Traded Sam Mitchell [traded to West Coast with picks 54 and 72 for picks 52, 70 and 88]

[#gosaintas]

He could have played the year out at the hawks and then gone west to coach in 2018. Very strange to throw all this money at Tyrone etc and then move on your club legend. Lots of positive spin on it from the Hawks but it doesn't add up.

 

[igon value]

If you want to talk about Buddy's contract, go to that thread.

Why do the same rules not apply to Mitchell?

 

[BK Eaglesfan]

Quoted yourself too, double thumbs up

When you're wrong, you're wrong.

 

[Smithdogmaddog]

Where were the rules that said Buddy's full contract must be paid out even if he retires five years too early?

Contract doesn't have to be paid if he retires early but contract must be included in salary cap even if he retires. Back ended deal around 1.5 million per year.

 

[Jobe Watson]

Clarko asks Sam if he wants to move to

Of course we can pay Mitchell. The club is looking after an absolute legend in the brown and gold by helping his transition into coaching go as smoothly as possible.

Spin it any way you like, but everyone involved in this has handled it with nothing but pure class. Just a shame other clubs don't follow suit.

Thanks for the memories Sam. You'll be welcomed back with open arms in a few years when you take over from Clarko.

Why wouldn't Hawthorn just offer Mitch a coaching role for next year if it was just about a transition to coaching? He's apparently quite sought after as a future assistant coach so it'd hardly be a token offer. Or why wouldn't hawthorn let him play out his contract at the Hawks this year then reasses for next year?

You're dumping a club legend for salary cap space. It's obvious.

 

[peppy la pew]

I'd be happy just to take Eric McKenzie in a straight swap rather than an obscure pick. We need tall defenders, and though the idea of trading Mitchell makes me sick perhaps it could work out well for both clubs.

What part of salary cap squeeze don't you blokes get, Hawks can't afford to keep Mitchell yet you want McKenzie who is on around 600k

A token pick at best for helping you with a cap problem

 

[JeddaB]

Can't believe Clarko would even ask Mitchell to leave. Hawks legend and should be able to retire where he wants on his terms

Didn't ask him to leave as a coach. Asked him as a friend if he would like to leave to help the next part of his life easier. Very big difference.

 

[go you pups]

A much kneeded player for West Coast

Gray Day very uncontested here

 

[The Falcon Strike]

What part of salary cap squeeze don't you blokes get, Hawks can't afford to keep Mitchell yet you want McKenzie who is on around 600k

A token pick at best for helping you with a cap problem

I was starting to think it was only me who thought this way - glad someone else is on the token pick bandwagon

 

[LoungeLizard]

Contract doesn't have to be paid if he retires early but contract must be included in salary cap even if he retires. Back ended deal around 1.5 million per year.

So if Mitchell's contract was for 2 years and he retired mid way through the 1st, would it be different?

 

[DangerSloane]

Can't see much going back to Hawks. Will be pure salary-dump trade, I'd think.

Nice bonus for WCE though, to get a year of Sammy Mitchell cos why not.

Hawks are light years ahead of the the comp in working salary caps, trades, FA.

They just picked up Tyrone Vickery at a cost of $500k per year.

I would say that voids their status as "trade/Free agent kings"

 

[Fourthawn]

C Hawks legend and should be able to retire where he wants on his terms

I believe that is exactly what the Hawks are allowing him to do ...

 

[Cynic]

Would Brown even generate a compo pick? Would have to be offered one hell of a contract to do so. Only three FA moves last year even got compo, out of 8 (from memory) moves.

Depends. If Mayne generates a second round pick then apparently everyone gets one this year.

 

[doppleganger]

Bravo Clarko and Hawthorn if what has come out is true, brilliant way to help transition a club legend into life after footy.....if Slug is open to it of course.

In terms of trade value though, Mitchell's trade value would be next to nothing...Cloke territory.

One season of footy on small salary...if he was a free agent that would receive no compensation to the Hawks.

So WC would be inclined to offer a pick upgrade or something to keep a good relationship and everybody wins.

 

[Power Raid]

Wow

I still can't believe it

 

[igon value]

Contract doesn't have to be paid if he retires early but contract must be included in salary cap even if he retires. Back ended deal around 1.5 million per year.

Not sure what you mean here.

 

[Gray Day]

Gray Day very uncontested here

Dude, every post you tag me in gets you uncontested likes

 

[Randomizor]

Statistics? hahahahahaha.....

And common sense would tell you that St Kilda are a far more threatening prospect in the future than West Coast, who have utterly failed in the attempt to build a premiership list.

They messed up the midfield, so I don't see how they are going to fix that unless they recruit a Sam Mitchell type....oh... wait.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Adam Simpson approached Sam 12 months ago

West Coast initiated

Vozzo just stated any initiation from WC was simply due to a future coaching role, not in a playing capacity

 

[BK Eaglesfan]

Didn't ask him to leave as a coach. Asked him as a friend if he would like to leave to help the next part of his life easier. Very big difference.

From what I've read they're (Hawthorn and Mitchell) both happy for him to play on next year if trade doesn't happen. Mitchell I believe explained why move away from Hawthorn, feels a big part of the transition into coaching is to go to a different club and experience something away from all his years at the same club (many of which were under the same coach).

Seems a reasonable explanation, much as Hawthorn haters will love to find a way to make it ugly.

 

[Smithdogmaddog]

Not sure what you mean here.

They don't have to pay the cash but it has to be included in thier TPP as if it was paid.

 

[Scotland]

Petrie and Mitchell. We are the new North.

As long as we don't do something stupid and trade a good pick or Mackenzie I'm happy with Mitchell for a year with a transition to coaching in 2018 (or later if he keeps playing forever like Boomer). I'll have to stop thinking he's a dirty sniper though.

 

[BK Eaglesfan]

Jon Ralph reporting Hawks themselves only expect a later pick, with 12 and 33 'off the table'. Our next one as things stand is 51.

 

[igon value]

They don't have to pay the cash but it has to be included in thier TPP as if it was paid.

I wonder what the reaction would be if Buddy retired early, the Swans didn't pay his contract out, but then employed him immediately afterwards as a coach.

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

This is a salary inducement over and above his player earnings.

Clubs offer recently retired players jobs as low level assistants, and there's not much the AFL can do about this, but recruiting a player into your club with the promise to pay them afterwards is rorting the cap. You are giving them an incentive to play for your club that other clubs may not be able to afford.

Sydney should have just promised Buddy that they'd offer him a coaching role at the end of a five year contract and they could have escaped having his money included under the cap when he's 36 and likely retired.

They are paying him for services. He will be a coach at some level, whether that's midfield coach, or a WAFL level coach. He has done his level 3 accreditation and wants to get into coaching after playing. They will still have to present any deal to the AFL for approval.
It's completely legal and most people don't seem to have a problem with it. It's no different to front loading or back loading a contract.
Club wants to pay a player $500k a year for two years, but can't afford $500k in the first year due to salary cap restraints. They pay the player $300k the first year, then when their cap is better the next year they pay $700k.
Is that not a salary cap rort too? If they can't afford the $500k the first year, they shouldn't be able to entice them over with a $500k pa salary.