Farewell Alex Neal-Bullen

[praha 11,240]

7 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Have you had a baby? 
Knowing you are having a baby and actually having a baby is very different. 
Maybe his wife is struggling, maybe the baby is not well, maybe he has sick family. Life happens and football is still a career for these guys. 

The timing only sucks because it gives everyone another reason to pile on the club. 
He is contracted and if we don’t want him to go, we won’t let him go. But given he’s been such an amazing clubman, if his reasons are genuine, and there is no reason to believe otherwise, I’m sure the club will accommodate his request. 

And for those who thinks he won’t get us much, are kidding themselves. He’s highly regarded by those who actually understand the game. Port could fix one of their biggest issues with him, which is their flaky defensive efforts!

I don't disagree. I have two kids. Like I said i am sure his reason is genuine. I just can't escape the timing of it all. 

[Kiss of Death 755]

This sucks. 

if it was always his intention to depart since the start of the year, well he has been playing out of his skin and he is going to give us the best value for money in a trade we could get. 

if it wasn’t, which I feel would be the truth here (hopefully not an ill family member or the baby) then he’s still a premiership hero who helped us win it all a couple of years ago.

Bloke always came across as honest and loyal, no matter whether he was the whipping boy of the week 

[layzie 33,793]

4 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

This is some A-grade rubbish from you. 

Firstly, the article explicitly says he requested a trade weeks ago. Not this week. 

Secondly, there is no report or suggestion thatViney or Trac have requested trades. 

Thirdly, you either don’t have kids or have had a charmed run. But the suggestion that you can plan for kids and map it all out and it all goes to that plan is misguided and honestly, to those of us who do have kids, offensive. Who are you to judge him or his partner or his child on what is working for them?

Take your disappointment and vent it somewhere else. 

The more pertinent question is why was it leaked this week.

That's what I'd like to know...

Edited August 13 by layzie

[titan_uranus 24,992]

Just now, praha said:

I don't disagree. I have two kids. Like I said i am sure his reason is genuine. I just can't escape the timing of it all. 

The timing reeks of a leaky club, more than anything. 

That’s what concerns me. Why are we leaking again after years of seemingly not?

[praha 11,240]

5 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

 It came out today as the result of a leak. 

Phew well that puts me at ease.

[DemonOX 8,791]

Geez the hits keep coming. 

Another punch in the balls. 

[Ollie fan 3,370]

9 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Have you had a baby? 
Knowing you are having a baby and actually having a baby is very different. 
Maybe his wife is struggling, maybe the baby is not well, maybe he has sick family. Life happens and football is still a career for these guys. 

The timing only sucks because it gives everyone another reason to pile on the club. 
He is contracted and if we don’t want him to go, we won’t let him go. But given he’s been such an amazing clubman, if his reasons are genuine, and there is no reason to believe otherwise, I’m sure the club will accommodate his request. 

And for those who thinks he won’t get us much, are kidding themselves. He’s highly regarded by those who actually understand the game. Port could fix one of their biggest issues with him, which is their flaky defensive efforts!

Agree with all of this.

 

I'm watching the replay right now, and Chandler is probably the man to play Nibbler's role.

 

 Don't want Houston though- he us not what we need.

[BDA 22,742]

huge tank and huge heart. Gave his all for the cause. Smashing bloke by all accounts. I wish him the very best. I think his attributes really suited our system. Will be interesting to see how in goes in another team.

Like many on our list he is not skilled enough by foot. If we could swap him for Houston i think it would be a net positive. 

[Smokey 4,389]

Just now, layzie said:

The more pertinent question is why was it leaked this week.

That's what I'd like to know.

Because player agents strategically leak stuff like this all the time. They don’t give a stuff about the club, all they care about is getting the best possible contract for the player. 

[titan_uranus 24,992]

1 minute ago, layzie said:

The more pertinent question is why was it leaked this week.

That's what I'd like to know.

Snap.

[Gawndy the Great 9,011]

3 minutes ago, Smokey said:

These are the sorts of pea-brained takes that have been increasing on this forum for some time. 
 

Just remembered I can ignore accounts here. Wonderful. 

No one is stopping you champ. 

[praha 11,240]

Just now, titan_uranus said:

The timing reeks of a leaky club, more than anything. 

That’s what concerns me. Why are we leaking again after years of seemingly not?

Well yes that's the point I was (probably) trying to make. I am battling daycare sick and piled with original codral so forgive my crypticness. If it's mistaken for hyperbole it's because it is. But I should be clearer in my hysteria. 

[OhMyDees 1,834]

Seems like these tools sat on their leak and waited for Tom Morris to be proud of himself with the Trac ‘story’ before launching for maximum damage.

The media are a pack of [censored].

[BLWNBA 1,002]

8 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

Have you had a baby? 
Knowing you are having a baby and actually having a baby is very different. 
Maybe his wife is struggling, maybe the baby is not well, maybe he has sick family. Life happens and football is still a career for these guys. 

The timing only sucks because it gives everyone another reason to pile on the club. 
He is contracted and if we don’t want him to go, we won’t let him go. But given he’s been such an amazing clubman, if his reasons are genuine, and there is no reason to believe otherwise, I’m sure the club will accommodate his request. 

And for those who thinks he won’t get us much, are kidding themselves. He’s highly regarded by those who actually understand the game. Port could fix one of their biggest issues with him, which is their flaky defensive efforts!

I know we often don’t agree on things, and have very opposing viewpoints on the coach, but you are 100% on the money. 
 

One thing that fatherhood has taught me is to never, ever judge what other parents may be going through and it makes me so angry when people call out other parents with newborns for ‘weak’ etc. 

People underestimate just how difficult it is being interstate with no support, especially for a first time parent. My wife and I did this, and we’re getting through it, but it’s nowhere near as easy people make out (for the majority) and I challenge anyone to attempt it and see for themselves. 

[Rednblueriseing 824]

One of my favourites, will definitely be missed. looks like the club need to bring up the next generation now, gotta be a first round pick for a player in his prime...

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

Interesting to see what are the issues at the club if it’s not for family reasons 

It IS for family reasons!!!

 I know it would please some on here to add this to the we’re [censored] file, so I’m sorry to disappoint:

It’s been a consideration of his family for months.

It only came out today because of a leak to the media.

Please try to get this through your head. 

[binman 42,883]

2 minutes ago, praha said:

I don't disagree. I have two kids. Like I said i am sure his reason is genuine. I just can't escape the timing of it all. 

We can thank the media's strategy of creating a dramatic "(insert club here) is in chaos" narrative to drive clicks and advertising revenue for that.

[dazzledavey36 54,841]

Devastated. One of my favourites. 

I hope the footy club do the honourable thing and release him. A real club legend and will always go down a premiership hero.

He's just had a new bub and any new parent would understand how difficult parenting can be when you've got no family support which in this case Nibbler and his wife wouldn't down here in Melbourne. 

Your whole life perspective change the moment you become a father.

Moving forward I think this now open up opportunity for the like of Laurie and say a Kynan Brown to really step up next year and take his spot that will be vacant.

He's best 22 so I think an early 2nd round pick would be a suitable trade.

[Graeme Yeats' Mullet 6,775]

Now I'm worried

[bing181 9,218]

7 minutes ago, praha said:

I don't disagree. I have two kids. Like I said i am sure his reason is genuine. I just can't escape the timing of it all. 

What timing? It's effectively the end of the season, when was he supposed to ask?

[Queanbeyan Demon 6,843]

For goodness sake - I love Nibbler for all the reasons others have noted. But let's be realistic, there are dozens of players in the comp that can do what he does. It's not like we are loosing Vines or Trac for instance. 

[Smokey 4,389]

Always loved ANB, I wish him all the best in fatherhood and his future footy club. He will be hard to replace for his gut running and defensive pressure. The club absolutely should do the right thing by him and let him go, regardless of what we get in return. Premiership players deserve that respect. 

On the other hand, he's always been a butcher of the ball so the bright side is we'll have one less of those types on the list. 

[daisycutter 29,613]

30 minutes ago, smurf said:

So our starting midfield next season is Sparrow, Rivers & Laurie.

give yourself an uppercut and you've got the quadrella 🤕

[DeeSpencer 25,671]

2 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

For goodness sake - I love Nibbler for all the reasons others have noted. But let's be realistic, there are dozens of players in the comp that can do what he does. It's not like we are loosing Vines or Trac for instance. 

Not many can do it as well especially in their prime and good teams need them.

GWS took years to find Bedford and steal him from us for example.

[picket fence 17,136]

15 minutes ago, Wrecker46 said:

I can cop Petracca and Oliver noise. But this is different. 

We have a problem.

YEP BIG TIME