If You Were an AFL Footballer . . .

[Chook 14,594]

All this talk of loyalty has got me thinking.

Let's say you've been drafted by another club. Would you walk out on them just to play for your beloved Dees?

[Mad_Melbourne 872]

without a doubt i would if it was in the first few years, but having said that if id been playing at a club for 10 years, then it would be a bit difficult, then it would be more about friendships created.

[Summer Blease 0]

No.

I love the dees but I'm not a traitor. It would go against my morals.

I would push strongly for a trade though.

Anyone who walks out on their club for no good reason is scum.

[WonnaJurah 5]

Bit like another player from another code who has walked out of 2 clubs in 3 months(surely a record) Greg Inglis , GWS maybe hehe

[e25 5]

Depends on how likely you were to extend your career at the dees.

If I was Jake King I wouldn't do it, because I wouldn't last beyond a season before being delisted.

If I was Dustin Martin, I'd know I have a fair chance of being kept around for some time.

A man must know his limitations...

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Depends on how likely you were to extend your career at the dees.

If I was Jake King I wouldn't do it, because I wouldn't last beyond a season before being delisted.

If I was Dustin Martin, I'd know I have a fair chance of being kept around for some time.

A man must know his limitations...

I was going to say something similar. Would I see myself as getting a game at Melbourne in a premiership year? If yes, then I would absolutely be up for a trade.

The walking thing is difficult. I think it would come down to how I had come to a club. If I had told them outright that I would prefer to play at Melbourne and would take the chance if offered before they drafted me, then they've been given fair warning and I would be happy to do it. I would never do what CJ or Jeff Farmer did, screwing the club with no warning and little chance of compensation.

[Chook 14,594]

Does anyone know of this actually happening? Has a player publicly said "I'm leaving to go to Club X, because that's who I supported when I was a kid"? Going back to your home state doesn't really count, since that's a whole separate issue (home sickness, etc.).

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Des Headland was quite open about his plan to return to Freo.

[WonnaJurah 5]

Des Headland was quite open about his plan to return to Freo.

what about Tarrant

i wanna go to Freo

and now "Pies win cup and now i wanna go back"

[45HG 1,539]

Requesting a trade and walking are two different things.

[Mad_Melbourne 872]

i think beamer didnt want to get traded until he heard he was coming to mfc.

[GRUN DEE 69]

Only if I was playing at Essendon, Carlton or Geelong!

[Chook 14,594]

Requesting a trade and walking are two different things.

Depends where you're walking to (the PSD, or just "away from the club"). If you've definitively said "I'm leaving. Trade me, or deal with the consequences" then I still think you've 'walked.' Obviously that's not the same as what Bruce just did, which is leave without even giving us the opportunity to gain something out of it.

To me, requesting a trade is just that: preferring one, but not threatening to leave if one can't be arranged.

Edited November 7, 2010 by Chook

[Green Machine 63]

If I was playing for Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn or Carlton then I would come to the Dees without a second thought, any other team, it would be hard.

[Carlos Danger 380]

If I was rookied or picked up with a really late pick, I'd be more likely to stay with the club that selected me. Otherwise, I'd be looking for the first chance to go to Melbourne.

[Fork 'em 6,538]

If they chased me .

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

For players, football is business,a profession, a career and potentially if your successful a means to set yourself up in life financially and career wise within and outside football.

With the risk of injury, ageing etc, a footballer must seek to maximise his career outcome and push to secure as much career security as you can. Its a tough gig AFL and one contact injury could destroy your career and potentially 100k's of dollars.

Its easy for supporters to bang on about "loyalty" particularly when they have little more than "emotive" skin in the game. Its one of a number of considerations but it is not necessarily the be all and end all.

I dont begrudge a player (or their manager) seeking to maximise their outcomes. And player contracts are a negotiated position by the player and the Club. However, I sometimes think some of the player managers dont represent their players interests well.

[Chook 14,594]

For players, football is business,a profession, a career and potentially if your successful a means to set yourself up in life financially and career wise within and outside football.

With the risk of injury, ageing etc, a footballer must seek to maximise his career outcome and push to secure as much career security as you can. Its a tough gig AFL and one contact injury could destroy your career and potentially 100k's of dollars.

Its easy for supporters to bang on about "loyalty" particularly when they have little more than "emotive" skin in the game. Its one of a number of considerations but it is not necessarily the be all and end all.

I dont begrudge a player (or their manager) seeking to maximise their outcomes. And player contracts are a negotiated position by the player and the Club. However, I sometimes think some of the player managers dont represent their players interests well.

That's all well and good, but it's got nothing to do with this thread, unless it's what you'd do. We're talking in hypotheticals here, Rhino, something I know you dislike; as it requires less than a full understanding of the situation in question.

[Guest Guy Rigoni]

Well if i were playing for a club like Collingwood or Carlton then i wouldn't, who would want to travel out to Casey for the summer for training?

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

....as it requires less than a full understanding of the situation in question.

You may be in your element Chook. B)

As a player you would do what every maxmimises your career returns. "Loyalty" comes with a price these days.

As others pointed out walking out and being traded are different situations.

[Chook 14,594]

You may be in your element Chook. B)

As a player you would do what every maxmimises your career returns. "Loyalty" comes with a price these days.

As others pointed out walking out and being traded are different situations.

I look at football a lot like religion. Would you change your religion based upon who was paying you the most? I wouldn't. There would need to be something fundamental, something other than money, to cause me to change. You being in the no category of the poll has no bearing on what the "correct" answer to my question is, although it would seem that most AFL footballers do share your "make hay while the body holds up" view. Not that I blame them.

But that doesn't change the nature of my question: "would a member of Demonland change Clubs just for the love of the team? And if so, would they take a pay-cut, just to get it done?" It appears the answer for most is a yes.

Also, you spoke of "maximising your returns." I agree that maximising returns is what everyone tries to do. But sometimes we might sacrifice monetary returns in the name of something else. We've all sacrificed time working (and thus earning money) for free time, holidays, time with family, or whatever; which is when the black-and-white "how do I make the most money" ceases to be the be-all and end-all of "return maximisation." Giving up money at Carlton, for example, might be a good idea if you want to win a Premiership in your lifetime, or if you simply would prefer not to feel dirty even after having a shower.

Edited November 8, 2010 by Chook

[Gippy Dee 48]

If I was an AFL Footballer I wouldn't be lurking in an Internet Forum...

But if I was in this situation I wouldn't walk. Too much to lose. Then again I'm very loyal to those that are loyal to me. I love the Dees, but I can still have a soft spot for them.

I recently just finished reading Kevin Sheedy's book 'Stand Your Ground'. Even as a child he was an Essendon supporter and had a soft spot when he was playing with the Tiges. Incidently he was also a fan of the Demons when he was younger also. Patience allowed him to coach at his Boyhood club after retirement and coach them successfully for 27 years. But he does go on to say that he will always be grateful for being a one club player especially in a time when Richmond were at their most successful.

Unrelated, if I was Cameron Bruce I would be taking the one year deal with the Dees, Working my butt off to ensure that I get another season into me and not listening to my pain-in-the-arse Manager Ricky Nixon.

In fact, I would be looking for a new manager right now...

Gippy

[Supermercado 2,617]

No, I'd be like J**d and tease going there only to take a massive dubious payday from an external company to empty the bins somewhere and play a bit of footy on the side.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I look at football a lot like religion. Would you change your religion based upon who was paying you the most? I wouldn't. There would need to be something fundamental, something other than money, to cause me to change. You being in the no category of the poll has no bearing on what the "correct" answer to my question is, although it would seem that most AFL footballers do share your "make hay while the body holds up" view. Not that I blame them.

But that doesn't change the nature of my question: "would a member of Demonland change Clubs just for the love of the team? And if so, would they take a pay-cut, just to get it done?" It appears the answer for most is a yes.

Also, you spoke of "maximising your returns." I agree that maximising returns is what everyone tries to do. But sometimes we might sacrifice monetary returns in the name of something else. We've all sacrificed time working (and thus earning money) for free time, holidays, time with family, or whatever; which is when the black-and-white "how do I make the most money" ceases to be the be-all and end-all of "return maximisation." Giving up money at Carlton, for example, might be a good idea if you want to win a Premiership in your lifetime, or if you simply would prefer not to feel dirty even after having a shower.

I'm agnostic and its not just an issue about money. It also covers issue about opportunity at senior level, commitment to the player. You're narrow on the return maximisation.

And as far as feeling dirty about things, neither Stan Alves or Greg Wells should feel the least bit dirty about their wonderful careers. Both players started at MFC, are both life members of the Club and are/were supporters of MFC but were well and truly shafted by MFC over their time at the Club. They must understand how Catholics feel.

[DeeSpencer 23,231]

I think I'd love the club I was at. But if I didn't I'd have Melbourne high on my list, especially right now.