Hey,

So I was thinking the other day, in light of the issues we have had with retaining players and the lack of i guess loyalty to seasoned players, that we our best and fairest has been something of a poisoned chalice.

So I had a look at the winners list and I found it quite remarkable.

• 2012 Nathan Jones
• 2011 Brent Moloney (traded)
• 2010 Brad Green (forced retirement)
• 2009 Aaron Davey (forced retirement)
• 2008 Cameron Bruce (traded)
• 2007 James McDonald (forced retirement)
• 2006 James McDonald (forced retirement)
• 2005 Travis Johnstone (traded)
• 2004 Jeff White (forced retirement)
• 2003 Russell Robertson (forced retirement)
• 2002 David Neitz
• 2001 Adem Yze (forced retirement)
• 2000 Shane Woewodin (traded)

Not really a great sign when the best players in our team (and we can,t really say non performing as they have demonstrated performance by winning the bnf to begin with) are being pushed out or allowed to leave so easily.

It would be hard to say that this isnt part of our problem, especially when it highlights a culture of blaming the few good players we have for the overall performance of a poor list.

Thoughts??

god that is bad isn't it.. some of my favourite players of all time treated horribly by the club they give everything for.

Why do you say ADavey is being forced? He should be but that is another story. What? Do you think they should play for life even though they are playing below grade football?

Bruce wasn't traded. He chose to leave. And for less money. He wanted two years we offered him one. Did nothing at Hawthorn and could not play out two years. Good decision Melbourne. Bruce trashed his own club legacy.

Junior. everyone agrees it was a bad decision.

Trapper. Good decision. How could you argue it wasn't? Did nothing at Brisbane. And loyalty? Give me a break. Hardly a legend of the club.

Robbo Yze and White as Danihers love children played many more games than they were entitled to on form. And you think we should have kept them on?? Not sure at this point what you are smoking.

Woey was unfortunate but he was also our highest paid player at $500k a year thanks to Freo trying to poach him in 2001. Did not deserve to be the highest paid by a long way. Did very well out of melbourne.

And finally Beemer. Boofy low IQ bloke who loved the club but refused to follow coach's instructions. Made his own bed.

Not sure what your point is? That winning a BnF gives you a pension for life?

What about the fact our BnF winnners played shiite football after winning the accolade. Not all but certainly Beemer, Bruce, Green, Travis and Davey..

I am not completely sure how you could come to any other conclusion re Davey other than that he has been asked to retire. Why else would he suggest that he would be open to playing on elsewhere? As long as 2 and 2 still equal 4 then id suggest you pull your head out of the sand.

Beemer had one down year after winning the bnf and had issues with coaches who have been proven ineffectual and widely panned. Furthermore, he was excluded from leadership in favour of two unproven young players, another decision which has been demonstrated to be poor. Again, you can fob this off as childish on Monoley's side however good players dont get treated like this at other clubs and invariably dont become high performing members of other teams.

You have conceded, Junior as is fair.

The others were all pushed out by age of 30. I am completely comfortable to admit that some of these players were due retirement, however not all and this trend doesnt seem to happen at any other club than us.

I am also not saying that we didnt make the most of some trades, we did very well to get some high picks our of Trav and Woey however it again only highlights our willingness to move on players who have put in at our club.

In the end you can sit back and say we have done the right thing however our performance is on the board and it's very poor. I cant help but think that the poor culture and unwillingness to play for the jumper is equally matched by an unwillingness from the club to stand by players.

Some of those listed as forced retirement need an asterisk.

* Time called appropriately/marginally too late.

Unfortunately, not many players get to purely hang up their boots entirely of their own volition.

None of those players are in the same class as G.Ablett,C.Judd,Selwood(cats one) or J.Watson so really no great loss. It is good too see N.CRAIG talk the club down on SEN,

probably is not getting the coaching job next year.......perhaps there is a god!!!

The bigger problem is the calibre of players on that list. Apart from one standout (the only one not allowed to retire on his own according to the OP) they are all good average players, and none of them is a leaders bootlace (Junior excused, he was a leader but just a good honest player).

What other club would have such an average beat and fairest history over the past 12 years.

The MFC just does not like show off, so be average and you will be ok. In fact we may even make you Captain.

Unfortunately there are a lot of players who do not know when it is their time to retire. They love playing and being around the club & their mates. How many have then nominated for the draft and then either not been picked up or failed to make the grade at their new club?