If Chip has signed with a club already it would be pathetic of him not to inform the club. We need to plan for the future and if he is going that starts with trying out others. Also it affects our contract negotiations with other players and possible inclusions to the list.

I can cop him leaving as that is his right but the club deserves honesty at this point of the season. We have been nothing but supportive to him and if he has committed elsewhere we deserve the truth.

If Chip has signed with a club already it would be pathetic of him not to inform the club. We need to plan for the future and if he is going that starts with trying out others. Also it affects our contract negotiations with other players and possible inclusions to the list.

I can cop him leaving as that is his right but the club deserves honesty at this point of the season. We have been nothing but supportive to him and if he has committed elsewhere we deserve the truth.

but the 'rules' prevent him from declaring such....dont they

Would love to see a timeline graph on this poll. I expect it would be running closer to 20/80 he stays in recent weeks.

If Chip has signed with a club already it would be pathetic of him not to inform the club. We need to plan for the future and if he is going that starts with trying out others. Also it affects our contract negotiations with other players and possible inclusions to the list.

I can cop him leaving as that is his right but the club deserves honesty at this point of the season. We have been nothing but supportive to him and if he has committed elsewhere we deserve the truth.

Apart from not playing him with the view of playing others, I can't see what you're upset about.

Surely the club would have a strategy mapped out either way and should be well placed to put in effect. If not, Taylor et al aren't doing their jobs properly.

He has his rights under free agency, no argument. But if it later turns out that he has committed, verbally agreed or signed a heads of agreement, to be later ratified, and in the meantime has elected not to come clean, its poor IMO. Unacceptable to bite the hand that has fed you for the past 8 years. Its not giving them a fair go re its planning. Not not a good look and would be deserving of "treatment" later on. All he has to do , if he's going, is to say I wont be around next year. Then the bogeys off his back he's done the right thing and the club has some clarity. Its not that hard.

Their seems to be a fair bit of fumbling , but Chip has said he hasn't decided so that's cool. If that's a ruse, then he's no better than the he who lied to Jimmy.

If Chip has signed with a club already it would be pathetic of him not to inform the club. We need to plan for the future and if he is going that starts with trying out others. Also it affects our contract negotiations with other players and possible inclusions to the list.

I can cop him leaving as that is his right but the club deserves honesty at this point of the season. We have been nothing but supportive to him and if he has committed elsewhere we deserve the truth.

No it wouldn't be pathetic. Its perfectly normal. If you resigned your job to go to a competitor what would your employer do?

Its the way of the world get used to it.

As for planning, the club has been planning for both contingencies for two years at least. Thats what list managers do. They plan the salary cap, they plan players improving, falling out of favour getting injured etc. They have back ups and alternatives. They game different scenarios all the time. What else do you think they do??

Chip is absolutely doing what he should. Its a business. Don't confuse your loyalty to the club colors with player loyalty. Players get dumped by clubs all the time. Clubs don't show loyalty, why should players??

Junior showed loyalty, what happened? Really you need to take a more mature perspective on this,.,

No it wouldn't be pathetic. Its perfectly normal. If you resigned your job to go to a competitor what would your employer do?

Its the way of the world get used to it.

As for planning, the club has been planning for both contingencies for two years at least. Thats what list managers do. They plan the salary cap, they plan players improving, falling out of favour getting injured etc. They have back ups and alternatives. They game different scenarios all the time. What else do you think they do??

Chip is absolutely doing what he should. Its a business. Don't confuse your loyalty to the club colors with player loyalty. Players get dumped by clubs all the time. Clubs don't show loyalty, why should players??

Junior showed loyalty, what happened? Really you need to take a more mature perspective on this,.,

Even though i hate what rugby does in players announcing their leaving next season at the start of this season, that is the way the AFL is heading.

TBH as much as I hate it this pizzes me off more with the bs "I want to c the clubs direction bla bla bla".

I want to know if someone in our team is not going to be there next season and act appropriately.

Edited July 26, 201411 yr by DemonOX

Even though i hate what rugby does in players announcing their leaving next season at the start of this season, that is the way the AFL is heading.

TBH as much as I hate it this pizzes me off more with the bs "I want to c the clubs direction bla bla bla".

I want to know if someone in our team is not going to be there next season and act appropriately.

What if a player actually has not decided?

I think the AFL should go the opposite direction and not allow contracts to be signed until October.

There is plenty of time to organise for next year - only about a third of the list is OOC every year, in the NBA the Heat had about 2 players under contract after the season, the Lakers had 1.

Clubs can act appropriately at the end of the season. They keep fringe players hanging until the last moments, players are doing the same. Clubs can get used to it.

No it wouldn't be pathetic. Its perfectly normal. If you resigned your job to go to a competitor what would your employer do?

In my line of work, if I took upon a job at a competitor, I'd hand in my four weeks notice, and would be sent on "gardening leave" for the duration of my four weeks on full pay, with my building access would be revoked. In other more "standard" jobs in the past, I'd give my four weeks notice, and spend that four weeks handing over and making sure those taking on my responsibilities were fully up to speed. In neither case would I have any reason (practically or morally) to lie to my employer.

Frawley's position is comparable to my own - sure, he'd have to go on "gardening leave" too (i.e. no longer available for selection), but it would be on full pay and won't affect his contract at his new club. It's a small price to pay for doing the right thing by your club (employer).

I agree with Redleg that it would be very low if he's signed already and is fibbing about it. I'm doubtful that it's the case anyway.

but the 'rules' prevent him from declaring such....dont they

there are rules preventing truth or honesty?

oh wait, we're talking the afl commission right

Watching The Hawks tonight and they sure could do with a class tall defender. Wonder where they could possibly find someone?

Spangher?

Watching The Hawks tonight and they sure could do with a class tall defender. Wonder where they could possibly find someone?

And then you watch how the Hawks play and, deep down, you say.... could we really blame him for leaving? I know I couldn't. It makes a lot of sense really.

Spangher?

If he wasn't contracted I'd have him at Melbourne if he got pushed out because someone like Chip came over. Play his role well and would be handy for our depth if he came for nothing.

Loyalty? Ron get yourself back to the 70s. PLayers don't have the loyalty that supporters do. Yes there are a few exceptions.

Players get one shot at a big contract. Simple. He is gonna take it. He's gone. Good luck to him. Focus on what we are going to get.

He's not that good.

Not all players are motivated by the same things. Some players wish to play their entire career with one club and be known/remembered for that. Those players are generally very popular with club supporters. Not all players have that desire.

In short, players, like every poster here, have different priorities. That much is clear.

Keeping it simple, my position is as follows.

1. I regard Frawley as a required player. I will be disappointed if he leaves the club.

2. The whole 'this is professional sport and loyalty means nothing anymore' argument is so bloody obvious that it doesn't even need to be stated. Yet we've got half the posters on this loop happy-clapping one another whenever someone states this. I absolutely get it. I just expect more of senior leaders in this club. I get that Frawley is entitled to adopt the approach he has, but it doesn't mean I respect him for doing so.

3. I am 42 years old. I do not have a poster of James Frawley on my bedroom wall. I'm not going to cry if he leaves. My position is not remotely based on the emotion of potentially being jilted by a 20s something football player whom I've never met. That some posters have suggested this about some here who demand loyalty is laughable in the extreme. In fairness, those posters are probably still in their teens.

4. Players circumstances differ. For a university educated player who's seeking to pursue a career after football, being a one club player, especially at a club like the MFC, actually makes perfect financial/commercial sense. For a player who has limited career aspirations after footy, I get that the size of the contract is far more of a priority than the whole 'one club' notion, which, to that player, is perhaps quite idealistic.

5. To a supporter (ie, me), I will always have more affection for those players who bleed for the club that I support than those players who merely see the club as an ATM facility. Jeremy Howe strikes me as a player who loves the club, and I really like him for that. Frawley, well, he's just become another player for me. And this taps into the reason as to why kids are meant to prefer Luke Skywalker over Boba Fett. That said, I hope Frawley stays - quality bounty hunters can be very effective operators.

6. The thing that really annoys me about Frawley is not actually that he might leave the club. He is obviously entitled to do whatever he thinks is in his best interests. What frustrates me is that his rhetoric is all 'loyal country boy', but his actions are clearly not aligned to that. In short, he's not being fair dinkum with the club and it's supporters and I find it unnecessarily disingenuous in the circumstances.

What if a player actually has not decided?

I think the AFL should go the opposite direction and not allow contracts to be signed until October.

There is plenty of time to organise for next year - only about a third of the list is OOC every year, in the NBA the Heat had about 2 players under contract after the season, the Lakers had 1.

Clubs can act appropriately at the end of the season. They keep fringe players hanging until the last moments, players are doing the same. Clubs can get used to it.

I think this is a good option, I'm dead against the NRL way of doing things and think those in the media who think it is a more mature way of approaching things have no idea.

I never wanted Bennell to come home, that was just a g up to another poster on here but they never took the bait. Oh well.

The only 2 winnable ones left IMO is the GWS and the brizy game. Can't see us winning in Paterson, we never beat north and we also have the hawks. I can see us snagging at least one of our winnable games and can't see Brisbane or GWS winning 2 more each that would be necessary to relegate us to stone cold last.

.... but we might beat that weazle, $cully @ the 'G'... scully, bennell, bennell, scully,,,,, both off like green cheese.

I'm sure Stu realises we all miss him sweet. And, as for those other pretenders, Stuie still holds "the throne"! At least from the point of view of we discerning posters.

where has stu gawn these days?

has he souled out?

if you read my post it was not about the players, it was more about the direction of the game

it was about how the game is being hi-jacked and FA is just one part of that

the club changes as time goes on in order to comply with the dictates of the afl and the"stakeholders" (profiteers)

as the game changes then the club changes with it until it just erodes my attachment to the afl and hence the club little by little

that is not hard to understand

when it gets like nrl with players swapping around willy nilly you start to question whether it is a club or just another receptacle of transient players

it's just an opinion (and not that uncommon) plus i'm probably feeling a bit maudlin today and peeved with posters who just analyse it from a real-politik, pragmatic, logical point of view and ignore the emotional allegiance aspect of it which is so important to the traditional club supporter

rant over

Spot on dc

I can easily see the day ahead when I will not be interested in Aussie rules at AFL level.

I agree guys but the rules won't stand up in court, restraint of trade....?

....... so the players & players association is having too much power against the AFL & the good of the game. I've never known a time when current players were consulted more than past players & past coaches, Re the direction of the game itself.

THIS is the real problem with changes in recent times. Tail wags the AFL.

just like the rebels are wagging Ukraine, & most countries similarly, in the near east.

For what it's worth (not alot), Robbo mentioned on 360 that a source has told him Frawley to Collingwood.

well, & I guess they'll be after $cully soon enough as well.

couldn't care too much where he goe$. a$ long a$ it'$ a really big payday.

apparently pies aren't interested.

apparently pies aren't interested.

LOL

Not surprising that fat moron Mark Robinson was 100% wrong again

apparently pies aren't interested.

The way that fat head Buckley reacted to Robbos question I would be very surprised if they weren't interested in JF.

Apart from not playing him with the view of playing others, I can't see what you're upset about.

Surely the club would have a strategy mapped out either way and should be well placed to put in effect. If not, Taylor et al aren't doing their jobs properly.

You might have a strategy but it can't be acted upon until you know the answer. You can't approach guys and say will you come to us if Chip leaves. You lose an opportunity to try out blokes you may need to before making a final decision on their future.

All he needs to do is quietly tell Roos or PJ and a mystery injury will allow him to miss the last few games.

LOL

Not surprising that fat moron Mark Robinson was 100% wrong again

Lets just say his journalistic talent lies in his Bombers bias and inaccuracy otherwise.

Edited July 26, 201411 yr by Redleg

You might have a strategy but it can't be acted upon until you know the answer. You can't approach guys and say will you come to us if Chip leaves. You lose an opportunity to try out blokes you may need to before making a final decision on their future.

All he needs to do is quietly tell Roos or PJ and a mystery injury will allow him to miss the last few games.

you mean we don't know the quality of the list yet Redleg?