Cairnsman wrote: ↑Sun 04 Nov 2018 9:58am
rodgerfox wrote: ↑Sun 04 Nov 2018 9:34am
dragit wrote: ↑Sun 04 Nov 2018 9:18am
rodgerfox wrote: ↑Sun 04 Nov 2018 8:17am
It's obvious why.
Agree and that's why it's important to have a coach who can get the most from our players in order to imply some form of potential future success.
Richo selling the future of the club is cringy stuff.
It certainly wouldn't hurt. But it's not going to make a huge difference.
Tom Lynch chose Richmond because of the 'big games' and big crowds.
Treloar chose Collingwood, and Shiel and Devon Smith chose Essendon to play in ANZAC Day and other 'big games'.
No matter who our coach is, we'll never compete with that.
Clarkson couldn't get Hawthorn over the line with Smith, Shiel, Lynch - so what hope do we have? We somehow managed to get Carlisle over Hawthorn, which was a great get.
It's a thing isn't it RF, I also think the other issue that isn't highlighted enough is marquee players probably grapple with becoming the unwanted messiah and all the pressure it brings and fear if they don't deliver to expectation that it could be a career killer. Justin Leppitsch admitted it was the reason he turned down a godfather offer from the Saints.
It's absolutely a thing.
I see it as an 'unforseen' consequence of the AFL's 'big club' policy.
The 'big club' fixturing generates squillions for the game, which allows the AFL to 'prop up' smaller clubs. The other equalisation methods such as the Draft and Salary Cap keep things fair on-field and everyone is happy right?
Well, the Draft and Salary Cap don't work if certain clubs can hand pick players from other clubs using incentives that only 3 or 4 other clubs have access to. And not 'earnt' incentives - incentives that were implemented by the AFL.
So I think the AFL have created a bit of a monster that they'll need to reel in. Free Agency hasn't helped either - but the Salary Cap is in place to manage that. However that is based on the whole concept that money is the motivating factor for players leaving clubs. However this whole 'big game' thing has now become a bigger factor than money for the modern footballer. And that's a big problem for the AFL.
Tom Lynch, Devon Smith, Prestia, Treloar - whilst being able to keep Reiwoldt, DeGoey, Martin, Daniher, Cotchin, Rance etc.
These guys aren't leaving, and when a bidding war breaks out for players - these clubs get them and the same reasons are given each time - "big games, big crowds, ANZAC Day, Dreamtime at the G, Queen's Birthday, Season Opener, ANZAC day eve" etc.
Compared to "hey dude, you get to play in China and on Sunday arvo's in front of 25k at Docklands on a Sunday arvo".
And to those who keep stating that 'when we start winning, we'll get the big games' - you're delusional. There is a reason that these clubs hold those spots, and it is not because of their ladder positions. It's because of their huge historical supporter bases and the revenue generating power that comes from them.