To insinuate that any player who doesn't reach the level of James Hird is to be laughed at.

...

He got the best out of himself and his ability. To do less than this would be underperforming or disappointing.

Good post 45 but seemingly too hard for some.

And you reckon I'M blind and immovable on the subject? Grab yourself a mirror!

Can he borrow yours whenever you finish with it?

You set your standards to low Bobby, i have mentioned that before....

It does not deflect from your habit of challenging people's statements without doing the research (any research) yourself. I am not sure if C&B is right about Bruces top 10 Bluey finishes over the past 10 consecutive years. Bruce has been regular and durable player over his career and has had many high finishes over that time.

I have to admit I was a fan of Bruce in his first couple of seasons. But IMO he never delivered on enormous potential despite being grossly over paid. Appeared to be just cruising at 80% from about 2002 onwards and seemed to lack passion. Always a good player when we dominated but inefective in bad games or when the pressure was on. Never stamped his authority on the game when required. He's not like a forward who is starved of opportunites in bad games. He should have done more since his role is always in the thick of the action. He was both a sign and symptom of the ills that prevented the club from achieving worthwhile success and his many detractors see this. As others have said his disposal was patchy and he appeared to soft shoe shuffle at contests. I assume he got that whopping contract because the club though he may have become a true champion and leader for the club. He was lucky the club was hard up for good players and was treated very generously. I am still mystified how he always polled so well at the club. Just another sign of the club resigned to being mediocre.

Edited December 20, 201014 yr by america de cali

I have to admit I was a fan of Bruce in his first couple of seasons. But IMO he never delivered on enormous potential despite being grossly over paid. Appeared to be just cruising at 80% from about 2002 onwards and going through the motions. Always a good player when we dominated but rarely sighted in bad games or when the pressure was on. Never stamped his authority on the game when required. He's not like a forward who is starved of opportunites in bad games. He should have done more since his role is always in the thick of the action. As others have said his disposal was patchy and he appeared to soft shoe shuffle at contests. I assume he got that whopping contract because the club though he may have become a true champion and leader for the club. He was lucky the club was hard up for good players and was treated very generously.

I doubt it on that spiel.

I'll preface this as conjecture and opinion; after all it's a forum !!

Things often seem and appear differently depending on ones viewpoint and perspective. Same occurrence results in differing accounts , just ask witnesses !

Cuddles may well have had a difference with Bruce. Good on him, he runs football at the Mfc not Bruce. I suspect Cam has allowed his remunerations to cloud his worth and position in a team rebirthing and moving upwards.

Old Bulls often get their noses out of joint and egos trodden on when new beef enters the paddock. For all I know possibly some home truths were aired. Quite possibly a two way discussion. Bruce then has the option as is his right to take bat and ball elsewhere. Bruce is part of a legacy left to Bailey and Co. Those that either aren't past used by or still very capable and RELEVANT to the Dees of 2011 forward have gone.

I note it's the Nixon/Bruce camp that are constantly changing tunes and rewriting their version of events and not the club.

I have an inkling CB might have just thought he was a bit of an auto fixture and was on the receiving end of a mighty wake up .

That anyone might have done ok or not at a club whilst performing weekly mediocrity languishing on bottom ought not cloud too much the real positions when the gloves come off and we're fair dinkum.

What we do know is despite talking forward security he's left for less money and no guarantee of any more longevity.

What we also know is that in contrast to theatrical hystrioics regarding Juniors handling Bruce was making overtures to Hawthorn at or around mid season.

Golly, someone came over a little abrasive. Who knows may e he was that day and does a swallow make a summer? Hardly a fair sampling to judge a person.. Inmmy handful of meetings/acquaintings with Connolly he's always seemed quite friendly and jovial. Just my observation , others may receive people differently.

It really doesn't matter. Bruce has left. I really couldn't care less. I care far more that as a club we're prepared to make some hard and to some unpalatable decisions. Looking back over the last few years there's hardly a one which has been shown to be wrong.

Still, no one or any group invariably get it all right.

Maybe we can revisit this in a year or two and wonder what all the fuss was about.

I wish Bruce well in his personal life , as would I most people . On tbe footy field however I fervently hope hope he and his lot are comprehensively smashed by a rampaging Melbourne making his excursion with Guerra seem like a picnic.

Has anyone even heard ( or heard of) Bruce thanking Melbourne for the opportunity to have a career?

Funnily enough a Hawthorn mate is still shaking his head and muttering misgivings. makes me smile

Has anyone even heard ( or heard of) Bruce thanking Melbourne for the opportunity to have a career?

No. And that may be why people have their noses out of joint. The club was very magnanimous towards Bruce when he left.

Bruce and Nixon always screwed the club down to the last minute on contract negotiations. As his his right. And it's the club's right to say to him 'we can't guarantee you any particular level of game time' or 'a game'. Or ' you are the highest player on our list by some margin and we are offering you less this year." Clearly I am just guessing on this but it makes sense to me.

It's a business and Bruce made a business decision. Leave it be. You'd all do the same in your own jobs when it came time to negotiate. This misguided notion of loyalty went out with Barassi and Norm Smith.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/106258/default.aspx

brent guerra just walked into the room

I have to admit I was a fan of Bruce in his first couple of seasons. But IMO he never delivered on enormous potential despite being grossly over paid. Appeared to be just cruising at 80% from about 2002 onwards and seemed to lack passion. Always a good player when we dominated but inefective in bad games or when the pressure was on. Never stamped his authority on the game when required. He's not like a forward who is starved of opportunites in bad games. He should have done more since his role is always in the thick of the action. He was both a sign and symptom of the ills that prevented the club from achieving worthwhile success and his many detractors see this. As others have said his disposal was patchy and he appeared to soft shoe shuffle at contests. I assume he got that whopping contract because the club though he may have become a true champion and leader for the club. He was lucky the club was hard up for good players and was treated very generously. I am still mystified how he always polled so well at the club. Just another sign of the club resigned to being mediocre.

So you are mystified that Bruce always polled well. Maybe because people who played AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL cast the votes. Sorry he didn't achieve the high standards you required. What was YOUR playing level BTW?

Where did Bruce come in the 2010 B&F again..?

So you are mystified that Bruce always polled well. Maybe because people who played AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL cast the votes. Sorry he didn't achieve the high standards you required. What was YOUR playing level BTW?

If you paid someone a fabulous fortune(not your money) for less than optimal service I guess you have to demonstrate that the money was well spent in order to save face. Politicians, corporate types and others who are responsible for money that is not theirs do it all the time. I don't think many will agree that he was worth the money he extracted from this impoverished club. B&F's and other awards are on the record and to some it demonstrates he was worth it on these facts alone. Shame his real onfield exploits are not as illustrious as his voting prowess. In hindsight I'd wish he left in 2005 and let some other sucker club pay out a fortune for his services.

And please try not to justify your arguments by diverting attention to others perceived deficiencies, be it Mr Connolly or fellow posters.

Edited December 21, 201014 yr by america de cali

So you are mystified that Bruce always polled well. Maybe because people who played AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL cast the votes. Sorry he didn't achieve the high standards you required. What was YOUR playing level BTW?

I honestly hate it when that is invoked.

Why are we posting on this site then? Perhaps we need a statutory declaration of all posters to make sure that they played at a minimum level of footy before they can post. Is the Canberra league high enough? Queeensland? I guess that's it for women to have a view on the game. F... off Jaded!

Happy Happy Joy Joy

Happy Happy Joy Joy

I am happy.

F... off Jaded!

Ah it's a magical time of the year isn't it?

I love you too.

Ah it's a magical time of the year isn't it?

I love you too.

See fellas.

I have a way with women...

See fellas.

I have a way with women...

That's cheating, girls usually get along with one another

See fellas.

I have a way with women...

It's true. Treat em mean keep em keen

That's cheating, girls usually get along with one another

That's the sort of nasty comment I'd expect from a girl. Wanna tell us something?

That's the sort of nasty comment I'd expect from a girl. Wanna tell us something?

Yes...

Yes...

Well go on, don't keep us in suspense...

Well go on, don't keep us in suspense...

I'm not actually Paul Gardner...or any member of the former board for that matter!

There, it's out!

Ah, I feel much better!

If you paid someone a fabulous fortune(not your money) for less than optimal service I guess you have to demonstrate that the money was well spent in order to save face. Politicians, corporate types and others who are responsible for money that is not theirs do it all the time. I don't think many will agree that he was worth the money he extracted from this impoverished club. B&F's and other awards are on the record and to some it demonstrates he was worth it on these facts alone. Shame his real onfield exploits are not as illustrious as his voting prowess. In hindsight I'd wish he left in 2005 and let some other sucker club pay out a fortune for his services.

And please try not to justify your arguments by diverting attention to others perceived deficiencies, be it Mr Connolly or fellow posters.

Absolutely pathetic attempt to justify your opinions. You are now saying our football department is corrupt and gave Bruce votes just to justify their decision to pay him.

Absolutely pathetic attempt to justify your opinions. You are now saying our football department is corrupt and gave Bruce votes just to justify their decision to pay him.

No need to clutch at straws. I didn't say corruption. Only said "saving face". The club got mutton when they thought they were buying lamb. Dressing mutton as lamb to justify the price.

Edited December 21, 201014 yr by america de cali

Bobby .. If as you assert Cuddles didn't show Cam the love then why the charade at seasons end ?

Do you contend it really was indignity towards Junior (and I'll contend by that to himself also) at the end that caused him to walk ?

Would you have that Bruce( if possible in the proxy of Nixon) was not already of the mind to leave the club mid season ?

Do you think he was hard done by ?

Do you think he (CB) would / ought to be playing 2012/2013 , if fit, for the Dees ?

It does not deflect from your habit of challenging people's statements without doing the research (any research) yourself. I am not sure if C&B is right about Bruces top 10 Bluey finishes over the past 10 consecutive years. Bruce has been regular and durable player over his career and has had many high finishes over that time.

What you are saying i am not disputing. Yes a reguliar and Durable player, who often coughed up shocking handballs to Team mates in worse positions, and whose kicking accuracy for a good slice of his career was ordinary.

Now if that means Bruce was one of our top players for a decade, and who apparently for the last 4 years earnt somewhere in the top 20% of the AFL players. It just shows how bad our list management was, during the first part of the decade.

Maybe that was the message C.C. was conveying....& why Cameron walked...just maybe.

well, for the research-challenged:

2001 Yze,Neitz,Schwarz,Febey, Ward,White,Robertson,Leoncelli,Bruce,Walsh

2002 Neitz,Bruce,Johnstone,Brown,White,Yze,Bizzell, Vardy,McDonald,Powell

2003 Robertson, McDonald, Neitz, Bizell, Godfrey, Bruce, Green, Whelan, Brown, Yze

2004 White, Brown, Yze, Bruce, Neitz, Whelan, Green, McDonald, Rivers, Nicholson

2005 Johnstone, Robertson, Davey, Moloney, Green, White, Bruce, Wheatley, Brown, Yze

2006 McDonald, Bruce, McLean, Neitz, Green, Carroll, Whelan, Rivers, White, Johnstone

2007 McDonald, Jones, Bate, Green, Davey, Bruce, White, McLean, Brown, Robertson

2008 Bruce, McLean, Green, Warnock, McDonald, Miller, Morton, Bartram, Wheatley, Wonaeamirri

2009 Davey, Moloney, Bruce, Bate, Jones, Sylvia, Warnock, Frawley, McDonald, Morton

2010 Green, Frawley, Jamar, Davey, Sylvia, Bruce, Moloney, Scully, Garland/McDonald, McKenzie

BRUCE 10

McDonald 8

Green 7

White 6

Yze 5

Neitz 5

Robbo 4

Brown 4

Davey 4

so is anyone else going to challenge?

Edited December 21, 201014 yr by Curry & Beer