Gazza Gone

mohannair · Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:07am

One more hit for the CATS.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/c ... 5931557032

markp · Post: # 1003806Post **markp** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:09am

Very hard to turn down that sort of coin.

bigred · Post: # 1003807Post **bigred** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:10am

1.9M PER YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS...9.5m all up.

Fkn good on him.

Could not hold it against any player for leaving when offered that much.

wow.

markinUSA · Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:10am

Looks like money talks, Ablett walks.

OneEyedSainter77 · Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:14am

bigred wrote:1.9M PER YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS...9.5m all up.

Fkn good on him.

Could not hold it against any player for leaving when offered that much.

wow.

This. It annoys me how much people judge him for wanting to leave Geelong but you can't honestly tell me if you were offered that kind of money you wouldn't be out of there too.

Ablett had gotten all he can out of Geelong so now is the time to leave.

I'm certainly not holding it against him.

Thinline · Post: # 1003814Post **Thinline** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:15am

What I hear the money was one thing but Bomber being an a-hole made the decision real easy.

markp · Post: # 1003817Post **markp** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:16am

And now we know why his girlfriend went back to him....

bigred · Post: # 1003819Post **bigred** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:18am

What chance did Geelong have of keeping him?!!

We all knew they would throw a heap at him but that is crazy.

If they offered Riewoldt that much and he left I couldn't blame him.

gringo · Post: # 1003822Post **gringo** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:20am

They are going to be surprisingly competitive up at Carrara. Never been as good a start up list in the AFL. If they don't win 4-5 GFs in a row in a few years they would have to be the crappest coaching and development panel ever. They already have a couple of years of the best young talent, all their star grabbing and the best of the delisted talent. Ouch.

saint75 · Post: # 1003823Post **saint75** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:20am

OneEyedSainter77 wrote:
bigred wrote:1.9M PER YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS...9.5m all up.

Fkn good on him.

Could not hold it against any player for leaving when offered that much.

wow.
This. It annoys me how much people judge him for wanting to leave Geelong but you can't honestly tell me if you were offered that kind of money you wouldn't be out of there too.

Ablett had gotten all he can out of Geelong so now is the time to leave.

I'm certainly not holding it against him.

Interesting points of view. Roo knew the money available to him and would have been able to access the same sort of money. How would you feel if he had of accepted an offer like this?

Seriously, Gary Ablett would command a large amount of money if he was to remain at Geelong. Not just from the club but also from outside sources. I suppose it boils down to why he has left. With the perceived turmoil down there, I could possibly understand him leaving a sinking ship. However, I am an old fashioned type of gal and think a greater test is whether loyalty outweighs financial motivations (especially considering he commands a decent 'wage' as it is).

Just glad to see that so far *fingers crossed* our playing group has resisted the temptation to leave for perceived greener pastures. Makes me all the more prouder of them.

Moods · Post: # 1003825Post **Moods** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:25am

I always thought he was greedy if he left the cats - thinking that he would have been nicely remunerated whilst he was there - not to that extent but more than most of us could ever imagine. However an article I read a couple of months ago changed my mind. Ablett was on no more than 250 -300k for the better part of the last 5 years - despite being acknowledged as being at least in the best three players for the last 4 years. When Ablett's management approached the cats for a pay increase the cats refused citing nil room to push his wage up. Now he's been offered up to 6 x his salary after playing at the cats on a wage worthy of a mid rung player at most other clubs - I can see why he has left.

As for Roo leaving for money (regardless of the amount) I would certainly begrudge him. He's getting close to a mill at the saints. Once you start making that sort of money, you don't need 2-3 mill a year to make your occupation worthwhile. He has always been handsomely rewarded, and always been worth it.

saintbrat · Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:51am

Just in case it was doubted

GoldCoastFC Stay tuned, GC SUNS will be making a major announcement today!

Thinline · Post: # 1003860Post **Thinline** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 10:58am

I say take the money.

He's achieved 3 GF's, two flags and a Brownlow (incl three top three B'low finishes) and given the Cats plenty. Cats fans simply cannot complain, esp as they got him father-son. They've had it alright for a while.

He's still young, he can head up a gun list who he can help build towards a flag, reinvent himself in a place that's warm and where he can walk around relatively unnoticed.

Good luck to him. He's an out and out gun.

saintlee · Post: # 1003864Post **saintlee** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 11:04am

Hardly surprising. GC should be reasonable next year...they'd be hoping for a mid-table finish you'd think.

bergholt · Post: # 1003870Post **bergholt** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 11:13am

gringo wrote:They are going to be surprisingly competitive up at Carrara. Never been as good a start up list in the AFL. If they don't win 4-5 GFs in a row in a few years they would have to be the crappest coaching and development panel ever. They already have a couple of years of the best young talent, all their star grabbing and the best of the delisted talent. Ouch.

4-5 GFs in a row? that's a silly comment. i reckon they'll finish 6-10 in their first few years, the same as port did. but it's still a long way from solid mid-table finishes to the premiership. they still won't have the depth of talent that comes from years of development.

saintlee · Post: # 1003873Post **saintlee** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 11:16am

bergholt wrote:
gringo wrote:They are going to be surprisingly competitive up at Carrara. Never been as good a start up list in the AFL. If they don't win 4-5 GFs in a row in a few years they would have to be the crappest coaching and development panel ever. They already have a couple of years of the best young talent, all their star grabbing and the best of the delisted talent. Ouch.
4-5 GFs in a row? that's a silly comment. i reckon they'll finish 6-10 in their first few years, the same as port did. but it's still a long way from solid mid-table finishes to the premiership. they still won't have the depth of talent that comes from years of development.

Thats right, one load of high picks is not going to make them a premiership team. Not every draft pick works out, they will need to build over a number of years.

Thinline · Post: # 1003875Post **Thinline** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 11:20am

It's all about top 4. If they don't give themselves a shot at a premiership by making top 4 for five or six years straight I'd be amazed. 13 of the top 20 draft picks plus the cream of the crop already incl GAB Jr...I'm in no doubt they'll be good sooner and for longer than people think...They've been given too big a leg up IMO. But it is what it is...

Beej · Post: # 1003876Post **Beej** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 11:22am

Thinline wrote:I say take the money.

He's achieved 3 GF's, two flags and a Brownlow (incl three top three B'low finishes) and given the Cats plenty. Cats fans simply cannot complain, esp as they got him father-son. They've had it alright for a while.

He's still young, he can head up a gun list who he can help build towards a flag, reinvent himself in a place that's warm and where he can walk around relatively unnoticed.

Good luck to him. He's an out and out gun.

Agreed.

No other player in the AFL strikes fear through me when they have the footy in space like Gary does.

He'll go down as one of the greatest the game has ever seen.

Little bald genius.

Good luck to him.

saintbrat · Wed 29 Sep 2010 11:51am

SENNEWS Gary Ablett's name has already been removed from Geelong's playing list on the club's website!

DramRunner · Wed 29 Sep 2010 12:06pm

saintbrat wrote:SENNEWS Gary Ablett's name has already been removed from Geelong's playing list on the club's website!

I wonder who was responsible for this, preempting the announcement that is. Maybe a pissed off site maintainer down in Geelong.

lurker#134 · Wed 29 Sep 2010 12:18pm

Beginning of the end for Geelong's reign of terror perhaps?

AnythingsPossibleSaints · Wed 29 Sep 2010 12:25pm

saintlee wrote:
bergholt wrote:
gringo wrote:They are going to be surprisingly competitive up at Carrara. Never been as good a start up list in the AFL. If they don't win 4-5 GFs in a row in a few years they would have to be the crappest coaching and development panel ever. They already have a couple of years of the best young talent, all their star grabbing and the best of the delisted talent. Ouch.
4-5 GFs in a row? that's a silly comment. i reckon they'll finish 6-10 in their first few years, the same as port did. but it's still a long way from solid mid-table finishes to the premiership. they still won't have the depth of talent that comes from years of development.
Thats right, one load of high picks is not going to make them a premiership team. Not every draft pick works out, they will need to build over a number of years.

It's more than one. They get apparently the first 3 and 9 of the first 15 this year and already have a bunch of the best from last year, who have been learning in the VFL. That means they're getting this year's equivalent of Scully, Trengrove and Dustin Martin (how good is that?!!), plus 6 of the next best 12 (unless they've traded the picks). That is serious, serious quality, plus more later in the draft, plus anyone who's uncontracted and goes into the pre-season draft. From memory they also get the first crack at anyone from the NT, which could net them a Michael Long/Liam Jarrah, or two. Plus G Ablett, Bock, Harbrow, Hunt, Krakoeur, Brown, Brennan (supposedly) and probably Andrew Krakouer. They already have a decent AFL quality backline and with those early draft picks will get midfield silk, who can make an immediate impact, as Scully, Trengove and Martin, etc did this year.
Their list will be practically full of "pure class", with G Ablett showing them the way.

Thinline · Post: # 1003945Post **Thinline** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 12:30pm

That's the reality APS. I think a lot of people are overlaying some pretty old fashioned notions on the whole concept. That is 'you can't build Rome in a day.' Fact is though the rules have been so thoroughly compromised to ensure success that Rome, Athens, London and probably Berlin could go up in about five minutes. Good draft this year too.

gringo · Post: # 1003946Post **gringo** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 12:30pm

They have a couple of years development already a couple of drafts of all the best talent, awesome development people. Even if you said the percentage of younger players coming through won't make them competitive necessarily, top 10 picks from 17 and 18 y.o. across the country would mean they will uncover 2 to 3 absolute guns in that lot.

If they can't find them they are crap. They have a decent core with Bock, Ablett, Harbrow etc. added to with some really good kids, give them a few years and they will be awesome.

They should have another team of quality players in the Qafl in a couple of years that allow them to trade up to absolute dominance.

saintlee · Post: # 1003948Post **saintlee** » Wed 29 Sep 2010 12:31pm

AnythingsPossibleSaints wrote: It's more than one. They get apparently the first 3 and 9 of the first 15 this year and already have a bunch of the best from last year, who have been learning in the VFL. That means they're getting this year's equivalent of Scully, Trengrove and Dustin Martin (how good is that?!!), plus 6 of the next best 12 (unless they've traded the picks). That is serious, serious quality, plus more later in the draft, plus anyone who's uncontracted and goes into the pre-season draft. From memory they also get the first crack at anyone from the NT, which could net them a Michael Long or two. Plus G Ablett, Bock, Harbrow, Hunt, Krakoeur, Brown, Brennan (supposedly) and probably Andrew Krakouer. They already have a decent backline and with those early draft picks will get midfield silk, who can make an immediate impact, as Scully, Trengove and Martin, etc did this year.
Their list will be practically full of "pure class", with G Ablett showing them the way.

If the GC can develop them properly and keep them all, they should have plenty of raw talent thats true. Time will tell I guess....