So what are you really saying?

Either ...

1. Club decided last year they want to lose Gibbs thus didn't make the effort to sign him up; or
2. Club are just incompetent

From my experience either of these could be true

I dont think the club are smart enough for it to be be option 1.
I'd go with option 2.

Or we have an option where the player can exercise it to have a 50% reduction in pay or the club can exercise it to have 50% increase in pay and then trade em.

It's pretty clear that if they do not sign with more than one year to go they are looking for dosh.

Or how about option C, that it's all driven by the agent.

The Gibbs situation is about 10% of the excitement/speculation level of Travis Cloke a couple of years ago.

He was never going to leave Collingwood, and used Carlton/Mick to squeeze every available drop from the lemon at Collingwood. He even proudly stated that he was pleased to get extra $$$ from Collingwood by dragging things out - he did that on the footy Show prior to Rd 1 last year. It's entirely possible that Gibbs' agent is using that method as the template for this negotiation.

I'm pleased that the noises coming from Carlton are that he will get a final take it or leave it option. I will be doubly pleased if they hold their nerve and actually stick to that plan. It would suggest they have some sort of strategy in place, although coming six months after signing Bootsma to a multi year deal I'm probably being overly optimistic in that regard.

Let me sum up the direction for you Bryce:

* Sticks made a blueprint - we are gunna win 3 flags in the next couple of months.

* Sticks got Mick to win those 3 flags. Or was it 4 flags? Anyway the trophies are gunna be in the cabinet pretty soon. Beauty.

* Sticks got Mick because we are gunna top up to win more flagz. Or maybe we are gunna rebuild.... hmmm... not sure. Which one was it again? Anyway, what's important is that it is our 150th year - and we have some new jerseys. They're a beaut.

* Swanny is out getting coffee, so he can't be reached for comment.

* Sticks is retiring at the end of the year - long live Sticks

* Whoever replaces Sticks will be setting the new direction. This will include reviewing the list.

* Therefore we will tell you what our new direction is in about a year. If you're lucky.


There's your answer Bryce
What do you think ?

yeah yeah nah

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Richmond did the same with Dustin Martin last year although there was no free agency issue to deal with.

There was, however, the PSD issue.

We must hold firm. We must rebuild the culture and this kind of drawn out negotiation (forget the compensation pick although that is some part of it) is toxic at a club and particularly increasing the divide between senior and junior players.

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"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

I can see where a Cloke or even a Betts can be chased and overs are either paid or not. They bring something unique to the table. What does Gibbs bring? Yes he is a good player but there are many equivalent or better midfield type players out there. No need to chase someone like gibbs. You chase an Ablett or Judd, you dont need to chase a Gibbs. You chase a Cloke or a Henderson. You chase and dont mind paying overs for these types because they will provide X factor and something you dont already have and you are unlikely to develop inhouse. Of course most if not all teams would love to have him on their list but they know that he is not that special or unique that they have to have him at an inflated price.
Unless a side is facing multiple mature midfield retirements and they have not planned ahead and so are left without replacements coming through, a side is unlikely to pay the overs. Of course he is just the sort of recruit carlton would be after- at an inflated price of course.

noone wanted martyn
teams will line up for gibbs...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

EFA

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In WADA we trust

sell more of your crappy t-shirts Bryce, then you can focus on footy

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

The Footy show having some news on Gibbs tonight, apparently about the strongest indication of him staying.

When did Gibbs become the Carlton whipping boy?

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Staying?

I had been told today he is staying and this whole thing is the media trying to fill papers.

Been a couple of years at least.

Admittedly I'm not his biggest fan at the minute either, patience wearing thin waiting for his "breakout" year.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

Oh god. If it's Barrett with news we'll know that he is definitely leaving.

They apparently followed him to his car at training and asked if he's staying he said 'that's the plan' etc.

..damn, that could mean anything, he needed to say "that's the blueprint"..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

More Woodward and Bernstein calibre journalism from Barrett.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

When he played a crappy game on Thursday and his manager asked for a blueprint of our drafting strategies.