Universal Love #2 Nathan Jones - Retired. Thank you Chunk

rhaz

Cancelled
Jun 30, 2008
8,490
6,819
AFL Club
Melbourne
Most likely scenario for Nafe is that he ends this season around 297-299 games. He can only make 300 games if he plays out the season and three finals - very unlikely.

If he wants to play again, I am more than happy to give him another year and get him to 300. He could even past Neitz for the club record holder (306 games).

Sure he may be falling away, but there are several other players that I would delist first.

After past mistakes with McDonald etc., it would be really nice to have a celebration for a 'bleeds red and blue' player in 2021. Ideally he would be playing his 300th at the MCG, draw a big crowd, would be a really nice moment for a club that has been starved of much to celebrate in recent years.
 
Apr 18, 2005
30,892
26,644
AFL Club
Melbourne
Most likely scenario for Nafe is that he ends this season around 297-299 games. He can only make 300 games if he plays out the season and three finals - very unlikely.

If he wants to play again, I am more than happy to give him another year and get him to 300. He could even past Neitz for the club record holder (306 games).

Sure he may be falling away, but there are several other players that I would delist first.

After past mistakes with McDonald etc., it would be really nice to have a celebration for a 'bleeds red and blue' player in 2021. Ideally he would be playing his 300th at the MCG, draw a big crowd, would be a really nice moment for a club that has been starved of much to celebrate in recent years.
He is past it. I love him, but we can’t be sentimental if we want to win a flag.
 

Dancing Potato

Premiership Player
Jul 7, 2015
4,411
8,132
AFL Club
Melbourne
I want him to reach 300 but there's no doubt he's just about cooked as well.

That said, there's a handful of others that would be in the delist category before him. So I have no issue with him playing 2-3 games early next year to reach the milestone and then basically putting him on the sidelines as a 'break glass in case of 12+ injuries' option.
 
May 2, 2008
4,775
4,068
Perth
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Chelsea FC
It’s sentimental to keep him on, but is there really much harm in doing so. Not much salary to keep an amazing guy around the club, heaps of experience and added leadership.

His form and fitness will dictate if he plays the rest of this year and enough games next year. It wasn’t long ago we were recruiting Cross, Brynes and Lewis for their experience, are we that stacked with leaders now?

Surely it won’t hold the group back to give Jones 1 more year? I’ll admit I’m not across the list re-sizing but there are a fair few names before his.
 
Nov 13, 2005
3,321
5,313
Sydney
AFL Club
Melbourne
Has it been confirmed yet in regards to list change and size?

I would honestly have no issues if he was kept on the rookie list with a transitioning into a development style coaching working with our guys in the VFL.
As some have already pointed out, he'd still be a handy fringe player then the likes of Dunkley, Jordan, Wagner etc.

I also think whether Jones would accept another year knowing he would want to spend majority of the year in the VFL. Would he much rather finish on a high this year or languish the rest of your fantastic career in the 2's.
 

Jamurp

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 26, 2011
8,001
11,162
AFL Club
Melbourne
One thing he’s doing well is tackling like a maniac, has laid some serious tackles this season, says a lot about his hunger to play, puts a few blokes on our list to shame in that regard.

Definitely agree in offering him another year.
 
He is past it. I love him, but we can’t be sentimental if we want to win a flag.
Can't be sentimental if you want to win a flag is bullshit imo

I would delist the below players before Jones:
Baker, Bradtke, Chandler, Dunkley, Brown, Hunt, Kolodjasnij,Nietschke, Petty, Smith & Wagner (x2) before Jones

So if I can easily ramble off 12 players who should be delisted before a long standing player, then I have no issue with being a bit sentimental. If keeping him on was going to cost a good talented his place on the squad then I wouldn't be as sentimental.

Plus I think it is good for your culture to look after the long serving loyal players a bit where possible. I don't buy in to the whole 'you need to be ruthless with your list management' to be successful s**t. For younger players seeing the long serving players looked after a bit installs a bit more loyalty in them I think
 

blitznu

Premiership Player
Jan 6, 2013
3,983
4,950
AFL Club
Melbourne
gift him how many more games🤣🤣🤣 yeah be sweet having the worst 300 game player in the history of the game
 
Apr 18, 2005
30,892
26,644
AFL Club
Melbourne
gift him how many more games🤣🤣🤣 yeah be sweet having the worst 300 game player in the history of the game
See this is what *s me right off. When we were positively horrific, from 07-13, who was flying the flag for us? Who was getting tagged every week because no other Kent was worth looking at? At a minimum you could go to the footy and know one bloke would give it all whilst pretty much the rest didn’t do much.

Worst 300 game player? You don’t play 300 games if VAFA A grade if you’re a s**t campaigner, you certainly don’t if you’re an AFL player.
 

Crusty Demon

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 20, 2009
7,863
8,310
Brighton
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
Happy to nurse him to 300. Deserves it. Doubt he'd play much further than a handful of games next season anyway. We haven't treated some of our club champions the way they deserve. As much as I feel he is well past it, I'm happy to get him to 300 however the club chooses.
 
gift him how many more games🤣🤣🤣 yeah be sweet having the worst 300 game player in the history of the game
Not as funny as you think it is. Less than 100 players have hit 300 games, someone's gotta be the worst.
 

King Kunta

Team Captain
Jun 30, 2015
541
1,048
AFL Club
Melbourne
He's well past it and we all know it, but the guy stuck around and led us through some ridiculously bleak times when there's little doubt he could've moved elsewhere and experienced success.

He and his family genuinely love the club and there's an opportunity to reward that loyalty by helping him to 300. I'll be really disappointed if we don't get him there.

As for the "success over sentiment" argument...you can't seriously think that retaining an experienced veteran on a low salary so that he can play a game or two will be the difference between us winning and losing a premiership.
 

Demon bhoy

Club Legend
Oct 7, 2017
1,665
1,495
AFL Club
Melbourne
If the club can carry blokes like KK, Brown and Pruess we can give Jones 1 more year and get him to 300
 
I'd prefer jones doesn't put the club in a situation like that and recognised his time is up himself. I don't want him to go out with me thinking he's putting himself ahead of the team like I did Brad Green.
 
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