TOPIC:

anchorman wrote: Is Nic Nat worth the reported $4mill he is supposedly getting for his next five years?
I know he will, if injury allows,be a bloody good player,but is he worth that right now?
Have the Eagles just shut the gate on others to retain him at the club.Would other clubs have offered that mush to lure him away from the Eagles?

You dont pay it those clubs with room in there salary cap line up to get his signature.
A lot of players these days are paid over the top.
Every club has them.


Reckon we'll know in 5 years time if he was worth it.

$500k from the salary cap for playing football.
$300k from the marketing cap for selling merchandise.

Seems ok to me for an All Australian, maybe a bit underpaid from the marketing cap but they only have $800k to allocate.

Feel a bit sorry for Natainui, he seems a very decent person and has been built up in the media to be a super star. He is far from that, not saying he can't be, the expectation on him has been way over the top on the strength of a hand full of good games and some spectacular highlights. At the end of the day is he worth the money?
I guess they (Eagles) are banking on him improving his game and the marketing spin off that will come from such recognisable person. In my opinion the money could have gone towards a decent midfielder which is what they don't have at the moment and Natainui would have stayed anyway. If he developes to the stage where he reaches the hype that has been heaped on him, then it will be a bargain.
It's in his court now and I hope he succeeds and proves a lot of people,including myself, wrong. Good luck to him.

He certainly isn't worth that money now, but we all know it doesn't work that way in the AFL. He may very well explode one year, but you never know.

I like the boy. He is very polite & respectful. And all the hype is from the media, not from him. He isn't a big head or selfish. And even he knows he must deliver, I think he can feel the pressure. How can any of us imagine that sort of attention everywhere he goes. Not easy I would think. I say good luck to him.

And over the years I have seen him at many WAFL games, and I know he attends Swans games too regularly. If that doesn't say something about him, I don't know what does. And he once said all he ever wanted to do was buy his mum a house, which I believe he has done. Hes a young man who has struck a good deal. For those who begrudge him, I feel abit sad for you.

Mind you I wasn't thinking like this last year when he kicked that goal after the siren against my Kangas.

bugger

and on another note, if the WAFL ever wanted an ambassador to promote the WAFL to a new generation, Nic Naitanui would be the ideal person. All jealeousies and petty judgements aside, he would be a prime candidate.

On what he has produced so far...a definate no. I too like the bloke and dont begrudge him a cent. If someone, or club is dumb enough ( personal choice) to throw that money at him, why not take it. That isreal floue from GWS got that sorta coin too. Complete waste of money. Injuries etc aside, my opinion is will he ever learn where to run at what time?, that takes more than his undoubted athletic abilty, and in some cases can never be picked up

Is he worth it? Absolutely.
At his best he is easily the best tap ruckman in the game. If he can recapture the form of 2012 then it will be money well spent.
Then you look at the marketing side of things. He is literally a 1 man gold mine.
Good on him. I've had the pleasure of meeting him a few times and he is such a nice and humble bloke. The type of guy that would never let fame and fortune take over his life.

anchorman wrote: I watched the game today against the Pies and I would have to say that that is the best game I have seen him play all year.He looked like he wanted to make some sort of contribution in the game and seemed to find some of his own ball at times.

Yet with all that height, natural spring, and atleticism, still could not take a mark.

anchorman wrote: Yeah good point unka.But he certainly played the best I have seen him all year and more than likely the best for a long time.

Ohh i agree with that. For $800,000 a year with build etc like that, i would want more than 3 marks in 5 weeks

The WCE probably consider $800k a year for NN a steal as his brand alone sells a HELLUVA LOT MORE $$$$ than that in merchandise, memberships, sponsorships, media, brand awareness etc etc etc!