne has said it was open-minded about the first pick in the pre-season draft, and would consider either an untried kid or a seasoned player, however, whether they've played AFL or not, the club has a preference for younger players.
But Johnson's manager, Liam Pickering of IMG, questioned why Melbourne would even contemplate re-drafting a player who did not want to play for them.
"Melbourne should be looking elsewhere. They'll be getting a player who doesn't want to be there," said Pickering, adding that he and Johnson had spent six months asking the Demons whether he was a required player in 2009. "They didn't know whether they wanted to keep him or not."
Pickering said the Melbourne match committee had "been split" on whether it wanted him.
The fact that Melbourne could pick Johnson against his wishes is a potential issue for the AFL and the AFL Players Association, with the player union making noises about free agency. The pre-season draft was established as a means of allowing uncontracted players to leave — giving them a form of freedom — that would be undone if a club chose a player against his wish.

That will Stuff up the Blues

Story Here

 

[Deenamite]

It better not happen and lets just say CJ isn't looked to favourably upon by the Melbourne players and officials.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Not the worst result in the world given it would mean Johnson is naming his own price, ie - a guaranteed two years.

 

[Sylvia Saint]

I hope we're only doing this so he'll put a massive pricetag on his head, and as a result Carlton will have to pay over the odds for an average middle of the road flanker.

 

[jonoman89]

Have him.

 

[dutchy12]

ha as if we'll take him.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Interesting, so he was not good enough to commit to when asked for months on end, only good enough for a one year contract with incentives come the end of the year, now he might be the best player in the PSD and worthy of a two year deal?

Geez Dees, you might want to get your decision making processes right before players start walking.

No skin off Carlton's nose though. Johnson would be a fringe player with us as well.

 

[rodda]

isnt he a ruckman?

 

[mitchzz]

isnt he a ruckman?

Nope, you're thinking of Paul Johnson.

 

[scottwade]

It's Chris Connolly quoted, so the story can be immediately dismissed.

 

[Bartram_Class]

Nope, you're thinking of Paul Johnson.

Paul Johnson > Chris Johnson.

He won't be drafted, but if it makes him spit out his coffee in the morning, Connolly has done well.

We'll draft another youngster, a Rockliff or Sibosado.

 

[KrabMan]

MELBOURNE will consider re-drafting Chris Johnson with the first pick in the pre-season draft if he's the best available player

"If Chris Johnson is the best player in the draft, we'll draft him back," said Connolly. "Our position is he would be considered if he's the best available player."

As Melbourne have the 1st PSD pick, this is a question that has already been answered surely....

If the dees are true to their word they will draft Ben Cousins as he is quite clearly the best available player who will be in the PSD

Looks like Benny will find a home after all

This is just a fluff statement and article probably aimed at giving someone who walked out on them a few sleepless nights before the draft...

 

[Pharaoh]

Hmmm... this reminds me a bit of what Carlton did to Brett Thornton when he wanted to join the Hawks. He could have had a premiership medallion by now if the Blues hadn't screwed him.

 

[Jeremias]

Hmmm... this reminds me a bit of what Carlton did to Brett Thornton when he wanted to join the Hawks. He could have had a premiership medallion by now if the Blues hadn't screwed him.

Considering the rank that each of those players held at their respective clubs, I reckon it's a little different

Thornton is more than a depth player for us.

 

[rocklovelive]

Hmmm... this reminds me a bit of what Carlton did to Brett Thornton when he wanted to join the Hawks. He could have had a premiership medallion by now if the Blues hadn't screwed him.

And Hawthorn could have had a hack backman.

 

[footyman]

as a result Carlton will have to pay over the odds for an average middle of the road flanker.

As if that would worry Carlton. They'll only need another brown paper bag to be able to pay him. Vi$y might be able to offer him a role with them?

Carlton have paid over the odds for Warnock, let them pay over the odds for Johnson as well. With Judd and Fevola on their list, not to mention a heap of young first round draft picks who will soon enough be earning big coin, I'll watch with interest to see how they fit them all under the salary cap.

 

[DaVe86]

No way Melbourne will take Johnson back. Connolly always spins stuff to get a bit of attention.


Melbourne are looking forward. Johnson may well be a decent player, but has never been able to cement himself in a very ordinary side. Time to look forward...recruit a new kid or give a guy a 2nd chance. No point delisting a guy if you are just going to get him back. Makes no sense.


And i doubt Carlton would be too fussed either way. As already said, he would be a fringe player for them. I know the guy is talented and has always had potential...but he is not going to displace Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Stevens, Simpson, Scotland or even Walker, Hadley, Russell and Carazzo. He'd only be a sweeping back flanker.

 

[DaVe86]

As if that would worry Carlton. They'll only need another brown paper bag to be able to pay him. Vi$y might be able to offer him a role with them?

Carlton have paid over the odds for Warnock, let them pay over the odds for Johnson as well. With Judd and Fevola on their list, not to mention a heap of young first round draft picks who will soon enough be earning big coin, I'll watch with interest to see how they fit them all under the salary cap.

I cant see Carlton cheating the salary cap to accomodate Chris Johnson. If it were Ben Cousins you could understand...but Johnson would be a fringe player for both Melbourne or Carlton.


I reckon don't read too much into the story. Connolly says a lot of crap sometimes just for the sake of it.

 

[footyman]

I cant see Carlton cheating the salary cap to accomodate Chris Johnson.

Neither, but if you keep paying a lot more than something is worth, eventually the money dries up.

If they commit too much money to second rate footballers like Johnson and Warnock, they'll have less money to play with when they need to sign Kreuzer, Mark Murphy, Gibbs etc.

Thats if they abide by the salary cap.

 

[On the bench]

Don't know why the MFC would even consider re drafting Chris Johnson,once a player decides he wants out of a club best off letting him go & looking elsewhere for a player who actually wants to be there!

 

[bringbackschwarter5]

By taking him it would mean Carlton would have to take a young player and, it's well-known that Carlton don't develop any young talent, as they only take them from other clubs.

 

[Salaryman]

As if that would worry Carlton. They'll only need another brown paper bag to be able to pay him. Vi$y might be able to offer him a role with them?

Carlton have paid over the odds for Warnock, let them pay over the odds for Johnson as well. With Judd and Fevola on their list, not to mention a heap of young first round draft picks who will soon enough be earning big coin, I'll watch with interest to see how they fit them all under the salary cap.

You sure you're not firing up another powerpoint presentation to woo him back?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

By taking him it would mean Carlton would have to take a young player and, it's well-known that Carlton don't develop any young talent, as they only take them from other clubs.

Firstly, it's a good sign for Carlton that young players WANT to come to Carlton. Secondly, how much of our young talent came from other clubs?

 

[crowsarethebest]

Connolly is bullshitting. Melbourne won't take him, all the supporters are already pissed off with him etc... anyway it's not like he's not irreplaceable, he's a dime a dozen unaccountable HBF who gets the cheap possessions. While he might be able to move into the midfield he's not exactly a star and I doubt he'd fit into Carlton's midfield anyway. Not much of a loss for Melbourne... he's easily replaced.

 

[btdg]

As if that would worry Carlton. They'll only need another brown paper bag to be able to pay him. Vi$y might be able to offer him a role with them?

Carlton have paid over the odds for Warnock, let them pay over the odds for Johnson as well. With Judd and Fevola on their list, not to mention a heap of young first round draft picks who will soon enough be earning big coin, I'll watch with interest to see how they fit them all under the salary cap.

Good god - you mean to say Carlton have two high-profile players on their list that earn high salaries? Stop the presses - Carlton MUST have salary cap difficulties if they need to fit in Judd AND Fevola. No other team in the league has two players receiving high salaries...

And first-round draft picks. Carlton has... 8 first-round picks on their list (one of whom is Judd, already accounted for). Hawthorn have 12 first-round draft-picks (plus another on their rookie list). Melbourne also have 8 first-round picks on their list. However will Carlton fit all those first-round picks under the salary cap when, well, basically every other team in the league has more players drafted in the first-round than them?

Oh, and our financials showed we paid 97% of the salary cap in 2008, with several salaries to come off the books (Ackland, Stevens previous contract) and Judd and Fevola's contracts front-loaded. But no, Carlton are clearly going to have salary cap difficulties in future...