Before you guys start apeing in on players to sign, remember we technically only have 2 spots to fill from our 'signed' players roster.
Yes, it is believed Bud has signed with the Tigers. But until confirmed by us or the Tigers (ie: official announcement), he's still on our books.
The players 'tapped' are still contracted for '24 and would need to secure longer-term deals elsewhere before moving on. Otherwise we are stuck with them for next year.
It's why Flanno has said '24 will be hard to access, but has greater scope for '25.
I'm not convinced Hint will be here in '24, even after the 'pledge' yesterday.
Which brings me to the next point, and that is our salary cap. We aren't privy to know exactly the state of it, as it stands. Obviously retaining players and having to recruit players is a balancing act, one which I'm not sure Haran has a good handle on. Front loaded, backlogged, players with ratchet clauses, players without ratchet clauses, players used from outside the top 30 etc all have significant impact on our ability to sign 'big name' players.
In saying that, which 'big name' would want to come to club struggling avoid the 'spoon' when they couldceasily be picked up by a 'top 8' club? This then becomes, what I call "the Bulldogs syndrome", over paid players, who are just looking to line their pockets, rather that playing for the 'badge' and doing so on past glories.
So unless our tapped boys move on, we are very restricted on who we can sign and how many we can sign, and that doesn't include retention issues if and when they pop up.