AFL Player # 2: Sam Draper - Achilles - 18/4

[Dave]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2025
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 20, TheUnicorn

 

[dank420_]

Why saints have only won one flag in 150 years hmm

All because they’ve offered a ruck heaps of money. That’s the reason.

 

[andleanback]

All because they’ve offered a ruck heaps of money. That’s the reason.

Overpaying players, bad recruiting. It all comes into it.

 

[Keystone agony]

You can cross Conway off that list.

He's either struggling with injury, which would defeat the purpose of signing him, or he's number 1 for the Cats.

Given that he's still to turn 22, making him a fourth year player, and given what he has shown when he has played he's not going anywhere to be depth until a number 1 is okay. I'd still have him as the best ruck prospect in the game (who is not yet established).

Reidy is a good shout. I don't think GC let Moyle go and he's not going anywhere to be an understudy. I've quite liked what I've seen of Max Heath at St Kilda who I've thought has shaded Bryan the 2 times I've seen them play against each other. He's year younger but he's got the build naturally.

I think most would be backing themselves in over a Bryan coming off an ACL and these guys are 2nd fiddle still potentially for a while at their clubs

Obviousily money and tenure would be involved aswell

 

[dank420_]

Overpaying players, bad recruiting. It all comes into it.

Sure but you're tryin to shoehorn a point about Draper. It doesn't work when Draper is a far better player than you're suggesting.

 

[MiguelM]

On watching the replay Draper was super important to us winning. He is actually finally holding onto marks. Something we have lacked for a very long time.

Unless there are ready made Ruckmen in the Draft we would be crazy not to sign him.

 

[Keystone agony]

Id say the club is offering 6 x 800k now

 

[astrowizzle]

Id definately do that. He still has a lot of untapped potential imo. He does stuff blokes his size shouldn't be able to do

 

[ant555]

Id say the club is offering 6 x 800k now

You can add $100k to that

 

[eth-dog]

You can add $100k to that

God no. 900k for Draper is crazy numbers.

 

[dank420_]

You can add $100k to that

Thanks Ant you're a legend! Hope they at least throw you a signed scarf.

 

[ant555]

God no. 900k for Draper is crazy numbers.

In 2026 $900k will be a B grade salary.

 

[eth-dog]

In 2026 $900k will be a B grade salary.

Exactly. Crazy numbers.

 

[ant555]

Exactly. Crazy numbers.

Not really. He is a B grade player.

 

[dank420_]

Exactly. Crazy numbers.

We chose the wrong profession Ethano

 

[eth-dog]

Not really. He is a B grade player.

Genuine question, how many starting rucks is he better than? In your opinion. I have ROB, SDK/Stanley, Witts (50/50), Meek (50/50), Sweet, English and Williams behind him. That puts over half the starting rucks ahead of him, which ain't B Grade. Which I'm not sure 900k is even a B Grade salary at this point.

Giving a still inconsistent ruck a 6 year, 5 and a half million dollar contract is something Dodoro would do due to his ego.

 

[faible]

Genuine question, how many starting rucks is he better than? In your opinion. I have ROB, SDK/Stanley, Witts (50/50), Meek (50/50), Sweet, English and Williams behind him. That puts over half the starting rucks ahead of him, which ain't B Grade. Which I'm not sure 900k is even a B Grade salary at this point.

Giving a still inconsistent ruck a 6 year, 5 and a half million dollar contract is something Dodoro would do due to his ego.

If he's half as good as TDK, and TDK is being offered $1.7m / year, $900k isn't far off the mark.

 

[jmoo wan]

If he's half as good as TDK, and TDK is being offered $1.7m / year, $900k isn't far off the mark.

yeah but TDK does amazing things to your system

 

[ant555]

Genuine question, how many starting rucks is he better than? In your opinion. I have ROB, SDK/Stanley, Witts (50/50), Meek (50/50), Sweet, English and Williams behind him. That puts over half the starting rucks ahead of him, which ain't B Grade. Which I'm not sure 900k is even a B Grade salary at this point.

Giving a still inconsistent ruck a 6 year, 5 and a half million dollar contract is something Dodoro would do due to his ego.

Going by this you would only pay 90% of rucks B grade money. How many rucks are able to also be on target to kick 25 goals if used as a forward option as well? Personally, I do not place the rucks in a box of their own. They are part of a team. As far as $900k goes this season it is bottom end A grade. Next cap increase it will be B grade.
On top of this I think you will find that now we have these long-term deals as normal we will start to be cases where clubs negotiate out of them via trade.
People simply have not got their heads around the fact that $900k will not be a top end wage.

 

[eth-dog]

Going by this you would only pay 90% of rucks B grade money. How many rucks are able to also be on target to kick 25 goals if used as a forward option as well? Personally, I do not place the rucks in a box of their own. They are part of a team. As far as $900k goes this season it is bottom end A grade. Next cap increase it will be B grade.
On top of this I think you will find that now we have these long-term deals as normal we will start to be cases where clubs negotiate out of them via trade.
People simply have not got their heads around the fact that $900k will not be a top end wage.

I mean yeah. I wouldn. Because most rucks aren't B Grade. That's the curse of having so few in the AFL.

 

[ant555]

Report in the HS today saying Sam is more chance to stay in Victoria and play for another club here than going back to SA if he leaves us.
Happy being with us and is settled over here and not keen to get back to SA.
Reported that it would take something dramatic for him to leave.
Has held up talks because he wanted to get through the early rounds this season. Plan is for his manager and Essendon to meet and kick things off in a couple of weeks.
Says as a FA you look at everything.

 

[MiguelM]

Hope he stays for the fact we might go into round 1 next year with a not 100% Bryan and 37yo Goldy without him.

Plus, he just played his best game for the club IMO.

 

[Bipolar Bear]

I don't think he does stay. Why would we paying a bloke 800k a year if he doesn't solo ruck. Having two rucks in the team in 2025 is the sort of stuff opposition coaches would just laugh at.

All this talk about Goldstein coming in is poor stuff.

 

[brutus76]

Draper and Thrilthorpe ruck forward duo would allow Adelaide more flexibility with ROB starting to slow down

Happy to take the comp and get Reidy who is 24 big body ready to go, Melbourne lad just can't get a game and was arguably BOG in the WAFL GF last year

 

[Agronomus]

Draper is nothing like Stringer lol

I thought Stringer was a supreme athlete like Draper though?

 

[dank420_]

I thought Stringer was a supreme athlete like Draper though?

If those dudes who compete in pie eating contests are athletes then yes