Our Weakness

[Bulluss]

Wouldn't that be because the club still has to pay a certain percentage of the salary cap, something like 95%.
There is a giant gaping flaw in that system 

Not neccessarily the reason.

A lot of our players were overpaid on the back on one good year, the club threw money at them so they wouldnt leave and they never backed up again.

[Moi]

They've still got to pay 95%, that's probably why they were overpaid.

[Moi]

My weakness would be 6'6"+ forwards and ruckmen - oh sorry this is about the team's weaknesses.

As Mae West would say, Julz, forget about the 6' and concentrate on the 6+... never mind lol

[Bulluss]

They've still got to pay 95%, that's probably why they were overpaid.

I am sure that we have always been well above the 95% mark, infact there has been a number of times we have had a player short over the last 3-4 years coz we cant fit them into the cap.

So while i can see where you are coming from Moi, it hasnt been the problem at Punt Road.

There has also been problems trying to trade for certain players because of this high salary cap.

[WilliamPowell]

They've still got to pay 95%, that's probably why they were overpaid.

I reckon you've got a point Moi. It used to be clubs had to pay at least 92.5% of the salary cap but under the CBA I think it maybe 95%

If you have a young list with a few older blokes you are going to have to pay above the odds to hit that 95% quota. Under the CBA there's a minimum amiunt you have to pay kids that are drafted. So how do you make up the rest - by paying over the odds.

Without trying to be the proverbial fence sitter here  

A lot of our players were overpaid on the back on one good year, the club threw money at them so they wouldnt leave and they never backed up again.

I think you're right on that point too Bull. Look at Nick Daffy - massive contract after winning a B&F but you have to wonder would he have made the starting 18 for the top teams of the day? Answer: highly unlikely so in that respect - yeah I think we've probably overpaid.

So I suppose what I am saying is it is a combination of both  

[WilliamPowell]

I am sure that we have always been well above the 95% mark, infact there has been a number of times we have had a player short over the last 3-4 years coz we cant fit them into the cap.

I think you'll find that the reason we've gone short in the last few years is because there have been budget restraints because of the state of the finances.

Meaning that we weren't paying 100% of the cap but the footy department budget said we could only pay 95% and we were right at that level due to the contracts we had in place etc. 

[mightytiges]

It's not the case now but under Spud we were paying around the 100% mark in TPP. It might have been over 100% (legally) when you included veterans' full salary which only half counts towards the cap. Pumping money into the footy department was one of the reasons we lost $2m in one year. $$$ contracts to Gas and Holland after 2001 was symbolic of the club thinking we were better than we were. Before that in 1999 we signed our core group at the time - Knights, Cambo, Richo and Daffy - to $$$ contracts despite them failing to lead us to finals in 4 straight years and on the back of the disaster end to 1998 and a miserable 1999.

I feel heaps more confident now with Steven Wright in charge that our dollars are being significantly better managed and spent. Almost the antithesis of those times prior to the 2004 election. In any case the main culprit for our failures over the years at Richmond IMHO has been our recruiting.

[torch]

we talk the talk ... but don't walk the walk ...

[torch]

It's not the case now but under Spud we were paying around the 100% mark in TPP. It might have been over 100% (legally) when you included veterans' full salary which only half counts towards the cap. Pumping money into the footy department was one of the reasons we lost $2m in one year. $$$ contracts to Gas and Holland after 2001 was symbolic of the club thinking we were better than we were. Before that in 1999 we signed our core group at the time - Knights, Cambo, Richo and Daffy - to $$$ contracts despite them failing to lead us to finals in 4 straight years and on the back of the disaster end to 1998 and a miserable 1999.

I feel heaps more confident now with Steven Wright in charge that our dollars are being significantly better managed and spent. Almost the antithesis of those times prior to the 2004 election. In any case the main culprit for our failures over the years at Richmond IMHO has been our recruiting.

agree ... and it could still be this today !