On 06/11/2010 at 12:55, milpod said:

He will be lucky to play 12 games for his new club.

Between his mindset and soft tissue injuries.It will look great we have the extra $$$ for players with real talent.IMHO

I don't want his style of leadership/maturity infecting the young blokes.Brad Green,Beamer,Jones and Aaron Davey will do nice enough thanks.

We have put up with likes of Bruce since '64.Close enough is not good enough.I for one am sick of waiting.WE need to be ruthless.

This isn't ruthless. This is without a doubt a response to sacking our captain. No good club does that. How many clubs lose top 6 b&f for nothing in the pre-season draft?

  On 06/11/2010 at 09:34, Rod Grinter Riot Squad said:

"It is understood Bruce was happy enough with a one-year commitment, even though the Demons were offering slightly less than what he wanted.

But he also wanted assurances and positivity about his own place as the club embarks on a determined youth drive."

Soft as they come.

Hey Fanta pants, did you expect us to guarantee you a start regardless of how bad your disposal was?

I assume it was more that he wanted to be picked on merit rather than pushed out because they wanted to give a

youngster a game to develop them. I can understand that.

I still think he was easy in the best 22, but I don't mind him going, we are moving in the right direction.

It is disapointing thought that it happened as we get nothing for it.

  On 06/11/2010 at 13:18, Choko said:

This isn't ruthless. This is without a doubt a response to sacking our captain. No good club does that. How many clubs lose top 6 b&f for nothing in the pre-season draft?

Isn't that ruthless.

Whether it was wise or stupid will be shown in the long term.

But we were all critical of Daniher not making the tough decisions. The tough decisions have been made and consequences follow them. That is ruthless.

There has to be something said for making these calls.

  On 06/11/2010 at 13:25, the master said:

Isn't that ruthless.

Whether it was wise or stupid will be shown in the long term.

But we were all critical of Daniher not making the tough decisions. The tough decisions have been made and consequences follow them. That is ruthless.

There has to be something said for making these calls.

There is ruthless and stupid. If we played hardball with Scully and he left, that might be seen as the ultimate in ruthlessness.

  On 06/11/2010 at 12:42, DeezMan said:

Ok... now I don't like all this negativity.

Yes I will boo the bejesus out of the man when we next encounter him... but the guy was a decent contributor for our side and was playing some damn decent footy in the last 2 months of 2010 (keeping Ryan O'Keefe quiet a standout!).

He is a seasoned-bodied player that we can really do with. He is leadership material which we can REALLY do with.

We are now left without our 2010 captain and vice-captain (!!) and I think the MFC have just gulped knowing they let go of Junior Mac too early. Big OOPS! We needed to keep hold of at least one of those two men - we now have neither.

Our oldest player is now 29 years of age.

I got a phone call from my mate advising me of Bruce walking out and we are both livid and disappointed that an agreement could not be made. He is a guy our oh so young team can utulise and learn from - Bruce and Junior are BOTH now gone and now who do the rugrats learn from??? Green. THat's it.

I've read this thread and people will continue to abuse the man with the big receding hairline (no not Newton this time)... but in the end we lose a solid contributor, decrease our leadership group further, lose a rare seasoned campaigner as well as an overall nice bloke.

But we WILL get over it. Bruce is not a C. Judd. He is not a M. Pavlich. He is not a J. Brown. Losing Cam means, as I have earlier said, a Sammy Blease (top 20 draft pick and amongst our most promising players yet to debut) can have a regular go in the seniors.

That's my take.

finally a decent post amongst this unfair bruce bashing, n wow jst realised we dont ave one player over 30, geez we ave a young list.

Its always disappointing and emotional losing a veteran player to another club. If he claims its not about the length of the contract but rather his role in rhe team does this mean that another club has guaranteed him a spot every week next year regardless of form? Surely not. I think it's definitely about a two year deal. In one respect this is selfish on his behalf but after the way macca was treated I can see where he's coming from.

Even though I haven't rated his performances over the last couple of years the hole this leaves in our leadership group is concerning. I tend to be a pessimist but all we can do now is have faith in the club and hope they have things under control.

Good riddance Cam Bruce.

You have been valuable throughout the earlier years of your career but ever since that bone

crunching tackle laid by Guerra you never quite got the knack back.

Pity you couldn't see that 1 year was all you were going to get going by your age and form.

Looking forward to seeing a youngster step up in your role. A player that has an appetite for body

contact. A player that has better than average disposal. A player that has a sense of urgency about him.

Onwards and upwards demons.

  On 06/11/2010 at 13:37, Choko said:

There is ruthless and stupid. If we played hardball with Scully and he left, that might be seen as the ultimate in ruthlessness.

According to a report in the Sunday Sun, Bruce wanted "assurances and positivity" about his place in the side. Presumably, he didn't get them, so he's going elsewhere. Giving assurances of the type that he sought would have been stupidity on the part of the club. What he got was honesty and, in adopting that approach, there was an element of ruthlessness shown. I don't think any supporter or player would want it any other way.

  On 06/11/2010 at 14:15, Whispering_Jack said:

According to a report in the Sunday Sun, Bruce wanted "assurances and positivity" about his place in the side. Presumably, he didn't get them, so he's going elsewhere. Giving assurances of the type that he sought would have been stupidity on the part of the club. What he got was honesty and, in adopting that approach, there was an element of ruthlessness shown by the club. I don't think any supporter or player would want it any other way.

I think the Feral Scum is the opposite of the situation, as usual. It was not about money, it was about getting more than the one year and having faith that the club wouldn't p*ss him off if it was only a 1 yr deal. That was the assurance. he couldn't get it from us because we have a track record now. I have no problem if Junior, Bruce, Brad Johnson or anyone are told that they will not be guaranteed a senior game if they don't have form. But that's not what it was. And that's not ruthless.

  On 06/11/2010 at 14:21, Choko said:

I think the Feral Scum is the opposite of the situation, as usual. It was not about money, it was about getting more than the one year and having faith that the club wouldn't p*ss him off if it was only a 1 yr deal. That was the assurance. he couldn't get it from us because we have a track record now. I have no problem if Junior, Bruce, Brad Johnson or anyone are told that they will not be guaranteed a senior game if they don't have form. But that's not what it was. And that's not ruthless.

What the hell are you trying to say??

So, no finals for the Dees in 2011 ey? Ha.

This whole episode just proves that Cameron Bruce does not walk on water. He is not bigger than the club, so clean out your locker and move on if that is your attitude. The MFC shall always be larger than one greedy player.

it's really quite simple.

Go Demons 2011.

  On 06/11/2010 at 14:48, why you little said:

This whole episode just proves that Cameron Bruce does not walk on water. He is not bigger than the club, so clean out your locker and move on if that is your attitude. The MFC shall always be larger than one greedy player.

it's really quite simple.

Go Demons 2011.

Right, which is how you will feel if the MFC mismanages Jack Grimes' contract negotiations?

  On 06/11/2010 at 14:49, Choko said:

Right, which is how you will feel if the MFC mismanages Jack Grimes' contract negotiations?

Cam Bruce's contract has been pretty well known to us all for weeks now. He wanted assurances that he would be an automatic selection. The MFC should never agree to that for ANY player. You play well you get picked for next week.

Why should Cam Bruce be any different?

  On 06/11/2010 at 14:49, Choko said:

Right, which is how you will feel if the MFC mismanages Jack Grimes' contract negotiations?

Exactly. We are lucky we have only lost mediocre players... but sooner or later a genuine superstar of ours will end up treated just like Bruce and McDonald and Jakovich of old.

It's a tad concerning...

  On 06/11/2010 at 14:57, DeezMan said:

Exactly. We are lucky we have only lost mediocre players... but sooner or later a genuine superstar of ours will end up treated just like Bruce and McDonald and Jakovich of old.

It's a tad concerning...

Thats Rubbish!! No player should expect automatic selection. That's what happened through the Danniher years & look where it got us by 2007. Do you want to win some Flags or just be a club that honours 200 game players??

This is the Bottom line.

  On 06/11/2010 at 14:21, Choko said:

I think the Feral Scum is the opposite of the situation, as usual. It was not about money, it was about getting more than the one year and having faith that the club wouldn't p*ss him off if it was only a 1 yr deal. That was the assurance. he couldn't get it from us because we have a track record now. I have no problem if Junior, Bruce, Brad Johnson or anyone are told that they will not be guaranteed a senior game if they don't have form. But that's not what it was. And that's not ruthless.

The reason he didn't get an assurance from the club is not because of our track record, it's because the club was offering a 1 year contract not a 2 year contract. If we guarentee him an extention it's no different from a 2 year contract. The club was seriously burnt at the end of the Daniher era by the sudden end to great careers and is right to protect itself.

I think, and it's only my opinion, that the club was forced to act on Junior because Dunn, Bartram and possibly Bail saved their careers this season. I said in some thread at the start of this year that we didn't have enough potentially delistable players coming out of contract and that if a few found form we'd be in trouble. It gets worse next year.

Finding delistings is going to be very difficult next year. Martin and Maric look all but gone. After that it get's hard. Wonaemirri? Warnock? After that it gets REALLY hard. You either get rid of project talls after 2 years in Fitzpatrick and Gawn, break contracts, Trade players out for whatever you can get or consider Gysberts, Scully, Morton, Sylvia or Green. Everyone else is contracted until at least the end of 2012. We must delist at least 3. The club would have been negligent to be giving assurances about contract extentions in that environment. If 2 of Martin, Maric, Wonna, Warnock or, dare I say it, even Newton finish next season in our best 22, Bruce may have been in the gun.

Anyway, I'm happy the club stuck to it's guns. This will cost us a bit in the short term, but nothing in the medium to long term imo.

  On 06/11/2010 at 14:57, DeezMan said:

Exactly. We are lucky we have only lost mediocre players... but sooner or later a genuine superstar of ours will end up treated just like Bruce and McDonald and Jakovich of old.

It's a tad concerning...

Jakovich??? I thought he could barely move by the time he left us.

The only thing I find concerning is supporters who think the club has no right to move players on. And owes it to them to allow them to play until they decide to give it away.

Very sad news.

Club bigger than the player.

Time to move on. We'll be alright.

g'luck cam.

I reckon that with GWS looming next year and players like Scully coming out of contract we simply had no capacity in the cap to offer Bruce what he wanted, while simultaneously ensuring we keep our young stars at the MFC. As Benny would say "Such is Life". Good luck Cam.

Carn the Demons. Bring on 2011.

There is no point getting all 'Chicken Little' about this - if the club thought he was worth it they would have given him what he wanted.

His leadership was a bit iffy for 2011 as he was going to battle for his spot a lot more than this year.

This way, a younger guy can gain experience and become a leader by playing more. If Bruce was a key forward or back I would be more worried, but he was a half-back flanker now and we have a heap of blokes who can play there.

Good luck Brucey, pity it ended this way.

  On 06/11/2010 at 14:49, Choko said:

Right, which is how you will feel if the MFC mismanages Jack Grimes' contract negotiations?

A) From what I understand there was no mismanagement here.

B) If Jack Grimes or anyone else where to seek contract terms or assurances that were not in the clubs best interests thenI expect the club to make the right decision. I want our players to have a healthy balance of thier own ineterests with the clubs interests.

C) Those players who have an understanding of the big picture realise that some individual sacrifice is required to obtain success as a group. Once you are a premiership player however the world is at your feet.

Ah Cam - Cameron Bruce. If ever a player epitomised his name it was you. A talented player who was best in shut down roles. An excellent endurance runner who had the ability to push forward and hit the scoreboard. A clever player, who despite a lack of leg speed was usually able to extricate himself from tight situations. Well liked around the club and smart enough to read the writing on the wall.

I'll miss abusing you at the 'G, and throwing the remote every time you avoided body contact; not to mention the hospital handpasses to unsuspecting teammates. Hopefully, your exit continues to eradicate the culture of softness that has permeated this club for too long. There's a few softees on the list, but the standards of Scully, Trengove, Grimes, et al, as opposed to your goodself and the likes of "one arm Adem", or "toe poke Yze", will be plain for all to see.

Today is going to be a good day.

Can those that think this situation:

Is because we shafted our captain!!

Means we can't entice and keep players at the club!!

Doesn't bode well for negotiations with Scully, Grimes et al.

....please leave the talking up to the grown ups?

Thanking you in advance

A non-sufferer of MFCSS

rpfc