Rumour GFC 2025 Player Trading, Drafting FA, Rumours and Wish lists Pt 2

[stac]

I don’t disagree with you.

But, all the scenarios you pointed out would have been for people who need to work until they retire at an advanced age (65+ usually).

You can’t compare that to a footy player who will be done by age 33/34 and then has the rest of their life to do whatever they love if they maximise their earnings from footy.

I also know a lot of people who took jobs because they got very well paid. Not many (if any) of them regretted their decision.

Yes but the footy player will earn in 6 years what would take a wage earning executive on 150k forty years

So if the footy player gets good advice the executive will never catch up

 

[you pick one]

I look at it from the point of view that professional athletes have hit the genetic lottery and are being paid a ridiculous massive amount of money for what is essentially a little kids game. If professional sports (basketball, soccer, footy, rugby, tennis,, golf etc..) ceased to exist tomorrow nothing of great value will be lost, it is purely just a form of entertainment of a tier lower than art.

Granted it is for a very short period time but there are compensated very well for it is that they're doing, kicking a leather ball for a minutes a week admittedly at a high level but that's what it is at the end of the day.

That's why I call it a lottery and have no sympathy for players who don't plan ahead with the money they earn and end up squandering it all or most of it once their 'career' ends.

And the only reason the opportunity to 'earn' these insane obscene amounts of money exists is because millions of adults have this irrational emotional attachment to a sport/club, and without that irrational attachment that money will never exist in the first place.

So yes I do put the interest of the fans way ahead of the players', especially those that are mercenary in nature and have no appreciation and respect that is these fans emotional investment in clubs that allows to get paid these ridiculous amount of money.

That's why Selwoood>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GAJ, cos he gets/got it, he understood paying respect to the people that made his career possible and showed appreciation to the club and its fans for it.

Everybody is driven by something other wise what would be the point?

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

I look at it from the point of view that professional athletes have hit the genetic lottery and are being paid a ridiculous massive amount of money for what is essentially a little kids game. If professional sports (basketball, soccer, footy, rugby, tennis,, golf etc..) ceased to exist tomorrow nothing of great value will be lost, it is purely just a form of entertainment of a tier lower than art.

Granted it is for a very short period time but there are compensated very well for it is that they're doing, kicking a leather ball for a minutes a week admittedly at a high level but that's what it is at the end of the day.

That's why I call it a lottery and have no sympathy for players who don't plan ahead with the money they earn and end up squandering it all or most of it once their 'career' ends.

And the only reason the opportunity to 'earn' these insane obscene amounts of money exists is because millions of adults have this irrational emotional attachment to a sport/club, and without that irrational attachment that money will never exist in the first place.

So yes I do put the interest of the fans way ahead of the players', especially those that are mercenary in nature and have no appreciation and respect that is these fans emotional investment in clubs that allows to get paid these ridiculous amount of money.

That's why Selwoood>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GAJ, cos he gets/got it, he understood paying respect to the people that made his career possible and showed appreciation to the club and its fans for it.

Bit rough on Gaz imo, at the time I was devastated and couldn’t understand why he’d leave, but if you’ve had the chance to chat with Gaz, you’d know exactly why. Was always for family, and I can understand that.

He atleast came back and we got 2 1/2 years of him in the hoops again, wish he went out a premiership winner in 2020.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

What price do you put on the opportunity to put yourself in the best position to win a premiership?

You put a bit but giving up 5 mil or more across a contract would be nuts. You can set your life up.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

On Gettable, North, Dees and Essendon are the 3 mentioned.

If Saints up their offer though, he will stay they think.

Ugh im almost angry we arent in it.. Maybe he just doesnt want to leave melbourne city living

 

[Kobe Gryant]

 

[foxdog50]

Any real chance of windhager?? Absolutely no noise on him given his OOC which is odd

Haven't seen any media outlets having us linked to him... so i say no

 

[geelong_crazy26]

FishGutz is this aligning with your source?? Your earlier info was he was a monty for us. Whats changed??

 

[Cat Pummins]

This doesn't sound like something a reported lifelong Geelong supporter would do! Surely not?

Though he is close with Nick Watson isn't he?

 

[catempire]

Fails the character test in that case and we dodge a bullet

 

[Interdimensional Bigfoot]

FishGutz is this aligning with your source?? Your earlier info was he was a monty for us. Whats changed??

Trust me bro

 

[OzeSparky]

Trust me bro

Il be honest. I have never trusted him.Thought he was full off...

 

[#cats2021]

Personally not interested in TDK for the money he likely wants. He is injury prone and overrated. His best is good and his bad is real bad. He might put a rocket up his brother if he came down though.

 

[The Unforgiven]

I look at it from the point of view that professional athletes have hit the genetic lottery and are being paid a ridiculous massive amount of money for what is essentially a little kids game. If professional sports (basketball, soccer, footy, rugby, tennis,, golf etc..) ceased to exist tomorrow nothing of great value will be lost, it is purely just a form of entertainment of a tier lower than art.

Granted it is for a very short period time but there are compensated very well for it is that they're doing, kicking a leather ball for a minutes a week admittedly at a high level but that's what it is at the end of the day.

That's why I call it a lottery and have no sympathy for players who don't plan ahead with the money they earn and end up squandering it all or most of it once their 'career' ends.

And the only reason the opportunity to 'earn' these insane obscene amounts of money exists is because millions of adults have this irrational emotional attachment to a sport/club, and without that irrational attachment that money will never exist in the first place.

So yes I do put the interest of the fans way ahead of the players', especially those that are mercenary in nature and have no appreciation and respect that is these fans emotional investment in clubs that allows to get paid these ridiculous amount of money.

That's why Selwoood>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GAJ, cos he gets/got it, he understood paying respect to the people that made his career possible and showed appreciation to the club and its fans for it.

You must dislike Patrick Dangerfield immensely.

 

[FootyLad0]

As an actual verified IN THE KNOW of this lovely page.
Can I just say that my sources have told me that we are into a “mystery mid” that wants to be at our glorious club in 2026.

Now I can’t make out who it is but my sources tell me it’s 100% legit, Kobe Gryant and Strange Cat can confirm.

This is some state of the art level shizznit

 

[Pure_Ownage]

As an actual verified IN THE KNOW of this lovely page.
Can I just say that my sources have told me that we are into a “mystery mid” that wants to be at our glorious club in 2026.

Now I can’t make out who it is but my sources tell me it’s 100% legit, Kobe Gryant and Strange Cat can confirm.

This is some state of the art level shizznit

View attachment 2394564

Is that a picture of worpel smiling while everyone gets angry?

 

[And_ROOS]

Is that a picture of worpel smiling while everyone gets angry?

 

[Gunf]

Those discussing the fact footballers only have so long to earn money as most will retire before 32.

Well they still have plenty of time to learn new skills and get a job doing something different.

Quite a few players these days have taken the time to get some qualifications during the time they have off in the summer or even taking courses during the week when they have time.

It isn't like they are stuck at the club training or playing 60 hrs a week 52 weeks a year. They have time to learn things and find other interests.

 

[FishGutz]

FishGutz is this aligning with your source?? Your earlier info was he was a monty for us. Whats changed??

Haven’t heard anything yet as I’m still away but it is Tom Morris… he spins a lot of yarns. Only thing could be contract but I’ll ask soon.

 

[FishGutz]

Trust me bro

Yeah, I just make shit up to try and get anonymous men online craving me. It’s like I’ve bottled sex and can get off any time. The attention makes me feel 18 again, blood pumping, shooting ropes.

I am so cringed out from the constant rhetoric if you’re posting information you’re an attention starved weirdo. Makes me feel like any information is futile by proxy. Can’t win, even though I am consistently open and obviously
not reaching and or fabricating. But yeah Bigfoot, make me feel craved. Satisfy my narcissism. Make my toes curl.

 

[MacStradbroke]

Those discussing the fact footballers only have so long to earn money as most will retire before 32.

Well they still have plenty of time to learn new skills and get a job doing something different.

Quite a few players these days have taken the time to get some qualifications during the time they have off in the summer or even taking courses during the week when they have time.

It isn't like they are stuck at the club training or playing 60 hrs a week 52 weeks a year. They have time to learn things and find other interests.

100% agree, people talk like it’s instant retirement as soon as you finish your football career, which is nonsense. They then have to get a normal job like the rest of us, working normal hours earning normal money.

 

[FishGutz]

Il be honest. I have never trusted him.Thought he was full off...

You were ahead of the curve bro. Well done, you got me.

All the others were hoodwinked but you saw through it, you’re a true little detective with such incredible intuition. You’ve made me so proud

Il be honest. I have never trusted him.Thought he was full off...

Love your honesty. Takes such bravery to speak up against a gaslighter and narcissist like myself. You were right, you were so much smarter than everyone else. You saw through it and I admit I’ve been doing this because I’m just a straight up attention wh**e. It’s crippling how much I ache and yearn for your validation. Please, please, love me.

 

[Turbocat]

I look at it from the point of view that professional athletes have hit the genetic lottery and are being paid a ridiculous massive amount of money for what is essentially a little kids game. If professional sports (basketball, soccer, footy, rugby, tennis,, golf etc..) ceased to exist tomorrow nothing of great value will be lost, it is purely just a form of entertainment of a tier lower than art.

Granted it is for a very short period time but there are compensated very well for it is that they're doing, kicking a leather ball for a minutes a week admittedly at a high level but that's what it is at the end of the day.

That's why I call it a lottery and have no sympathy for players who don't plan ahead with the money they earn and end up squandering it all or most of it once their 'career' ends.

And the only reason the opportunity to 'earn' these insane obscene amounts of money exists is because millions of adults have this irrational emotional attachment to a sport/club, and without that irrational attachment that money will never exist in the first place.

So yes I do put the interest of the fans way ahead of the players', especially those that are mercenary in nature and have no appreciation and respect that is these fans emotional investment in clubs that allows to get paid these ridiculous amount of money.

That's why Selwoood>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GAJ, cos he gets/got it, he understood paying respect to the people that made his career possible and showed appreciation to the club and its fans for it.

Exactly ... but thats the way of the world What should Oasis earn a show. What is Snoop Dog getting paid. What Nicole Kidman getting paid in her latest effort. Like them. Hate them. They earn what the market determines and it all looks insane compare to a brick layer or mechanic etc..

To a high percentage … the money developed by the game should be the factor that influences and controls renumeration. Its not about if they are paid too much or too little ..its just what the comp develops and can sustain.

The comp has decided it needs 18 clubs soon to be 19 then 20 … that each clubs needs a certain number of players ..that each clubs needs players that are of a higher standard to drive success , that it needs sub level comps..but in the end , all of it can only be sustained by how much the comp earns.

I find what players do with it or that they only have short periods to earn money or they are playing a dangerous sport with long term health affects ..are all justifications like ..go home reasoning for when players move clubs. Although it might have elements of truth to it , in reality they do not want to say we deserve more because we drive the revenue. Although true..its hard to spin it publicly when they already earn multiple times the average wage.

Players should be paid appropriately as they drive the revenue, and after they are paid..they should be entitled to do , to be as smart or dumb as everyone else with their money. In todays paper ..an article about Whitney Houston being flat broke when she died.. so earning great sums does not prelude one being an idiot or making bad choices and ultimately prevent destitution. Back in the day I watched guys work night shift or doing a lot of overtime and then take bigger loans based on that money. No matter what money you earn you become accustom to that level and make choices based on it. A 100 dollar bet at the race becomes a 1000 or 10,000. If you only might earn money for a year or two ..then they should stay smart and do not frivolous.. but thats their choice.

In the end one one can still be pressured no matter what you have earned (If you have not been or are not smart with your money)

I feel the players should get a righteous percentage of what the game develops because if interest in the game dropped..if the TV networks devalued the TV rights and or attendance fell away ..players would be paid like VFL/SANFL etc or maybe like local league players now or else the comp would collapse. … How long they can play ..whether they have only so long in the game or not is not as relevant as the dependance on the interest of the activity performed.

What do Netball players earn. What do Jockeys earn. What do Hockey players earn. What doe Crickets earn now their is IPL? What do a lot of the athletes performing Olympic sports earn? Its not fair or equitable ..it is just what it is.

I wonder if we look at sport world wide.. what percentage of the pie do the players receive in FA in England or NFL in USA compared to the AFL? Similar? Id guess the afl guess get less.

Where it gets murky is when the interest is so ardent that it creates a huge organisation and money earned in one part can redress the lack of money generated in another part of the comp… like the W. How much should they be paid. The desire to create a comp and the long term goal of a comp that will expand the game. Without a willingness to be benevolent what level of remuneration would be paid to the women based on what their comp earns?

To some degree, the same might be said for some no Victorian clubs or Victorian clubs that have lesser following… so the admin looks at the whole comp as a generating product.

On the whole.. I think most players in the AFL are under paid ..the system ensures it is so, to ensure the sustainability of the lesser clubs and comps and social interests. IF we removed the sal cap ..then we would really see payments far closer to what the market place for the men drive. It would push wages up , especially of the top guys ..of course a few clubs probably go broke and the womens comp would probably have to pay based on what they earn. How much would Reid demand with no cap… one can only try to guess.

 

[Johnny Cattery]

How happy would you be if you were able to retire at age 33 completely financially secure vs retiring at age 33 and having to transition into a new career to keep your standard of living?

It is a no brainer that you make a few lifestyle sacrifices for the next 5-10 years to ensure that your post retirement life is gravy.

I know that our club (supposedly) benefits from players takings unders due to “lifestyle” considerations, but I hate it. It feels grubby that we rely on the players making concessions when there is so much money in the industry. I hate it when players are guilted into taking less cash out of “loyalty” or “for the good of the team”. I said so at the time Holmes and Stengle signed that they should have taken as much as they could get. I think Stengle did, and think Max didn’t. I am sure Stengle is happy that he got the bank. Same with Tim Kelly who has guaranteed a much better post-footy standard of life for his family by making sure he got as much as he could when he was at his peak earning time.

I would always support and advise a player to get as much money as they can, 99 times out of 100 it will be the right decision for the player.

Money can do many things, and for many people it is clearly top of the list.

But it is not top of the list for everyone. The bigger the salary, the more intense scrutiny from club, fans and media. Many would take the higher salary, but in an industry where there are tens of thousands of people assessing performance, complete with slow-motion replay from multiple angles and discussion on talk shows for the following week?

The problems are summarised well in an article that includes this observation from Dr Adam Deacon, a Melbourne psychiatrist: "In most jobs, employees will undergo a performance review perhaps once or twice a year, but AFL footballers are performance-reviewed most days, sometimes several times a day by various staff. ... Then add that in any given week there are 45 players eligible for 22 playing positions in the seniors team. Most people go to work knowing they’ll be secure in their role, but many of these guys find out week to week whether they will get to do the job that can shape their sense of self-worth." From

Below is a list, which is by no means complete, of those players and (mainly) former players whose stories have made it into the media, who have struggled after having reached the holy grail of making it onto an AFL list:

Danny Frawley

Wayne Schwass

Nathan Thompson

Simon Hogan

Mitch Clark (went on leave in 2014)

Buddy Franklin (withdrew from 2015 finals)

Travis Cloke (rested in 2017)

Tom Boyd (left the game at the age of 24)

Cam McCarthy (left the game in 2016, died aged 29); also deceased from the Freo team with which he eventually played: Colin Sylvia (2018), Shayne Yarran (2018) and Harley Balic (2022)

Dustin Martin - sought treatment 2018, after having signed his mega contract

Jonathan Marsh (Collingwood)

Jesse Hogan (Giants, Freo, Melbourne): https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/o...e/news-story/bd130491697478d53a187e46b98715d7

Harry McKay

Jack Steven, Travis Cloke, Matthew Broadbent, Aaron Hall, Alex Fasolo, Dayne Beams

Majak Daw (fell from bridge) and Jake Edwards (admitted attempting suicide, after news of Daw had broken)

Some of these players are not well known. Others are stars. Nick Riewoldt and Patrick Dangerfield have spoken publicly about their anxiety before games (Riewoldt) and the benefits of speaking with a psychiatrist to manage it (Danger).

Tom Boyd, in the wake of the death of the Selwood twins, has a great post: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/part-1-afl-players-mental-health-tom-boyd-wwgvc/

 

[GlenMiddlemissed]

Thoughtful post, JC.

Let's not forget Nathan Ablett, who turned his back completely on an AFL career where he was on track to eventually make millions.