The issues which Liam is dealing with are family related and are his personal business so I won't elaborate here or anywhere else. However, as he was still recovering from his wrist surgery and was a few weeks away from playing again, the club has been terrific in granting Liam some personal leave to sort some matters out back home. I expect him to return shortly eager to complete his rehab and be ready to do his bit for the team. The club should be congratulated for the understanding and support they have shown Liam.

Thanks for the response RudeBoy, will be very happy when he's out on the field doing his thing!

I guarantee you if LJ gets too comfortable at home he will be chased out of town (in a friendly way). His community want him to succeed.

Mono, you need to get up from under that rock you're living under and do some learning.

Ignorant, ignorant comment.

Little Johnny's savings?

Jeez. You and Mono better be world advocates of 'save the tax payers' if you're kicking up a fuss over this.

Do some learning brother.

Gain some insight into indigenous affairs and you might have a slightly different view...

Love the way everyones talking like there know it alls in regards to indigenous affairs when they probably don't even know the start to it and just follow the crowd.

i need to stick up for mono, he pretty much said what a lot of the members were thinking. Little boy johnnys savings for a membership could be going towards someone going home for a while. If i was little boy johnny, i would prefer my membership cash to be going towards the guys on field.

Love the way everyones talking like there know it alls in regards to indigenous affairs when they probably don't even know the start to it and just follow the crowd.

Follow the crowd? It wouldn't be like you just to go against the crowd though would it.

You're so predictable.

I have no problem with the leave so long as Jurrah is not being paid. He is welcome back any time, and to being paid when he rejoins the list.

If, however, he is being paid for his "leave", then it is just plain [censored]. The MFC is not a welfare agency.

So by this rationale the Swans shouldve docked Jarrad McVeighs pay last year every time he skipped training to be beside with his terminally ill newborn?

Absolutely unbelievably callous post!

I hope everything settles down up in the yuendumu community and we see Liam back here soon with a clear head and recuperated wrist kicking goals on the G.

Mono & Olisik I think a bit of humble Pie needed on this one, better to let him go home while he is injured and do what he needs to do in the community and return to MFC with a clear head.

Probably better not to comment any further as your comments are pretty rash and lack compassion

i need to stick up for mono, he pretty much said what a lot of the members were thinking.

The old "I'm only saying what other people are too scared to" gambit?

And without any evidence.

Hard to see on what basis you can claim to represent "a lot of the members". You don't speak for anyone.

As was suggested earlier here, these couple of posts are easily amongst the most offensive ever posted on this board - which is saying something.

Love the way everyones talking like there know it alls in regards to indigenous affairs when they probably don't even know the start to it

To the extent that I can decipher your "English", no-one here is claiming to be an expert in indigenous culture. On the other hand, they are at least acknowledging that there may be differences, which is more than what you're doing.

Love the way everyones talking like there know it alls in regards to indigenous affairs when they probably don't even know the start to it and just follow the crowd.

Olisik I have worked closely with Indigenous groups for the last 16 years and whilst not professing to be an expert or know exactly what is happening in Liams home community, I believe the club has done the right thing here, time to drop it I think and see how it pans out

I cannot believe some of the ignorant comments on this thread..

Liam is an elder of his community....given blessings to come down here by his people...

There is community problems up there, and LJ is injured....he can do little down here but lots up there

He will be back i am sure. Well done MFC for showing useful compassion.

I am glad some of you aint my boss.

I think the repercussions would be worse if we didn't allow LJ to go. It could create a sort of resentment in him and result in him wanting to leave the club when his contract is up. It is important that the MFC and its supporters respect the rituals of Liam's community, and understand that he has duties to perform. We knew this when we recruited him.

It's not like he's missing the Grand Final, FFS. He's injured and missing a couple of weeks of NAB Cup footy which he wouldn't be playing in anyway.

I know I'll get responses saying that it's pushing back his rehab, but I truly believe that him going back home for a week or so and returning will reinvigorate him and hopefully put him in good stead for 2012.

i need to stick up for mono, he pretty much said what a lot of the members were thinking. Little boy johnnys savings for a membership could be going towards someone going home for a while. If i was little boy johnny, i would prefer my membership cash to be going towards the guys on field.

Mono Is guilty of being ignorant, and should be offered another perspective.

Olisik is just a troll, I'd ignor this one.

All the best LJ, to you and your community.

Reported in the HS this morning that it is "bereavement leave". I can't help thinking that anti-aboriginal stereotyping is so close to the surface in our society. It makes me very sad. The sentiments expressed on this site are often thinly masked as in some other supposedly logical argument.

Was only a matter of time.

I have always been critical of those that have rested their faith in future successes in Jurrah. These people clearly know nothing of the place he comes from. It's a very hard life for him -- both his community and living in Melbourne -- so stuff like this is to be expected. He is a great player but he will always be compromised by issues back at home. That is understandable, and I think you should all acknowledge that so as to avoid disappointment when/if he does quit the game so as to focus on his family and community. Great bloke. I wish him all the best. I lack disappointment because I have expected things like this to happen from time to time with Jurrah, as was the case with Aussie.

Love the way everyones talking like there know it alls in regards to indigenous affairs when they probably don't even know the start to it and just follow the crowd.

DFTT

Liam is an elder of his community....given blessings to come down here by his people...

Don't say that WYL! Now you have given Mono and olisik additional ammunition...LJ is moonlighting!

Anyway, having read RudeBoy's excellent Liam Jurrah Story, I believe that he and his community are together committed to his having a successful AFL career. He will be back in time to start playing once his injury has resolved itself.

Follow the crowd? It wouldn't be like you just to go against the crowd though would it.

You're so predictable.

I also keep threads going

I also keep threads going

I guarantee you if LJ gets too comfortable at home he will be chased out of town (in a friendly way). His community want him to succeed.

I would have thought the same, without knowing anything at all. Reports we've heard so far have implied as much.

The old "I'm only saying what other people are too scared to" gambit?

And without any evidence.

Hard to see on what basis you can claim to represent "a lot of the members". You don't speak for anyone.

As was suggested earlier here, these couple of posts are easily amongst the most offensive ever posted on this board - which is saying something.

Fair enough if he has a fair reason like Wona did.

just seems to be a common occurance with the Melb FC and indigenous players, Sean Charles, Wona, LJ

I dont think i can name any other team which has had to give players bereavement leave for cultural reasons.

You guys are quick to jump down my throat for giving my 2c when half of you dont even know the actual reason for why he has returned home.

Personally i think all players should be on the same playing field here. I remember Clint Bartram played the next day after his dad passed away.

everybody needs to calm the f*&k down!!! this is not another wonna, completely different set of circumstances. From day one the club has said that as LJ is a leader of his people that the club will do everything in their power to respect that, his people come first and fair enough. He'll be back, he loves plaing footy and the dees. good luck LJ

and yes, i am a fan of LJ, but like Mono, I think Stynes has worked way to hard for paid leave to be given to players to take indefinite leave.

and yes i do hope he works out his problems and can get back to training soon.

i also find it offensive people choose to personally attack me for posting my opinion

I just found out that we paid Jack Grimes while he was on the holiday he took to Qld with his missus last year while recovering from a broken foot?!?!

Outrageous. He needs to work off his debt! By playing you say? He's always injured! He's going to work in the AAMI Park mess hall!

Classic Mono.

i also find it offensive people choose to personally attack me for posting my opinion

I find it offensive when people say "he was saying what we were all thinking," when it clearly is not.