Opinion Has the AFL accidentally done us a favour?

[db swannie]

As this year's trade period goes from weird to very weird, I've started to think more about the illicit and underhanded tactic of the AFL banning us from trading in a different light.

Have the dickheads at afl central done us a weird kind of favour by not allowing us to trade players in? As clubs go crazy trying to keep their lists together as players demand to be traded out (Boyd, LOL, sucked in GWS) does the fact that we can't trade players in mean our players know that movement will be difficult, hence they just sit this new free agency lunacy out?

I really have no idea, I am just curious to hear what others think.

 

[teooooooman]

It's a difficult one, say players wanted to go at the end of there contracts in the next 2 years, we could only trade for draft picks which makes things a lot more difficult..

 

[MF]

The AFL's stupid rule wouldn't impact a free agent wanting to move clubs.

 

[db swannie]

The AFL's stupid rule wouldn't impact a free agent wanting to move clubs.

True for a free agent, but now every man and his dog feels entitled to say, Hey I want out! like Tom Boyd.

I like your name change BTW, simple yet keeps the spirit of Mal in there somewhere.

 

[hairy biker]

Restricting us from managing our list could never be considered a good thing, particularly given the timing of the decision.

However the FA pool didn't run deep this year and with Heeney taking our first rounder we had limited scope for trading for top line talent.
Patfull's manager has said we spoke to him, but he went to GWS for pick 21.
What could we have offered?
Passing on Hiscox and Mal's compo would have given us picks 38 & 39.
To get near to pick 21 who would we have traded?
And before someone says Jetta or Reid the club simply was not going to put them on the table, no matter what some may hope.

The ban is arbitrary, it's timing unfair, but in terms of this offseason I think it has had little effect on our overall list management.

 

[Olian]

The AFL Commission will probably lift the ban before next years trading period.


Would we have been that active with free agents this year?
We can't have that much space in our cap.

 

[tombomb]

the only unintended benefit might be that it allows us to keep the academy process for at least 1 more year.

I think that even the AFL would be wary of the backlash from changing the Academy rules to make it difficult for us to get Mills - e.g. saying we have to trade for a top 5 pick (or something like that). E.g. If you want Mills, you have to force someone like Hannebery or Parker out.

That would be COLA, trading, and the Academy all changed to our detriment in 12 months. I think (hope) that would be a step too far.

 

[skipper kelly]

the only unintended benefit might be that it allows us to keep the academy process for at least 1 more year.

I think that even the AFL would be wary of the backlash from changing the Academy rules to make it difficult for us to get Mills - e.g. saying we have to trade for a top 5 pick (or something like that). E.g. If you want Mills, you have to force someone like Hannebery or Parker out.

That would be COLA, trading, and the Academy all changed to our detriment in 12 months. I think (hope) that would be a step too far.

There is no step too far. They do what they like, when the like. Trade bans, allowances, academies etc etc are all small fry to the power these blokes have. They can move a club to another state just because they can.

 

[Leg End]

DB

I am hoping a form of siege mentality develops and galvanises the playing group even more.
The AFL's actions are deplorable and rather pathetic - most bizarre.
However, it also provides great opportunity for some younger guns to step up to positions sooner that older traded players may have kept.
This step by the AFL *******s might mature some young ones even quicker thus prolonging our window even more.

 

[db swannie]

DB

I am hoping a form of siege mentality develops and galvanises the playing group even more.
The AFL's actions are deplorable and rather pathetic - most bizarre.
However, it also provides great opportunity for some younger guns to step up to positions sooner that older traded players may have kept.
This step by the AFL *******s might mature some young ones even quicker thus prolonging our window even more.

Yeah I'm looking for a silver lining too and that may be it. The reality is Goodes, Shaw and maybe Ted and or Grundy are gone end of next year, so places open up.

The afl is a legal form of tyranny though, no doubt about it, and Eddie four chins is right up there. I really really hate that fat campaigner.

 

[db swannie]

DB

I am hoping a form of siege mentality develops and galvanises the playing group even more.
The AFL's actions are deplorable and rather pathetic - most bizarre.
However, it also provides great opportunity for some younger guns to step up to positions sooner that older traded players may have kept.
This step by the AFL *******s might mature some young ones even quicker thus prolonging our window even more.

Yeah I'm looking for a silver lining too and that may be it. The reality is Goodes, Shaw and maybe Ted and or Grundy are gone end of next year, so places open up.

The afl is a legal form of tyranny though, no doubt about it, and Eddie four chins is right up there. I really really hate that fat campaigner.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Wonder if Shaw/Goodes were ready to pull the pin and now essentially forced to play on.

 

[GotTheGoodes]

DB

I am hoping a form of siege mentality develops and galvanises the playing group even more.
The AFL's actions are deplorable and rather pathetic - most bizarre.
However, it also provides great opportunity for some younger guns to step up to positions sooner that older traded players may have kept.
This step by the AFL *******s might mature some young ones even quicker thus prolonging our window even more.

I agree.

Of course this has massive negativity connected with it... We deserve the right to trade when we want considering we have done nothing wrong, why should we be punished at all? It simply, from a principle and technical perspective, makes zero sense.

However, like Leg End, I'm hoping an "us against them" type mentality forms ala 2005. I recall the ugly ducklings crap and the calls by other clubs saying we couldn't win playing like we did. I've read many sources from players, coaches etc which indicate the bloods culture forming just before/around this time. I got a real sense it was a similar feeling of us.v.them. If you read Kirky or Tadgh's books you'll see they had this underdog type mentality which galvanised the group and made them even more hungry. They believed what no one else was willing to even contemplate. This time though, we don't have a rag tag bunch of hard workers but superstars like Buddy, JPK, Jack & Hanners as well as some superstars of the future like Parker or Harry who have genuine flair and oodles of skill & talent. There's still a very strong leadership group all the way through the organisation and all we need is the belief that we can stomp into the dirt anyone we face, never ever give up or be bullied again...

I know that's how I'm feeling right now and I hope that's how the club is feeling too. I'd love to see them come out next year and obliterate the competition to a HUGE GF win. I want records broken and teams demoralised. I want Eddies head to completely explode in fury. I want every man & his dog to come out with the next excuse as to why we are successful so we can prove them wrong again and again and a-fu**in-gain.

I love this club, even after the GF I still know we've got so much more to prove to everyone. Even this crappy decision can't stop us from getting better, going harder for longer and ultimately dominating.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

while the afls decision works against us, we can definitely make the most of it. move the money around and pay a larger portion of buddy's n tipps contracts in the next year or so, make the cola scrapping a little less tough on holding onto players in the future.

i hope reid repays the faith (and hefty price tag) and doesnt bend us over in his next contract negotiations when minnow clubs come with bags of money left over from paying their spud lists bags of beans.

hope tipp feels like he owes the club after being paid squillions for sitting on the pine. hope we can lock parks into a lengthy conyract at a reasonable price.

hope that next years free agency sees a bunch of players trading clubs thus inflating the overall market and pricing our players out of their range.

hopefully only shitty clubs are left with deep pockets so any of our players would be turned off going elsewhere.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

and last but not least, hopefully hawthorn dont poach any players after their pensioners retire. id hate to lose a player to them

 

[Leg End]

Strangely perhaps, I am liking this mentality - the reality of being ripped off by these bastards, of being sledged in recent years by these VFL bastards - and how we will come out firing next year, taking no games for granted next year, for playing one great season for Goodesy.

Thanks, AFL. Not that more motivation was needed. Pr1cks.

 

[db swannie]

We are all mightily pissed off, that much we all know for sure.

My deepest wish is this somehow backfires on the AFL and we not only survive, but we prosper. It will be hard, but I hope we can. If we can win next year it will be a VERY, VERY sweet victory. I want to punch Fat Eddie and Gillian in the balls, if they had a set between them.

 

[bedford]

What about Mark Evans, another Hawthorn dog

 

[The King!]

Done us a favour sure

Less new names to learn i guess

 

[bedford]

Whatever we think of that scum, Clarko has done a great job

 

[RW]

Whatever we think of that scum, Clarko has done a great job

Think that is something we can all agree on.

Probably time we moved on from the AFL/VFL stuff though as it's a debate that no-one can ever win, since your perspective will naturally depend on which side of the border you are.

 

[bedford]

Think that is something we can all agree on.

Probably time we moved on from the AFL/VFL stuff though as it's a debate that no-one can ever win, since your perspective will naturally depend on which side of the border you are.

All im saying is that the VFL is now separate and it is some Vic clubs led by their flog presidents like Eddie Newbody and Gordon

 

[Grongey]

...And before someone says Jetta or Reid the club simply was not going to put them on the table, no matter what some may hope...

Agree, the club was no way going to trade these two.

 

[bedford]

I wouldn't bet on it with Jetta

 

[Cadsky]

No. They bent us over, screwed us from behind and didnt even bother bringing any lube.