Past #18: Shaun Atley - delisted end '21 - 237 NM games / 44 NM goals - thanks Ats

[Ocha905]

21st in games played in North's history.
5th in Syd Barker Medal 2012. 10th in 2014, '17 and '19.
Goal of the Year nominee 2016 against Richmond.
Career high 29 possessions against Port Adelaide, Rd 22 2019.
Career high 3 goals against Carlton, Rd 4, 2018.

Best wishes Shaun in your future endeavors.

 

[blackshadow]

He partially epitomised all that was wrong with the club in the last decade or so.. thanks for you service. We just can't reward mediocrity anymore if we want success.

So true.

This has been a long time coming and I'm glad to see the day where we no longer a spot for him on our list.

 

[Long Live the King]

Im sure he isnt complaining about a 200 game AFL career, whether he was played out of position, against his natural instincts is debatable. Did he impact like we thought he would the answer is probably not hence the disappointment from many.

FWIW if they are going to handover Number 18 to JHF then the Duck should do it.

 

[sutcliffe's hotel]

Will always remember that goal in the final against the Swans, Ats at his best.

Go well Ats & thanks.

 

[Val Keating]

All the best Ats. Hope you get another crack at it

 

[Friday Night Lights]

Had some tantalising physical attributes that set lofty expectations in people’s minds for what he could be rather than what he was - an unassuming, durable utility who was best 22 for over 200 games in some very good sides.

By all accounts a ripper bloke too. Sad to see him depart, thanks for everything Ats.

 

[Dan]

Would have kept him on but understandable.

I always got the ‘happy to be here’ serviceable contributor type player that never really dared to extract the most one could out of their career.

Thanks Shaun and good luck on your future endeavours.

 

[Quivorir]

Will always remember that goal in the final against the Swans, Ats at his best.

Go well Ats & thanks.

Never been so erect.

 

[Only Forwards]

I hope we offer him a role in the VFL side.

Good North guy who did what he could for the club.

 

[Bend_It_Like_Brown]

Surely the club come out with something? Show the guy a bit of respect. Played over 230 games for the blue and white and Marc announces on Twitter. Pretty poor.

 

[King Corey]

Surely the club come out with something? Show the guy a bit of respect. Played over 230 games for the blue and white and Marc announces on Twitter. Pretty poor.

Could look at it the other way though. We've confirmed it with him and am letting him have a moment but the news got to a journo separately and was leaked that way.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Wow, brutal call. I would have kept him.


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[Bend_It_Like_Brown]

Could look at it the other way though. We've confirmed it with him and am letting him have a moment but the news got to a journo separately and was leaked that way.

Once we make the call, atleast put a press release or something acknowledging the contribution he’s made to the club. I understand if it’s a rookie who played a few games but this bloke has put his sweat and tears for 230 odd games for us. Sure the decision is right but atleast do it with some class.

 

[teethmeetsflesh]

Could look at it the other way though. We've confirmed it with him and am letting him have a moment but the news got to a journo separately and was leaked that way.

Yeah, makes it hard as you can't really prepare a farewell media package for the player before they have received the news and you can't control what the player or players manager/management company does once they've received the news. If 48 hours passes without hearing something then you'd be right to feel he has been disrespected.

 

[Istanbul Roo]

Had a good career, but time has caught up with him as it will with everyone. Thanks for the years of toil and of many patches of great play as well.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Once we make the call, atleast put a press release or something acknowledging the contribution he’s made to the club. I understand if it’s a rookie who played a few games but this bloke has put his sweat and tears for 230 odd games for us. Sure the decision is right but atleast do it with some class.

May be another player or two they needed to have a chat with first and somehow it got out early, we usually do these things all at once.

So rather than re-writing the entire article they had prepped they're just finishing up the other convos.

It's barely 3pm, plenty of time.

 

[Psicosis]

Snake having one of the all time melts on Twitter re this

 

[Cyber_punk]

Thanks for the service. But 237 games was definitely a very generous return. Should have happened years ago.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Thanks for everything Shaun.

If someone said the day we drafted him this kid will play 200+ game, including multiple finals wins, you'd have been thrilled.

Shinboner.

This is about where I come down
I think Shaun is a victim of the expectations that were placed on him when he was drafted, the whole Dodoro Judd thing and those comparisons drove hype about him to a ridiculous level.

At the end of his NM career, he leaves with 237 games, good enough for top 25 all time. The only names above him are

Harvey
Petrie
Archer
Schimma
Simpson
Greig
Stevens
Martyn
Dench
Dugdale
Rawlings
Firrito
Goldstein
Carey
Grant
Wells
King
Thompson
Ziebell
Sholl

He isn't at the level of a lot of those names. But he has worn the jumper with pride and he's given his all every time he's set foot on the ground. I agree with SLF's call - he's a Shinboner

 

[Bend_It_Like_Brown]

May be another player or two they needed to have a chat with first and somehow it got out early, we usually do these things all at once.

So rather than re-writing the entire article they had prepped they're just finishing up the other convos.

It's barely 3pm, plenty of time.

Look at how the Eagles did it with Brander and he has barely played 30 odd games.

 

[jaspers_barber]

For JHF

Hopefully. But he seems more like the ‘forge my own history’ kinda guy…

 

[The Warlord]

This is about where I come down
I think Shaun is a victim of the expectations that were placed on him when he was drafted, the whole Dodoro Judd thing and those comparisons drove hype about him to a ridiculous level.

At the end of his NM career, he leaves with 237 games, good enough for top 25 all time. The only names above him are

Harvey
Petrie
Archer
Schimma
Simpson
Greig
Stevens
Martyn
Dench
Dugdale
Rawlings
Firrito
Goldstein
Carey
Grant
Wells
King
Thompson
Ziebell
Sholl

He isn't at the level of a lot of those names. But he has worn the jumper with pride and he's given his all every time he's set foot on the ground. I agree with SLF's call - he's a Shinboner

It isn't Shaun's fault that he had a diabolical run with coaches too.

Brad Scotts loved him but never really decided where to play him, he never ended owning a role long term. Classic example of Brad's inability to develop players at the elite level.

Then the back four years of his career, when he should be playing career best footy, he has three coaches, an aggressive rest, a rebuild, Hubs etc.

 

[Rooboy 96]

For JHF

that would be sad, I hope JHF makes his own number great, I am leaning to 14 if the news is correct, but 6 would be good too

 

[Rooboy 96]

anyway back to Ats..

must have been a super prepared played to get what he got out of himself

 

[giantroo]