i blame jack watts

Let's hope his inclusion at Fremantle makes Viv Michie more likely to leave as it will be harder for him to earn his spot.

i blame jack watts

I blame Mark Neeld

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

Your right , who's going to teach the kids to give up when it all becomes too hard . Nasher touched on it before , as a group build your own success. Roo's will get us heading in the right direction by installing discipline, accountability and a never say die attitude into the playing group. Moving to Freo doesn't guarantee him success .

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.

This is backwards.

Sylvia is one reason why we have been no good, not the other way around.

Stick the Swans players in our midfield and Sylvia would be playing on the forward flank, or as the sub, or at Casey.

Supporters comparing the relative worth of their own club's players with opposition clubs' players is like comparing apples and oranges with chalk and cheese.

You're not comparing apples with apples, when you compare Sylvia will top line midfielders.

This is backwards.

Sylvia is one reason why we have been no good, not the other way around.

Stick the Swans players in our midfield and Sylvia would be playing on the forward flank, or as the sub, or at Casey.

Absolutely correct. Col isnt really even a mid. He only was used as one as we were desperate. A high flanker is Sylvia.

anyhow..hes gone we can move on...in many ways

Absolutely correct. Col isnt really even a mid. He only was used as one as we were desperate. A high flanker is Sylvia.

anyhow..hes gone we can move on...in many ways

Spot on bb.

I always thought he was off.

When players in his position say " I am waiting till the end of the year to make a decision" you know they are off.

90% leave.

If I was him I would go, he has a chance to play in a GF at Freo, zero at the Dees of even playing finals.

If we lose a FA, but then take a FA we get penalised by losing compensation (or get buggar all)

however if another club (like freo or sydney) takes a FA and doesn't lose any FA's they suffer no penalty

how is that equitable. where is the penalty for the net-FA-gainer?

If there is none then FA takes should not be netted to an FA losing club

but it never was supposed to be equitable was it

I expect he's already taken in all the required local info, inspected Voodoo, Eve, Mint

If we lose a FA, but then take a FA we get penalised by losing compensation (or get buggar all)

however if another club (like freo or sydney) takes a FA and doesn't lose any FA's they suffer no penalty

how is that equitable. where is the penalty for the net-FA-gainer?

If there is none then FA takes should not be netted to an FA losing club

but it never was supposed to be equitable was it

nupp

Haven't read through the whole thread but this news is disappointing to me.

However, it's easy to empathize with Colin. He has pretty much played in nothing but heavy defeats for 7 years straight and can see an opportunity to finish his career with finals footy and perhaps even a flag.

It's a shame one-club players are going to become a rare commodity with FA rules.. but you can hardly begrudge Colin for doing what he has done. Most players are in the game to experience success first and foremost and he's not going to get that here any time soon.

I think he will be missed because we don't have any quality in the 27-29 age bracket anymore. And we need that.

A bit like a relationship breakup perhaps? A tinge of disappointment initially, but the prospect of someone new and exciting between the sheets.

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

{gulp}

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

I suppose technically Fremantle isnt Perth ....

How long before the AFL lets us know regarding what compensation pick we are due to receive? Will we know tomorrow when the trade period commences in ernest?

{gulp}

I know its annoying when he is right

^{Not unhappy at all !!Sylvia has escaped scrutiny for poor perfomances for far too long. He is a cultural attaché to the archtype inconsistent performer that we should be quite happy to see go. Happy to get a pick of some description for him. Move on I say!}

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-03/sylvia-to-join-dockers

He said Fremantle was a good fit "based on where I’m at with my football career". Where is he at. A frustrating player who isnt consistent who has talent but we rarely get it.

I hear what you're saying, but I suppose I accepted a while ago that the players from the Daniher/Bailey eras aren't part of any premiership tilt. We really are starting again and Sylvia is a remnant of that sad sorry past.

I'm just as happy to draw a line as we move forward.

Agree. Daniher and co. topped up at a time when the list was ageing to have a crack, at the same time neglected development. We've been starting again ever since Danners left and now we've been caught up with the FA effect.

Great work AFLPA... There's a scent of the bottom clubs now being feeder clubs for those in contention filling holes.

Disappointed in Sylvia leaving, but equally I'm no where near shattered. One in every 9 games was a good one from Sylvia. Far too inconsistent, and only pulled a rabbit out of the hat when he worked hard. I have no doubt a strong list like Freo and Ross Lyon will be able to bridge the gap between worst and best and make him a far more damaging player in 2014. That said, I thought we may get that from him under Roos. Ah well...

I know its annoying when he is right

Was actually referring to the GUARANTEE...by the Yarra.

Col must have a burning desire to play in losing Grand Final teams!

Nathan Jones and Jack Viney strike me as "If it is to be it is up to me' footballers. Can't say the same about Sylvia. Pragmatically can understand the decision he has made. He turns 28 in November and obviously sees Freo as a team that will play finals footy every year. Would be attractive compared to starting another rebuild at the Dees. But he must also realise that his stated desire upon his departure to always consider himself a Melbourne person is incompatible with his decision. He can't have it both ways.

So he departs a player who more often than not flattered to deceive. A player whose output was less than his talent promised. He took a few years to get his body and his lifestyle right. Once he did we all predicted great things. Strong body with good balance of endurance and speed.Good overhead and a good kick. But he never could deliver on that consistently.

Freo is an interesting team in terms of its Premiership window. This October Michael Johnson turn 29 and this December Sandilands turns 31 and McPharlin and Pavlich turn 32. The later 3 have had significant injury issues in recent years and their durability in 2014 and beyond is questionable. All 4 must play if Freo are to challenge for a flag rather than just make the the finals every year. Of course Freo might use their on and off field strength to attract replacements through free agency or trade.

Haven't read through the whole thread but this news is disappointing to me.

However, it's easy to empathize with Colin. He has pretty much played in nothing but heavy defeats for 7 years straight and can see an opportunity to finish his career with finals footy and perhaps even a flag.

It's a shame one-club players are going to become a rare commodity with FA rules.. but you can hardly begrudge Colin for doing what he has done. Most players are in the game to experience success first and foremost and he's not going to get that here any time soon.

I think he will be missed because we don't have any quality in the 27-29 age bracket anymore. And we need that.

I reckon one thing is for certain. Ross Lyon will not tolerate a near enough is good enough attitude. Lyon won't tolerate players believing that just on reputation and natural skill alone, they will be guaranteed a game. Freo has a fair list. I just pose this, not as a given but just as a question. If Col continues with the on field - and sometimes off field attitude at Freo, as he has displayed to MFC supporters, then I reckon he can expect a fair bit a game time in the WAFL.

Certainly, I would rather have kept Col, but I will not be as fussed as I would have been if the other Col wanted to leave

Thanks Colin Sylvia. You were a 10 year Dees player and they will never take that away from you.

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

Exactly! the flippancy on this thread is incredible. FA is going to be like a leaking bucket for the small clubs. as the water leaks people will comfort themselves by saying its only one drop but nevertheless the bucket is still draining.

Rivers, Moloney, Sylvia, Frawley(?), ...........and so on and so on. It s a slow bleed but you cant keep discounting the significance of senior players leaving every year . i agree that sylvia never set the world on fire but sylvia is not the significance of this. next year Frawley. you could see it in the interview on the website. . hes already gone. i saw it in sylvias press conference mid year. in fact its becoming really obvious now when players are saying they want to stay but are really planning on leaving. its almost like they are all getting the same media training. i pick it every time.