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Opinion
Jeremy Cameron will be the headline of the AFL trade period after Greater Western Sydney matched Geelong’s contract offered to the star forward.
This move made history, with the Giants becoming the first club to match an offer from a rival club on a restricted free agent, which also means that the Cats are forced into a trade scenario.
Geelong had offered the former Coleman Medalist a five-year deal worth $950,000 a year, with an option for a sixth if Cameron played 14 games in his fifth year on the contract. This trumped the GWS offer, which was $200,000 less per year for five years.
The Giants would have likely received a late first-round pick as compensation for losing the star, however the club looks to receive more for Cameron now that Geelong are forced to trade.
It is understood the Sydney club would want two first-round selections, along with potentially another player.
“We are disappointed by this news, having tabled what we believe to have been a suitable offer to retain Jeremy,” Giants head of football Jason McCartney said.
“With Jeremy being a restricted free agent, we have a number of avenues to now explore to get the best possible outcome for the Giants.”
The Giants had every intention of matching the offer sheet put forward by the Cats in an attempt to get the most compensation they could, with Geelong holding onto multiple high picks in the upcoming draft (13, 15 and 20).
With the Giants agreeing to a trade with Fremantle for Jesse Hogan, the team seems to believe that a deal will get done, despite Geelong not ruling out that they would abandon their bid if asked for too much.
Two first-round picks should get the deal done, a transaction that other clubs will keep an eye on in the future to determine whether they would try their luck in matching an offer for a player who wishes to walk. GWS’s matching of Cameron’s contract and the result will showcase to other clubs that they have more options than simply letting young stars walk out the door for a compensation pick.
If all goes to plan, the Giants will acquire more than what they would have by playing hardball. While Geelong do not have to let GWS walk all over them at the trade table, the Giants certainly hold the cards regarding Cameron’s future.
The outcome will potentially inspire other clubs to match offer sheets and force big clubs to make a trade if they want to acquire talent.
Geelong will now have to work out a deal that benefits both clubs, with the Cats set to give up young talent. Geelong already has one of the oldest lists in the AFL and trading away their draft picks is not ideal, however it creates an even playing field where the clubs who are losing established players are able to develop and gain something substantial in return.
This could be the beginning of clubs taking more control and allowing the competition to become more even, which will be beneficial to the AFL long term.
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