To be fair, I couldn't lump those 3 in with Jack Watts. Watts has strung together some consistent years. Furthermore, he is a beautiful kick and a great decision maker. The 3 guys you mentioned are neither great users of the ball, or good contributors to their side in general. I would argue the opposite - that they are liabilities to their side (which is probably why Boyd is in the VFL). Weitering would be in the VFL if not for Marchbank (injured), and McCartin would be lucky to get a kick in the VFL. These guys aren't fit to tie up Jack Watts bootlace.
Tom Boyd 'not in the best 22', admits skipper
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To be fair, I couldn't lump those 3 in with Jack Watts. Watts has strung together some consistent years. Furthermore, he is a beautiful kick and a great decision maker. The 3 guys you mentioned are neither great users of the ball, or good contributors to their side in general. I would argue the opposite - that they are liabilities to their side (which is probably why Boyd is in the VFL). Weitering would be in the VFL if not for Marchbank (injured), and McCartin would be lucky to get a kick in the VFL. These guys aren't fit to tie up Jack Watts bootlace.
Its easy for supporters to justify paying Boyd (who is VFL level) an absolute stack - by suggesting he is the only reason they won the flag. Put simply, its Tom Boyd (with his millions of dollars) and a flag. The narrative is without Tom Boyd no flag. I don't buy it either. Nevertheless, the bloke is running around in the VFL not doing a heap, and getting paid a heap more. Even the most one eyed Bullies supporters would see its not ideal at present. But what can be done? They will probably lose players over it.
SharkMeister4
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On your first point I partially disagree. I do beleive that there is a bit of lift your game going on, but I also think it takes some of the focus away from him.
"why isnt tom boyd in the side"
"as a young forward he isnt playing well enough"
there will always be a spotlight on boyd but at least this way people can stop asking about why he isnt there, instead they'll rag on his vfl performances
as far as the second bit goes, I'm conflicted. I am of the opinion that we wouldn't have won that flag without him, so with that logic yes, every day that was worth it. I also think he will "make it", however its a tough position being in when you are just hoping for these things. As a young key forward he is developing slowly, it isnt out of the ordinary but we had really hoped he would have sped it up. Things like mental health issues surely dont help, I dont want to give him excuses, but I also havent written him off just yet.
It actually became ironic Scully went from wow why is he getting that contract, to now somewhat underrated. He is the fittest, hardest running player in the comp and arguably one of if not the best wingers in the game.
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I rationalise the contract specifically in context of the year that we had. Our captain left us, the next day our coach was sacked. We'd been 60 years without a flag. We hadn't had a big key forward in years and everybody thought we were a rabble. It was the one win for us in an off season of hell. As a fan I was wrapped when we scored him, a little uneasy by the amount of money and therefore attention that we really didnt need to get that his contract had, but still altogether happy
Without going into detail. What I said and what I was talking about has nothing to do with what you just said.
I recall reading early days when he wasn't performing that he was on $700k then with a heavily back-ended deal.
Bit of a nothing article. He's just saying he'll be in when form warrants it.
People act as though the grand final is the only good game he ever played for us but he had plenty of other solid ones, including the prelim where his effort in the ruck (even if Mumford got more hitouts) was a godsend given Roughead was injured early.
He's 22 and capable of some very good footy. The wheels fell off last year and he's not yet back on track but time is well and truly on his side.
If he disappears and never plays again no Dogs supporter would really regret it. People suggesting another tall could have filled the need in that grand final need only look at Franklin and Tippet's performance in the same game. Another tall might have done ok or might have thrown in a complete dog. History shows Boyd did it.
If he gets it together we have a 22 year old ruck forward who's a bit overpaid. Not the end of the world.
People act as though the grand final is the only good game he ever played for us but he had plenty of other solid ones, including the prelim where his effort in the ruck (even if Mumford got more hitouts) was a godsend given Roughead was injured early.
He's 22 and capable of some very good footy. The wheels fell off last year and he's not yet back on track but time is well and truly on his side.
If he disappears and never plays again no Dogs supporter would really regret it. People suggesting another tall could have filled the need in that grand final need only look at Franklin and Tippet's performance in the same game. Another tall might have done ok or might have thrown in a complete dog. History shows Boyd did it.
If he gets it together we have a 22 year old ruck forward who's a bit overpaid. Not the end of the world.
From memory his first year was peanuts because he had to stick to his rookie contract but then it was front-ended from there.
It was in the context of a player doing precisely **** all in every other game he's ever played.
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Correct. The club had been structuring the use of the cap to make a massive play for one of the GWS key forwards the following year. Boyd came up earlier. Was apparently on well over $1m the past two years. It tapers off.
Roos mentioned on the couch that out of all the pick 1s since about 2000 there was only 15 best and fairest won. Riewoldt won 6 of them. Number one pick really put pressure on players.
Although if you look at the best key forwards across the league I’d say most were reasonably high picks.
Although if you look at the best key forwards across the league I’d say most were reasonably high picks.
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The Dogs fans still claiming "he was worth every penny" are delusional.
That argument relies on the idea that "Boyd = premiership", which is simply not the case. They might well have won it without recruiting Boyd on that kind of money.
If you insist upon the formulation that "Boyd = premiership" then where do you draw the line? Would he have been good value on $2 million per year as well?
On balance, he hasn't earned his money. Not even close.
That argument relies on the idea that "Boyd = premiership", which is simply not the case. They might well have won it without recruiting Boyd on that kind of money.
If you insist upon the formulation that "Boyd = premiership" then where do you draw the line? Would he have been good value on $2 million per year as well?
On balance, he hasn't earned his money. Not even close.
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I don't have to "discredit his performance" in the GF to make the case that he hasn't justified his high price tag. That was one big game where he was very good.
Liam Picken was probably their best player throughout that finals series. Should they be paying him $1 million a year as well?
Playing in a premiership – even if you're a key player – doesn't suddenly mean no price is disproportionately high.
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- #43
You guys should be paying him $1 million a year for that. Apparently.
1 premiership in their history and it was over 50 years ago. In 40 years time if you haven't won one tell me how much you'd be willing to pay 1 player to see an Eagles flag.
As a Melbourne supporter I'd pay anyone in the league 2 million dollars if they have a good finals series, a very good grand final and we win the flag.
Of course it was a bad deal but it worked and nothing else really matters.
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- #45
You're just repeating the fallacy that Boyd = premiership.
Should they have paid Liam Picken $1 million as well? He was handy throughout that finals series.
Should they have paid Joel Hamling $1 million as well? He did a fine job on four key forwards in consecutive weeks.
The glory of a premiership notwithstanding, there still needs to be some kind of scale. The salary cap is $12.45 million per year? Should they all get $1 million a year for several years because the Dogs won a flag?
And you'd keep paying them $2 million for years after that, even if they were no longer getting a game?
An absurd statement and an obvious contradiction.
It was a bad deal – that's the point.
Yes, they won a flag. High fives all round. That doesn't mean Boyd has justified his pay packet overall.
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Doesn't sound like a challenge. I think what Wood is doing is quashing rumours there's any other reason for him to not be playing and the rest of the article is very supportive.
Anyway, across the league big nonathletic key forwards are struggling. It's all about mobility these days. Boyd's still young and has had some injury and illness set backs so I'd still be confident he can find a bit athletically and make some form of impact forward but his size and style will probably be best suited as a 2nd ruck.
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- #47
1. Historically, a good key forward is important in September
2. Dogs needed one
3. Dogs got Boyd (an expensive deal, but not one that cost them players due to salary cap reasons pre winning a flag)
4. Boyd stood up in September - his prelim game was very important too
5. Dogs win flag
Winning a flag isn't high fives all round, it's the be all and end all especially when you haven't won one for 50 years. A dogs supporter even had a heart attack at the ground!
Boyd and Schache are two. McCartin obviously. But even mature guys like Hawkins and Tex Walker are trending down.
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- #50
None of that means he's earned his massive pay check.
The salary cap is $12.45 million per year. So how many players should be getting $1 million per year? Just Boyd or are there 10 more?
Schache and McCartin are 20 and 21. Boyd, for what it's worth, is still only 22.
I don't know what you mean by "non-athletic". I wouldn't describe Boyd that way necessarily. Is Walker "non-athletic"? Hawkins isn't necessarily a big endurance athlete but he's plenty explosive and pretty powerful.
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