Does Geelong's 'lifestyle' factor give them an unfair advantage for free agency signings?

[Always Ballin]

I call it the 'Moggs Creek' factor. Players love to move to Geelong to 'get away from it all.' The big smoke isn't for everyone, which is why Geelong exists. Does this give them an unfair advantage when signing free agencies? It seems like the team is a hotspot for mature players that want that Dangerfield lifestyle for their families.

I think this has definitely helped Geelong stay competitive for so long. They've been able to top up with high-quality, mature FAs on the regular.

 

[PhatBoy]

Need more Cats threads tbh

 

[STPer18]

Yes, it's all just a little unfair.

 

[Always Ballin]

Need more Cats threads tbh

All inequalities and subsequent privileges must be acknowledged.

 

[jim boy]

Absolutely, Solar Drive Whittington = Millionaires Row

 

[STPer18]

All inequalities and subsequent privileges must be acknowledged.

We need to build a Geelong in Melbourne. Until we do that this competition will be nothing more than a farce.

 

[madmug]

I call it the 'Moggs Creek' factor. Players love to move to Geelong to 'get away from it all.' The big smoke isn't for everyone, which is why Geelong exists. Does this give them an unfair advantage when signing free agencies? It seems like the team is a hotspot for mature players that want that Dangerfield lifestyle for their families.

I think this has definitely helped Geelong stay competitive for so long. They've been able to top up with high-quality, mature FAs on the regular.

Well no. It exists for its own reasons. Read some history about Geelong. You might learn something.

 

[PhatBoy]

All inequalities and subsequent privileges must be acknowledged.

You acknowledged one of them yourself in your post.

The big smoke isn’t for everyone ‘that’s why Geelong exists.’
And you’re right, it’s not for everyone. But it’s for most people. That’s why it exists and it’s roughly 20 times bigger than Geelong and surrounds.


This stack of free agents we’ve signed that have helped us stay competitive? It’s two players high and one of them has only been there for one completed season.


Your own team literally won a premiership and then the next season added Tim Kelly - AA and third in the Brownlow and at the time quite literally our best player, because….. he wanted to go home and be near family. That wasn’t our fault, WE drafted him, WE have him a chance after the two WA clubs were too stupid to see what was right in front of them.

Yes he didn’t go as a free agent, but the point is, every club as I said in the stupid Sydney academy thread today, has advantages and disadvantages and they more or less even out.

The only other players we’ve recruited from elsewhere who have actually driven us to be where we are, are Smith who was at the end of his career anyway and not going anywhere else, Stengle who was cut by two clubs and unsigned, Menegola who was cut by two clubs without playing a game, Stanley who had done precious little with St Kilda, and Tuohy who had a choice between us and north and we had to trade for anyway.

The two high profile ‘lifestyle’ additions so far have been Dangerfield who was an unqualified success in that we went from outside the 8 to basically permanent fixtures since he arrived, and Cameron - and in our first season with him, our finishing position actually dropped.

Blaming our continual regeneration on a production line of league superstars drawn to the quieter lifestyle and the free ping pong on the promenade is a little simple

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Absolutely, Solar Drive Whittington = Millionaires Row

Scariest street known to man.

 

[HaroLad]

Glad to see that the seething for our premiership has started prematurely. Five main board threads in a day. How many when we in it?

 

[STPer18]

Glad to see that the seething for our premiership has started prematurely. Five main board threads in a day. How many when we in it?

Not sure about opposition posters but mark me down for at least 10 or until I get banned.

 

[adogsfan5]

A boring place to live. They sign good players because their culture is the best and always play finals.

 

[PJays]

"Unfair" is subjective in a competition where many teams have various types of advantages and disadvantages

Which ones are fair and unfair?

It definitely helps Geelong.

20 minutes from the Great Ocean Road. Lower cost of living and relaxed beach lifestyle. Or country lifestyle going inland.

Melbourne teams can't compete with that.

Of course, the quiet life isn't for everyone. But it's a nice niche that Geelong can effectively use as a selling point to many players

 

[Duskfire]

I feel their culture, their stability and always playing in Finals is quite the attraction as well.

 

[Dangerousfield]

A boring place to live. They sign good players because their culture is the best and always play finals.

Don't forget the guaranteed to make a tidy profit property developments player get to sign up for. All above board of course, just wise investment advice - like yeah!

It's why players constantly go there for unders in official contract value, the real value is what happens outside of the cap and it's inVisyble to the AFL

 

[PhatBoy]

Don't forget the guaranteed to make a tidy profit property developments player get to sign up for. All above board of course, just wise investment advice - like yeah!

It's why players constantly go there for unders in official contract value, the real value is what happens outside of the cap and it's inVisyble to the AFL

Is there no property or development in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or the Gold Coast?

Is real estate and investment just a Geelong thing?

 

[Underarm]

I call it the 'Moggs Creek' factor. Players love to move to Geelong to 'get away from it all.' The big smoke isn't for everyone, which is why Geelong exists. Does this give them an unfair advantage when signing free agencies? It seems like the team is a hotspot for mature players that want that Dangerfield lifestyle for their families.

I think this has definitely helped Geelong stay competitive for so long. They've been able to top up with high-quality, mature FAs on the regular.

Does west coasts go home factor give them an unfair advantage?

 

[Foxx]

They are the only club with a whole regional city behind them, who are 99% Geelong supporters. You cant beat that culture. What player wouldn't be stimulated by that!?

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

You ever been to Geelong? Most of its Suburbia is a schizenhole. Yeah I know there’s the ‘Surf’ coast there too where most of the players live but it’s too cold to surf there for all bar the most committed surfers for all but 2/3 months a year and the towns themselves are plain as batshit. It’s not like moving to Byron (which I hate but does have the ‘glamour’ factor and the weather is tops most of the year. Torquay aint the same.

 

[PerthBoy86]

No the fact they get a real home advantage at Kardinia (crowd, oval dimensions, climatic factors), yet still get a lot of supporters to the MCG and Marvel games is the main reason why they're so strong in the H&A season. GMHBA has been a fortress forever.

 

[Anja_Nees]

A definite factor. Spend a bit of time out past Geelong and it’s a great life for many out that way.

No issue with them exploiting what natural advantage they have. Sydney have played they ‘get out of the fishbowl’ card to great effect.

 

[PhatBoy]

No the fact they get a real home advantage at Kardinia (crowd, oval dimensions, climatic factors), yet still get a lot of supporters to the MCG and Marvel games is the main reason why they're so strong in the H&A season. GMHBA has been a fortress forever.

Yes that’s definitely the main reason we are so strong in the home and away season.
Crowd support.

Gameplay, skill, coaching, effort, fitness - they’re all more or less irrelevant.

It’s crowd support.

 

[kickazz]

So Geelong have an unfair advantage because they are in Geelong.

 

[Sttew]

Well no. It exists for its own reasons. Read some history about Geelong. You might learn something.

And all of one footballer lives in Moggs Creek, the town in which he was raised. If anything, it’s more like the Surf Coast factor

 

[Sttew]

Scariest street known to man.

Apex Avenue, Noble Park anyone? Bewler.... Bewler?