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AFL legends David King and Kane Cornes have debated whether Collingwood’s $3 million offer to Lions free agent Dan McStay is worthwhile for the Magpies.
Collingwood has been heavily linked to the 27-year old on a five-year deal worth $650,000 per season as it looks to add another marking forward in attack.
However Cornes, who’s long been critical of the move, thinks McStay is an example of a “contract con” — arguing players’ value increases because they’re out of contract — and says the Pies should instead prioritise developing their youngsters.
McStay has booted 16 goals from as many matches this season and been held goalless on eight occasions, while the key forward’s 28 majors in 2021 mark his best ever return.
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Although King believes given McStay is an unrestricted free agent — meaning he’d cost Collingwood nothing to pick-up — he’s worth a punt and that the club can still develop its youth at the same time.
It comes ahead of an eventful off-season at Collingwood, who currently sit third on the ladder amid a 10-game winning streak, with the futures of free agent Jordan De Goey and star ruckman Brodie Grundy uncertain.
Read the full exchange below between King and Cornes on SEN regarding the Pies’ bid for McStay.
King: “I think you’ve been pretty hard on Collingwood on this one. I know he’s not a massive goalkicker, but he’s a structural player. So I want you to paint the reverse for me, the other side of the coin. They’re clearly one target short … and they’ve had to make do with lesser-grade players at the moment. If they were to bypass on McStay, what’s the other option? How do they correct that area?”
Cornes: “Are you better going for Dan McStay, who’s been held goalless eight out of his 16 games, he doesn’t kick goals. Or are you better to invest in the future and play Ollie Henry? They’re the same players to me.
King: “But you can still do both.”
Cornes: “With everything that’s gone at Collingwood, with the long-term (salary cap) issues they’ve had, with trying to get out Grundy because of the disastrous deals they’ve signed. To commit five years at $650,000 to a player like McStay is fraught with danger.”
King: “What’s the other option for now? You talk about the five years, you’ve still got three, four years to service while these young bodies mature into key-position players. Henry isn’t going to be a physical specimen for another two years.”
Cornes: “Neither is McStay.”
King: “He’s a target, he’s a contested marker … what’s the other option for the next two years while you’re in this mode? They’re third on the table, they’re not far off top. At some point they have to address this issue, if it’s not McStay, I want (to know) what the other option is.”
Cornes: “I gave it to you, I would invest in Henry, who’s not playing.”
King: “He’s not ready.”
Cornes: “But I don’t think McStay is a ready player. I watch him and I go 25 minutes and don’t ever see McStay ever pop up on my TV screen or be involved in the game and we’ve seen it time and time again .. do you keep Jordan De Goey and play him more as a forward? Or do you go for a different model in your forward line? Is it a Cameron Zurhaar? Are there other options you can do? I don’t think you just sign a player because they’re available, this is the great contract con I’ve been talking about — just because a player is out of contract, their value increases. He’s (McStay) an average footballer, and I don’t say that derogatory, I say that affectionately. It’s still a good effort to be an average player, but he’s not a player that’s (worth) five years (at $650,00 per season). I think there’s other options.”
King: “So say he’s worth $500,000 (per season), but because there’s no draft implications and cost. I think you get that elevated, you have to pry them out of where they’re at. He probably gets that at the Lions if he stays, so you’ve got to pay the extra to get them. Really the extra $150,000 is to save the draft pick. I think there’s merit in what they’re doing.”
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