I do not know the inner scene, inner circumstances , context at the human-human level - that I 100% concede.Saintmatt wrote: ↑Wed 17 Nov 2021 3:08pmI think you are a lot unhinged on this topic. So, a player who has a single year contract - signed pre-pandemic - decides to not honor that contract mid-season because he didn't sign up for a bubble stay and was needed back in Melbourne by his family and had no intention of playing for the club the year after. Yeah?shanegrambeau wrote: ↑Wed 17 Nov 2021 2:49pmI am 100% serious…and disgusted. (Based on what I know….)Saintmatt wrote: ↑Wed 17 Nov 2021 2:36pmWhat? Nathan Brown? FFS mate. Brown was going to retire at year's end anyway. The club literally had no hold over him to keep him - Nathan leaving was on Nathan; not the club. No one signed up for however many unknown months away from home. Seriouslyshanegrambeau wrote: ↑Wed 17 Nov 2021 12:55pmMnn..I had supposed he was in out top five or ten players for a while.Saintmatt wrote: ↑Wed 17 Nov 2021 11:50amPurely in a playing sense? A pass. He certainly made our backline better. First year was pretty good and then tailed off from there - 66 games over 5 seasons shows that. Clearly cruelled by a debilitating back injury.
As a trade though - Carlisle and the pick that turned into Jade Gresham for our pick 5 (which the Bummers used on Aaron Francis and no, they already had the pick they used on Parish) means that we won that trade so, not all was lost.
Now to get some return from Gresham for the remainder of his career to make it truly a win for us
Massively disappointed he left us last year like that, but more disgusted they let his back-up walk away mid season.
Not by Nathan Brown…I don’t blame him…if the club is so soft and weak…and let him…who had signed a contract to be a backup big defender for one year…
He was supposed to be ready and waiting.
He was gone.
We had no back up.
One year contract..pissed, gomesky
We were NOT competitive….we will NEVER and competitive.,like this..
And so, without the threat of being delisted at years-end - you somehow think a club (any club; not just ours) would be able to not only imprison that player in Qld and then make them pull on the boots? And somehow you blame the club; and not the player for that? What did you expect the club to do? Chain Nathan to the team hotel in Qld and let him off the leash on match days?
In comparison - have you any idea of the number of professional cricketers who've broken T20 contracts midway through over the last 18 months because they couldn't bubble?
FMD. Have yourself a lie-down
And every case is different, every human is unique, yes.
And the Corona pandemic ...I won't even attempt to pretend I know..
BUt...I will say this...
We will NEVER be competitive like this...if you are perfectly happy remaining a one flag club on the brink of folding/transfer, given crappy fixtures, China games etc. I would suggest this is an excellent way to carry on.
You don't sign someone for a year as a gift....because they are a 'good bloke'...
You don't let people walk mid-contract ...because they have been a 'fine servant'...
You don't sign anyone one as a back-up and pat them on the back when they jump ship because they are 'solid as oak'...and all that crap.
You sign on to BE A TEAM PLAYER..! To STICK FAT with through thick and thin...
Yes, we are weak...and what a signal it sends to the rest of the mob...
a) We understand you can't always be brothers in arms
b) It is OK to drop out of the team if you like
Sorry, I am 100% on this one...based on what I know..calling it as I see it...same for Seb Ross....look at the way Melbourne handled their players this year...