hemingway

Sadly contracts have become meaningless. Players can ask for a trade and clubs are prepared to trade players if the price is right. Yeah I am old fashioned and at heart a loyalist. The wheeling and dealing is eating away at the fabric of the game. It’s been part of the game for a long time but the creep towards an NFL or European league soccer scenario seems to gather pace each year. I accept this is the modern game yet I find it dispiriting and hollow. The players are like prostitutes and the clubs like pimps. Every time I hear of losing a player to another club as a result of a trade, I feel disappointed, sometimes sad, and a little hollow inside. For me, it’s the ugly side of the professional, business, money driven direction of footy. There are also so many leaches that benefit from this money ball circus. The AFL itself, the footy media some of whom are below contempt, player agents and managers etc etc. So many people seeking their pound of flesh. Despite the sell out during the finals and granny, and all the self promotion and acclimation by the AFL, more and more people are being turned off the game. Supporters still support their side but there is an erosion of the fanatical and passionate loyalties that existed in previous generations. The term “foreign legion” goes back as far as 1933 when the term was used to describe the South Melbourne side. So it’s not new but the extent of trading has grown exponentially. Increasingly, contracts are broken or renegotiated if a player or a club decide on a move. Do we accept this as part of the modern game, the world of professional sport and “entertainment” or should there be some attempt to reign in the trading circus with financial penalties from breaching a contract as there is in some many other spheres of life ? Sadly, attitudes have changed. One of the most sickening aspect is the way so called supporters literally salivate at the prospect of pinching a top player from another club or when a player leaves to go to another club the player becomes a source of ridicule and criticism. The vice captain of the Pies or a Premiership player with the Demons are criticised for their skills or lack of them. The whole show is a reflection of the disease so prevalent in the imploding capitalist society where values and standards are replaced by greed and self interest.

Yep agree. AFL had the opportunity to make a stand and they squibbed it. Unforgivable. We will remember this cowardice for a long time. And the repercussions for Angus may well last a lifetime.

Whatever the machinations with this deal making, one question. Who the hell is our backup if Max goes down?

That makes sense.

Reasonable comments Wells. What worries me the most is to see the young talent and progress of the other clubs particularly those in the top half. There is serious talent out there characterised by pace, skill and energy. Characteristics that we have lacked this year. The clubs that are ahead of us all appear to have better young talent than we do. And young talent on the rise. We need new blood. So our drafting, development and blooding of youth will be key. Despite our resilience, at times we have lacked energy and flair. We look like the team that has climbed the mountain rather than a team that is desperate for another flag. We have looked stale not fresh. So 2024 is going to a challenging season, one critical to our progress and the recognition that we are one of the top clubs.

Langdon was a disaster, a total liability.

Agreed the list has been overrated. We had players tonight who aren’t that good.

Good for you. Pathetic.

Certainly looked like it from where I was sitting. He pulled up with a slight limp. Does not appear to move freely.

Rivers is a gun. He has desire, guts, skill, speed and intuition (a great ability to read the game). One of our most valuable players and not far off the likes of Petracca, Oliver and Max.

Heartfelt sympathy to you and the squad. Take care.

Well done in taking your 2 year but it is an important part of his development to understand structures in front and behind the ball. For goodness sake Adam what were you thinking of.

An excellent book. It put so much of this period into context. Essential reading for any supporter wanting to get a better understanding of this period from the 1970s through to the 2000s. I thought I knew it all, but the book provided information that I was unaware of, had forgotten, or for which I had scanty knowledge. It’s a reminder to never forget the past as it teaches us so many lessons for current and future times.

The much recommended book Between The Flags by Ian Munro provides many examples of the wheeling and dealing of recruiters during the 70s and 80s.

Exactly. We had years of suffering at their hands excluding that magnificent day in Sept 87 when we got some retribution. But please no sympathy for the underdogs. North’s glory years were built on their opportunistic recruiting with the short lived 10 year rule and subsequent ruthless recruiting methods interstate and country. They don’t deserve any favours.

A great player. However, his retirement is overdue. Later years we have witnessed a great player succumbing to the law of diminishing returns. His individual value and his value to the team has declined. Indeed, I think the game plan and development of the team has not been helped with his presence and regular absences with chronic injury. In the old days he would be long gone. But the inducement to keep playing has been influenced by money and marketing revenue. Yes, a great player whose value has diminished significantly over recent years. His best years were his Hawthorn years but now a fading memory.

We seem so slow. No dare or run. By the time they move the pill forward, Saints have us covered. We look so ordinary to say the least.

Minimal effort from Kozzie. So disappointing.

Binners my attention span is sagging under the weight of words. No chance of an executive summary that I can read before I die or before the game.

Cox, what an embarrassment. Mate, you don’t have it.

Performing for his family. Second rate.

Wow fantastic analysis Adam, when I read your stuff I learn something or a lot.

He’s dump plain dump along with many on the AFL caravan

It’s interesting looking back on these incidents. I enjoy listening to the commentary more than the incidents. Jack Edwards, Peter McKenna etc. Looking back we remember the king hits etc but also what went on as part of general play that was accepted and did not involve reports. The head high punches, elbows, and shirt fronts that went on in general play. Players softened one another up week in week out. There were always players that escaped being targeted. As a kid I remember John Peck the Hawks full forward would soften up every opponent with the exception of Tassie Johnson and Wes Lofts because they were two full backs that were not to be trifled with. There was almost a mutual respect between Peck and these two. Tassie would be remembered as a fair player but he had the cold hard stare of an executioner.

Our own Rodney Balls Grinter would be disappointed.