On Monday one of the worst kept secrets in the AFL was confirmed. Western Bulldogs young gun Callan Ward told his club he will be leaving and joining the AFL’s newest team Greater Western Sydney for a reported five-year contract worth $800,000 a season.
For months there has been much speculation on Ward’s future at the Bulldogs, and although they did all they could to keep him at the club, in the end their offer of $450,000 was dwarfed by the Giants.
Now the attention for the Bulldogs turns to what compensation they will get in the form of draft picks for losing Ward. Bulldogs CEO Simon Garlick has already said the club expects no less then two first-round picks, the same that Geelong got when Gary Ablett Jnr left for the Gold Coast Suns last year.
The club argues that given Ward’s age at just 21, and the fact that they had spent four years developing him after taking him at pick 19 in the 2007 draft, that they deserve the two first-round picks.
Under the AFL’s compensation formula weight is given to the player’s age and the amount of money offered them by the new clubs.
People like former Geelong forward Billy Brownless have argued that the Bulldogs don’t deserve what Geelong got for Ablett, saying, “Callan Ward was taken at pick 19 in the 2007 draft, he’s 21 years of age, he hasn’t won a best and fairest, hasnt won an All-Australian and I reckon Gary Ablett was the benchmark.” But the AFL have already said that personal achievements like best and fairest and All-Australians would carry less weight than last year.
Given the Bulldogs clearly see Ward as not just a 200-plus gamer but also a future leader, and the fact the AFL have stated age and pay are what counts for deciding compensation, the Bulldogs have every right to ask for two first rounders.
Anyone who saw Ward’s performance in the 2010 prelim final against St Kilda last year would know about his ability. When St Kilda was running over the top of the Bulldogs Ward stood up and played a lone hand.
He was also one of the few shining lights for the Bulldogs in a tough year. Where other players were inconsistent, Ward just seemed to find the ball and gave his all even when his side was down and out.
There is no doubt that the Bulldogs saw him as a vital part of their future, with their football manager James Fantasia going as far as saying losing Ward would hurt the Dogs more than it hurt Geelong losing Ablett.
I can remember Ward’s debut against Richmond in 2008, seeing a 17 year old who just seemed to know how to find the ball and seemed to move so well. It was at half time that Channel 7 interviewed injured Bulldog Robert Murphy. When asked about Ward, Murphy said he would be a 200-game player for the club.
In a desperate attempt to keep Ward at Whitten Oval, they offered him a five-year contract worth $450,000 a year for five years. The offer, they said at the time, was over market value for Ward.
The Western Bulldogs have lost more then just a 21 year old with talent. The have lost a vital part of their furture as well as a kid with clear leadership skills, some within the Dogs predicting he would be the next captain. You can bet that he will be a contender to lead GWS in their debut season, as well as being on a massive pay cheque.
Every way you look at it the Western Bullogs deserve the two first round picks for Ward.
Max
Guest
Rischitelli only signed 3 years for 500k not 5 years for 800k like Ward http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/michael-rischitelli-joins-gold-coast-suns/story-e6frey19-1225915206772
Max
Guest
Isnt Gary and juddy the only guys that clear a $1m a year the average salary in afl is $241,436 a year. Thats what the doggies roughly had him on 200k they wanted him for 450k and GWS doubled to 800k. And also according to the AFL only 8 players earn in the same bracket as what callan will so i guess he is in a top echelon and they will probably get two picks.
TomC
Guest
Ward may have more 'upside' in the sense that he has more improvement left in him, but he still has a long way to go to be as good as Rischitelli. He might end up being better. He might end up being worse. Risk doesn't increase your desirability. Of course the Dogs have to do deal within the constraints of the salary cap, and that in turn affects what they consider to be his market value. If they actually felt that his market value was below $450k, which is the minimum you'd expect for an elite young player, then clearly they don't in fact believe he is worth it.
Geoff
Guest
Gary Abblett was reported to have accepted $1.6m a year so if you believe Ward has accepted $800k a year, that would make him worth one first round draft pick surely?
amazonfan
Roar Guru
GWS also has a salary cap, however it's obviously much higher than that of other clubs. Anyway, regarding the article, I think it's silly to discount All-Australian selections. While Best and Fairests can be manipulated by the clubs to boost the value of the players who are set to leave, one can't say the same thing about AA selection. Unless one believes that the AFL would have a quiet word with the AA selection committee. :D
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Doggies supporters must have lost their marbles, two draft picks for an uncontracted player?
Ben
Guest
TomC, Unlike GWS the bulldogs stil have a salary cap. The Doggies would have offered $1m if they could. The fact that GWS has offered around $800k means he was rated very highly, and they believe he is worth it.To compare Ward to Rischitelli is nonsense. Ward has plenty more upside, No Doubt about it. Anyway 2 first round picks really means picks around 17-22. Not earlier as the first 15 picks are untouchable.
Steve
Guest
If the formula is such that the doggies get 2 first picks ill use everyone ones excuse with the new clubs signing uncontracted players "the clubs and AFL agreed to it..." As for paying him near 800k in the doggies salary cap they would have to cut over half their list to fit him in they don’t have the highest salary cap in the league (GWS). Remember that they have signed Griffen, Wallis, Liba, Tutt, dahlhaus etc for more and longer... He'll probably not do near half the accomplishments of Gary/Judd same as 95% of the league but GWS want to pay overs and lift him into the top 5% that’s their problem and the doggies reward....
CJ
Guest
Indeed. You can't say a player is elite when he leaves but then say he's not worth elite wages to keep him. I'd be interested to know what proportion of draft picks are busts, but surely you can't compare an actual superstar like Abblett to a potential superstar under any circumstance.
TomC
Guest
Rischitelli seems like the obvious comparison for Ward. Three years older, but a hundred game player and B&F winner at 24. He was deemed to be worth Band 2 compensation when he went to the Suns last season. I'd be very surprised if Ward was assessed to be more valuable than that. Certainly if the Dogs felt that $450k a year was over market value for Ward it would be a bit rich to turn around and say they expect compensation for an elite player when they don't believe he's worth elite wages. $450k would hardly put him amongst the highest paid players in the league.