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Harley Balic Retires

Straight Sets Simon
in Melbourne Demons

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Hard work training at top intensity every week. I am very disappointed as he is a clear talent who could kick multiple goals at AFL level but it may save Dean Kent. Every cloud etc.... 

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    He kicked 3 against us last year, I think.... 

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    Best of luck

    I suspect he had the talent but I can understand that if you are not into your football it would just become a grind.

    There was a very sad article in the Guardian the other day about a member of the GB Winter Olympics squad who I understand took her own life at only 18. The pressure on these young people can be immense.

     

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    5 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

    Not everyone is cut out for the ruthless grind of sport at its elite level. Harley Balic was a promising youngster at the Dragons and he made a great start at the club with six goals in Round 1 at Casey. It was not to be but good luck to him in the future.

    Whispering, I'm reading your post with a picture of Allen Jakovich right of screen. The grind of footy is clearly not for some regardless of talent.

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    Obviously didnt give a toss, you've got 6 weeks of a season left to play with a team that is top of the table.

    [censored] poor effort in my book.

     

     

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    There are too many recent top draftees dealing with mental health issues:  Tom Boyd, Josh Schache, Aaron Francis to name a few.  All have changed or requested a change of clubs in their first few years.  Time will tell if they stay the distance.

    Good that Harley got out before the grind affected his well being, especially if his heart isn't in it.  Wish him all the best.

    Edited by Lucifer's Hero

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    5 minutes ago, Win4theAges said:

    Obviously didnt give a toss, you've got 6 weeks of a season left to play with a team that is top of the table.

    [censored] poor effort in my book.

     

     

    He`s a young man dealing with mental health issues which have probably had a fair bit to do with his decision. There is far more to life than footy.

    I`d say your post is a poor effort in my book.

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    18 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

    There are too many recent top draftees dealing with mental health issues:  Tom Boyd, Josh Schache, Aaron Francis to name a few.  All have changed or requested a change of clubs in their first few years.  Time will tell if they stay the distance.

    Good that Harley got out before the grind affected his well being, especially if his heart isn't in it.  Wish him all the best.

    pedant that I am @Lucifer's Hero...

    and 2nd and 3rd round draftees...

    and the rest of the population....

    it's not even a matter of elite sport - though that job is completed in the public eye (if you're in the 22)... I'm changing jobs as we speak -  not so much due to mental health problem - but recognising that the current situation is untenable for satisfaction. People values evolve over time - and what he desired as 17yo has no doubt shifted....and as you rightfully said  - he's called it now, rather than dragging it out. 

    With respect to some other insensitive comments on here - thank god that inner workings of football clubs are calm, humanistic and compassionate places these days - I can't imagine having to front up to some folk with the 'no loss, harden the eff up' attitude as my HR person and having to work through that... 

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    Who 

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    Just now, pinkshark said:

    What did we give to get him?

     

    A pick in the 60s

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    4 minutes ago, Danelska said:

    pedant that I am @Lucifer's Hero...

    and 2nd and 3rd round draftees...

    and the rest of the population....

    it's not even a matter of elite sport - though that job is completed in the public eye (if you're in the 22)... I'm changing jobs as we speak -  not so much due to mental health problem - but recognising that the current situation is untenable for satisfaction. People values evolve over time - and what he desired as 17yo has no doubt shifted....and as you rightfully said  - he's called it now, rather than dragging it out. 

    With respect to some other insensitive comments on here - thank god that inner workings of football clubs are calm, humanistic and compassionate places these days - I can't imagine having to front up to some folk with the 'no loss, harden the eff up' attitude as my HR person and having to work through that... 

    Definitely a pedant!!

    The examples were to show that even the most talented have issues adjusting that are detrimental to their mental health, not to exclude any other AFL footballer or other people.

    Agree that there have been some poor and insensitive comments in this thread.

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    38 minutes ago, Win4theAges said:

    Obviously didnt give a toss, you've got 6 weeks of a season left to play with a team that is top of the table.

    [censored] poor effort in my book.

     

     

    Your book has nothing in it.

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    We traded pick 66 for him. The only late picks of note in 2017 were Zac Langdon at 56 and Matt Guelfi at 78. The odds were poor that we could have done better.

    Edited by america de cali

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     I guess most mere mortals would give and a leg just to play AFL for the honour, let alone the coin these days, but I think the professional life these days would be soo much different yo having a kick at your local footy club, that I would also have to empathize with those that aren't cut out for it.  I had a similar experience when I was 18 and joined the defense force academy.   The coin was grate as undergraduate student, I could handle the physical fitness aspect no worries, but the whole environment was completely foreign and hostile to my personality, so I left in much shorter time than he did.

    We knew the risks when we drafted him and too it regardless, no doubt because we were attracted to the talent he showed.  He had a crack, it still didn't work out with us, so I have no hard feelings.  I'm not sure that he was contracted next year anyway and/or if he would have been kept on the list, but at least he did it before final list lodgement unlike Lumumba did to us a few years back anouncing his retirement in the offseason.

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    1 hour ago, Win4theAges said:

    Obviously didnt give a toss, you've got 6 weeks of a season left to play with a team that is top of the table.

    [censored] poor effort in my book.

     

     

    This just seems unnecessarily spiteful. He was playing a bit part anyway and the passion is gone. Likelihood of him being important to a finals campaign in that frame of mind is bugger all. Now someone currently running around in bush footy gets a spot in a VFL flag tilt, in front of an AFL club, that he otherwise wouldn’t have had. 

    I felt palpable relief for him when I read the article. The feeling of escaping something that is holding you down is immensely liberating. I hope he finds whatever it is that makes him tick.

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    1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

    There are too many recent top draftees dealing with mental health issues:  Tom Boyd, Josh Schache, Aaron Francis to name a few.  All have changed or requested a change of clubs in their first few years.  Time will tell if they stay the distance.

    Good that Harley got out before the grind affected his well being, especially if his heart isn't in it.  Wish him all the best.

    Heath Grundy is out this week do to mental health issues and was it Luke Shuey that someone mentioned was having a few dramas also? Not good.

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    52 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

     I guess most mere mortals would give and a leg just to play AFL for the honour, let alone the coin these days, but I think the professional life these days would be soo much different yo having a kick at your local footy club, that I would also have to empathize with those that aren't cut out for it.  I had a similar experience when I was 18 and joined the defense force academy.   The coin was grate as undergraduate student, I could handle the physical fitness aspect no worries, but the whole environment was completely foreign and hostile to my personality, so I left in much shorter time than he did.

    We knew the risks when we drafted him and too it regardless, no doubt because we were attracted to the talent he showed.  He had a crack, it still didn't work out with us, so I have no hard feelings.  I'm not sure that he was contracted next year anyway and/or if he would have been kept on the list, but at least he did it before final list lodgement unlike Lumumba did to us a few years back anouncing his retirement in the offseason.

    Yeah went to ADFA too, loved the military stuff, couldn’t handle the other rubbish so left!

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    1 hour ago, Hell Bent said:

    He`s a young man dealing with mental health issues which have probably had a fair bit to do with his decision. There is far more to life than footy.

    I`d say your post is a poor effort in my book.

    Maybe he should have cut ties earlier then. 

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