Unlike Sandow, Hopoate and Lussick, who all showed a lot of potential playing in strong teams, Ryan Morgan wasn't a standout, so there would have been no reason to pay him a lot. Hell even Mortimer was killing it in 2009 when we re-signed him to overs. There needs to be demand for prices to go up.
And to Morgan's credit he has continued to improve.
You keep saying this demand thing, but it simply isn't true.
Sure, if you know how to negotiate, and can accurately predict value (by having a good eye for talent), that is fine. But if one struggles in those areas, one may well overpay hacks.
No player agent walks into a coaches office and says 'sorry, nobody else wants my guy, can you spot us 90k?'. These guys make their living out of this, and they are always looking for easy meat. If I am representing Morgs I would call every club that is yet to express interest and try and drum up a market BEFORE negotiating with the clubs who have. And I would be trying to get whatever I could.... but even if I can't, i tell the club inteested that I have, and start at double what he is worth....
If blokes like Lussick, Harrison, Ryan (etc) were being paid as starters, it indicates fresh meat was gobbled up.
Off the top of my head, Joel Reddy and Brad Tighe are available for next year. There are always centres not good enough for first grade available at seasons end.
Given the hard nosed approach the club has taken to negotiations of late, i would not be shocked to learn Morgan is on a 2nd tier deal. I doubt very much he is earning anything that hurts us cap wise.
