Losing your favourite player/s

[darkhorse72 1,920]

The most disappointing thing more than leaving the club is losing a great player to injury which we seem to have gotten a lot.

Stinga - massive loss for the club and imagine if he could have lined up in the 2000 GF side.

The OX - yes he came back but those that saw him pre-95 knee reconstruction, knows what we lost.

Lyon - career cut short by injury, further aggravated by flying in a tiny plane to bring farmer back.

Paul Prymke (Not sure on the spelling) - see him in 94 young great CHB/fullback, degenerative back injury.

Glenn Lovett - done in my soft tissue in injuries.

Jako - bad back (combined with laziness)

That period from 95 should have been golden but decimated by injury... the spine would have been Jacko, Ox, Stynes/White, Nietz, Prymke, aand Lyon as mr fixit wherever required or at FF. then combined with Yze, Stinga, Woey, Powell, Johnstone, Robbo, Febey's, farmer, etc... of what could have been

[Sir Why You Little 37,052]

The most disappointing thing more than leaving the club is losing a great player to injury which we seem to have gotten a lot.

Stinga - massive loss for the club and imagine if he could have lined up in the 2000 GF side.

The OX - yes he came back but those that saw him pre-95 knee reconstruction, knows what we lost.

Lyon - career cut short by injury, further aggravated by flying in a tiny plane to bring farmer back.

Paul Prymke (Not sure on the spelling) - see him in 94 young great CHB/fullback, degenerative back injury.

Glenn Lovett - done in my soft tissue in injuries.

Jako - bad back (combined with laziness)

That period from 95 should have been golden but decimated by injury... the spine would have been Jacko, Ox, Stynes/White, Nietz, Prymke, aand Lyon as mr fixit wherever required or at FF. then combined with Yze, Stinga, Woey, Powell, Johnstone, Robbo, Febey's, farmer, etc... of what could have been

you have now made it Gin O'Clock....Thanks.

[darkhorse72 1,920]

Sorry

[Sir Why You Little 37,052]

Sorry

i actually cried during '95 Preseason. I knew a big chance had just vanished. Neil Balme knew it to.

[Rob Mac...... 638]

I couldn't believe Barassi left!?!?! Thought he personified people who'd die for their team, like Norm Smith! Then when Norm was sacked the flame totally went out and I didn't really follow footy for 30 years.

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,602]

I think this sums up the old soft mentality of the club - and the mentality I believe Neeld is doing a prettygood job of ironing out. trengove and grimes are demons through and through - as was big Neita and greenie. Doing thing slike sacking jnr probably didnt do us any past favours in this regard. Viney is also a demon through and through and this is what we need to make the move up the ladder.

After a season that honestly was depressing at times I can just see some real core changes now in the off season that all make logical sense and for the first time I honestly believe we are on the right path to sustained success.

As for favourite players - mine have been Neita, Uze, Scotty Thompson, Angry Phil Read, Byron Pickett - those that generally added a bit of grunt and agro to our list have been my favourites. Always rated Nathan Carroll for pure character.

[darkhorse72 1,920]

I couldn't believe Barassi left!?!?! Thought he personified people who'd die for their team, like Norm Smith! Then when Norm was sacked the flame totally went out and I didn't really follow footy for 30 years.

After reading the red fox you can see why he left and even offered to resign to let RDB take over. RDB wanted to be his own coach and not have the problems of the previous coaches looking over his shoulder like Smith did with Checker hughes, read the book and you'll know what I meant. Even smith coached elsewhere before he returned. The problem was we didn't grab his back after Carlton when he was at his peak of coaching, like at North he would have taken advantage of the short lived 10 yr rule to get us a flag. Which interesting was like modern FA RDB used the same tactic at the Dee's and then Swans to bring in experience and proven players to bolster an unsuccessful club culture till that time.

Interestely you can see the parallels with Neeld know and the last two trade periods. Bring in experienced players from great and successful footy cultures to change the club.

[Rob Mac...... 638]

After reading the red fox you can see why he left and even offered to resign to let RDB take over. RDB wanted to be his own coach and not have the problems of the previous coaches looking over his shoulder like Smith did with Checker hughes, read the book and you'll know what I meant. Even smith coached elsewhere before he returned. The problem was we didn't grab his back after Carlton when he was at his peak of coaching, like at North he would have taken advantage of the short lived 10 yr rule to get us a flag. Which interesting was like modern FA RDB used the same tactic at the Dee's and then Swans to bring in experience and proven players to bolster an unsuccessful club culture till that time.

Interestely you can see the parallels with Neeld know and the last two trade periods. Bring in experienced players from great and successful footy cultures to change the club.

Good post. Yes I know that now, but only knew some of it at the time as a 15 year old. It blew my mind then, so I mentioned it because this thread is about such things.

[Biffen 12,944]

Yes Jurrah just walking to Port Adelaide confuses me. Was he out of contract or what??

Was it Louis B Mayer of MGM who said

" a verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on".

My club insider tells me he had severe ,clinical depression and was refusing our medical treatment so it's probably all for the best.

Still gutted but it could have gotten worse if he stayed I suppose.

Lucky he didn't refuse our legal help .

Best of luck to him .

FWIW- we must keep taking "risks"with kids from remote parts of the land.

Can we not get Skype for them and their families?

Not trying to be patronising but there must be a way to make it work.

[Lord Travis 10,743]

Losing Farmer, Woey and Travis Johnstone via trades gutted me. I loved those players. All great footballers, and all thoroughly entertaining to watch. I'll never forget their runs down the G! Haven't loved a Melbourne player in years now. None of the current list excites me. Hopefully as the team starts performing better we unearth some stars and players we all grow to love.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Melbourne cutting Valenti still annoys me. By no means a star, but he won the Club Ambassador Award at a time when the club's culture stunk and has since gone on to dominate in the VFL If Neeld was coach at the time I wouldn't be surprised if he stayed on a list a few more years as he is a far better option than Tom Couch.

[Jaded No More 68,967]

Losing Jurrah just felt like the last straw.

I think I spend most of the following month just wanting to forget about footy. It really was the nail in the coffin of 2012.

I'll feel sick if I ever watch him in another jumper. It's just so wrong and so unfair!

I cried when Farmer left, and I was gutted to lose McLean who was my favourite player at the time (he has now been downgraded to [censored] status).

But by far the shittest feeling was losing Junior, who I knew was treated like crap. It made me sad, but it also made me resent the club.

I hope we never ever treat anybody like that again.

[Alcho Dee 269]

Has someone mentioned Jolly yet, now there is someone who has rubbed it in to Melbourne supporters.

Another one, Tom Scully...

[Bang Bang Bang 5,826]

Yep, Tom Scully (at the time) hurt. #1 draft pick who completely won me over as a player in 2010 and in the blink of an eye he was out the door. As it turns out we're going to end up with Wines, Dawes and Barry as compensation and he hasn't really come on as a player at all so good result. But 12 months ago it was shattering to see him in that GWS polo.

Farmer hurt, TJ was a favourite but the trade I was in favour of (and we have ended up big winners)..

[deanbarber 37]

I have three players that feature on my wall

Liam Jurrahs China Exhibition Replica Guernsey

Aaron Davey's specky over richo

and Tom Scullys Replicated 'pink' melbourne jumper in which he got BOG.

Would be worth $1000+ in its prime. wouldnt sell it for a dime these days..

good luck i have.

[DemonWA 3,936]

Farmer, Woey, Powell & Mclean for me.

Loosing McLean was a shock at the time. He was one of my favourites and seemed to love the club. Loosing Beamer is similar really, played some good footy for us, but got out when they had the chance to leave somewhat on their own terms.

Jurrah feels different because i had assumed Neeld might have cut him loose at the end of the year anyway.

Scully is a dog. I always smelt a rat, but purchased a jumper with #31 on it the day of his press conference. Lets hope they bestow this honour to Jack Viney so i can wear it with pride

[Biffen 12,944]

Farmer, Woey, Powell & Mclean for me.

Loosing McLean was a shock at the time. He was one of my favourites and seemed to love the club. Loosing Beamer is similar really, played some good footy for us, but got out when they had the chance to leave somewhat on their own terms.

Jurrah feels different because i had assumed Neeld might have cut him loose at the end of the year anyway.

Scully is a dog. I always smelt a rat, but purchased a jumper with #31 on it the day of his press conference. Lets hope they bestow this honour to Jack Viney so i can wear it with pride

No way- "the curse"extends to the 31.

A brief bit of Rod Keogh was the only good we've seen of it for 40 odd years.

[Maldonboy38 6,405]

Hated Alves and Wells leaving. Two very bright stars in an otherwise dull period. I was young and cried like it.

I never really understood Woewodin going. Surely we could have cut others before him?

Farmer was a superstar - people would jump to their feet when he got the ball in case he did something amazing, which he usually did. And where did he go? FREO????

I was a Brock McLean fan and grumpy for days when he departed. I am even more grumpy now that the real reasons behind it have been revealed.

I am slightly disappointed at losing Jurrah, but will be severely miffed if Port take him.

And off topic - the era 94 to 96 - oh what could have been. This remains the best Melbourne side I have seen. Two issues stuffed it up. 1) injuries 2) A dysfunctional club

I have to stop here, it gets too depressing. Every time I think of what could have been the Glenfiddich begins calling again.

[old dee 23,801]

Hated Alves and Wells leaving. Two very bright stars in an otherwise dull period. I was young and cried like it.

I never really understood Woewodin going. Surely we could have cut others before him?

Farmer was a superstar - people would jump to their feet when he got the ball in case he did something amazing, which he usually did. And where did he go? FREO????

I was a Brock McLean fan and grumpy for days when he departed. I am even more grumpy now that the real reasons behind it have been revealed.

I am slightly disappointed at losing Jurrah, but will be severely miffed if Port take him.

And off topic - the era 94 to 96 - oh what could have been. This remains the best Melbourne side I have seen. Two issues stuffed it up. 1) injuries 2) A dysfunctional club

I have to stop here, it gets too depressing. Every time I think of what could have been the Glenfiddich begins calling again.

There is one big positive Maldonboy.

[Spiral Punt 0]

I would say that losing Stephen Newport to the Saints in 1990, we did get Jacko via the trade I think... The Duke going to the Blues... Martin Pyke to the Lions.... Tingay to the Swans... Steven Stretch to the Royboys and finally Junior going to GWS that [censored] me off to no end knowing that he was our captain and loyal player and we gave him the shite end of a crappy stick oh and losing Darren Bennett to the Yanks sucked ...These players I loved watching play in the red and blue. But we will keep on, Keeping on!

[picket fence 17,181]

Yep I too was gutted when Stanley Neil Alves departed !

[Older demon 2,741]

Woewodin really hurt my family.

He was my daughters favourite player and when he went to the Pies she went with him, encouraged by her step dad a Pies supporter. It is one thing to have them leave when out of contract as Rivers & Maloney have but it is another when they are in contract and pushed (sold off) like Woewodin was. Losing marquee players really hurts a club just ask the eagles who lost Judd and North who lost Carey

[Hardnut 327]

Reading these posts brings back many (often unpleasant) memories and an anger at how MFC could allow so many good players to go so easily - when will they ever learn! (In particular, Jumbo, you are wrong on Rivers.)

A couple of comments though - Buckley leaving the Bears for the Pies, Spalding leaving MFC for the Blues, Healy leaving MFC for the Swans - a media search might reveal why these and other moves occurred - the reasons were not as simple as many may believe.

[Hardnut 327]

Forgot to mention one more - I think the media at the time reported that Wells turned up to MFC training only to be met by a taxi to take him to the Blues!

A lot of mistakes have been made by MFC over the years - time will tell if more have been made.

[dee-luded 2,959]

To me ,it's not a lung ,it's a player.

The ALFPA and clubs want us to "get real" about player movements in the future.(corporatisation)

Movement between clubs to me is not as sad as losing a player forever to injury.

I get a bit miffed at guys like Brock and Brent going after all their noise about the club but it's a two-way street and I realize the club is often behind the moves as much as the players.

I can "move on" when a guy switches clubs.

I struggled with Stinga never being the same after he had his accident-he could have been anything.

However , I still lie awake at night wondering why we got rid of Juice Newton and Brent Grgic .

To me, it used to be like losing a lung.

Barassi, Wells, Alves, etc.

If Flower had have left I don't know what would have happened.

Healey.

I had to learn to lose the woundings, of being too close, for my own good. It was destroying me.

These days I am reluctant to Idolise anyone.

The team, that too, after all the professionals who have totally failed us, & our club.

I am more patient now with my accolades for players & club professionals.