Traded Josh Battle - Joins Hawthorn as UFA

[Jeremias]

Infractions and thread bans have been handed out.

Keep it civil and on topic, or keep it to yourself.

Thanks.

 

[RoughysMullet]

You know Jay Clark is a Ross Lyon mouthpiece in the media right?

Will be a nice surprise for you when we get band 1

Ah right yep cool - as if Ross doesn’t have invested interest in feeding Jay Clark a story like this

 

[Blackhawk42]

He ain't Andrews. And he ain't Murray as well.
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Any particular reason why you've omitted disposals and marks from those stats? Josh Battle isn't your genuine key position defender. He's the hybrid type. And he's a beautiful kick of the ball. They want it in his hands.

We're pursuing him because he fits alongside Jack Scrimshaw, James Sicily and Josh Weddle like an absolute love.

Scrimshaw is the far better comparison anyway. They average the same amount of disposals. Similar marks. Both play on talls or smalls when required. Both are great with ball in hand.

And the acquisition if Battle would allow us to push Sicily or Weddle forward when required in 2025 while Mitch Lewis is on the shelf, which would be an absolute luxury.

 

[stavro#4]

Ah right yep cool - as if Ross doesn’t have invested interest in feeding Jay Clark a story like this

He can’t influence the outcome.

Usually Jay reports on us and just breaks down the stories with facts. Look into his recent stkilda articles.

Actually, let me help you.

 

[ABAB]

Any particular reason why you've omitted disposals and marks from those stats? Josh Battle isn't your genuine key position defender. He's the hybrid type. And he's a beautiful kick of the ball. They want it in his hands.

We're pursuing him because he fits alongside Jack Scrimshaw, James Sicily and Josh Weddle like an absolute love.

Scrimshaw is the far better comparison anyway. They average the same amount of disposals. Similar marks. Both play on talls or smalls when required. Both are great with ball in hand.

And the acquisition if Battle would allow us to push Sicily or Weddle forward when required in 2025 while Mitch Lewis is on the shelf, which would be an absolute luxury.

Well, why are you offering that much money if he isn't a KPD??? That's why McKay got offer overs last year wasn't it as you need to pay overs for quality KPD and I was told he doesn't get beaten one on one so thought he was a KPD and looked to compare these KPD metric with other KPD, even more crazy the Hawks are offering that much money for a HB flanker.

 

[excitingnews]

Well, why are you offering that much money if he isn't a KPD??? That's why McKay got offer overs last year wasn't it as you need to pay overs for quality KPD and I was told he doesn't get beaten one on one so thought he was a KPD and looked to compare these KPD metric with other KPD, even more crazy the Hawks are offering that much money for a HB flanker.

Cap space to burn, no taller key position players available and it frees up other players in our current backline.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Well, why are you offering that much money if he isn't a KPD??? That's why McKay got offer overs last year wasn't it as you need to pay overs for quality KPD and I was told he doesn't get beaten one on one so thought he was a KPD and looked to compare these KPD metric with other KPD, even more crazy the Hawks are offering that much money for a HB flanker.

Because our defensive end has had a really strong year without a genuine, recognised KPD.
Battle allows Weddle or Sicily to play up the ground.
He adds more talent to a young side already showing a fair bit of it.

 

[FB19]

Because our defensive end has had a really strong year without a genuine, recognised KPD.
Battle allows Weddle or Sicily to play up the ground.
He adds more talent to a young side already showing a fair bit of it.

Also Sicily is 30. Weddle moves up to a wing or forward leaves Frost/Blanck as stopper with scrimshaw battle either side and McCabe coming on. Focus on defensive intercepting and then run from the smalls and wings. We are pivoting from development to performance and should expect to play finals next year. 1-2 free agents and 2 good draft picks keeps the trajectory going.

 

[Freomaniac]

well it's good to see the fans of the big clubs finally admit that free agency is more beneficial to them than the smaller clubs

No its not.

If a prime zac Dawson was a free agent, he would be worth 2 million a year lol

 

[EconomicDecline]

I think it's funnier that a club that only exists on AFL welfare managed to be fined for salary cap breaches in 2005, 2006 AND 2008.

I would have thought St Kilda would have rather spent its money on things other than AFL fines.

Ok. Let's look at those breeches.

2004

Xbox (a sponsor at the time) gave players consoles. Weren't found the have breeched the salary cap. (https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/saints-have-nothing-to-fear-says-expresident-20100424-tkmq.html)

2005

Lodged player contract information late. (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-05-17/saints-slugged-40000-for-cap-breaches/1572232)

2008

Double paid a player by accident and told the AFL about it. (https://www.afl.com.au/news/534555/st-kilda-fined-10000-for-bizarre-mistake)


Want to talk about Adelaide's breeches in 2008 and 2012?


And as for "AFL welfare". You do realise that equalisation measures are due to these clubs not being given as many prime time and marque games because the AFL wants to give them to the big clubs in order to make more money overall.

 

[Vindicater]

This is all very Ben McKay

32

Ben Mckay

Age

26

Ht

202cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.5

2star

K

3.7

1star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.7

4star

MG

77.2

1star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

88.5

2star

D

7.0

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

67.8

1star

.

 

[ABAB]

This is all very Ben McKay.

At least McKay is a 202cm KPD.

 

[Ray Jay Johnson]

Problem is we ain’t paying a million a season- no matter how much the media nuffies talk it up.
Will be 800k for 6 years which won’t trigger band one- bit cruel to get Ain’ts supporters hopes up again- haven’t they already had enough pain…

So if you are only offering 800K what are the saints offering? the reports are 900K for 6 from the saints. So are you saying that Battle would leave over half a million on the table to go to the hawks?

 

[stavro#4]

At least McKay is a 202cm KPD.

And it’s not your club paying the cost.

So outside of the small potential that you finish behind us and be impacted by band 1. (Unlikely based on the run homes)

Why do you care?

 

[jimmytigs]

At least McKay is a 202cm KPD.

they debuted in same season & battle has played 117 games vs 88,you seem to be very selective with your stats,but what are you trying to say?that hawthorn have no eye for talent?they are not a pretty smart well run club?

battle is a cleanskin,he is a stud out on the field,he has gone forward and been effective,he went into the ruck vs gws for pretty much a whole game and more than held his own playing a huge part in a win,he is durable and has more strings in his bow than mckay

hawks more than likely know exactly how to utilise that & we will certainly miss him

 

[Vindicater]

they debuted in same season & battle has played 117 games vs 88,you seem to be very selective with your stats,but what are you trying to say?that hawthorn have no eye for talent?they are not a pretty smart well run club?

battle is a cleanskin,he is a stud out on the field,he has gone forward and been effective,he went into the ruck vs gws for pretty much a whole game and more than held his own playing a huge part in a win,he is durable and has more strings in his bow than mckay

hawks more than likely know exactly how to utilise that & we will certainly miss him

Hawthorn went for McKay hard last year too.

I was more talking about the fact that everyone said North would not get band 1 for McKay much like everyone is now saying Bottle won't get the Saints band 1.

They will get band 1. Saints no doubt know where the threshold is and offered Battle that knowing Hawthorn will up it slightly.

 

[ABAB]

And it’s not your club paying the cost.

So outside of the small potential that you finish behind us and be impacted by band 1. (Unlikely based on the run homes)

Why do you care?

I wouldn't be so certain given how the Saints played against us last week, had they finished after North last year then you would have said McKay wasn't worth a band 1 compensation. Like I said, at least he is a 202cm KPD but I still didn't think he was worth band 1 compensation just like I don't think Battle or Zurhaar are worth band 1 compensation.

FYI, I thought B.Crouch was a lower end band 1 as I've always seen him as a very solid B+ grader midfielder and FA midfielders are usually offered slightly more just like a 202cm KPD.

 

[jumperfan]

I wouldn't be so certain given how the Saints played against us last week, had they finished after North last year then you would have said McKay wasn't worth a band 1 compensation. Like I said, at least he is a 202cm KPD but I still didn't think he was worth band 1 compensation just like I don't think Battle or Zurhaar are worth band 1 compensation.

FYI, I thought B.Crouch was a lower end band 1 as I've always seen him as a very solid B+ grader midfielder and FA midfielders are usually offered slightly more just like a 202cm KPD.

It doesn't matter whether they're worth the pick provided by band 1 or not. All that matters is how much the player is being paid.

 

[Nugett]

Like I said, he ain't May.

So in other words he isn’t a campaigner

 

[ABAB]

So in other words he isn’t a campaigner

Isn't an A grade KPD campaigner.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Like I said, he ain't May.

Yeah,

he wont cost pick 6

 

[botts]

This whole McKay vs battle debate maybe of changes after last night performances

 

[ABAB]

This whole McKay vs battle debate maybe of changes after last night performances

That's why he was never worth a band 1 compensation and neither is Battle. Hawks should take note, don't over pay for KPD.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

This whole McKay vs battle debate maybe of changes after last night performances

Proves how bad Battle is

 

[Mostyn]

You can only measure the contract against existing contracts.

So what is the highest average salary of the top 10% of AFL paid players in 2024.

That’s how you measure compensation for a free agent.

What players are paid next year and beyond is irrelevant. The contract of the free agent is measured against the average guaranteed salary of existing deals.

Because each new free agent would impact the very next player leaving after them if it is based on what people are paid in 2025 and beyond.

I.e Perryman signs with a new club first would Infact impact Battle if it was based of 2025 and beyond salaries. But this isn’t a consideration as it’s based on salaries from 2024

They're signing a contract FOR 2025.

They don't measure it against previous years! They measure it against OTHER 2025 CONTRACTS.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Battle is a poor mans McGovern as opposed to even close to comparable to McKay. Dumb conversation really.

Overpaying the guy by 1.2 mill is a nothing scenario with the increase in cap and Hawks having room to burn.

The scenario of Battle leaving and Hawks getting him is as win/win of a deal as you will ever see so just let it happen. Both sides should be stoked with the result