Let's say Schultz is on 200k a year.why?
He got his 3 years
Rookie list means literally nothing, anyone who thinks it does is living in the past
He signs a 3 year contract with the Hawks. He is guaranteed 600k. He does a knee in year 1. He is still guaranteed to be an AFL footballer for 3 years. He gets all of his 600k and gets be a pro footballer around the club for the entirety of his rehab and then whatever is left of his 3 years. Even if he never plays another senior game after his knee.
He signs 2 years with us with a trigger for a 3rd. He is now only guaranteed 400k. He does a knee in year 1. He only gets 400k and only gets to spend two years at the club doing his rehab because he will never make his trigger for the third year.
If you had a chance of 3 years guaranteed versus 2 years with chance of a 3rd if everything works out, it is pretty wild that a pro takes the shorter contract.
Its the reason why Parker hasn't yet re-signed with Sydney. Or why Lobb is on the lookout for a new deal somewhere else.