Why BJ left St.Kilda: Facts

[gringo]

I assume part of the deal was that Essendon agreed to pay his citylink account?

As for comparing this scenario with the Ball one I don't recall BJ (or anyone from his management or family) publicly bagging the Saints.
So whilst I believe that money was the driving force for both decisions I much prefer the way BJ went about it

There are some rumours surrounding tolls or is that Toll?

[saint66au]

I dont recall club or players publicly bagging goddard
I just hope that someone from the saints tries to drive his knee through goddards' head when he is lying on the ground
karma

Why is it karma?? Did BJ go out of his way to hurt one of his teammates at StKilda??

I hope we thrash the Bombers when we play them but I have no wish to see one of our blokes applying cheap shots to BJ at the bottom of a pack

[The Craw]

fact .... Essendons new facility is not at Essendon Feilds its in Tullamarine.

Not only is it on the doorstep of Tullamarine airport, it is almost right next to the Tullamarine Freeway.

They have gone from Windy hill, to gale force fields.

If I had a choice between to the 2 is would be Seaford any day.

[sunsaint]

I hope we thrash the Bombers when we play them but I have no wish to see one of our blokes applying cheap shots to BJ at the bottom of a pack

thats exactly what he did to Ball

[Mr Magic]

I assume part of the deal was that Essendon agreed to pay his citylink account?

As for comparing this scenario with the Ball one I don't recall BJ (or anyone from his management or family) publicly bagging the Saints.
So whilst I believe that money was the driving force for both decisions I much prefer the way BJ went about it

There are some rumours surrounding tolls or is that Toll?

Both are correct.
He told a group of sponsors (about mid-season) that he was peeved at the Saints because they refused to pay for his tolls going to and from training.

If anybody believes that the 'offer/non-offer' from Toll doesn't exist then they're, IMHO, living in fantasy land.

And, again IMHO, anybody who believes his decision was based primarily on anything other than setting himself up financially for the future probably also believes in the tooth fairy.

Nobody wants be painted as 'greedy' and no Club wants to be painted as securing someone purely for much more money than his existing Club is prepared to pay. Accrdingly 'stories' will be told of:-
better facilities
better opportunities
better commute
better conditioning staff
etc
just to change the public perception.

At least BJ had the decency not to 'bag' the Saints during the whole process.
Like Goose and X.
He left our Club in a dignitied manner.
I will not 'boo' him for making a commercial decision.

[Legendary]

Just passing on what I hear.

And it's not hearsay if the person was a first-hand witness to the conversation (although I guess my re-telling is).

Bombers may also get a little surprise when they do a medical on BJ, but that's what happens when you forget to do your due diligence isn't it Hirdy!?

[saintsRrising]

If the Dons are so much better for player conditioning and the like....why did they have the crappiest injury record in the AFL last year for soft-tissue injuries....which are the ones most preventable????

[SaintPav]

Just passing on what I hear.

And it's not hearsay if the person was a first-hand witness to the conversation (although I guess my re-telling is).

Bombers may also get a little surprise when they do a medical on BJ, but that's what happens when you forget to do your due diligence isn't it Hirdy!?

This could really blow up in their face. It is a huge risk recruiting BJ on this sort of money.

[SainterK]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/ ... fault.aspx

[Dave McNamara]

...At least BJ had the decency not to 'bag' the Saints during the whole process.
Like Goose and X.
He left our Club in a dignitied manner.
I will not 'boo' him for making a commercial decision.

Beautifully put Mr M!

'Dignity' is the key. I believe that we should leave the opposite to any number of those 'other' clubs.

I would of course have loved to have kept BJ, but the reality is that there was no way (that I could see) for us to have done so in a way that was of an overall benefit to the club going forward. BJ's going is a win/win for us and him... with the added bonus of creating several 'issues' for Effn'dum.

Outwardly, BJ's departure was conducted with dignity from both the club and BJ... and I really hope that was also the case 'inwardly'.

So I'm with you Mr M... I won't be booing BJ..., and I'm hoping that we won't be 'too alone' on that one...

... Bombers may also get a little surprise when they do a medical on BJ, but that's what happens when you forget to do your due diligence isn't it Hirdy!?

What?

Ledge', are you seriously suggesting shoddy due diligence from the Bumblers? Did they neglect to get the references from John Quinn and Kevin Sheedy???

Could that be the sound of the karma bus engine idling, ready to pull out of the depot and make a special run out to 'Effn'dum Fields'...?

[SaintPav]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/ ... fault.aspx

they recruited him to play midfield.

[saintsRrising]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/ ... fault.aspx

they recruited him to play midfield.

"He has been recruited to play in the midfield," Hird said.

\\and then in the next line they start to doubt.....

"He is a very versatile player who has been recruited to add another dimension to our team but we think he will play a lot in the midfield."


BJ can play...but midfield is not his best position. Which is not to say he is not good...but he is not an $800K mid.

When players start to determine where they will play...you know things are at an end. Anyone else remember after 97?

We needed a bit of a rebuild...and now we are getting one.

Bleeting after BJ, is just head in the sand stuff.

His going has freed up our salary cap, allowed some good pick ups...and is setting us on the path to go forward again again.

Having the oldest, and salary top heavy list, was only going to get uglier over time.

[White Winmar]

[quote="Legendary"]Just passing on what I hear.

And it's not hearsay if the person was a first-hand witness to the conversation (although I guess my re-telling is).

Bombers may also get a little surprise when they do a medical on BJ, but that's what happens when you forget to do your due diligence isn't it Hirdy!?[/quote]

Would that have something to do with his "pensioner's hip", or is there another ailment?

[Legendary]

Pensioner's hip is pretty close to the money ... the word is that if BJ is still playing in 4 years time, two esteemed Melbourne medical professionals will be knocked over with a feather ...

[SainterK]

Pensioner's hip is pretty close to the money ... the word is that if BJ is still playing in 4 years time, two esteemed Melbourne medical professionals will be knocked over with a feather ...

I just remember similar rumblings when Luke Ball left...

I don't doubt BJ's hip was giving him grief this year, I was consistent in saying that he was not leaping for marks or looking comfortable at times.

I actually hope it's not as bad as is being made out and it eases with time, it was a decent op though...hip flexor surgery or whatever it's called.

[Spinner]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/ ... fault.aspx

I'm not sure why there is a wink next to this article. Do you ave some sort of satisfaction out of it or something...?

[SainterK]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/ ... fault.aspx

I'm not sure why there is a wink next to this article. Do you ave some sort of satisfaction out of it or something...?

I was being cheeky...

I think I'm the only one who believes BJ can play in the midfield, no?

[magnifisaint]

just the facts ma'am just the facts

[gringo]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/ ... fault.aspx

I'm not sure why there is a wink next to this article. Do you ave some sort of satisfaction out of it or something...?

I was being cheeky...

I think I'm the only one who believes BJ can play in the midfield, no?

i think he can play there, just don't think he is most effective there. but hey what do I know I watched Kyle Riemers a couple of times and thought he would make it to a high level.

[Dave McNamara]

Yeah K, like Magnifisaint and Jack said...



Ok, and ignoring those two wise men for a moment... not fact, just an opinion... I reckon BJ is best doing his own thing from half back. He can pinch hit in the middle, up forward (flank or key position)..., pretty much anywhere...

Is that kind of player worth $650K a year, let alone $800K. IMHO..., no way.

Except, and I see this as the catch that pulls at our heartstrings...

BJ post knee surgery till the 2010 GF did all the above sooooo well that he was an exception to the previous statement, was in the top few players in the league... BJ circa 2010, younger, sound hips... was definitely worth $800K...

[desperate saint]

BJ left because of the money,he wanted to stay in Victoria because of his family and his golf>he regularly travels to Northern Tassie to play golf there .
In my humble opinion we offered him maximum dollars any more would have been a slap in the face to the great Lenny (check the 2012 B&F and the brownlow tally)Bummers are welcome to pay the rumored 750K a year for a halfback >good luck with that one!!!

[Harves Man]

Yeah K, like Magnifisaint and Jack said...



Ok, and ignoring those two wise men for a moment... not fact, just an opinion... I reckon BJ is best doing his own thing from half back. He can pinch hit in the middle, up forward (flank or key position)..., pretty much anywhere...

Is that kind of player worth $650K a year, let alone $800K. IMHO..., no way.

Except, and I see this as the catch that pulls at our heartstrings...

BJ post knee surgery till the 2010 GF did all the above sooooo well that he was an exception to the previous statement, was in the top few players in the league... BJ circa 2010, younger, sound hips... was definitely worth $800K...

Hi Dave

I particularly like this post. Not only have you seen the bigger picture, but I also like this as the most concise description of where BJ has been with us over the last few years. Cheers.

[SaintPav]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/ ... fault.aspx

I'm not sure why there is a wink next to this article. Do you ave some sort of satisfaction out of it or something...?

I was being cheeky...

I think I'm the only one who believes BJ can play in the midfield, no?

Yes, he can play midfield but he's not a 750K mid.

SainterK, most of us wanted BJ to stay but not at any cost. Surely you have heard of a term called "value for money"? Keeping BJ was not a value for money proposition at all; not matching the Bombers offer was.

In return, we get Hickey, a late first round draft pick after sanctions as well as freeing up a heap of SC space which will give us some fantastic flexibility to chase what we need in the future.

[saintsRrising]

.....and it is not just value for money....as the salary cap has been choking us the last several seasons, and it imposesa limit on what can be done.

So paying BJ more...would have meant losing other quality players like Dal who are actually more important to us that BJ.

So anyone that wanted to keep BJ needs to nominate which quality StKilda players that they were happy to lose. It was an either /or.....and not both scenario.

Now yes Gram going will have freed up things more, but that was not know during the year.

[ralphsmith]

Chance to play in a premiership?

I have a very strange feeling we will win won before essendon, within 5 years.

I have a feeling this will really bite BJ in the backside.

The forces of karma are oiling the wheel. And it is not always against us. It will turn in our favour soon.