Has the recruitment of Wells and Mayne ruined our chances?

[RudeBoy]

In the brief period that Gabby Allan was our head of football, we recruited on very big money both Wells and Mayne. The latter has clearly been a disaster and the length and size of his contract will damage us for another 3 seasons. Unless there's a miraculous change in his performances, I'd say it's looking like the recruitment of Wells has been almost as disastrous. He is on big money, this year and next, and so far has been unable to string many games together. Furthermore, he seems to be a complete mercenary, who only came here for the money, and then didn't bother to arrive in good shape. My estimation is that these 2 players represent about $1.25 million each year of our salary cap. That money could have been spent on a Dusty Martin type. I can't help but think Eddie's decision to go out on a limb and bring in Allan over the top of Balme has caused lasting damage to our club.

[Dave The Man]

I don't think so with Wells. Yes he was a Bit Old but he has the Skills we badly Need.

Mayne was just a Huge F*ck Up. Was not Best 22 at Freo but Gubby gave him Way Overs Contract for him. Mayne's Manager either the Best in the World or Good Mates with Gubby

[Pies2016]

Are they those same flood gates about to open again.

Of course it’s negatively impacted us but to what extent, we will never know.
It’s been an embarrassment for our club and you can only hope that practices have been put in place to see this kind of recruiting doesn’t happen again.

I’m not sure it’s as simple as saying if we used the money differently, we could have got ( high quality ) player A, B or C. Kelly and Martin were offered mega deals elsewhere and they didn’t go for various reasons. I’m not sure if those reasons change just because Collingwood become a player in the mix.

For mine, this farce has been more of an overall embarrassment to the club rather than the possibility of a better ladder position had we maxed our salary cap differently.

[masoncox]

Wells was a great pick if we thought a premier window was open to us.
The question is about the window not about Wells even if he is injury prone.

[qldmagpie67]

Rude the unknown about all of this is how was our salary cap placed at that time.
The cap is a rolling thing over a 2 year period. You must spend a minimum of 95% and maximum (the following year) of 105%
That year come seasons end we lost Swan, Brown, Witts, Williams Frost Kennedy Toovey
When we were planning the previous year we would have had at a minimum 4 of those players staying on our list.
Being conservative the combined salaries would have amounted to over $2.5m leaving us with massive unders in the cap.
Whether that year we needed to spend 95 or 105% none of us know.
Enter Gubby. There wasn't many free agents out there that would have interested us to be honest. He took what was available and I'm guessing that contracts would have been heavily of not totally front loaded to make us cap compliant.
Wells deals was 2 years with a 3rd if he plays X number of games over the first 2 seasons (seems unlikely now)
Mayne's deal was for 3 years plus a 4th if he played X senior games a well which he won't.
I doubt Wells will go around next season unless he plays some outstanding footy this season for at least 12 games.
Mayne will leave when they don't have to pay him anymore. Right now he makes up the numbers on the list and his salary is most likely almost paid from the previous years.
Rude until your in the inner bean counting room you and me can only guess at how the cap was at the time.
Eddie Walsh & Bucks said we have space to land a big fish this season or next so by saying that I'm sure they planned to make a play at some one post 2018 at least 2-3years ago

[MightyMagpie]

Base guaranteed payments for Wells and Mayne are not as high as some believe based on the FA compo received for them: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-afl-s-secret-formula-for-free-agency-compensation-20180221-p4z16j.html

Mayne is a bust clearly. Wells is a wait and see. If the rest if our team is competitive then Wells is polish we need. If not, then probably money wasted. Comes down to how you assess the list I think.

[Presti35]

Yes.

Looking back, the club would regret both decisions. Especially Mayne.

There's still time for both to turn it around, but they'd need to really turn it on in 2018.

I hope they haven't damaged our chances of landing Lynch or Sloane, etc.

[Warbler]

Wells is pure silk . There are very few players in other jumpers I like to watch but he was one & now he's wearing the Black & White I love him even more --just a pity he can't get out on the park more often .

Mayne -- well if you can't say something nice then don't say anything . So I'll remain quiet about him .


GO PIES

[stui magpie]

Just have a look at the win loss ratio last year with Wells playing. He's pure silk, great pick up, but he's icing not cake. We need the younger guys to step up.

Recruiting Wells didn't hurt us at all. Mayne.............on current evidence looks like a dud decision.

[AN_Inkling]

Not at all. Even if I accept your assumptions on what they are costing us (I don't).

The number 1 thing that has held us back is the failure (through injuries and idiocy) of our top 10 picks to date. A couple of free agents don't make that much of a difference to our hopes.

Noises from the club suggests we'll be after a big fish this off season, so the tightness of our cap is almost certainly over stated. I'm always wary of these signings though, it is very easy to give up more than you should for a quick fix.

[AN_Inkling]

Not at all. Even if I accept your assumptions on what they are costing us (I don't).

The number 1 thing that has held us back is the failure (through injuries and idiocy) of our top 10 picks to date. A couple of free agents don't make that much of a difference to our hopes.

Noises from the club suggests we'll be after a big fish this off season, so the tightness of our cap is almost certainly over stated. I'm always wary of these signings though, it is very easy to give up more than you should for a quick fix.

[HAL]

Oh really.

[Dave The Man]

Agree Wells be a Good Topping on a Side trying to win the Flag but we are fair way away from doing That

[Mugwump]

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

One or two places higher up in the draft order and Bontempelli would be playing for us rather than the Western Bulldogs and we wouldn't be having this conversation about Freeman and Scharenberg.