Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara will still be paid in part by Hawthorn.Credit:Getty Images
Sources confirmed the Hawks would pay about $500,000 of O’Meara’s salary next year and about $250,000 of Mitchell’s.
They had been contracted for slightly more than $1.5 million at Hawthorn next year,so although the contributions to their salaries while they play for other clubs is a cost,the Hawks would look at it as having saved $750,000 in salaries on older players they had already been transitioning out of their midfield.
Mitchell has signed a three-year deal at Collingwood on about $500,000 a year – Hawthorn will pay the residual on what was to be his final year at the Hawks next year. O’Meara,who turns 29 in February,has signed a four-year contract with Fremantle.
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More clubs than ever are prepared to pay the salaries of former players to move to another club and play elsewhere as clubs recognise managing the salary cap is as important a component of list management as bringing in talent.
Collingwood are contributing more than $200,000 a year for ruckman Brodie Grundy to play at Melbourne while also continuing to pay Adam Treloar,two seasons after his move to the Western Bulldogs. And in the biggest move of the off-season,capitalising on the AFL’s relaxed rules on salary dumping,Jack Bowes moved to Geelong with pick 7 in exchange for the Cats taking on all of Bowes’ $1.6m contract.
The Hawks’ decision to trade their two ageing stars was a signal of their intent toexpedite generational change.