Petterd on the Gold Coast at the weekend

[H_T 2,941]

You can rest easy Vagg.

I'll be at the G next season...

Si. Someone has to hold the bar up !

[45HG 1,539]

I can't do it on my own though, it'll need to be a team performance with everyone putting in 110% one week at a time for four quarters a week for 22 rounds bleeding red and blue the whole time.

Edited May 31, 2010 by 45HG16

[Arthur Dent 2]

Ah! My kingdom for a hyphen! That word is a dandy, eh?! "resign", and he's outa here. "re-sign", and he's stayin'!

Gotta love the English language!

(Sorry, PM! Not meaning to have a go...!)

Reminds me of the classic Sports Tonight moment when Tim Webster told us with much excitement that Bucks had 'resigned' from Collingwood, when in fact he had 're-signed'.

[Guest DeesPower]

Judging by the responses by some of you blokes it would seem that DeesPower was bursting at the seams to let everyone know the bad news.

Chill out everyone, he was adding something for conversation, not stating any facts.

The FACTS are that GC17 have signed a number of players currently at other clubs and are not at liberty to disclose who these players are due to a gagging order by the AFL.

I do not want Ricky Petterd to leave the Melbourne Football Club, but i think it would be naive to think that he has definetly not signed with GC17.

I really hope he stays, he is incredibly exciting to watch and seems to love playing for the club.

Here, here, Scullduggery. Well said. Couldn't have put it better myself.

[Roost It 1,434]

Petterd will play for MFC next year and beyond.

Note: I have no source other than my intuition.

[pringle 42]

Nothing in that article suggests that we have lost Petterd. Wouldn't get knickers in a knot.

[Guest DeesPower]

Whilst I agree Pettard in GC watching GC17 doesn't confirm anything... it does just add to more speculation he is leaving.

There sure are a lot of things pointing to him going:

- Pettard is from the goldcoast and he has family and friends there

- He is a good player, a goal kicker, still young, and the exact type of player GC17 would be after

- He follows GC17 on twitter and went to watch there match this week- clearly he has been taking a very strong interest in them. I don't think there is any doubting that

- He has been quoted as saying (paraphrase)- 'i love the demons and would like to stay, however i would also love to play in front of my family and friends'--- clearly there is an internal struggle going on

Ultimately, he may stay. If he does, it would be because he realises that the demons have such an exciting future, both on the field, and off (moving into first class facilities in a month).

However I would be completely unsuprised if he left. I don't think the rumours are completely just false rumour mungering.

Luckily Pettard is a medium forward, a position that is not critical to the team (cf a key position player or ruckman) and we have plenty of other medium sized forwards- Sylvia, Green, Jurrah, Jetta

The other point I'd make is that clearly there are going to be some uncontracted players signed by GC between now and next year - 7 i believe is the number they are allowed to sign. They are going to go after those players with skill and are likely to fit into the Club culture they are trying to build. Local ready-made players are obvious targets and RP seems to fit this better than almost anyone else, especially since he is out of contract at year's end, unlike say Riewolt.

We are not always going to be able to keep all our players. The likelihood of losing players to GC and WS over the next two years is quite high. We need to make sure if we do lose anyone, we can cover those losses (who would we prefer to lose, Petterd or Miller - both Queensland boys). From what I can see, the club has a plan for this, and seems to be making all the right moves in this direction

[Arthur Dent 2]

The other thing in all of this is that whilst financial issues are a major considerations in all this, footballers are above all sportsmen who want to win. Most of our promising youngsters have been there through a few bloody aweful years, and now that we are showing great signs of future success, it would be a big call to move to a start-up where you are likely to be spanked for a few more years yet!

[H_T 2,941]

From what I can see, the club has a plan for this, and seems to be making all the right moves in this direction

Can you elaborate more on the moves the club has made in this direction you speak of ?

[bing181 8,355]

A footballer has a very short career and is entitled to maximise his income (particularly when you are a little injury prone).

A footballer has a short career, and generally wants to play in finals and win premierships ...

[4jacks 0]

Everyone please cool your jets. Did anyone else read down to the bottom of the article?

Gold Coast chairman John Witheriff said at the weekend the club had been frustrated that it could not yet announce players it had signed for next year. Petterd is not believed to be one of those players.

I was worried when I saw the article this morning, but I read through to the end and saw that. Sounds like nothing more than speculation to me, and a slow news day for The Age. I'm confident he'll stay based on that, and his twitter posts.

Great day on the Gold Coast, ready to get back to Melb tho and start my rehab..Just wanna be around the club!! haha..ps.im on 998 followers!

Thanks for getting me to 1000 followers! You are all my homies.lol..Last day on the goldy then back to melb for the real stuff!.Cant wait!

Let's not forget, either, that Jurrah was allowed to go home for a while after he did his shoulder. It's only natural.

[Sir Why You Little 35,318]

People should check out his twitter account. He seems very loyal to the team. His last dozen posts have included multiple references to him being excited to get back down to the club after his time up North.

That's one thing that club has gotten right. The culture and atmosphere at the club that the boys seem to really love being apart of it. That is worth just as much as an extra bit of money to sportspeople in my mind. Look at all the Geelong players taking below market value to stay at the club. People should have a bit of fait and stop worrying just because some journo speculates over the possibly of Ricky leaving us to go to the GC.

Not every Football Club has Jim Stynes as President Either.

Would be very hard to say goodbye, to both Jim & what he is setting up. Beyond $$$$$

[Dalrot 85]

I can't do it on my own though, it'll need to be a team performance with everyone putting in 110% one week at a time for four quarters a week for 22 rounds bleeding red and blue the whole time.

But are you a Ryan O'Keefe type player?

[titan_uranus 23,129]

Ridiculous overly negative speculation to suggest that, because Petterd was seen on the Gold Coast, he is playing for them next year.

A man's allowed to go back to see his family, especially when he has nothing better to do on account of an injury. Furthermore, whilst visiting said family, said man is entitled to watch a game of football involving a team that will be in the AFL next year, and some Collingwood players that may be playing against his team-mates in 2 weeks. Finally, said man is allowed to entertain offers from clubs other than the one he is currently at without automatically leaving the club.

Conclusion: we know nothing more than we did before this happened.

Who knows, maybe he was getting some info for the FD with regards to some of Collingwood's players?

[biggestred 4,420]

But are you a Ryan O'Keefe type player?

he likes a beer, does 45, so we might be on the end of some brendan fevola type scandals! woooo

[gOLLy 401]

From what I heard from officials at a do in Darwin "Its looking unlikley that he will stay"

[H_T 2,941]

he likes a beer, does 45, so we might be on the end of some brendan fevola type scandals! woooo

Who 45 ?

Nah not possible...he would leave his mobile phone at home..

[GOLF 13]

Luckily Pettard is a medium forward, a position that is not critical to the team (cf a key position player or ruckman) and we have plenty of other medium sized forwards- Sylvia, Green, Jurrah, Jetta

Listen to the wisdom of Sylvinator when it is spoken.

I would not like to lose Ricky to GC17. But what if they are really after a mature (say 27yo) tough ruckman, currently well up in the league stats? And have just been successful at keeping it quiet. If you want something to worry about, try chewing on that.

[beelzebub 22,702]

stay or go ...matters not in the grand scheme of things. One player does not a team make !!

Theres still talent to debut and build on. Nice if he stays....such is life if he goes !!

Funny though that MFC happy to let him just wander around per se

[Guest DeesPower]

Can you elaborate more on the moves the club has made in this direction you speak of ?

1. Front-ending salaries to give them greater flexibility further down the track.

2. Creating a winning narrative and a sense of excitement about future success.

3. Vastly improving physical facilities and professional staff to make it as easy and comfortable to be successful.

4. Implementing a leading mentoring system and player management system.

5. Starting to regain the respect of the football world on and off the field creating more opportunities for players in a number of different ways, both now and in their futures.

6. Regaining financial stability and prosperity.

7. Developing a strong brand, with strong values and culture

8. Growing a strong and extremely loyal supporter base, and making the "G", the home of football, the MFC home, and playing in front of large crowds.

9. Being recognised as an innovator, and a club with impressive first class leadership and management.

10. Encouraging genuine belief in the players, supporters, sponsors, the media, and the opposition that MFC will win a premiership in the next 3-4 years. This belief is growing rapidly, inside and outside the club, and cannot be underestimated as a motivator for players to stay together. The vision of the Club to be the most successful club over the next decade to me is not only spot on, but is also genuinely realistic and believable, which makes it all the more powerful

[dee-luded 2,958]

According to today's Age, Ricky Petterd returned to the Gold Coast at the weekend to take in the local VFL game...

http://www.theage.co...00530-wngd.html

I think Ricky may have played his last game for the MFC unfortunately.

If he's decided to go to the Gold Coast, why would he bother to go through the contractual process with us?

[bush demon 1,927]

Well what do you expect his management to say!??? They would not be acting in his best interests if they didnt exploit the fact that there is interest elsewhere. Frankly, he'd be sacking his management if they didnt take advantage of the situation.

Good luck to him whatever he does, A footballer has a very short career and is entitled to maximise his income (particularly when you are a little injury prone).

that philosophy would quickly lead to robber-barons stripping melbourne of its players and heading to one of the franchises or vic. gorilla clubs once free agency gains a hold.

[Guest DeesPower]

that philosophy would quickly lead to robber-barons stripping melbourne of its players and heading to one of the franchises or vic. gorilla clubs once free agency gains a hold.

Quite agree. You might as well give up now and do nothing about building walls of defence, and of course the best walls are those that demonstrate a genuine understanding of player needs.

Cynicism will not get you there (as this post demonstrated).

Genuine communication, and genuine concern for player welfare will.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

....

Points 1 to 10 include a lot of spin that would make a PR consultant blush and the achievements are still WIP in most cases.

But I acknowledge alot of good things are being down. However to turn the good ship MFC around will take alot more of the good stuff thats been done to date ...and hopefully less of the spin that fluffs it.

I can't do it on my own though, it'll need to be a team performance with everyone putting in 110% one week at a time for four quarters a week for 22 rounds bleeding red and blue the whole time.

Now dont look directly into the camera lights!!!

From what I heard from officials at a do in Darwin "Its looking unlikley that he will stay"

Which "officials"?

Funny though that MFC happy to let him just wander around per se

Funny, didn't think we were in Russia.....

Genuine communication, and genuine concern for player welfare will.

And not getting sucked in by the media spin played by player managers to heat up the contract negotiations for their client.

[Demon Tragic 0]

Why are we worried about Ricky leaving? I think we need to reasses the way we are thinking about this. It's plain that Ricky is using the situation to increase the value of his next contract. It's a simple proposition we put to Ricky, go for great money and take your chances at the Gold Coast, given what he's been through in the past 3 years, he'll have plenty of experience in a losing team.

Or, believe in what we are doing here and come along for the ride. The money won't be as good, but the ride will be [censored] hot! With or without you, we're still going. We have plenty of players who'll fill the void up front Jurrah, Wonna, Jetta, Bennell, Watts, Bate, Miller, Green, Davey, Sylvia. That's nine recognised forwards already, let alone our developing talent. You're either with us or your not, if your not, goodbye & goodluck (you'll need it).

I think Moloney said last year - "We are heading in a straight line. We will not deviate from that line. If you don't want to come with us, go to Carlton, go to wherever" It needs to be our mantra when dealing with these matters.

Edited May 31, 2010 by Demon Tragic