Rare Hamill Interview- a Blue :(

[Moods]

If his knee was any good when Ross stamped his papers he would have returned through another club…

Spot on. He took a fair slice of the salary cap for the last 4 of his 5 year backended contract, with very little return. Thomas made some poor and short-sighted decisions that the club paid for dearly by giving some players long contracts when there were worrying signs with their bodies. He gave Hamill a 5 year contract and Luke Penny a 3 year contract. Penny didn't get through his first year.

Classic case of money can't buy you happiness I reckon.

These GWS and GC players would do well to listen to Hamill. He seems 'stuck' unsure what his identity is. If he wants to be considered a Carlton player, why did he fu.k off from there in the first place? He's wealthy now, but you can't buy respect. Harvey, Loewe, Burke and numerous others would walk through the doors at Seaford knowing they have the respect of the whole room and are always welcome. Sammy should feel like that too, and is disappointing to say the least that it appears he is bitter.

[barks4eva]

Thomas made some poor and short-sighted decisions that the club paid for dearly by giving some players long contracts when there were worrying signs with their bodies. He gave Hamill a 5 year contract and Luke Penny a 3 year contract. Penny didn't get through his first year.

Genius Thomas gave Penny and Hamill five year contracts, both were cactus after one.

The payouts cost the club way over half a million dollars.

Seriously Thomas could not have ****** up anymore had his sole intention been to sabotage the club.

[skeptic]

my there are some tough critics here

I don't think it's unreasonable for Hamil to have some bitter feelings about his exit... he wanted to give it a shot... AFL was his dream and he was forced out... rightly or wrongly doesn't matter
He was a great, loyal Saints soldier and gave a lot to this club and IMO was instrumental in our turn around. I wouldn't blame him for feeling a bit entitled to 1 last shot.

As for the Carlton thing... I think he was a made Carlton fan as a kid and they awarded a famous jumper number to him... sticks I think... Elliot forced him out and the fans dug the boots in. IMO he was shafted quite poorly

[dragit]

Aaron Hamil - 2 Weeks

[desertsaint]

my there are some tough critics here

I don't think it's unreasonable for Hamil to have some bitter feelings about his exit... he wanted to give it a shot... AFL was his dream and he was forced out... rightly or wrongly doesn't matter
He was a great, loyal Saints soldier and gave a lot to this club and IMO was instrumental in our turn around. I wouldn't blame him for feeling a bit entitled to 1 last shot.

As for the Carlton thing... I think he was a made Carlton fan as a kid and they awarded a famous jumper number to him... sticks I think... Elliot forced him out and the fans dug the boots in. IMO he was shafted quite poorly

saved me a bit of writing.
very tough critics on here.

[Sainternist]

A shame that injury forced him out so early...

A shame? It was a bloody tragedy! Cost us flags. He plays '04 PF or '05 PF or in 2006, and we win flag No.2 at least. Alas, not to be.

Without doubt, our 2004 team was our best, closely followed by 2005. It just goes to show the quality of our current coach that 2009 and 2010 (even more so) made GFs.

+1

[Moods]

A shame that injury forced him out so early...

A shame? It was a bloody tragedy! Cost us flags. He plays '04 PF or '05 PF or in 2006, and we win flag No.2 at least. Alas, not to be.

Without doubt, our 2004 team was our best, closely followed by 2005. It just goes to show the quality of our current coach that 2009 and 2010 (even more so) made GFs.

+1

Disagree - we were never going to win it in 04. we weren't ready. 05 however (still shakes head)

Will there ever be a better opportunity? All we had to do was beat two teams who had both lost 6 and 7 games during the year. Sydney and WC wouldn't have got within 10 goals of the cats and pies of 09 and 10. WE fluffed it! With a full team in 05 we were awesome. Gehrig at FF, Roo at CHF Hamill floating as the PERFECT 3rd tall. Lenny and Dal and harves charging through the middle. Maxy and goose in the back half. Kosi the perfect ruck/fwd well before his time.

Still can't believe we lost that prelim. Still can't believe we mismanaged our players so poorly that half the team had soft tissue injuries either going into the finals or during the finals. Refuse to believe it was just bad luck.

[SuperSaint]

my there are some tough critics here

I don't think it's unreasonable for Hamil to have some bitter feelings about his exit... he wanted to give it a shot... AFL was his dream and he was forced out... rightly or wrongly doesn't matter

Yes he was forced out because his body could no longer cope however St.Kilda couldn't have given him anymore chances to get right, especially as one of the highest paid players on our list while he was there. Remember, like Ward with GWS, it was his decision to leave the Blues because he wanted a lot more money than what Carlton was prepared to pay him.
How many more chances could St.Kilda give him?? He didn't play in our 2004 Finals Series because of his injuries, had an interrupted 2005, played in the first Qualifying Final in Adelaide in 2005 when Harvs had a blinder and then couldn't come again against the Swans in the Prelim after a week's rest. Had another interrupted season in 2006, hardly played all of 2007 after further surgery twice that year and he expected another year in 2008 on his massive salary??
He was courageous and played hard but unfortunately his output in terms of the large sum of money the club paid him was poor for 4 of those 5 years Thomas got the club to sign him up for.
As another poster noted, if he felt he should have been given another year on our list, he could have played elsewhere. The reality was Hamil was finished within 2 years of that costly 5 year contract.
A lesser profile player wouldn't have got the windfall Hamill received or the time he was allowed to come good. His bitterness should be directed at his body failing him but he should also consider himself so fortunate that the money he commanded was more than enough to easily retire on, in an era where player salaries continue to get greedier than ever. What would poor hard nuts of the past who retired on "peanuts" money say. Hamill was no harder player than Dean Greig or Greg Burns (to name two) and both these guys would have finished up their careers with a fraction of Hamill's final year payout. Dean Greig also finished up with having half his foot amputated.

[SENsei]

Half his foot? Think your definition of half needs improvement.

Nothing from just below the knee down.

[SuperSaint]

Half his foot? Think your definition of half needs improvement.

Nothing from just below the knee down.

My apologies and I stand corrected here. Last time I saw him it did not seem that his whole lower leg had been removed. A wonder person Greigy, was the postie at Monash Uni before he became a regular on the saints list in the early 90's.

[starsign]

my there are some tough critics here

I don't think it's unreasonable for Hamil to have some bitter feelings about his exit... he wanted to give it a shot... AFL was his dream and he was forced out... rightly or wrongly doesn't matter

Yes he was forced out because his body could no longer cope however St.Kilda couldn't have given him anymore chances to get right, especially as one of the highest paid players on our list while he was there. Remember, like Ward with GWS, it was his decision to leave the Blues because he wanted a lot more money than what Carlton was prepared to pay him.
How many more chances could St.Kilda give him?? He didn't play in our 2004 Finals Series because of his injuries, had an interrupted 2005, played in the first Qualifying Final in Adelaide in 2005 when Harvs had a blinder and then couldn't come again against the Swans in the Prelim after a week's rest. Had another interrupted season in 2006, hardly played all of 2007 after further surgery twice that year and he expected another year in 2008 on his massive salary??
He was courageous and played hard but unfortunately his output in terms of the large sum of money the club paid him was poor for 4 of those 5 years Thomas got the club to sign him up for.
As another poster noted, if he felt he should have been given another year on our list, he could have played elsewhere. The reality was Hamil was finished within 2 years of that costly 5 year contract.
A lesser profile player wouldn't have got the windfall Hamill received or the time he was allowed to come good. His bitterness should be directed at his body failing him but he should also consider himself so fortunate that the money he commanded was more than enough to easily retire on, in an era where player salaries continue to get greedier than ever. What would poor hard nuts of the past who retired on "peanuts" money say. Hamill was no harder player than Dean Greig or Greg Burns (to name two) and both these guys would have finished up their careers with a fraction of Hamill's final year payout. Dean Greig also finished up with having half his foot amputated.[/quote

+1... can't say the Club itself wasn't too weak in the washup and $ammy did OK!

[Megsie]

SOOK !!!!!!

[SENsei]

Half his foot? Think your definition of half needs improvement.

Nothing from just below the knee down.

My apologies and I stand corrected here. Last time I saw him it did not seem that his whole lower leg had been removed. A wonder person Greigy, was the postie at Monash Uni before he became a regular on the saints list in the early 90's.

Top bloke with his faults as we all have. Likes tough footy. And I wouldn't want to get into a fight with him!! Great bloke to have a beer with a talk about his love for Raph Clarke....

[Dr Spaceman]

Half his foot? Think your definition of half needs improvement.

Nothing from just below the knee down.

My apologies and I stand corrected here. Last time I saw him it did not seem that his whole lower leg had been removed. A wonder person Greigy, was the postie at Monash Uni before he became a regular on the saints list in the early 90's.

Top bloke with his faults as we all have. Likes tough footy. And I wouldn't want to get into a fight with him!! Great bloke to have a beer with a talk about his love for Raph Clarke....

You forgot:

:sarcasm:


PS: Don't mention Zac either

[saintkid]

We spoke to Tom Hafey a little while back and he referred to Hamill as 'money bags'. Was a big wrap for Lenny Hayes as a player, which we all know anyway.

Gave the old man a bit of a lift as he's been quite heartbroken since Lenny did his knee.