View Full Version : Here is my opinion.....
BrisGirl
22 Jul 2006, 17:59
Keeping in mind, it is only my opinion:-
I am devistated to see our mighty Club in the press for all the wrong reasons. With all the information the public have been exposed to, and examples of how bad some other players out there, I would like to give some examples of good people, exceptional Club men and players:-
Michael Voss
Michael has conducted himself with class and dignity throughout his career and always played under paid for Brisbane, certainly a lot less he could have received playing in a Melbourne based club. Michael Voss has always been proud of his Club and stood by his decision with pride.
Nigel Lappin
Nigel, we all know for a fact, loves this club and could have received a higher wage in Melbourne, again a player of class and dignity....loyal to the death.
Justin Leppitch
Was so aggressively pursued by St Kilda, I thought we could never match what they were offering, but again, he wanted to stay and knew the Club could never match the offer, he stayed for less than he could have gotten. Loved the Club and his regard for his team mates, unquestioned. A player of class and dignity.
Alastair Lynch
The living God - we had him for 10 years on chip money. All class and dignity and one of our greats.
Simon Black
Class personified - a quiet engine that works hard - high regard for his team mates.
Luke Power
Could very easily have left, class & dignity is how this man carrries himself.
Mal Michael
The wall of rock and stability - I am sure this man could have gotten more in Melbourne and has always conducted himself with class and dignity.
The thing is, we have a loyal, respectful group of men, with more coming through, that belong to our Club and are loyal, who also don't wrap cars around poles, or run away from police, and in general, we never see anything about them other than football related issues.
Time to look around in the rooms to see what company you are keeping.
I love this club and I always will, and for one person to undermine and destroy this strong and proud club because he is unhappy, and for his own reasons only important to him, is unnecessarily destructive.
If a player doesn't want to play for us anymore, play out the year and asked to be traded. I am sure the club would do it, even if they are loved and will be sorely missed by the supporters. But to have Lion supporter against Lions supporter, over something that should have been conducted in-house, is sad.
This issue could have been conducted wth more class and dignity than what has been shown, and all that has been achieved is poisonous, and the loyal men who have stuck by this club and team mates, deserve more than what has been shown to date.
beatnik
22 Jul 2006, 18:20
I wish I'd written that...
a timely reminder of what is important Brisgirl...thank you for the heads up :thumbsu:
Thank you Bris girl, I feel better too.
BrisGirl
27 Jul 2006, 14:24
Courier Mail
27 July 2006
JASON Akermanis will never play for the Lions again after a 12-0 vote against him at a special meeting.
It was decided that an offer by Akermanis to apologise to his teammates was not enough to salvage his position at the club.
The door on a possible return for the reigning club champion was slammed and bolted shut on Tuesday by 12 pairs of hands belonging to the Lions match committee and the senior player group.
Akermanis's career as a Lion has now ended on 248 games. There will be no farewell lap of the Gabba or final handstand in front of his adoring fans.
He departs as one of the Lions' best ever and most decorated players, having won three premierships, a Brownlow Medal, two best and fairests and four All-Australian jumpers.
But he also leaves with a degree of infamy for being unwanted by his own teammates.
Coach Leigh Matthews on Monday likened the situation of Akermanis being granted leave until the end of the season to a marriage separation and said after a break the two parties might decide life was better when they were together.
The meeting was called after Akermanis contacted Matthews and a senior player, believed to be Luke Power, on Monday evening to gauge the possibility of returning to see out the remainder of the season.
Akermanis was prompted to make contact after Matthews and captain Michael Voss both made public comments indicating an apology to the team, for breaching team rules and speaking about sensitive issues to the media, could reverse the current situation.
Akermanis offered to say sorry to the team and expressed his desire to play out the season, but could not commit himself to honouring the final year of his contract.
The Courier-Mail understands the match committee – which comprises Matthews, football manager Marcus Ashcroft and assistant coaches Shaun Rehn, Craig Lambert, John Blakey and Daryn Cresswell, plus the senior player group of Voss, Power, Simon Black, Nigel Lappin Jonathan Brown and Chris Johnson – were unanimous that Akermanis had lost their trust.
His inability to commit himself to next season is also believed to have weighed heavily in the group's decision.
The 2001 Brownlow medallist was told on Tuesday night there was no chance of a return, even if the Lions make the finals.
Until Akermanis is traded to another club, his contract will be honoured by the Lions.
We are truly fortunate that even in losing one of our greats, we are still left with so many.
BrisGirl
27 Jul 2006, 14:30
Courier Mail
27 July 2006
Akermanis offered to say sorry to the team and expressed his desire to play out the season, but could not commit himself to honouring the final year of his contract.
The Courier-Mail understands the match committee – which comprises Matthews, football manager Marcus Ashcroft and assistant coaches Shaun Rehn, Craig Lambert, John Blakey and Daryn Cresswell, plus the senior player group of Voss, Power, Simon Black, Nigel Lappin Jonathan Brown and Chris Johnson – were unanimous that Akermanis had lost their trust.
His inability to commit himself to next season is also believed to have weighed heavily in the group's decision..
My opinion:-
This has always been about him and never about his team mates.
To not commit to his team mates for 2007, is a pretty good indication he has already left.
Lady Lawrence
27 Jul 2006, 14:36
My opinion:-
This has always been about him and never about his team mates.
To not commit to his team mates for 2007, is a pretty good indication he has already left.
when has he said he is was commited to 2007? can someone please show me a direct quote from him.
BrisGirl
27 Jul 2006, 14:48
when has he said he is was commited to 2007? can someone please show me a direct quote from him.
He signed a contract to the end of 2007.
That is a committment in the eyes of the law.
Lady Lawrence
27 Jul 2006, 17:19
He signed a contract to the end of 2007.
That is a committment in the eyes of the law.
oops I meant to say when has he said he wasn't commited to 2007? can someone please show me a direct quote from him
Bobby Beecroft
27 Jul 2006, 20:20
oops I meant to say when has he said he wasn't commited to 2007? can someone please show me a direct quote from him
To me less than 5% is not an endorsing commitment.
Don't know how much more you could want.
Lady Lawrence
27 Jul 2006, 21:18
To me less than 5% is not an endorsing commitment.
Don't know how much more you could want.
He "believed" his chances were less that 5% and that 5% was his to control. my take on that was that he felt the club were 95% made up in their minds that he couldn't stay and as they stated he needed to apologise etc which equated the 5% that was in his court. He answered a Melbourne club to the question IF hypotheticaly he were to go elsewhere. I have read anywhere there is only a 5% chance of him WANTING to stay.
It is all in how the questions are worded and the interpretation of those answers.
If the question had been do you want to be a Lion in 2007 and he had said No then there would be no arguments from me just questions as to why he wanted to leave.
He "believed" his chances were less that 5% and that 5% was his to control. my take on that was that he felt the club were 95% made up in their minds that he couldn't stay and as they stated he needed to apologise etc which equated the 5% that was in his court. He answered a Melbourne club to the question IF hypotheticaly he were to go elsewhere. I have read anywhere there is only a 5% chance of him WANTING to stay.
It is all in how the questions are worded and the interpretation of those answers.
If the question had been do you want to be a Lion in 2007 and he had said No then there would be no arguments from me just questions as to why he wanted to leave.
My view is the complete opposite. Jason Akeramnis comment in that interview was at the least injudicious. We can argue this point as to what he meant until the cows come home but it was injudicious after the contoversy that has raging for much of the season.
6 players that I hold in very high regard have indicated that they no longer have faith in Aker and would rather he was removed straight away. They know what's been happening this year and they made that decision. I believe in that decision.
maroon and blue
28 Jul 2006, 01:07
It is not all doom and gloom. 3 cups and 4 grand finals is unequalled in the last 110 years. We have been priveleged to witness the greatest team of all time. The seeds of a new era have been planted and we can only look forward to the future. Our time is not yet finished. Football history dictates that powerful teams have a tendercy of producing a second generation of players who follow the path of those before them. I wouldn't be suprised if we picked up a couple of premierships in the next few years.
Grimreepah
28 Jul 2006, 02:20
I wouldn't be suprised if we picked up a couple of premierships in the next few years.
Absolutely. A lot of people think that wouldn't be possible because of where we are in the cycle, but as of next year I think we have as good a chance of winning the premiership as any other side. Indeed it would be oh so sweet if we could rewrite the rulebook on when teams are 'supposed' to win.
Unless struck even worse by injury next year I think it is safe to assume that this is our "low" period and if our worst still sits us in 11th spot with a slim chance of finals footy then god, none of us can be too disappointed especially only 2 years after our spirt of GF's.
All of the young players we have recruited have done more than was expected of them, really stepped up to the challenge and have felt what it is like to win. We have even had some comebacks where like last week in the first half or so more one thought we had a chance in hell to win and we got over the line at the end of the day. The future is not only bright but potentially blinding if our recruitment staff continue with their successes in the "super draft" and increased salary being freed up (with leppa n aker gone).
Someone who leaves a club because an outspoken player who offended his teammates leaves wasn't their for the love of the sport or the love of the team but more for the love of the entertainment value and atmosphere.
Unless struck even worse by injury next year I think it is safe to assume that this is our "low" period and if our worst still sits us in 11th spot with a slim chance of finals footy then god, none of us can be too disappointed especially only 2 years after our spirt of GF's.
All of the young players we have recruited have done more than was expected of them, really stepped up to the challenge and have felt what it is like to win. We have even had some comebacks where like last week in the first half or so more one thought we had a chance in hell to win and we got over the line at the end of the day. The future is not only bright but potentially blinding if our recruitment staff continue with their successes in the "super draft" and increased salary being freed up (with leppa n aker gone).
Someone who leaves a club because an outspoken player who offended his teammates leaves wasn't their for the love of the sport or the love of the team but more for the love of the entertainment value and atmosphere.
So true
As an outsider ( crows ) but living in Brissy, I have greatly enjoyed the antics and the brilliant footy played by Aker. But when blokes like Vossy, Brown, Black, Lappin, all of whom I rate as both great blokes, and brilliant footballers call time out on Aker, then you would think that they have bloody good reasons.
It is sad to see Aker on the outside, but he has no one to blame other than himself.
That post by Brisgirl said a mouthfull.
As an outsider ( crows ) but living in Brissy, I have greatly enjoyed the antics and the brilliant footy played by Aker. But when blokes like Vossy, Brown, Black, Lappin, all of whom I rate as both great blokes, and brilliant footballers call time out on Aker, then you would think that they have bloody good reasons.
I have had a few ding dong arguments with my family who have been quite critical of the club and its relationship with Aker. Suffice to say that they have all echoed rooboy's sentiment since this latest. In fact, my father rang me last night to state that he wouldn't believe that the players disapproved of Aker's behaviour until Browny's media interviews yesterday arvo.
Forget Lethal. Forget Bowers. Forget the Board. Consider the calibre of men who comprise the leadership group. Trust them to have done the right thing by the team. Trust them to have considered this to the nth degree. Trust them that it is not a decision they entered into lightly. Trust them that the decision they have reached is the hard one but ultimately the right one. Trust them that they felt they had no other option. Trust them to have made their own decision without undue pressure from anyone else.
If you can't trust them to have done this, then I question how you could continue to support them.
beatnik
28 Jul 2006, 13:32
I have had a few ding dong arguments with my family who have been quite critical of the club and its relationship with Aker. Suffice to say that they have all echoed rooboy's sentiment since this latest. In fact, my father rang me last night to state that he wouldn't believe that the players disapproved of Aker's behaviour until Browny's media interviews yesterday arvo.
Forget Lethal. Forget Bowers. Forget the Board. Consider the calibre of men who comprise the leadership group. Trust them to have done the right thing by the team. Trust them to have considered this to the nth degree. Trust them that it is not a decision they entered into lightly. Trust them that the decision they have reached is the hard one but ultimately the right one. Trust them that they felt they had no other option. Trust them to have made their own decision without undue pressure from anyone else.
If you can't trust them to have done this, then I question how you could continue to support them.
ken A mate...FAR ken A!!
TheBrownDog
28 Jul 2006, 13:36
Other players who have passed up higher offers from other clubs include Tim Notting, Robert Copeland and Clark Keating.
Love ya boys! :thumbsu:
He "believed" his chances were less that 5% and that 5% was his to control. my take on that was that he felt the club were 95% made up in their minds that he couldn't stay and as they stated he needed to apologise etc which equated the 5% that was in his court. He answered a Melbourne club to the question IF hypotheticaly he were to go elsewhere. I have read anywhere there is only a 5% chance of him WANTING to stay.
It is all in how the questions are worded and the interpretation of those answers.
If the question had been do you want to be a Lion in 2007 and he had said No then there would be no arguments from me just questions as to why he wanted to leave.
Your view coincides with mine LL. To say that you're only 5% sure of staying at a club is not a statement that it is you who will be making the decision to leave. I too believe that what he meant was that given the dealings between the two parties involved, there was only that chance of him staying. From what has occured, he appears to have been remarkably prescient.
As for the senior players being galvanised against him, they would be, wouldn't they? They know on which side their bread is buttered.
This whole episode has been an appallingly-handled shambles which has reflected very little credit on those involved. The implosion puts me very much in mind of the catastrophe which was 1998.
Was that a million extra bucks Brownie knocked back to go to Collingwood? Then again you would want more than that to have to play for them! You still have to admire him, the team always comes first.
This whole episode has been an appallingly-handled shambles which has reflected very little credit on those involved. The implosion puts me very much in mind of the catastrophe which was 1998.
Out of 98, grew the rise from 99. I see some similarities especially with the list. We wouldn't want a change of coach though.
What I am saying above is that you never know happens next. When the merger happened it was turmoil, 98 I thought the world had ended, last years finish was ordinary. I think next year we will be on the up.