BB, your perception of Col is completely based on his first 5 or 6 years.

The last two seasons he has been out of the news, consistent on the field and one of our best in the middle/half forward. We are going to miss him unless we can replace him with another senior player and consistent contributor.

I know exactly what my perception is of....10 years

Good system this. The rich clubs get the cream while the poor clubs lose experienced players for no compensation. The system is stuffed.

I'm with you.

Regardless of whether he's an A-grader in AFL terms, he remained one of our best midfielders and one of the few talented players on our list capable of changing games.

It's also a loss of 157 games of experience. That's now three of the 2013 list's top four of most experience: Rodan (185 games), Davey (178) and now Sylvia (157). We also lose Macdonald's 124 games. Jamar has 133 and many are thinking of letting him go too.

Only strengthens the severe importance of securing some experienced talent.

Lol.

Out of Col's 157 games how many did in put in for 100% of the game, how many games did he say to his teammates this is not good enough we can do better? Our young mids can look to Jones for leadership. You could replace Col's 157 games of experience with someone who has played 50 for the cats, hawks or swans.

Many are missing the point say good bye to the 200 game player at dees, you will never see a another again, we will never get off the bottom of the ladder, any player that is any good at mel will leave to chase glory, how will we ever have experience in our list, this is only going to set a trend, this time its col who many dont care about, but who next farwly, jones, w

Many are missing the point say good bye to the 200 game player at dees, you will never see a another again, we will never get off the bottom of the ladder, any player that is any good at mel will leave to chase glory, how will we ever have experience in our list, this is only going to set a trend, this time its col who many dont care about, but who next farwly, jones, w

Take a deep breath!

I know exactly what my perception is of....10 years

And you haven't noticed a change in the last couple of years?

As Mark Neeld said, 'It is what it is'. I didn't want the club to lose Colin because we need big bodies right now and despite Colin not living up to his potential, he was a big body.

I'm disappointed that Col couldn't repay a lot of the faith that the club put in him through lean times and when he was in the spotlight.
He will find out quick smart that if you put in half arsed efforts in at Freo or go get pizzed in Northbridge, it's not a one game holiday during the pre-season. It's weeks and weeks on the sidelines. Also your teammates won't feel sorry for you and throw a sympathy strike. They'll be annoyed with you as well.

Sylvia has never played for the team. Its always been about Col first, this is the proof.

We will get shafted with compo because he's really not that good.

These Sydney players had statistically better years in 2013:

McVeigh - Grimes

Kennedy - ????Pick 2 trade

Hannebery - Viney

Jack - Jones

O'Keefe - McKenzie

Parker - Trengove

That's my dream. Finding 7 better than Sylvia probably isn't all that hard. He was the definition of mediocrity as a midfielder. But as a flanker he offered the potential to be a good versio of one of the other 5 mids you need each week. Ie Sydney's version of Bird, Mitchell, Bolton, McGlynn.

Now we hope Roos can work magic with guys like Kent, Bail, Taggert, Tapscott and Blease

Good system this. The rich clubs get the cream while the poor clubs lose experienced players for no compensation. The system is stuffed.

Yep... and they want zero compo in the future.

Not sure your comparing apples with apples there. Stick most of the Swans on there own in Melbournes midfield and there numbers will drop significantly. No player other than someone like Ablett can do it on there own. Sylvia could have been better but could have been alot worse.

Even if i accept the tenet of your argument, which I don't, as my eyes tell me that Sylvia is an ordinary midfielder, I was responding to a poster that thought Sylvia's "numbers" were good.

Surely you accept that they're decidedly average by industry standard. Or do you need more evidence ?

Who the hell's going to get the ball into our inside 50 now? He was our #1 at this, his loss will hurt.

Good system this. The rich clubs get the cream while the poor clubs lose experienced players for no compensation. The system is stuffed.

Maybe it'd work better if RFAs and UFAs (but not DFAs) had to be sorted before the trade period begins, and the team signing the FA loses their pick in the corresponding band?

There's gotta be some way of equalising it.

I understand the compo system atm is all over shop, but those who'd like to see compo scrapped, do you not see that is would exacerbate the situation?

so much for his empty words of proving people wrong!

Can't say I am upset to see this lazy, under performing selfish footballer leave. Wouldn't surprise me to see him struggle under the discipline of Lyon, though the sod could go either way and reach his potential.

A wasted talent IMO and am glad to see the back of him.

Sylvia has never played for the team. Its always been about Col first, this is the proof.

We will get shafted with compo because he's really not that good.

He is better than Pearce or Chaplin and they got Port second round compo.

This sucks.

It's hard to find any senior players who actually finish their career at the MFC on good terms.

Who the hell's going to get the ball into our inside 50 now? He was our #1 at this, his loss will hurt.

LOL

And you haven't noticed a change in the last couple of years?

there was a modicum of change and Ive actually acknowledged this from time to time. But I still dont see the player that some see. I see a person who invariably plays a lazy style of game. Makes himself look Ok on occasions but only as hes coming johnny come late to many a contest. BH has covered Sylvia to a T in the prior posts

There was an interesting comparison to Trapper somewhere. Both maligned players . Both exceptional ability, both chequered histories of deliverance but there is one big difference between them. Both have their own style of demons and trapper battled with his but his heart was always in the right place ( for mine ) just his attitude to the game wavered but invariably when on song he battled his day long and hard on the filed wearing the red and blue often leaving little out there. He was at times inspirational and showed leadership but he was flawed. He would though at times take the game on , indeed remonstrating his team mates for not following suit. Ive NEVER....EVER seen Sylvia do this or take this role. And he could have,,,,,no....he SHOULD have. It was there for him to do but it seems to this observer he wants others to do the hard work.

Success is what you make of it...indeed what you make but it strikes me Sylvia just want to turn up somewhere where thats laid out for him... well thats fine. happy he's going.

Even if i accept the tenet of your argument, which I don't, as my eyes tell me that Sylvia is an ordinary midfielder, I was responding to a poster that thought Sylvia's "numbers" were good.

Surely you accept that they're decidedly average by industry standard. Or do you need more evidence ?

He is an average midfielder in comparison to others however unfortunately he was one of our best and we continue to see our best players leave.

Not saying he's a world beater, or saying Moloney or Rivers are star players but there losses certainly hurt us more than it would if they left a top club.

I wanted Col to stay and have stuck up for him previously backing him as a solid enough player. Now he has left he can EAD and we all move on.

Similar career-path to Travis Johnstone, really. High draft pick with bucketloads of talent and high expectations, but ultimately apart from glimpses here and there, he never quite delivered.

Harsh. TJ showed much more, more consistently.

I am sorry to see Col go but mostly he has been a tease.

said it was "the hardest decision he has made in his career"

not surprising as he normally avoided hard decisions

He is better than Pearce or Chaplin and they got Port second round compo.

But I believe we've partially shot ourselves in the foot, as like some of us, the club feel that although he's a mature body, he's ultimately a mediocre or underperforming midfielder and doesn't deserve big money.

I think low-balled Sylvia, as far as he is concerned, and Freo have offered similar dollars so be bolted for the better offer, after having his ego partially bruised.

I just hope we were smart enough to offer a contract for the compensation to be sufficient to make it a win-win situation for the club.

Within reason, of course.

The issue about Sylvia leaving is that we have to find 8 decent players for the primary list. 7 if we upgrade Clisby and 6 if we upgrade Magner. Decent mids like Sylvia do not just grow on trees, especially if you are Melbourne FC. We must start throwing big money around and pay 100% of the salary cap. Every member should pay the $25 extra on their membership so that the club can get the best players possible. I think that most Melbourne members could afford to do this!

Now that sylvia has left we dont have a single player on the list who has kicked 100 career goals for the club. Dunn has most with 91.

that statement is just completely untrue

We lose everyone to FA and attract the spuds looking for superannuation payments. Better?