In many ways not a lot of people are actually saying its not different. It obviously is...its alsoobvous this plays a far greater role in the mans life than would a non indigenous in a city bred culture. Thats the essential point of much observation. He has a very different circumstance. the real issue is... Theres a spot in an AFL team that needs filling. How much largesse does one give an individual ?

Out on a playing field nothig matters other than being part of a team, everything else goes to the side whilst the game is played. An ump doesnt give any special treatment to one player above another. Most opposition will treat all teams will similar disregard. Essentially all are the same out there. In being assigned a role to be amongst any given team it would be reasonable , no, to think all players are out there on merit and marked by the same rule, that all are afforded a similar if not equal opportunity to get selected. The question that comes to the fore for this interested observer is how far do you go, before youre actually giving one person more of an opportunity than another ?

I want to see Liam succeed, but more the point I want to see Melbourne succeed. theres a fine balance between accommodating a particualr circumstance and losing sight of the real goal, club success.

He will be back within 10 days. 2 weeks max.

He has an injured wrist. I am sure he can still run around an oval boundry line up there a few times.

That seems to be most of his training down here.

I withdraw this, my original post in this thread. I read "indefinite leave" and imagined months (hopefully incorrectly). As Nasher and others have said, its maybe 1 or 2 weeks; with this I have no problem.

FWIW, I thought Wonna should have been let go well before he was.

Well im glad you thought things over its hard to say your wrong sometimes .

Stereotyping is always the best form of wit.

I don't agree with what Mono originally had to say, he has also retracted his thoughts but it had some small amount of merit.

My concern is not with specifically Relton Roberts, Liam Jurrah or Wona; or with any future player who has an issue/issues with his community or family. And it also doesn't have anything to do with payments- my concern is slowly but surely a precedent is set. I am unequivocal in my feeling that they are for good and solid reasons but does it open up every time a player heads home in a time of need.

Were these boys who were allowed extra leeway responsible for players now using their want to go home against their clubs in trade week like we are now seeing?....

Clark, Caddy, Gaff, Boak, Dangerfield now have leverage on their clubs citing no other reason than a desperation to go home. This is very rarely an issue in other sports.. LeBron James even recently left his hometown to chase glory... Pity 4th quarters exist.

But on the main point I may be looking far too into this topic- it is a super interesting one and one which the debate preceding me has been great viewing, I just feel with every club folding to the demands of the player is it opening the door where the players are becoming bigger than the club.

Last year's events of HWSNBN made me realise how vulnerable we looked as we begged on our scabbed knees for a 20 year old to stay and with continuing to let players call the shots and fall to their demands we may one day be run by those big egos.

In closing, I do stress I'm sure everything is 100% above board I have no issues with Liam going home etc etc it is just a topic of debate I thought i'd throw up as my mind runs 100m/h at 11.31 at night.

Biggest question here is, should same rules apply to everyone or not?

Personally i think they should. I am sure some people would have arms in the air if Cale Morton came out and said he was taking indefinite paid personal leave.

Biggest question here is, should same rules apply to everyone or not?

.

Sort of leads into a discussion on mandatory sentencing, doesn't it ?

and thence perhaps to capital punishment ............

Weve seen how easily it can all go to rot with Wonna ...

You don't have to be an aboriginal from an island off the NT to have your life thrown into turmoil by the sudden and tragic death of close family members.

Really insensitive comment if you ask me.

We knew this situation was unique when we drafted him.

Obviously our support is not unconditional - but no concerns from me if we support him through the occasional period where he needs to head back.

I have just wasted time deleting a number of cultural stereotyping posts and unwarranted and ill thought allegations of racism against other posters.

This topic has been thrashed around and dealt with, Thread locked.