Good Bruce Bad Bruce

[BangkokDemon 96]

A lot of this Bruce apologist stuff is so anal retentive. He had a reasonable offer. He refused it at the last minute thus giving the club the most hurt he could. He had a great personal career and took a lot of money from an impoverished club. But he played strictly B grade football. I can't imagine many genuine wanna be premiers keeping a player like him on their books for all these years. He was shown a lot of generosity. The episode of the last few years just reinforces the pathetic culture we have been subjected too. Players backed by their supporters who have performed well past their use by date kicking and screaming when they have to make way for new blood makes me sick.

Agree 100%.

Those who are upset should get over it.

[John Crow Batty 8,880]

The final chapter will be who picks him and what sort of package he will be on. Just dying to find out what he gave us up for.

[Deeoldfart 8,107]

..................... What sort of culture is Bailey setting up down there? ..................

The answer is staring you in the face C&B. I'm surprised you can't see it. I'll help you out. It's precisely the sort of culture that all top of the table, professional AFL clubs demand!

[rpfc 28,906]

he won the B+F last year... look deep in your soul and see if you have a clue in there anywhere

No he didn't - Davey did.

Bruce won in 2008.

It's really inconsequential.

He wanted more than he deserved for the position the club is in. He saw the writing on the wall.

We were honest, and told him what he didn't want to hear. And given the time it took maybe Nixon was trying to get a automatic extension clause in the contract - reach a certain amount of games and you automatically get another year. I don't like them and the club obviously felt that they didn't want to be painted into a corner.

He left, and we make the best of an imperfect situation.

If you're worried about onfield - we mave Morton.

If you're worried about leadership - bring back Junior.

If you're worried about the ramifications on the other players you are suffering from MFCSS.

This stuff happens, they know this.

Someone else happened recently that would have more of an effect on the group - the China trip.

[hoopla 418]

Has to be BAD to lose a 200 game player attracting interest from other clubs for nothing.The fact that our relations with a senior player broke down so badly that we missed an opportunity to get something for him suggests that aspects of our player management/ communication need to be improved.

It is also a bit simplistic to suggest that he won't be missed on the field in 2011. Bruce's ability to go back one minute - and forward the next - created rotation options for the coaching staff - which was an asset to our development program.Bruce's real value to the team - apart from his experience - was his adaptability

[bing181 9,425]

Bruce was out of contract - which is why all this came up in the first place. Thus, he couldn't have been traded. We haven't lost anything by this "late" announcement.

[ox_5 163]

Thus, he couldn't have been traded.

Ahhhhh...yes he could

[daisycutter 29,892]

A lot of this Bruce apologist stuff is so anal retentive. He had a reasonable offer. He refused it at the last minute thus giving the club the most hurt he could. He had a great personal career and took a lot of money from an impoverished club. But he played strictly B grade football. I can't imagine many genuine wanna be premiers keeping a player like him on their books for all these years. He was shown a lot of generosity. The episode of the last few years just reinforces the pathetic culture we have been subjected too. Players backed by their supporters who have performed well past their use by date kicking and screaming when they have to make way for new blood makes me sick.

Wake up. The days of players playing for glory and the love of a club are long gone

These guys are full professionals. Its their job, their career, and a short one at that, to be maximised

Remember it cuts both ways. Try putting yourself in their shoes before getting so self righteous.

And remember, we have no idea of the actual negotiations that took place, and the clubs comments re Bruce's career and contributions were quite generous and not critical. Thoughout the whole process Bruce has not made one public comment.

Having said that I still think Cam made the wrong decision, but then I'm not a full-time career footballer, just a one-eyed fan.

[beelzebub 23,390]

He's a professional footballer with a limited life span in the game. He did the right thing by himself and his family and nobody could ever begrudge him for that.

From Melbourne's point of view, it has its policies in place and it stuck to its principles. Nothing wrong with that either.

This was a case of an immovable object meeting an Irresistable force and it was in the best interests of both in those circumstances that they part ways.

Win for both.

End of story.

Funny he couldnt make up his mind earlier and possibly get traded ? No he did it th emost selfish way possibly. So much for his respect for th eclub as he bemoaned we ( mfc) ought to respect him .

No, for me his real colours showed through, neither red nor blue.....just green , orange etc...the colour of money.

Dont peddle one story Bruce then do another.

[Ron Burgundy 8,587]

Bad for 2 reasons.

1. It's one year too soon. He finished 6th in our B&F and had at least one good year left in him. I don't think we would have retired Junior if we had known that Bruce was leaving. An ominous sign was his absence from the China trip. He clearly had a decent offer from somewhere else and was waying up his options.

2. The timing is poor. This should have been stitched up during trade week. We could have linked him to the Cheney deal as a 2 for 1 offer and maybe picked up the round 1 compensation pick that the hawks used for David Hale. Or we could have pressed the hawks to swap their 38th draft pick for Cameron.

It is probable that we had these types of discussions in trade week but we couldn't close the deal. Now we've been blindsided and have nothing to show for it.

This post sums it up IMO.

Should perhaps consider bringing back Junior.

As an aside, I hope Bruce gets picked up by Freo or Port. I'm still a little stunned he didn't want to finish his career at the Dees. This wreaks of short term thinking by him - he could've ended his career as a club legend. Why stuff up such loyalty for a bit more dough at the tail end of one's career?! He may come to regret this decision in due course.

[John Crow Batty 8,880]

In reply to Daisycutter.

Well if it wasn't for passionate fans who pay and still follow for the glory and love of the club there will be no professional footballers. Fortunately we are not as mercenary, dry or matter of fact as the business end of the game has become. We have a right to express our passions as we wish.

[daisycutter 29,892]

In reply to Daisycutter.

Well if it wasn't for passionate fans who pay and still follow for the glory and love of the club there will be no professional footballers. Fortunately we are not as mercenary, dry or matter of fact as the business end of the game has become. We have a right to express our passions as we wish.

Passion is fine adc. Bile is another thing. Reread your orig post.

[dee-eee 231]

At our present stage of development the Club has made the right call. Much of the vitriol however is unwarranted

after all, although he could be sloppy with his disposals the guy was a ball magnet usually in our top 3 for possessions. A stalwart for a decade it will hurt to see him play against us.

[John Crow Batty 8,880]

Passion is fine adc. Bile is another thing. Reread your orig post.

Bile is an acceptable passion. Check your dictionary. Moderators please act if not. And so is hubris which you don't mind dishing out.

[Chook 15,023]

Bile is like any bodily fluid. It tastes bad if it's yours, but it tastes much worse if it's someone else's.

[John Crow Batty 8,880]

Bile is like any bodily fluid. It tastes bad if it's yours, but it tastes much worse if it's someone else's.

All football fans are very good at dumping it too on teams, players, managers, umpires, coaches other fans and anyone else connected with the game. Haven't met one who doesn't.

[deewakka 1]

now that we have another spot to fill do we wait and use this pick in the psd maybe theres another jurrah waiting

[ox_5 163]

now that we have another spot to fill do we wait and use this pick in the psd maybe theres another jurrah waiting

We dont have another spot now deewakka, this only frees up an extra rookie list spot because he was on the veterans list

[Chook 15,023]

All football fans people are very good at dumping bile onto teams, players, managers, umpires, coaches other fans and anyone else connected with the game. Haven't met one who doesn't.

EFA. It's just human nature. Nobody wants to look bad, so we try make others look worse.

[Harrisonrules 273]

Good: If you don't want to be at Melbourne, Melbourne sure as hell don't need you at us.

Brucie wanted to stay at Melbourne. The club was not prepared to committ. Don't blame Cam. The club virtually pushed him in the same way they pushed James.

[ox_5 163]

Brucie wanted to stay at Melbourne. The club was not prepared to committ. Don't blame Cam. The club virtually pushed him in the same way they pushed James.

We offered him a 1 year contract...I dont understand how that isnt a commitment?

[daisycutter 29,892]

Bile is an acceptable passion. Check your dictionary. Moderators please act if not. And so is hubris which you don't mind dishing out.

If you want a pizzing contest have it with someone else

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,297]

It has to be a good result for the Club.

Yes, we will miss his experience and his ability to play a number of roles on the field. That is all as far as the `bad`

He is well past his best. His walking out on the club allows more game time for kids, and we will continue on 2010`s solid performance with more game time in kids. Playing Bruce was not going to allow that to happen. Despite his experience and leadership, he set a very poor example as far as I`m concerned for attack on the ball (or lack thereof) and accepting body contact. Tom Scully took more hits in his first year than Bruce has had in his career. We don`t want our youngsters looking up to leaders for guidance who are afraid of body contact.

Thanks for your service Cam, but walking out , as others have pointed out, was a dog act.

Can`t wait for your return to the G in foreign colours

[rpfc 28,906]

Brucie wanted to stay at Melbourne. The club was not prepared to committ. Don't blame Cam. The club virtually pushed him in the same way they pushed James.

I don't really think this is a endorsable viewpoint.

We committed as much as a club in our position would commit to a 31 year old.

He wanted assurances that we were not willing to make to a 31 year old.

We committed.

And if we, with the age of our talent, bowed to the demands of a 31 year old - we should be committed.

The club didn't push Cam or James - reality did.

[The Big Ticket 94]

Brucie wanted to stay at Melbourne. The club was not prepared to committ. Don't blame Cam. The club virtually pushed him in the same way they pushed James.

Stop it. The club offered him a 1 year contract and he spat in their face.

And the McDonald thing has been done to death, get over it.