A Coleman medallist with a drinking problem, a gambling problem, an ego problem, and who was increasingly creating problems on-field because of a lack of desire to chase and harrass.
Culture has nothing to do with it. Fev was a liability and everyone knew it. Everyone bar Voss, at least. We'd been talking about trading him for years before we pulled the trigger.
And to say that a guy who COACHED a team to a premiership from half forward might be bad for out culture is just non-sensical. If a guy who coached a team doesn't get the idea of teamwork and leadership and playing a role, then who the hell would? I'd be more worried about an untried 18 year old fitting in, than the guy who was captain, coach, development coach, counsellor, and media spokesman for the TSL premiers.
All the talk about the club being afraid to recruit a guy like Thorp, anyone like that, a player who was delisted but then made good, is just blind to reality. We've done it in the past for players with less credentials and less talent -- Rowe, Cachia, Curnow, etc.