I feel sorry for BBB that he had to have surgery and now another lengthy rehab but I wasn’t counting on Benny playing any role for us at AFL level this year. Would have been good for him to kick a bag for Casey and help develop Jefferson and maybe just maybe get fit enough to help cover for injuries.

2 hours ago, BDA said:

Whatever's happens, we'll always have 2021. BB was fantastic in the finals series.

I will never forget…. Possibly because I’ve watched every match 7,000 times.

Likely a full knee replacement in the next  few years. That knee is bone on bone.

1 hour ago, Little Goffy said:

No, I can't quite find a bright side.

The bright side is he is a great bloke to have around 2 young key forwards (important to our future) and now he has a lot more time to focus on helping them instead of worrying about himself

That would be a good outcome a bit like Jake Melksham from all the reports he is doing some serious coaching from the sidelines.

It’s a shame for Ben and the club, but I never had him in the seniors this season.

Petty and JVR are our key forwards, the mystery is more so around the third tall / ruck chop out. Fullerton was drafted for this role, and Schache is there for competition. 

Even in the twos we are stacked with tall forwards. I have Jefferson, Tmac and Schache in that team. 

My sense is that Brown is a great clubman and is getting involved in coaching roles. I also think he wants to get his full contract as might be the last year he ever earns such a big salary. His spot on the list this year is going towards the value he can add off the field - with a bonus element of being a very good option if we get into injury trouble.

 

26 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

The bright side is he is a great bloke to have around 2 young key forwards (important to our future) and now he has a lot more time to focus on helping them instead of worrying about himself

Look, I have a huge soft spot for Benny B and love the way he conducts himself off field especially with his work within the community (nominated for Jim Stynes award). 

From an on field perspective, I wish he retired on his own terms last year and I know that there was certainly talk between the club and his management. I get that he is contracted for another year, but I'm sure the club and Brown would have come up with an agreement on a settlement deal for a payout on his last contract (very common in today's AFL caper).

I'm just amazed Brown did not see the writing on the wall with his body constantly breaking down due to his knees.

It was a sad sight in his last game against the Crows last year where he hobbled around like a guy with a 60 year body who could barely bend over and pick up the footy. He was getting the bronx cheers all day until he got subbed off. I thought by then that was the last we'd had seen from him.

I have now lost count the amount of knee surgeries he has had since he has been at the footy club. Not only that, he hasn't played a full AFL season since 2019 which was 5 years ago..

I just wondered whether had he retired, that would have given us a great opportunity to use that list spot on another developing tall forward or another developing/mature ruck. Right now, I would have been happy having a young key tall developing away at Casey playing games and gaining some quality experience then a guy that's going to be on the injury list for probably half the year. 

I also understand that there is the off field perspective in helping out, but we honestly have enough senior heads in that position to do that lead by Greg Stafford and then followed by the likes of Melksham, Petty, McDonald, Gawn, Lever who would be providing just as much support as what Brown would. 

Wishing him all the best in his recovery and at least he goes down as a 2021 premiership hero and life member of the footy club.

Let’s put him in the [censored] ruck!

47 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Look, I have a huge soft spot for Benny B and love the way he conducts himself off field especially with his work within the community (nominated for Jim Stynes award). 

From an on field perspective, I wish he retired on his own terms last year and I know that there was certainly talk between the club and his management. I get that he is contracted for another year, but I'm sure the club and Brown would have come up with an agreement on a settlement deal for a payout on his last contract (very common in today's AFL caper).

I'm just amazed Brown did not see the writing on the wall with his body constantly breaking down due to his knees.

It was a sad sight in his last game against the Crows last year where he hobbled around like a guy with a 60 year body who could barely bend over and pick up the footy. He was getting the bronx cheers all day until he got subbed off. I thought by then that was the last we'd had seen from him.

I have now lost count the amount of knee surgeries he has had since he has been at the footy club. Not only that, he hasn't played a full AFL season since 2019 which was 5 years ago..

I just wondered whether had he retired, that would have given us a great opportunity to use that list spot on another developing tall forward or another developing/mature ruck. Right now, I would have been happy having a young key tall developing away at Casey playing games and gaining some quality experience then a guy that's going to be on the injury list for probably half the year. 

I also understand that there is the off field perspective in helping out, but we honestly have enough senior heads in that position to do that lead by Greg Stafford and then followed by the likes of Melksham, Petty, McDonald, Gawn, Lever who would be providing just as much support as what Brown would. 

Wishing him all the best in his recovery and at least he goes down as a 2021 premiership hero and life member of the footy club.

I don’t disagree. On record here saying I wished both he & TMac had reached an agreement with the club last year to end rather than progress. Just trying to look for some upside…

I think the Village has a new id10t

Edited January 25, 20241 yr by Pennant St Dee

7 hours ago, Jeremy said:

Surely he and club could've done the selfless thing, come to a financial agreement and retired. Who didn't see this coming? Won't play a game this year. Could've used his spot to select JVR's brother in the rookie draft but now he's training with Freo which could turn out a disaster for us, they know what they're doing ...

Relax Jezza

For a guy who's only out for six weeks or so, the reaction on here is pretty extreme! It's only January and BBB could be back playing seniors in round four.

Edited January 25, 20241 yr by dee-tox

12 hours ago, Redleg said:

Plus Fullarton is available, Tom Mac is fit again, Verrall and Jefferson may be improvers, as may the smaller Seston and Schache is break glass.

Disco is another that could be tried up forward if we are desperate.

 

I think Disco up forward is a long straw…

10 hours ago, DeeZone said:

I feel sorry for BBB that he had to have surgery and now another lengthy rehab but I wasn’t counting on Benny playing any role for us at AFL level this year. Would have been good for him to kick a bag for Casey and help develop Jefferson and maybe just maybe get fit enough to help cover for injuries.

Absolutely . This was his role this year, to help our young brigade at Casey. Hopefully he can get right and finish off his career with some games. 

1 hour ago, dee-tox said:

For a guy who's only out for six weeks or so, the reaction on here is pretty extreme! It's only January and BBB could be back playing seniors in round four.

Agree, it’s not like he’s done his ACL.

6 minutes ago, Pipefitter said:

Absolutely . This was his role this year, to help our young brigade at Casey. Hopefully he can get right and finish off his career with some games. 

Agree, probably only miss 2/3 games at Casey, if that.

11 hours ago, Roost it far said:

I can’t believe anyone here actually thought he would play a role this year. Cooked is a massive understatement. Brown, TMac and to a slightly lesser extent Schache are what are commonly referred to as list cloggers. 21 was a long time ago for mine so please don’t roll out the “They helped us a win a flag and deserve…..” Rubbish it’s a business and we’re not playing it hard enough atm. 
Jeez, I really got fired up!!

Um, his training form has been excellent! He still will feature IMO. T Mac though is cooked

7 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Um, his training form has been excellent! He still will feature IMO. T Mac though is cooked

His knees are cooked. If he's featuring it's because we are cooked.

9 hours ago, The Jackson FIX said:

I don’t disagree. On record here saying I wished both he & TMac had reached an agreement with the club last year to end rather than progress. Just trying to look for some upside…

Agreed what possible upside is there carrying to crocks when we could be developing for the future

Edited January 25, 20241 yr by Kent

43 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Um, his training form has been excellent! He still will feature IMO. T Mac though is cooked

Unlike Tmac who's actually been training pretty strongly this pre season without any hiccups, Brown has spent majority of the time in rehab.. especially after christmas where he hasnt joined in any full training, that's even going off your own training reports as well. 

Not sure whether thats just your bias getting the better of you and I've certainly haven't been a fan of Tmacs form over the past few years, based on training form and durability, McDonald has been excellent where as Brown has struggled.

15 hours ago, Hellaintabadplacetobe said:

Feel for the bloke, we've likely seen his last game.

You may be correct.

But gee I do admire his fortitude.

Though Im not sure if it's at all realistic to expect to see him or Tom play. At least in the ones.

I'm sure the club knows much more than me and I hope I'm wrong but it seems like the writing was on the wall for both of these blokes two years ago.

They are both part of why our fwd lines didn't deliver in the last four home finals.

I know they played injured but I don't get why the club hasn't done more in 24 months to find replacements for them both.

Not a few have said that anything we get from them is a bonus but it should not be that way.

For me, our fwd tall stocks are an issue and the biggest worry to me this year.

Petty seems injury prone and Schache never seems to get a game.

I know this sounds very negative and I'm sorry if it is but am I wrong about not finding at least one more tall?

Has Tommo ever played forward?

Edit....I've read some reviews of Tmac training and moving well so I may well be wrong about him. It's some good news.

Edited January 25, 20241 yr by leave it to deever

13 hours ago, Roost it far said:

I can’t believe anyone here actually thought he would play a role this year. Cooked is a massive understatement. Brown, TMac and to a slightly lesser extent Schache are what are commonly referred to as list cloggers. 21 was a long time ago for mine so please don’t roll out the “They helped us a win a flag and deserve…..” Rubbish it’s a business and we’re not playing it hard enough atm. 
Jeez, I really got fired up!!

Yes, it's a business. And in business you have contracts. We signed Brown up knowing about his knee history. We also don't know what money (if anything) Brown may have foregone in his first few years in order to get a longer contract or to help the club manage its salary cap. In short, the club entered into this contract knowing full well what the terms were and that he would be on our list until the end of it, come what may. 

16 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Yes, it's a business. And in business you have contracts. We signed Brown up knowing about his knee history. We also don't know what money (if anything) Brown may have foregone in his first few years in order to get a longer contract or to help the club manage its salary cap. In short, the club entered into this contract knowing full well what the terms were and that he would be on our list until the end of it, come what may. 

You are likely correct. It however remains frustrating watching 2 talls clog our list for the last 2 seasons and now we're going to watch it again. 

Having contracted players who are past their prime is part of professional sports.  Numerous examples are now being seen where a player (or players) are given an extra year or 2 in order to keep those players 

Or if a club wants to secure players in trades where offering an extra year or 2 is needed in order to acquire those players

We're seeing more and more top players signing long term deals and even average players getting longer contracts

And that type of list management is going to continue especially if we see more player movement between clubs

So what that means is that in any given year, a club might have 3+ players who end up being depth only.  Getting the timing perfect is wishful thinking

The AFL is catching up with the rest of the world with regards to list management

But if it's right across the board, across all the clubs, then no club is at a real disadvantage

So gone are the days where every single list position is a productive one.  It stands to reason that type of position just can't happen

And players are not going to walk away from large amounts of money.  You're a long time retired

A way to alleviate the issue is to front end contracts but that's not always possible due to salary cap constraints (in any given year)

In a nutshell, having players such as Brown & T-Mac as depth players was always a possible likelyhood.  The upside is that we have a couple of experienced wise-heads around to help the young blokes coming through

All very reasonable Macca

But these two are now hanging around for year 3

Surely there is a limit