Tigers confident of luring free agent Troy Chaplin from Port Adelaide Jon Ralph
From: Herald Sun
September 17, 2012 RICHMOND believes free agent Troy Chaplin will nominate Punt Rd as his preferred new home, but the club must pitch a deal that Port Adelaide is unwilling to match.
The Tigers are confident the former Maryborough junior wants to play for them but as a restricted free agent Port can match any offer for Chaplin.
When the free agency period opens on October 1, the key defender can consider offers from any club but must nominate only one.
The Power then has three days to match that offer and retain their player.
Chaplin could still ask for a trade or enter the national draft if he cannot come to terms with Port.
Richmond hopes Port will realise Chaplin's determination to return to Victoria, and instead accept a compensation selection in return.
The quandary for every side trying to attract a restricted free agent is to determine the point at which their current club will baulk at matching a deal.
Clubs will need to offer either more money or a longer deal than their club believes he is worth, but determining that tipping point will be difficult.
Richmond believes that at 26, and after finishing equal fourth in Port's best-and-fairest award, Chaplin can add valuable experience to one of the competition's youngest defences.
Alex Rance is 23, and Dylan Grimes, David Astbury and Ben Griffiths are injury-prone, with Richmond's defence holding up manfully this year but also conceding a high rate of goals to inside-50s.
Age and salary are the sole determinants. With free agents older and generally earning less than the contracted players who went to Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney, compensation will not be as generous and almost certainly limited to one pick.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/tigers-confident-of-luring-free-agent-troy-chaplin-from-port-adelaide/story-e6frf9jf-1226475209711
