FA and Loyalty- article

[saintbrat]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl ... 6489794623

Free agency has arrived thrusting another dagger in the heart of club loyalty.

It may be a great system for a player's bank balance but it does absolutely nothing for the game or for the millions of fans that turn up rain, hail or shine every week to support their club.

The diehard supporters like those from St Kilda this week are the forgotten casualties of free agency as they sit powerless to watch their favourite sons depart for no other reason than an improved financial status.

Once again it's the rough end of the pineapple for those who ultimately pay for the players to do what they love.

not bad even if written by McDermott.

[whiskers3614]

People who want to preach loalty above financial security need to talk to Joel Smith, Max Hudghton and Jarrod? allen.
Better still try Frank Marchesani much vaunted at Lions returned from end of season trip to be told his new home was Princes park, hadn't even been told earlier let alone ASKED!

[Animal Enclosure]

What have Max & Joel got to do with it?

Allen was treated horrendously by all accounts but I don't understand your point re the other 2.

[whiskers3614]

What have Max & Joel got to do with it?

Allen was treated horrendously by all accounts but I don't understand your point re the other 2.

Wouldn't give Smith a decent contract on the back of broken leg
Wouldn't play Max in a GF because of supposed doubts about his match fitness, contradicting themselves the following year by playing
Baker after he had missed more weeks than Max and wasn't good enough to tie Max's bootlaces.

[suss]

What have Max & Joel got to do with it?

Allen was treated horrendously by all accounts but I don't understand your point re the other 2.

Wouldn't give Smith a decent contract on the back of broken leg
Wouldn't play Max in a GF because of supposed doubts about his match fitness, contradicting themselves the following year by playing
Baker after he had missed more weeks than Max and wasn't good enough to tie Max's bootlaces.

Joel had THE worst knee injury I've seen on a football field - bloody horrific. We offered a contract but Hawthorn offered more. Not sure how we dudded him.

I feel bad for Max but it was a selection thing and we gave him 12 years of employment which is pretty good for footballer. I can't feel to bad there.

[whiskers3614]

What have Max & Joel got to do with it?

Allen was treated horrendously by all accounts but I don't understand your point re the other 2.

Wouldn't give Smith a decent contract on the back of broken leg
Wouldn't play Max in a GF because of supposed doubts about his match fitness, contradicting themselves the following year by playing
Baker after he had missed more weeks than Max and wasn't good enough to tie Max's bootlaces.

Joel had THE worst knee injury I've seen on a football field - bloody horrific. We offered a contract but Hawthorn offered more. Not sure how we dudded him.

I feel bad for Max but it was a selection thing and we gave him 12 years of employment which is pretty good for footballer. I can't feel to bad there.

fair enough point
but nore should a player who leaves a club for potentially more than $1mill extra in Goddards case or game time and respect in ball's be considered a traitor
they both gave us 8?years of heart &soul and owe nothing.

[whiskers3614]

And yes I realise Ball was not free agency move.
Just annoys me that loyalty is demanded by clubs & supporters but players are treated as an expendable resource of the business.

[gringo]

It will effect the AFL long term. It is a good game because the good teams can't stay up for ever. Making it easier for some teams to manipulate the system can't be good for the long term game. It's a unique game with a culture of loyalty over many years- there are exceptions. I just think we are trying to replicate other sports with out thinking what is unique in Aussie rules. NBL, EPL, NFL all are good to watch but i can not watch them for a few years and go back to them because they are a little soulless. Just hope it's not going to damage the fabric of the best game in the world.

[whiskers3614]

Counter argument is that because the free agents will be older (due to length of service requirements) and by definition over paid by their new clubs it may create a revolving door scenario at the top of the ladder.
EG if Hawthorn think that Lake is the last part of the puzzle to winning a flag they have 2 years to do so before both he and some of their current stars are finished.
They will then be faced with a hole in their list left by the player foregone in their efforts to get LAke
Or am I missing something?

[satchmo]

The problem with FA is that the competition is funded by people that are loyal to their club. That loyalty is desperately needed to keep clubs a float.

The FA perspective of "I've given loyal service , now I'm off for some cash" will eventually dilute supporter loyalty, by effectively reducing hope of success (esp. for poorer success starved clubs ie: StKFC). As the AFL becomes more theatre/entertainment than sport, punters will be more willing to chose other forms of entertainment.

[SinCitySainter]

The problem with Free Agency is that not all clubs start on an equal footing.
If it is a choice for a player to go to either Collingwood or Melbourne, the demons would need to offer a much larger salary in the hopes of winning.
It has the potential to create a two-tier competition between the desirables and the undesirables.
Just look at the trades and FA this year.
The big name players are all heading to big and/or successful clubs, BJ to Essendon, Tippett to Sydney and Caddy to the Cats.
On the other hand as the undesirable, we have Tom Lee and are looking at supposedly offering a WC reserve $1m over 3 years and that is not even a Free Agency deal.
We will receive a mid first round draft pick for a former number 1 draft pick who was BOG in a Grand Final and at one stage considered one of the top ten players in the comp.
That is roughly the same deal Collingwood got for Wellingham.
The less glamourous clubs will be bent over and told to like it.

[cwrcyn]

the big problem I see is that club receiving the player doesn't have to cough up anything to secure him. It's a perfect situation for a club that's having a tilt at the flag. Give up nothing and get a star player. Realistically, free agents are primarily going to go to clubs that are at the top end of the ladder, strengthening them further, and it's particularly destructive for bottom clubs who have no bargaining power.

If the club receiving the player had to pay some compensation like a first round draft pick, then we'd see more reasonable outcomes. There's no way Goddard would have ended up at Essendon if the Bombers had to part with their first round pick, and that goes for most of the clubs in the race for his services. FA will cause inflation within AFL ranks, with clubs manipulating their salary caps and approaching players two years before they become free agents.






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[plugger66]

the big problem I see is that club receiving the player doesn't have to cough up anything to secure him. It's a perfect situation for a club that's having a tilt at the flag. Give up nothing and get a star player. Realistically, free agents are primarily going to go to clubs that are at the top end of the ladder, strengthening them further, and it's particularly destructive for bottom clubs who have no bargaining power.

If the club receiving the player had to pay some compensation like a first round draft pick, then we'd see more reasonable outcomes. There's no way Goddard would have ended up at Essendon if the Bombers had to part with their first round pick, and that goes for most of the clubs in the race for his services. FA will cause inflation within AFL ranks, with clubs manipulating their salary caps and approaching players two years before they become free agents.






.

It would be called a trade if you gave up something for FA. In nearly all comps you get nothing for losing a player to FA. I think that should also happen in the AFL. It is just bad luck or bad management. By the way how many clubs have got FA this year that were in the top 8? I think it is only the pies and they got someone who finished in basically the same position as them this year. After a couple of weeks of FA there is no proof the top sides are benefiting.