The AFL has handed the Geelong football club an end-of-first-round pick at this year’s draft, after the Cats chose not to match midfielder Steven Motlop’s bid to join Port Adelaide.
Motlop will arrive at the Power with a four-year contract, reportedly worth $2 million. He chose Port Adelaide ahead of several other clubs, including cross-town rivals Adelaide and the Gold Coast.
It marks a stunning turnaround of events, considering Motlop had been under scrutiny for much of the season.
The free agency compensation selection now gives the Cats a stronger hand to chase several of their reported targets, including Jake Stringer, Gary Ablett and Jack Watts.
Motlop becomes the second player to join Port Adelaide this trade period as a free agent, after the Power convinced former Brisbane skipper Tom Rockliff, who lost the Lions captaincy prior to this season, to ply his trade elsewhere.
The Power has also been linked with Watts, with recent reports suggesting the former number one pick will also nominate the club when the trade period resumes.
Cat
Roar Guru
Maybe the fact that no other clubs are squawking about it should be taken as a sign they already know.
Cat
Roar Guru
Or, its even simplier, the reported $500k/p.a. is wrong and the Power paid more like $700k/p.a. that the Crows were reportedly offering.
Scott
Guest
You may be right but if I was one of the other clubs I'd be finding that out. Because if it is as reported, then it is wrong
Scott
Guest
They prob won’t get pick 19. I agree with you. I think they’ve given the pick just so a trade will happen. It’s just flat out not right. The deal is plain and simply worth a 2nd round pick, always has been and always will be. The committee have obviously decided to give a 1st round pick for their personal reason
Scott
Guest
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BackYard Centurion
Guest
Of course it is overs - it is inflated compo I believe designed to assist Gold Coast and getting GAJ to Cats, with maybe later pick or swaps. Manipulation absolute.
Cat
Roar Guru
And when GC doesn't get pick 19 all your 'if's fall down into a pile of tin foil conspiracy nonsense.
Cat
Roar Guru
How do you know for a fact what PA is paying Motlop? It's all rumors and innuendo. The compo given point to a larger payday than being reported.
Scott
Guest
Each team is a business. The AFL is a business. All the teams will have some sort of contracts with the AFL and conditions of those contracts. The AFL is obviously doing this so 1. They have a feel good story next year with Ablett coming home and, 2. Gold Coast will be able to compete and stay afloat by being compensated with a high draft pick. Both of these reasons are so the AFL can get more ratings and make more money. The words "Decided by a committee" is the whole reason this is happening. It is not mathematically fair compensation, judged on every other decision. If it was 2 other teams it would be a 2nd round compo. If the AFL are doing this to make money the other teams should legally demand a share of that cash. I Would hate to actually see this happen but I'd like them to do it just so the AFL gets the point that they cant keep being unfair to clubs to suit their own financial position
Scott
Guest
For the ridiculously unfair crap this is. I've read the comments now and looked into it. Motlop prob isn't even in the top 10 pay bracket in a club alone and the compensation is completely unfair. The deal is exactly the same as Chris Maynes deal last year, but with the 20% pay increase, is actually far less. If Motlop got offered $600k a year we could fairly compare it. I don't blame you for sticking up for your own teams position, but this is massively unfair to all the other teams. They could use exact examples and facts to make a legitimate legal case against this, and they should. You wouldn't be happy if you supported one of the other 16 teams
Scott
Guest
Wildcat. No one is debating that Ablett was worth more than that. The AFL set it up so gws and Gold Coast had a massive advantage and free access to the best players. Ablett wasn't a free agent, he was an uncontracted player when the afl threw money at Gold Coast. The reason everyone is annoyed is that this is obviously the AFL trying to sort their own mess out and once again unfairly manipulating the competition. Motlop is on a 4 year $500k deal. The new pay agreement is worth 20% more per player. Chris Mayne got the exact same deal last year which is equivalent to a $600k deal this year. He was a year older but still, it's not the only example. Geelong got Scott Selwood at the same age and the Eagles got pick 37 for him. I'd be stoked if I was a cats supporter and prob be trying to defend it like you are, but there is absolutely no way this is mathematically fair to the rest of the competition
Crowbot
Guest
I don't love or hate Geelong, I don't see why I would. All I'm saying is Geelong will need to give something that Gold Coast can use. Those other trades happened or will happen because parties involved were happy enough with the end result. I don't think Geelong should bring Ablett in if what he has to offer doesn't justify the price.
Cat
Roar Guru
Sue for what exactly? The tinfoil hat brigade sure is on a roll today.
Scott
Guest
Mate the only reason Geelong are getting pick 19 is to trade for Ablett. It is absurdly corrupt nonsense. Not in a corrupt way towards a particular team, but the AFL wanting to make more money, by helping Gold Coast and getting Ablett to geelong for a good story. By every letter of the law the compensation should be 2nd round pick after Geelongs
Scott
Guest
I haven't read the comments yet so feel free to slag me if I've wrong, but is this absolute f#^*|+€ crap. This is wrong on every level. It has to be something to do with Ablett being traded. This is prob directed to Gold Coast as much as Geelong. This needs to be taken to the courts by all the other 16 teams. Properly to the courts, As in 16 clubs sue the AFL. Complete and utter disgrace
Kane
Guest
I thought the exact same thing when i read the article PD.
George
Guest
No doubt AFL is involved. Retirement is not the option as Gillon McLachlan mentioned last month on 360 unless Ablett decides to retire after family tragedy. I think both clubs handle negotiations respectful way. Late second, early third value seems fair to me too. GS has so many picks second round, so pick 19 or future second may be involved. I noticed you continually use $700K. Curious where you got this number from as it is generally accepted here in QLD it's $500K. (3 year contract - 1.5M, 1M, 0.5M). Yes, GC would like to get a player and some money back but that does not look like it's happening. Unless GC start winning attracting players will be a problem as it is actually for any bottom club. Good luck Cats with Ablett. If Ablett stays healthy, he's still very good and should help. I am personally looking forward to watch GC under new coach minus Ablett.
Ditto
Guest
Cat. Ok pick 19 is the Stringer pick, but I'm not sure WB will move on it that quickly, I think that they may give Essendon a bit of time to think things over. Maybe hold off until Essendon have stuck their heels in a bit and make a move when WB start getting itchy and Essendon don't have enough time to find a way to up the ante.
Cat
Roar Guru
Melbourne got pick 3 for Frawley ...
Philby
Guest
Retorts unnecessary, boys. Just commenting on the system, as it is currently designed to work. I would have thought the objective of compensation picks was to recompense the club losing the player for roughly the value of the player - if that is so, the design of the system seems to be somewhat flawed. If you are less inclined to retort to an actual situation rather than a hypothetical, I believe the Hawk's compensation for Franklin was the same as what Tigers compo would have been for Martin - i.e. first round pick, but as premiers, effectively the same compo as for Motlop. I don't blame you, Cats, for accepting whatever compo is on offer - I would have the same view if in your position. I'm just a bit bemused by a system that would provide pretty much identical compensation for players of such obviously differing worth and value.