Colin Sylvia going ... going ... GONE!

[rpfc 27,678]

I don't think that Sylvia's wage is going to be at the level of a Thomas (certainly not Franklin) and that plays a part in determining the bands.

With hat said, he will be on a wage similar to Chaplin at Richmond and he got Port Band 3 comp.

Things that flow from this;

There will be no trade with Freo. They have no leaving FA from what I can see that would warrant a trade with us. Which means...

We will wait and get a pick at the end of FA with a week of trade week to go. Mahoney will sweat on the compensation decision as he will make assumptions to all and sundry about what we have to play with in that last week. Probably Pick 21ish.

We will not sign anyone in FA. This doesn't mean we won't target them but we will get them in a trade or DFA or the PSD.

Pick 2 will be spent on an experienced mid. The desire to get that player just went up I sure. Our ability to do that trade also went up...

Time will tell what this meant to the future of our club. The medium term could see us benefit from Colin's decision.

[McQueen 17,864]

Denham is a spud! Col won't end up in Perth and I GUARANTEE that.

[jnrmac 19,505]

Bye Col

Your contribution to the MFC was outstanding.

I really hope you get a full pre-season in cos you'll be a gun one day. I'm sure of it.

And even though you never cracked it inside the top 5 for the Bluey in your magnificent 10 repeat 10 years at our great club I'm sure you'll go really great at Freo where Ross Lyon will have you working your ring off. You might make it to the top 20 at Freo so I wish you well.

And if you want a tip - stay away from those Northbridge nightclubs

[Swampfox 190]

I actually think Colin Sylvia leaving is a win win and win for Melbourne , Fremantle and Sylvia

[old dee 23,256]

I know its annoying when he is right

Like most on here I used to hate Denham, he has got 90% of the things right about the MFC.

He said we were recruiting poor players last year, said we were run by incompetents , called us the bears because we acted like Brisbane 20 years ago. Said we have screwed up with drafting for a decade.

Guess what he has turned out to be right.

I have a new respect for him.

[Dee Dee 1,060]

Gee Col's gone.

I must be getting old because it seems just like yesterday that I sat at the "G" and saw his first game against Norf. Col got one posession that day, a handball.

And that was 10 years ago? Does that mean he qualifies for life membership of the MFC as well?

[DeeMfc 621]

http://www.crownperth.com.au/casino

There ya go Col.

Don't forget your beanie...

In all seriousness though, this can go one of two ways.

Lyon finally extracts the undoubted talent Sylvia has, or Sylvia frequents Northbridge and hits the Casino on Friday & Saturday nights....

Only time will tell...

Good luck Col.

[DemonWA 3,640]

Where does West Coast sit in the hatred rankings? I don't live in WA, so I never have to deal with it on the same level, but I've never really felt either way about Freo. They're always that pitiful purple club in my mind. Further, they've had less success than even us since their inception. West Coast hatred I can understand, but the Purple People? I'd just pat them on the head. The more I think about it, the more I begin to wonder whether Lyon's coaching style can win the ultimate prize. His teams have absolutely crumbled in big finals.

I hate west coast more than I do freo.

If I'm honest, my Hatred for both clubs stems from the one sided media, however their fans have a fair bit to do with it too.

West coast fans are spoiled with success. They don't turn up in the down years, but pretend they never went missing when they're winning again. Nothing worse than being at patersons at an eagles game. I even sat in the west coast members once, surrounded by middle aged bogan women with short peroxide hair cuts blotto on chardys! We lost, Enough said

Freo fans fit into two catogories -The die hard south freo fans (footy people) and bandwagon jumpers who only took an interest in afl when freo joined the comp. to make matters worse now that they are winning the bandwagon jumpers are coming out of the woodwork in their droves. I hate freo supporters because they pity me as a melbourne person these days, they've conveniently forgotten how crap they were for so long! pity from freo supporter? They are the worst club in the history of the game FFS!

[old dee 23,256]

I hate west coast more than I do freo.

If I'm honest, my Hatred for both clubs stems from the one sided media, however their fans have a fair bit to do with it too.

West coast fans are spoiled with success. They don't turn up in the down years, but pretend they never went missing when they're winning again. Nothing worse than being at patersons at an eagles game. I even sat in the west coast members once, surrounded by middle aged bogan women with short peroxide hair cuts blotto on chardys! We lost, Enough said

Freo fans fit into two catogories -The die hard south freo fans (footy people) and bandwagon jumpers who only took an interest in afl when freo joined the comp. to make matters worse now that they are winning the bandwagon jumpers are coming out of the woodwork in their droves. I hate freo supporters because they pity me as a melbourne person these days, they've conveniently forgotten how crap they were for so long! pity from freo supporter? They are the worst club in the history of the game FFS!

Have you every been to a Crows game in Adelaide?

Never been to a Freo one in WA but I find it hard to believe they could be worse than the Crows at Home.

I only get pity over here from all and sundry DemonWA.

I live for the day we are hated as much as Freo and Adelaide and Now Sydney.

[dees189227 11,264]

Let this be a lesson to the whole MFc. Pull your socks up and start winning or else this is what happens. Players walk. Im already nervous next season with the fear of Frawley leaving. That would hurt.

[spirit of norm smith 13,584]

compo... its a round 2 selection after our pick ie. pick 20. Sounds fair. AFL needs to give MFC some small wins.

[monoccular 16,629]

Would love to see how Col goes under Lyon, with his players needing to super disciplined. Lyon is the Colonel Kurtz of the AFL - Sylvia might be Captain Willard.

And would you have been interested to see how he would have gone under Roos?? Maybe he and Roos have had "the conversation" and Col idn't like hearing what was to be expected of him.

On the other hand, Lyon demands defensive pressure of his mids and forwards - as you say, it will be interesting to see.

I used to think that way ("who could blame them for chasing success..."), but I've changed my mind. If you want success, drive it your bloody self. The best teams in the competition are all the best because they've done exactly that, and with Roos now on board a senior player like Sylvia is being given a golden opportunity.

I think that Col is one of those who would really like success, but who doesn't really want to put in what is required to get there.

Sad day. Really liked Col.

A bit misunderstood, but very gifted player.

Thanks for your service to the MFC Colin Sylvia.

Misunderstood??? By that do you mean it is hard to understand why such obvious natural talent is not realised. That is what I don't understand.

[Crompton's the man 635]

And would you have been interested to see how he would have gone under Roos?? Maybe he and Roos have had "the conversation" and Col idn't like hearing what was to be expected of him.

On the other hand, Lyon demands defensive pressure of his mids and forwards - as you say, it will be interesting to see.

I think that Col is one of those who would really like success, but who doesn't really want to put in what is required to get there.

Misunderstood??? By that do you mean it is hard to understand why such obvious natural talent is not realised. That is what I don't understand.

Martin Pike the 2nd

Knuckled down when he went up north

(never with us)

[richyrich 44]

Sylvia is of no loss to the MFC. I would love to be writing this, thanking Sylvia for his contribution to the MFC. Unfortunately all I can say is don't let the door hit you on the way out. A selfish, pathetic player who would have been delisted years ago had he played for any team but the MFC. Glad to see this decision made and now the MFC can begin to move forward without sub standard, high potential, overexadurated player like Sylvia. Ouch!

[Moonshadow 16,605]

One of the issues I have with the FA system is that the club losing the FA generally gets poor compensation and the club gaining the FA gives up nothing but money and a spot on the list. In in the case of Colin, Freo are only paying about what we were going to pay him. Surey the gaining club should have to give up something beyond cash, otherwise the poor feeder club theory wins out every time. It's simply not equal.

[Cards13 9,117]

Let this be a lesson to the whole MFc. Pull your socks up and start winning or else this is what happens. Players walk. Im already nervous next season with the fear of Frawley leaving. That would hurt.

Jones contract end? That's one I'm worried about too.

[Chook 14,701]

One of the issues I have with the FA system is that the club losing the FA generally gets poor compensation and the club gaining the FA gives up nothing but money and a spot on the list. In in the case of Colin, Freo are only paying about what we were going to pay him. Surey the gaining club should have to give up something beyond cash, otherwise the poor feeder club theory wins out every time. It's simply not equal.

I have the opposite opinion. Assuming we'll be able to pick up a free agent of equal talent later, we come out of the situation with a Colin Sylvia-level player + our compensation draft pick (instead of only Colin Sylvia).

We have a coloured view of free agency because we're on the bottom right now. As soon as we make it to anywhere near the top, we'll get back what we lost in terms of free agency players - plus we'll have a set of draft picks we never would have had otherwise.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Chook

[monoccular 16,629]

Jones contract end? That's one I'm worried about too.

Maybe we can pick up the young Jones bro with the Col comp pick (should of course the AFL in their infinite wisdom deign to give us one) - which in turn could cement Nathan even more securely into our fold.

[ThreeOneSix 953]

Maybe we can pick up the young Jones bro with the Col comp pick (should of course the AFL in their infinite wisdom deign to give us one) - which in turn could cement Nathan even more securely into our fold.

Now Colin is gone, wait for sides to come out in the media whinging that we shouldn't receive second round compo.

Surprised this hasn't happened already.

[Guest]

Pros and cons of losing Sylvia (I wanted to retain him):

Cons: Colin is a big bodied, mature player who opposition coaches rate. The amount of blokes who are 100 games or less is too high for us to be competitive right now. He is usually used as a HFF flank but he can be thrown into the midfield in a pinch.

Pros: With Colin gone, the last of the MFC 'Party Boys' has moved on. From now, a new set of leaders will be there to mould the group. Hopefully, these blokes haven't been exposed to the old culture to such a degree that Roosy won't be able to turn them around.

[beelzebub 22,716]

Now Colin is gone, wait for sides to come out in the media whinging that we shouldn't receive second round compo.

Surprised this hasn't happened already.

they wont have to....we wont

[Undeeterred 2,908]

10 years in 2nd gear.

Thanks Col.

Good to see you posting this comment in the Age today, going for a wider audience?

[Undeeterred 2,908]

My concern is not that it makes strong clubs stronger but that it makes the weaker clubs weaker.

Rivers leaving us did nothing for Geelong. But it hurt us.

Under the old system they would've given up a 2nd or 3rd (more likely) round pick for Rivers. Now we still could've got that in compensation but they still get their pick. So they haven't lost it.

The old system saw clubs like the saints take a fall after drafting too many mature duds - Peake, Jesse Smith, Andrew Lovett. Which then meant they lost precious draft picks to develop. Now they get those guys for free and still get their draft picks. They double dip and stay at the top. We stay at the bottom and have no priority pick for a jump start up the ladder.

Now in time a free agency market develops. A lot of players are still in contracts that had them avoiding Gold Coast and GWS. That will change soon and more names will become available. But that's not a good thing for the game necessarily.

This is a sensational point, just by the way. Hadn't thought of it like that before, but you're right. Our 'guns' are really top up players for the big boys, which has a disproportionate effect on us...

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

To those of you who are saying that the MFC (and several of its supporters) overrates Sylvia, I direct you to Mahoney's comments in the article on the MFC website in which he confirmed that Freo's offer was substantially the same as the MFC's.

Freo is a top two team. Clearly therefore the MFC was not overrating him.

There's no good news in this.

[Yossarian 1,808]

To those of you who are saying that the MFC (and several of its supporters) overrates Sylvia, I direct you to Mahoney's comments in the article on the MFC website in which he confirmed that Freo's offer was substantially the same as the MFC's.

Freo is a top two team. Clearly therefore the MFC was not overrating him.

There's no good news in this.

He didn't say anything about it being a large offer, just said the offers were similar. Basically we weren't prepared to throw heaps of money at him to keep him around, we presented an offer we thought was reasonable, they put one about the same on the table and he sailed off for greener seas. Nothing to suggest he's been rated particularly highly by either team.