Bonus: James Pitcher's AFL Trade Predictions

Guys.

The trade deadline is looming. Seven thirty tonight is when it all done, when it shuts, which means there's going to be so much negotiation, crazy runout phone calls. Players don't know where they're going to end up.

Is this where Jerry maguire really steps in.

Well, we've got our own Jerry mcgott, Jerry Maguire, we do. James Pitcher joins us, one of the leading player agents here in Melbourne.

James, Hello, guys, thanks for having me along.

Busy twenty four hours for you.

Yeah, I'm not sure if it's quite the Jerry McGuire life that I first signed up for, but yeah, look, it's been a busy It's been a busy ten days obviously the trade period and free agency, but I think what people forget it's the six months that are building up to.

That as well.

So I'm probably more of an advocate that we we shorten the trade period to a few days just to get it over and done with and knock it out.

But when a player wants out, how early can you tell that they're like, because I imagine it's not just at the end of the season.

Maybe players in the middle of the year, they're like, I just don't want to be he I.

Start telling Yeah, I mean, we've got an interesting code in terms of the AFL that we all sort of sit on our hands until the end of the unlock the NRL, which obviously you know they disclose that during the season. Then I'm going to go and play Cronell next year. But you know, you've got my heart and soul into the end of the season. We're a little

Of planning that the game isn't it. It is?

And that's when I think, like, realistically, that's what we forget about in this industry, that really we're dealing with the emotions of players day and the day out, and I understand where supporters are at with you know, some of these bigger names that have said and captains have said that they want to leave their club. But at the end of the day, it's just a it's a twenty five year old male trying to find an environment and a situation for them that's going to in order for him to best thrive.

So we'll speak about some of the players you manage shortly, but I want to know about your phone, Like how take us into your world? I mean, does your wife hate you right now because you must be on the phone all day.

I'd like to hope that she still likes me a little bit, but no, Look, and I'm very fortunately I met my wife cat before.

I started this job.

But from the moment the ball is bounced, I think on Grand Final day, your phone just kicks off. Really in terms of that next moment, even even I'm a big advocate as well to remove that public holiday and the Friday and make it the Monday, just so we can have a day to enjoy the Grand Final, because it is it's just whilst you're getting caught up in the lunches and the emotion of Grand Final day, clubs have already finished their season four or five weeks earlier,

And does it surprise you sometimes and you're like, wow, I did not know you were so unhappy where you are?

Yeah, I think were so.

Look from our player's point of view, as I said, you're in the driver's seat of that stuff in terms of you know what you want to achieve and where you want to get to. But I think it's the amount of wasted time you spend on the phone talking about deals that are never going to eventuate that may impact your players. So you spend two three hours on the phone, and then a club turns around says we're not going to do that, and it's like I can't get those two three hours back.

Where I'm fascinated by is there's only a number of managers four players in the AFL.

Wasn't it.

Well, we've seen a massive rise in the numbers. But I think doing when you do the calculations on it, you know, I think twenty five percent of the accredited agents probably represent ninety percent of the so it's still the same name.

But say if you're representing two players going for potentially the same gig at the same club.

Like, surely that's going to get messy.

It can get difficult at times, and I think you can have I've always been fortunate that I've worked in businesses that you know, we've always had between thirty and forty athletes, so those conflicts are very rare, right, We've had one back in the day that obviously it's been much publicized. I've obviously work with Liam Pickering that you know, we Pickers managed the coach and els the Clarkson for Hawthorne.

Okay, so a club captain in Zach Merritt wants out of the Bombers. How how do you wrestle with that situation?

How's it panned out so far? Do you feel for him? How's he going?

It's tricky.

It has taken that one has taken so many swings around about so far.

I mean, he wants to get the Hawks.

He wants to get to the Hawks, but he hasn't come and actually explained to the club that this is what I want to do. So whether they're sitting on their hands till last minute and going to drop it late, I'm not too sure.

So what can you do? It's your client, He's not our client, so I feel probably more open to.

Talk about it.

But if you're his manager, what can you do? I think you've got a Well.

It's interesting because I think they had to go hard and go hard early because Esenton have been so categoric coach list manager Jemafooty CEO to say it ain't it's not happening, You're not going now. I think they have to sort of strike and strike early now. Whether their tactics just to go late, I'm.

Not too sure.

But on the flip side, I feel for Zach because Hawthorne actually haven't come out and said hey, well we want to do a deal and this is what we're thinking. They're both sort of sitting on their hands, so that one feels like it's unlikely to get done and.

Well, and then he just has to stay there for another year with this whole team, knowing he doesn't want to be there.

Well, and I think this is where it is interesting. We did teammates, they quickly forget as soon as you're back in the class, people move on and I last.

Year, yeah, and I look at how that ends. That caused an absolute cancer in that club.

Yeah, and now obviously they're revisiting twelve months later. The thing is with Zach that he was approached by St Kilda the year before, went into the club saying well I don't really want to go, but this is what they've offered me es and and reciprocated and said we're going to top up your deal, and then he's come back in twelve months time. So that's probably the only thing I thought they may relent. But they're obviously an interesting spot Eston. You know, obviously coach has been there

Okay is a contract worth the paper it's written on, because you're seeing bloke signed seven, eight, nine, ten, seven years and you know, three four years in there they're wanting to, you know, cross the error and go to another club.

It's interesting.

I think when I first started, like a long term deal was three maybe four years, and I think free agency has really escalated the the length of deals. Clearly, I'm in the camp of being a player advocate that you want that freedom and flexibility, but probably has gone too far. And I think that gets back to the merit conversation. I reckon this is an opportunity for clubs to say, you know what, you've got a deal and

We're not in terms of Petrarca, but in terms of Oliver they'll pay half, maybe even more of his salary.

So the other club can't afford it.

But I think you know other instances of that in the last couple of years, like Adam Chalaws just resigned with Western Bulldogs after what four years there, and this will be the first year that Colin would aren't actually paying some of his wage to play.

Now that was a decision out of his contract. Question got pushed, why would a club do that? Is it because they go, look, you're not right for the environment. Now are you actually causing more dramas here? If we keep you, we're just going to bite the bullet.

I think I think all those factors are obviously way way up. I mean, Brodie Grundy was Wine, they signed him coming to a big long term deal and then he landed at Melbourne for a bit and now he's at the Swan's. So I think your list dynamic changes, your list, manager changes, coaches change.

But for the player, that's I think the player doesn't care as long as their money is coming in.

Well yeah, but sometimes they want to stay as well and they get sent away.

So you're.

To your point line of that.

That's the impact it has on not your star players, the guys that are just below that their careers are also dictated by what these stars do, So like you know, if Charlie Kerno gets to the Swans, for instance, it's like, how is that going to impact their key forwards? Like we've got Joelamardi there for example. Now I think they'll compliment each other. But obviously then you know there's competition for spots.

Okay, So you were saying it racers right up to the minute tonight, what time is it wrapper Marvel Stadium?

Everyone, all the clubs come together. The player managers are on the phone. Are you actually there tonight?

Yes, it sounds like a telephone.

They're sort of they're in all the corporate boxes, so they s every club gets a corporate box, and it's like it's like a progressive dinner or like speed dating. You can go serious absolutely right up until the deadline.

And then sometimes are their surprise moves that everyone's like.

In the last thirty seconds, something can drop and everyone's like, but.

In the last thirty seconds, for example, right let's say petraka science for the Suns in the last thirty seconds, Like you're saying, it's got a ripple effect for the players below them.

Time just runs out.

Time runs out, and then I mean it's the other things.

So post tonight, we've then got delisted free agency periods, we've got drafts, we've got rookie drafts, we've got SSP. So there aren't mechanisms for guys who like get tipped

So I'm just going to say when managers are going from you know, corporate box to corporate box, meeting with different players.

Are they are you guys?

Then running out and calling the players and going Okay, this is where it's at. So you know when this is all going down tonight, there'd be players sitting at home waiting for the phone calls as well.

And instance I had, I said back in the day was James As who went from Collingwood to Freemantle, where it should have been a pretty straightforward trade. I actually had him sitting out in front of Channel seven studios about to do a trade show. I think the deadline was seven o'clock and he was going to go on an air at sevent ten and he arrived at six forty five and he's like, oh, is that deal being done yet? And I said, I just just hold like it hasn't gone through.

Don't get out of the car yet.

And then he was I thought we managed it pretty well because he was pretty relaxed the whole way through that his biggest concern to tray got done. He goes, I haven't got a Freemantle polo, and I was like, that's the least of our So yeah, I think your roles as a manager is to make sure that the client feels relaxed, relaxed and I think contend on where they're going to get to.

But it is pretty frantic when you are dashing around.

Anyone sit at Marvel and actually scream show me the money. Have you ever heard it?

No, I've never.

What's the wildest thing you've heard?

It's funny our game. There's mutual respect between managers and agents and whatnot, but we are very competitive with each other. So I think if one pulled out of Jerry Maguaimo, they'd probably live.

And there's a view that I know that might doth.

Can players on top of a salary ask for.

Benefits, Well, no, you're not allowed to.

It's all be combined.

Jokes about the cotton on cats.

Well, I remember back in the day, growing up, we know the Broncos and Skipper Avenue boat.

Every season, that sort of thing.

There's always those theories that go around Hungry Jack's franchises and shares.

Here and there.

How many calls have you had from Tom Morris this morning? Tom's journals call you more than I don't know. Actually, to that point, journo is a more across what's going on. There's no secrets anymore out there. I think the journal has got it well covered.

I haven't obviously told Tom this, and I don't know if it's something else should go with because I don't know if I'm really thrilled by this as well.

But I've been mistaken for Tom. You've got here here.

The other day an old guy came over to me and said Tom, and and he goes, oh, I thought you're Tom Morris.

He does, doesn't.

Is there a I want to get into details here. Is there a standard fee a manager would take from a player?

There is?

Yeah, absolutely, So we work on commission based so most of us are four percent of your playing contract, right, and then any media marketing endorsements twenty percent.

The actually player contract four percent four percent.

Yeah, that's the rule, isn't it.

That's the rule there are.

I think there's something three something at five, but generally speaking, I think NRAL is a little bit higher at six or seven might be higher.

Again, he's doing all right for himself, isn't he. He's clearly inspired by show me the money, no bye, by his education.

You know who his school captain was.

I don't seriously, you guys went to the same.

School captain James my first school captain at Waverley Secondary College was the Clint Standaway.

Yes, that's right, kindergarten as well, you know, just from great Stock.

Was there just no other choice?

You're really showing your age, Clint if James was in year seven school.

Yeah, that's a good point.

Actually I've ever had. We're all glom Waverley.

I did forget that. I went to school just quickly.

What do you?

What are your three tips tonight? The big the biggest surprises? Make it call?

I think I think I gets to the Swans. Ye, Merrit won't get anywhere. He will return to the bombers, tail between.

His legs, he stays. Then surely not.

It's going to be tough. Well who but who replaces him?

No idea of any other?

What's another one?

You reckon tracks ended for the Gold Coast?

Track will get under the Gold Coast. I think my will make sure that they get every piece of trade value out of track and they'll let Clarry go. I reckon the RCHI one Calamarchi from Brisbane to Adelaide. I reckon that'll go right to the wire.

Do you have a big party? It's just relief. It's just go home.

The money's makeing from that Hungry Jacks franchise on.

The back take of that. Unfortunately, it might be a pretty few Burgers.

But the for us, So get through tomorrow night, tonight, i should say, assays the damage Thursday Friday, and then there's delisted free agency and then we start working towards the draft.

And imagine the phone call that manager's got to make to someone like the Bombers captain and say, hey, mate, it didn't go through.

It's not good. We've been in that situation before.

Yeah, I mean, but you're back for the Saints, are you like, Hi track, won't you come and play for us?

It's funny.

I've always said it's quite easy going for Saint Culter in this job, going for a mediocre football club because you don't really get too emogive about them. But wants to go there there, We'll got the cash show that is, to show me the money over there. I mean, we've we've had that with Josh Dunkley where trade didn't go through to the death and it's like you're gonna have to go back to the Bulldogs and he went back and won the won the Best and Fairest that year.

That feels like a text job to me.

It didn't work.

Turn that phone off. No, it's so cool and just hope for a voicemail.

So James picture joining us on the air this morning, Players manager, Big Night Tonight trade comes to an end.

Hey, thanks very much for your time, mate, No thanks having me. Guys appreciate it.

Lauren feeling good following them on the socials.

Yeah, I