A decade ago it was hard to believe that anyone could earn $10 million playing AFL, let alone over the course of one contract.
Then along came Lance Franklin.
So if Lance has proven that a nine-year contract can work (albeit for one season), who else should get nine years?
9. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
Despite being four months away from his 19th birthday, Bontempelli has proven himself to be the outstanding player of the 2013 draft class.
An ability to tackle, kick goals and work inside means he is the complete package in the making. Add on a 192cm, 85kg frame and he comes right from the Josh Kennedy or Fremantle school of midfielders.
8. Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide)
A proven talent for a number of seasons now and beginning to show himself as an outstanding leader. Kicks goals, wins his own ball and is deadly outside.
The only nit picking you can do on Dangerfield is with the way that he throws his body around – he is a danger to himself and may not last nine years.
7. Ollie Wines (Port Adelaide)
Wines oozes the right mix of class and temperament. Has already proven himself on the big stage and has shown consistency beyond his years.
Tough at it on the inside and another potential leader down the line, Wines would be worth all of the nine years.
6. Adam Treloar (GWS)
First player from the expansion clubs and the only one on the list from GWS. Yes, they have a number of potential big talls who could become major players in a few years, but if you are looking at a nine-year deal you want production throughout and only midfielders can give that.
Treloar has been somewhat of a surprise of the GWS team but his ability to consistently find the ball and use it well has made him a crucial part of the Giants midfield.
5. Brad Hill (Hawthorn)
To look at Hill you would say his pace makes him both electrifying and important. However Hill is so much more than that explosive outside player.
He has workrate beyond his years and his decision making is elite. When you are playing for the reigning premier and are considered a crucial omission to the side it speaks volumes about your standing.
4. Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle)
Fyfe is not really compared to James Hird – both a blessing and a warning. Yes, Fyfe is extremely talented and is one of the most versatile players in the league, but as Hird taught us, an unexplained injury could be just around the corner when you play with such reckless abandon.
If fit, Fyfe is likely the backbone of multiple premiership sides in the next nine years, but he has to be conservative given his style.
3. Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
Just makes it on the age factor – he will be on the wrong side of the 30 in nine years’ time – however Cotchin is going to want to continue playing football for as long as he can.
He continues to close-in on a Brownlow medal, but it is leading a side towards ultimate success that is most important for Cotchin.
2. Dyson Heppell (Essendon)
A ball magnet who finds it on the inside and out, Heppell continues to show great poise and has improved markedly in his leadership. Has the sort of look that can be marketed around over the coming years and has the game to back it up.
1. Jaegar O’Meara (Gold Coast)
O’Meara was born to play this game and has a mind set that could be looked back on as genius.
While he is still growing, developing and maturing, everything O’Meara presents both off and on-field is that of a superstar in the making.
O’Meara will be regarded as the best of his time. The debate between Ablett senior and junior will be between the Suns’ Ablett and O’Meara over the next nine years.
Cameron Palmer
Roar Guru
In order of appearance: Tesla, You will notice a distinct lack of key position players in this list. Why? Because key position players tend to have a smaller window of being at their peak and typically do not reach their peak to later in their careers. Hence why personally I would say that key position players are a stay away for long contracts. Gregor, While Darling is not a key position player, I think Darling's peak is still a few years away yet and that after his peak he will fall away quicker then most midfielders. The way he throws his body around you would probably hesitate with a nine year contract. The more I look at my list, I dislike having Dangerfield in there for that reason and would probably have him replaced if I were to update. Thanks for the input though guys, always appreciate the debate.
Gregor
Guest
And Jack Darling
Tesla
Guest
Where's Jeremy Cameron?
Cameron Palmer
Roar Guru
Bosk, How much are you selling that property for? Beachfront... Ayers Rock... Beautiful... Sounds like a must have. Seriously though, agree with you that Sydney are only interested in one thing and that is the ongoing success of the Swans in the NSW market. The problem is the AFL have the exact same agenda and desire where they too want ongoing success. It is easy to see why the AFL and Sydney always seem to get along so well. They both want the same thing. Not sure where you picked the Crows man from? My podcast co-host Mike is an Adelaide man and is still to this day dirty about Tippett leaving. But I follow a different team. Regular listerners to the 'Mike to Cam Show' will know who my team is. Appreciate your feedback Bosk.
Bosk
Roar Rookie
Cameron, If you believe Sydney are "looking out for the game as a whole" then I have a beautiful piece of beachfront property situated close to Ayres Rock to sell you. :D Andrew Ireland recently threatened to withdraw Swans' funding from the NSW player academy should the league no longer allow Sydney to bid for the academy's best players under Father/Son rules - in other words, Sydney is committed to developing football in NSW if and only if there is a competitive advantage in it for the Swans. The business of football has become so hyper-competitive clubs will do just about anything to gain a miniscule advantage. Publicly there's a running dialog among club presidents over their concern for the "common good" but this is largely a front, behind the scenes its every man for himself. Of course this serves to make it even more infuriating a select few clubs are afforded privileges others are denied. Finally, I noticed you're a Crows man. Please accept my sincere sympathies for the loss of Kurt Tippett. Don't you sometimes wish there was a huge, untapped AFL TV audience in your home state? I know I do!
Cameron Palmer
Roar Guru
Appreciate the feedback and support as well as the debate this topic has drawn up. In order of appearance: Ando, You may have a point with Sloane over Dangerfield as I know a number of the Crows fans I am mates with prefer Sloane to Dangerfield. As a neutral though, I think the vast majority like the explosiveness and the all round game of Dangerfield. The injury concerns will always be one of the reasons why you would hesitate in committing long term. Radelaide, Great point and I did cover on it briefly. In some regards it may be a surprise if Dangerfield is still going in nine years time. That is the beauty of the future, we just never know. Don Freo, Don't give the AFL an idea... If this happens Don, I come after you. Josh Hamilton, Three years. That would be underacheieving with these nine. Give me a premiership within two! Gecko, Two excellent points that you raise. One the long term deal gives flexibility to clubs and because we don't know how wages and salaries are going to rise over the next ten years. There is a lot of negative talk about long term deals, but as your rightly point out, as long as the unthinkable long term injury doesn't happen there are always ways to milk the system and rework potential contracts. One of the less considered ideas behind the contract that Franklin has, is what happens if he opts to retire? It would be hard to see the AFL being able to enforce the salary in their cap room if it was Franklin's choice to walk away from the contract. How Franklin's situation is handled at its conclusion to me is the greatest unknown of the whole saga and will dicatate what loopholes clubs can use in the future. If Sydney can lose Franklin and not be charged to their cap and if the AFL has not closed long term deals, pandora's box may very well be open. Great points though Gecko. Bosk, We had a brief period in 2013 where every contract seemed to be five years with clubs believing that was how to beat free agency. However you are right in recent memory long term deals are now few and far between especially this year. It is probably only the Swans and the AFL that know the intimtate details of the Franklin contract. As a neutral fan, should I believe that the AFL and Sydney are looking out for the game as a whole, or pushing the Sydney agenda. I know which one I believe. Andy Roo, 100% correct in literal thinking that nine years is a massive risk. I still remain unconvinced on what the AFL would do in the event of a career ending injury though. If the AFL would happily bail out the club; then the risk you are talking about is mitigated. In America they have had to put stingent rules on contracts because owners and general managers were killing clubs. In most cases the team who makes the flaws is lumped with it. In the AFL I do not think the commission would want a team to struggle. Will be interesting days down the line I am sure. Thanks for the input Andy.
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
Nine year deals are ridiculous. Way too risky for the club. Franklin's deal is mind-blowing. The risks to any club of signing such a long contract are such that the AFL should consider stepping in and limiting contracts to no more than fie years. Having said that all of the players mentioned in the article would be worth a five year contract. I'm sure there would be plenty more.
Bosk
Roar Rookie
Clubs rarely, if ever offer players more than 5 year contracts. Even 5 year deals are becoming exceedingly rare. Sydney offered Franklin a 9 year deal simply because their salary cap afforded them no other way to significantly better Hawthorn's offer. Franklin inheriting Goodes' 500k+ "ambassador" payment after he retires next year is also likely part of the promised package. Other clubs won't be reckless enough to offer players 9 year deals anytime soon. Firstly because Buddy was recruited primarily for marketing purposes and players with such abundant crowd, membership & merchandising power are rarer than hens' teeth, and secondly because clubs in non-expansion states lack an ironclad guarantee of indefinite, unlimited and unconditional AFL financial support.
Gecko
Guest
Good list, and 10-year deals could be good value from a club's point of view, including giving flexibility from year-to-year in meeting the salary cap. Buddy signed a 10-year deal, knowing he'd realistically only be playing for 5 - 7 years. Players realistically looking at 10 years of playing should be careful to get high rates for those years 6-10 because player wages will rise steadily from year to year. A million $ in 2020 may be selling themselves cheap.
Radelaide
Guest
plus I think you'd get only 5 years out of his body with his battering game style.
John Hamilton
Roar Pro
they'd be premiers within 3 years
Don Freo
Guest
Let's build an expansion team in Tasmania, giving them these nine for nine years as their base.
Ando
Guest
I for one dont get all the hype on Dangerfield. He burns way too much possession for my liking. If I was a Crows fan, I'd much rather them offer a long term contract to Sloane.