The Brendan Fevola Saga

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Rhino i don't think you fully comprehend that Brendon Fevola has a mental illness. He is not going to just wake up one morning and say "I am all better now so i can take full control of my life" It doesn't work that way.

Fev has never grown up, he is still a child. I am not excusing him for what he has done, i am just being honest about it.

When he is happy-he is absolutely happy and conversely his lows are black as. As far as the Media goes, it's pretty hard to lay low if the cameras are parked on your front lawn (and they will be). And i am genuinely concerned how he is going to handle all this stuff.

Ben Cousins is way smarter than Fev, Ben may have stuffed up, but he is a fighter. And for all his troubles he may well become a better person for it all-Fev is not a fighter like that. I hope he has not burnt all his close friends and relatives because he is going to need them.

For most addicts "getting there life back together" is a nice sentiment, but it aint easy. Fev will live day to day for a long time i assure you.

WYL, I am not sure why you are lecturing on the mental disposition of Fevola. You dont know anything about Fevola's state outside what you read in the HS. It does not help when you try to naively gloss it with generalisation and populist notions. And for that matter you know little about Cousins to make the differentiation with Fevola.

I am respectful of Fevola and his potential state of mind and if he indeed he has a disgnosed mental illness. But I dont know the inner facts (Neither do you) He is now in a rehabilitation clinic. If he is dealing with a declared mental illness and is out of the rehab clinic and is not drinking, gambling, violent and is respectful of the manner he liases with women then I highly doubt the press are going to hound him. Fevola will be stained by his past but he will not be tormented for trying to rectify his life. You missed the point on Cousins. Cousins was villified by the media at the peak of his spiral downwards. My understanding is that Cousins is trying hard to deal with and rectify his problems. He has not publicly strayed and does the media still haunt him??

Like I said if Fevola is diagnosed with a mental illness and is trying to get back on track without stuffing up then do you really think the general public would support the media harassment of mentally ill patient? FCS, there are posters on here that treat Fev as a "victim". I know a few TV executives and their not all stupid. Its the same with public figures like politicans who reach a dark space personally in the limelight (eg John Brogden and Nick Sherry). The media wisely and decently backed off.

And please dont give me chapter and verse of Fevola's condition. It adds nothing to the discussion and it highlights what you dont know and not what you do.

[jayceebee31 688]

We are stupid if we don't recruit him.

He'd be cheap now, has got his act sorted out and would be able to teach Jurrah & Watts how to go about it (& protect them).

This would be a flag-securing move.

The gun gorilla FF we've been waiting for.

Do it Bailey!

I think this is sound. If we could get his head right and Jimma has already twitted about him, showing he cares, Casey has offered him a guernsey so he would be in our framework to guage to see if he was worth persuing. If one, looks at Hall at the Bulldogs and his outstanding year at 34, shows merit to me that our club is mature enough to take a calculated risk on him. He could play till he was at least 35. and win several premierships with us. He would know he was on his last,last chance. Not many times I agree with Keyser but I definately can see the merit in his post .

[jayceebee31 688]

I'm happy to take your money if you're in to throwing it away.

What odds in a Demons or Casey jumper?

[Tricky 337]

Caro Wilson wrote in the Age today:

"Fevola's manager Alastair Lynch has ''handled'' the situation quite brilliantly. With Fevola's life and career spiralling out of control again after yet another bender he took the inspired decision to place the troubled star in a rehabilitation facility.

Alistair Lynch checked Fev into rehab.

You are easily impressed. Only when Fev hits rock bottom and takes the responsibility for his actions and actually demonstrates that he can be more functional person in the community.

Far be it from me to question the accuracy of CW, but from personal experience with a close friend, I have learnt that you cannot "check" anyone into rehab without their consent in this country. You certainly can't make them stay there against their will. In this case, I believe Fev must be a willing participant. I couldn't find the article you quoted.

[Keyser Söze 0]

I think this is sound. If we could get his head right and Jimma has already twitted about him, showing he cares, Casey has offered him a guernsey so he would be in our framework to guage to see if he was worth persuing. If one, looks at Hall at the Bulldogs and his outstanding year at 34, shows merit to me that our club is mature enough to take a calculated risk on him. He could play till he was at least 35. and win several premierships with us. He would know he was on his last,last chance. Not many times I agree with Keyser but I definately can see the merit in his post .

I was heartily taking the pi$$.

I'm not surprised you agree, though.

[Damo 3,026]

It is a salient point that Barry Hall has returned very late in his career when it looked for all money(nasher) that he was Max Gawn. I believe "those people"(AFL, Lions,Blues) are now ramping up smaller incidents to cut Fev, however it is one incident that has come to light that really gavanised my mind.

Fev would constantly bag players who were doing extra training. Although it could be treated as a joke, this to me is a huge breach from a "senior' player.

[Keyser Söze 0]

Barry Hall and Fev have vastly different issues.

No comparison whatsoever.

[titan_uranus 22,803]

There's something wrong with this argument:

Fev could make a massive effort to turn his life around and prove that he's a reformed character so that a club might be convinced to pick him up on minimum contract.

His AFL career is finished.

If I'm GWS, he doesn't have to prove to me that he's reformed. I just want to know if he can still play. If he can, then, as I know no one else will go near him, I'll offer him the cheapest legal contract available with an immediate termination clause if he does anything the club doesn't like.

If it works, we get a proven Coleman medallist at FF to help out a bunch of 18 year olds. If it doesn't we spend a rookie salary on an experiment.

I'm not saying it'll happen, it almost certainly won't. But if I was tasked with working out how to get Fevola back into AFL, this would be it.

[Nasher 33,166]

If I'm GWS, he doesn't have to prove to me that he's reformed. I just want to know if he can still play. If he can, then, as I know no one else will go near him, I'll offer him the cheapest legal contract available with an immediate termination clause if he does anything the club doesn't like.

The problem is that even if he's "reformed" (what does that mean for a character like Fevola, who even when at his best was of shady character?), you know he'll still probably be a slackarse on the track and he'll still be a turd in public. I can't see how he you'd ever want him around your 18 year olds regardless of how many goals he can kick or how "reformed" he is.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Fev would constantly bag players who were doing extra training. Although it could be treated as a joke, this to me is a huge breach from a "senior' player.

My understanding was that he had number of altercations and falling out with senior players at Brisbane and also at Carlton.He was also seen as a negoative influence on younger players and was undermining their focus on game day preparation

Its not a good position to be in culture wise particularly when you are in the public scraps he has been in.

Far be it from me to question the accuracy of CW, but from personal experience with a close friend, I have learnt that you cannot "check" anyone into rehab without their consent in this country. You certainly can't make them stay there against their will. In this case, I believe Fev must be a willing participant. I couldn't find the article you quoted.

Agree with that. He may have been a willing or a compliant participant but it was not a case of him necessarily taking the action solely. It appears to be that others close to him are taking the initiative to point him in the right direction. There is no evidence that he has or will go in that direction.

If I'm GWS, he doesn't have to prove to me that he's reformed.

Gulp! Brisbane all over again. Agree with Nasher, I would not have him in cooee of 18yos.

[titan_uranus 22,803]

The problem is that even if he's "reformed" (what does that mean for a character like Fevola, who even when at his best was of shady character?), you know he'll still probably be a slackarse on the track and he'll still be a turd in public. I can't see how he you'd ever want him around your 18 year olds regardless of how many goals he can kick or how "reformed" he is.

And if he was a slackarse or a turd, he'd be sacked. Legally, unlike how Brisbane's done it.

It's not what I'd do, but if GWS wants him, that's how they should do it.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

And if he was a slackarse or a turd, he'd be sacked. Legally, unlike how Brisbane's done it.

It's not what I'd do, but if GWS wants him, that's how they should do it.

Brisbane have not handle this well in recruitment or annulment but the whole matter was heading in one direction based on Fevola's antics.

Given his litany of issues, I am not sure this is a bargain price for Fevola and caravan of catastrophe he will bring with him.

[Sir Why You Little 34,952]

WYL, I am not sure why you are lecturing on the mental disposition of Fevola. You dont know anything about Fevola's state outside what you read in the HS. It does not help when you try to naively gloss it with generalisation and populist notions. And for that matter you know little about Cousins to make the differentiation with Fevola.

I am respectful of Fevola and his potential state of mind and if he indeed he has a disgnosed mental illness. But I dont know the inner facts (Neither do you) He is now in a rehabilitation clinic. If he is dealing with a declared mental illness and is out of the rehab clinic and is not drinking, gambling, violent and is respectful of the manner he liases with women then I highly doubt the press are going to hound him. Fevola will be stained by his past but he will not be tormented for trying to rectify his life. You missed the point on Cousins. Cousins was villified by the media at the peak of his spiral downwards. My understanding is that Cousins is trying hard to deal with and rectify his problems. He has not publicly strayed and does the media still haunt him??

Like I said if Fevola is diagnosed with a mental illness and is trying to get back on track without stuffing up then do you really think the general public would support the media harassment of mentally ill patient? FCS, there are posters on here that treat Fev as a "victim". I know a few TV executives and their not all stupid. Its the same with public figures like politicans who reach a dark space personally in the limelight (eg John Brogden and Nick Sherry). The media wisely and decently backed off.

And please dont give me chapter and verse of Fevola's condition. It adds nothing to the discussion and it highlights what you dont know and not what you do.

Rhino please do not TELL ME what i know & what i do not know. (Although i know you will continue to do so)

If you think the Media are wise...Let us hope they back off this story from Today...But no there will be all the chooks there when Fev leaves the Rehab centre next week.

Let's be honest about Cousins to. Benny was smart enough to make his own doco, and thus answered all the questions the media wanted to ask. Fev aint that smart.

What point did i miss about Cousins???

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Rhino please do not TELL ME what i know & what i do not know. (Although i know you will continue to do so)

If you think the Media are wise...Let us hope they back off this story from Today...But no there will be all the chooks there when Fev leaves the Rehab centre next week.

Let's be honest about Cousins to. Benny was smart enough to make his own doco, and thus answered all the questions the media wanted to ask. Fev aint that smart.

What point did i miss about Cousins???

I am not telling you at all. But please do pander generalisations about Fevola when you have as much idea as I do what his true state of health is.

If Fevola is assessed as suffering a mental illness and this is made public do you think the general public will look favourably on a media witchhunt on man who is try to re build his life and is not straying to his old pasttimes. And Cousins did exactly that and the media backed off. And wouldn't a press release stating that Fevola is suffering a mental illness and is trying to rebuild his life address all relevant questions or inquisition. I never said the media are wise. I said there not all stupid. There are enough examples of people in the public eye who under a media storm have tragic personal circumstances befall them. The media usually draws a line in the sand when things are grave for the personal circumstances for the individual. This is but an example.

However, if he screws up again after he has left rehab then I think public sympathy will evaporate significantly and overtime so will the media interest.

[H_T 2,941]

You watch, IMO the Lions have Changed Tak. And are starting, Now to go the youth pathway. This sacking is just convenient for them to change direction, and save some money over the 2 years. And put on a chirade that they have cleaned out the dead wood.

Excuses, for the bad decisions from Coach & Boards.

"You watch ?"

It's quite obvious their intent since late last year to go the youth. They have no other option given the losses in player movement. Rejuvinating the list would be the mandate.

Things were looking up at 4-0 and on top last year and many at the time thought Voss's shake up during trade the previous year and his desire for a full tilt in 2010 might pay off.

Fast forward several weeks and the bottom had fallen out at the Lions. A further loss of Rischitelli, Brennan and now Fevola has hurt them.

And the sacking isn't just "convenient" for them, in their view it would be seen as a necessity. Something which wouldn't hold them back in progress.

[hoopla 418]

Don't like this article in the Hun

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/sting-left-in-brendan-fevola-tale-yet/story-e6frf9jf-1226010325371

Last thing we want is Fev running around with the Scorpions........... getting in the way of our developing forwards. Might lead to a bit of "trouble in Paradise" with our affiliate

[Range Rover 1,935]

In 10 or so years Fev will come to the realization that this sacking represented a watershed moment in his life and was the major catalyst in him becoming a better person.

Footy isn't everything.

[Guest melbman]

I really couldn't see fev at the Dees. It goes against everything that the club is doing. From recruiting people of sound character to discipline on the training track. Having watched the Dees train many times I just don't see the fit. Bailey would tear him a new one in no time and it would be disruptive from day dot IMO

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

In 10 or so years Fev will come to the realization that this sacking represented a watershed moment in his life and was the major catalyst in him becoming a better person.

Footy isn't everything.

You would hope that he gets to that position in a shorter time frame.

You are right footy isnt everything. And I not sure why some posters are pandering that Fevola needs football around him. It has not done anything for him personally to date.

FWIW, I note Brisbane police have dropped NYE charges against Fevola in favour of "mediation". Read "Its not a good look for the Police to press criminal charges against a public figure now in rehab with suspected depression". I can see some other elements backing off Fevola too so long as he does not re offend like he has in the past.

[rpfc 27,646]

The argument "Fev needs football" isn't an argument for his return, it's an argument against it.

Range Rover is right - football isn't everything (it evidently wasn't everything to Brendan anyway so it should be an easy transition).

AFL football was an enabler for this boozehound, TAB-addicted, [censored]. It gave him two things he couldn't handle - money and fame.

He might find he becomes a better person if he simplifies his life - he's got kids FCS.

He needs to grow up, and footy is not helping.

[Sir Why You Little 34,952]

I am not telling you at all. But please do pander generalisations about Fevola when you have as much idea as I do what his true state of health is.

If Fevola is assessed as suffering a mental illness and this is made public do you think the general public will look favourably on a media witchhunt on man who is try to re build his life and is not straying to his old pasttimes. And Cousins did exactly that and the media backed off. And wouldn't a press release stating that Fevola is suffering a mental illness and is trying to rebuild his life address all relevant questions or inquisition. I never said the media are wise. I said there not all stupid. There are enough examples of people in the public eye who under a media storm have tragic personal circumstances befall them. The media usually draws a line in the sand when things are grave for the personal circumstances for the individual. This is but an example.

However, if he screws up again after he has left rehab then I think public sympathy will evaporate significantly and overtime so will the media interest.

All i know is that Fev has been in Rehab for 7-8 weeks. That is a long stint. He will not recover from this, He will hopefully learn to manage it on a day to day basis.

I have assisted addicts who have done "Rapid Detox" 24 hours in a clinic & then out- But after that it is Medication daily for years, sometimes permanent.

That's why when i think of Fev in there for 7 weeks-He has massive mountains to climb, and the media will want to know what's going on after he walks out. Hopefully it will be only a few days.

I hope Brendon ends up working with kids in a REACH type situation in years to come. It will take him time, but if he can pass on some hard earned knowledge to vulnerable kids it would be a great thing.

I really hope he doesn't play Football. He certainly doesn't need the Spotlight or big money any more, as that's what took him down.

[jayceebee31 688]

I believe Fevola could become a sensational Full forward for the Dees. He has shown glimpses of it over his journey however feel this could be on the cards for the future.I refer to Barry Hall , runner up for the Coleman with 80 goals as an example. And a far better fit that Serhart Temel whom two years ago,I suggested we should recruit. If he went to Casey, got his body and mind fit, became a strong member of the club, then I believe he could play for the Dees on a one year contract.He has just turned 30 ,Hall is 34, so may have 4/5 strong years ahead of him in senior football. Again, it is in my opinion,he is the type of player we need to fit the bill in our team. Yes, booze and gambling are his downfall, however as in 2008 when he completely went of alchohol,he had a sensational year.He could become the cheapest & best recruit ever.And the Oz could also help him with his gambling problem. Great encouragement for him to at least try out with Case as a prelude. What do you think?

[DeeM 42]

I believe Fevola could become a sensational Full forward for the Dees. He has shown glimpses of it over his journey however feel this could be on the cards for the future.I refer to Barry Hall , runner up for the Coleman with 80 goals as an example. And a far better fit that Serhart Temel whom two years ago,I suggested we should recruit. If he went to Casey, got his body and mind fit, became a strong member of the club, then I believe he could play for the Dees on a one year contract.He has just turned 30 ,Hall is 34, so may have 4/5 strong years ahead of him in senior football. Again, it is in my opinion,he is the type of player we need to fit the bill in our team. Yes, booze and gambling are his downfall, however as in 2008 when he completely went of alchohol,he had a sensational year.He could become the cheapest & best recruit ever.And the Oz could also help him with his gambling problem. Great encouragement for him to at least try out with Case as a prelude. What do you think?

this isnt going to go down well........

[jayceebee31 688]

this isnt going to go down well........

Why?

[Daz's Dee's 113]

No chance. Not that I disagree with your opinion, it simply will not happin