Current players have committed to join Gold Coast

[Penelope]

It is understood the 20-year-old is a priority target for new club Gold Coast.

Bet his source is Big Footy.

[wayne]

I know it's a blow to every team in the competition to lose a star or promising youngster, but the AFL should really discourage GC17 from raiding teams that have struggled for years ie. Melbourne, Fremantle and Richmond.

[jackstar is back again]

seen the Gold Coast training last month when on recent holidays at Broadbeach.
Can tell you there current squad has some extremely biggger bodied players.
There werent aint skinny lightweights,

[Penelope]

none at all?

[jackstar is back again]

none at all?

Nope,
they are came down to the beach after training every day..
They have done plenty of work

[blaisee]

cotchin is a sublime footballer, but his body has questionmarks, gold coasts interest puts the tigers in a very prickly position, he is probably worth 250-300k on what he has done so far and his body concerns. GC are offering 500k plus, and a long term deal. Not sure if the tiges should match it. The worse thing we can do is offer someone big bucks on a long term deal that cant get on the field. Watch this space.

[Ramps]

offer him 350 and if he goes he goes. we'll get some good compo anyway.

[tiga]

Isn't it funny Jack when you talk "big bodies" like it is critical to success...then you look at Hawthorn on Sat night and they are leaner & lighter. Buddy, Hodge and Lewis especially.
Seems to me that there is now a trend towards players being less top heavy to increase speed and agility to evolve with the game as it gets quicker.

[torch]

Cotchin will not leave Richmond!

 

[WA Tiger]

Well they are up to something..... they are building THE SUPER TEAM...


Essendon star Michael Hurley and Hawthorn hero Campbell Brown linked to Gold Coast
Mike Sheahan
Herald Sun
February 17, 2010 

GOLD Coast is supremely confident it will land eight to 10 prime uncontracted players, with emerging Essendon star Michael Hurley and Hawthorn premiership hero Campbell Brown the latest names linked to the new club.

Hurley is on the Gold Coast's hit list and would almost certainly become the richest 20-year-old in the game if lured north. Brown is another player in Gold Coast's sights, with the football industry buzzing with speculation he has already agreed to move.

Brown's father Mal yesterday denied the defender had already signed, but confirmed: "They (Gold Coast) have shown an interest."

 It is believed Gold Coast used a window of opportunity between the end of the 2009 season and the December 15 pre-season draft to talk to players coming out of contract at the end of 2011.

Brown is understood to be one of the targets under the apparent loophole in the rules.

Hurley made a massive impact in his first 10 games last year and is out of contract at the end of this season.

Gold Coast, with an added $1 million under its salary cap, could dangle as much as $500,000 a year in front of Hurley.

But it may take an offer as long as five years to tempt Hurley, who is happy at Windy Hill.

Hurley is sitting out the Bombers' pre-season matches, a club-imposed sanction after an alleged altercation with a taxi driver in September resulted in him being charged with assault. He is due to appear in court on March 5.

The 19-year-old is headed for an enormous pay rise wherever he plays next season, given the inflationary pressure caused by Gold Coast's looming arrival in 2011.

Hurley, a key-position player capable of playing forward or in defence, is an ideal target for Gold Coast, intent on building a "spine" as quickly as possible.

Gold Coast list manager Scott Clayton yesterday refused to talk about specific players, including the progress of talks with No. 1 target Gary Ablett.

"We're about being truthful, but we're not going to give a running commentary," Clayton said.

"Whatever name you give to me, I'm not interested. I get asked every day. It doesn't help anyone."

 - with Mark Stevens
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-star-michael-hurley-and-hawthorn-hero-campbell-brown-linked-to-gold-coast/story-e6frf9jf-1225831111021

[one-eyed]

There's a loophole in the rule apparently that allowed GC17 to sign up contracted players at other clubs over the last trade and draft period.

There was that rumour that Carlton used this to sign up Judd a year before he crossed over and joined them.


Door left open for Gold Coast
Herald Sun February 17, 2010

AFL rules preclude Gold Coast from reaching any binding arrangement with current players during the 2010 season ... but that doesn't mean the fledgling club isn't already holding commitments.

As contradictory as it sounds, Gold Coast is understood to have exploited a previously unknown avenue of opportunity between seasons.

More precisely, between the end of the 2009 season and the 2010 pre-season draft (December 15 last year).

As best we understand it, the club grabbed the opportunity to swoop on contracted players for the 2011 season, even though those players had a year remaining on their contracts.

The rumour mill is pumping out messages that Gold Coast will recruit eight to 10 established players for its first year to inject experience and physical maturity to a list that will feature up to 30 of the country's outstanding juniors, and already has three tied up.

Full article at:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/door-left-open-for-gold-coast/story-e6frf9jf-1225831114726

[one-eyed]

Caro says we've begun contract discussions with Cotch...


Rumours of secret deals
CAROLINE WILSON
February 17, 2010
 
THE Gold Coast has exposed a legal loophole in the AFL rules that allows players to sign secret deals.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou last night confirmed to The Age that a rugby league scenario now exists in Australian rules football whereby players such as Gary Ablett and Trent Cotchin could play for Geelong and Richmond respectively in 2010 while already contractually committed to the Gold Coast for 2011.

Campbell Brown, one of several players rumoured to have already signed with the new club, yesterday denied to the Hawks that he had a written deal with the Gold Coast.

Brown was just one of several players eyeballed yesterday by club officials in the belief they had not only been targeted but secretly signed to confidentiality agreements. Unconfirmed reports continued to sweep the industry that six players had been signed by the Gold Coast late last year between October 31 and the pre-season drafts.

Demetriou played down the rugby league link and insisted that all clubs had been aware of the rule put in place some five years ago in a bid to prevent players signing agreements with new clubs during seasons. Four clubs contacted by the AFL yesterday said they had no knowledge of the rule.

''The clubs have known about this,'' said Demetriou last night. ''We have a situation where a club has come in and is looking to sign uncontracted players. Everyone's been aware of the rule. I think everyone is aware that our culture is one that enables players to move via the draft in the trade period.''

Geelong, faced with losing the reigning Brownlow medallist and competition's best player Ablett at the end of 2010, last week attempted to clarify the rule with AFL official Ken Wood but still remained mystified as to whether Ablett could have legitimately already moved on from the Cats contractually beyond 2010. It is understood strict confidentiality has been in place for any contracts already signed.

The Gold Coast refused to comment on the rule yesterday but did not deny having already signed current AFL players. Western Sydney will be given a similar opportunity for a brief window between October 31 and the pre-season draft to sign footballers coming out of contract at the end of 2011.

Although only players coming out of contract at the end of this season can be targeted and only one per club, the Gold Coast has specified it expects to sign only eight to 10 of those players. Richmond is understood to have begun contract discussions with the promising young Cotchin, while Travis Cloke and Alan Didak (Collingwood) and Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn) have also featured in industry rumours.

Although The Age has no proof players will compete for AFL clubs this season having already signed secret contracts with the Gold Coast it appears likely and staggering that the rule was already in place to allow it.

With a free agency agreement expected to be struck within a matter of days the game has clearly undergone a massive cultural shift.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/rumours-of-secret-deals-20100216-o8wz.html

[Penelope]

what a balls up. What the hell is that sawn of little maggot doing to the game? Signing with one club while still being contracted to another???
AS far as I'm concerned any player who signs with gold coast now can spend the season in the coburg reserves and the medical and conditioning staff can spend their time with players that want to stay the club, regardless off who they are

[tigergirl09]

he better not go  ???

[blaisee]

offer him 350 and if he goes he goes. we'll get some good compo anyway.

if you consider a 2nd round pick good compo then yea