Farewell Leon Davis

[Unknown Identity]

Not only from the pies, but from the AFL..!

Such a shame for Leon to go out like this..

Very much deserved a farewell game and would have received a standing ovation from us! Has been a pleasure to watch over the years, he's had his highs and lows, but will always have a place in my heart!

From freakish goals to bursting off half back with the ball.. you have been a human highlight reel! Best of luck for the future! Good Bye Neon!

 

[Mars II]

I'm sure he'll get his lap of honour some time next year.

 

[legendstatus]

Sometimes the glass half empty is not a bad thing...but too late.

 

[Bloben]

I know he will be happy to be back with his family but I think that he will regret this decision. He had a few more years for glory and to try and win his first premiership but he decided he had had enough.

Don't get me wrong I understand why he wanted to be back home but he has the rest of his life for that and only a short time to be a part of something special and rewarding on many fronts.

 

[TheOldXav]

I bet he wishes he had a new/different manager now, Liam Pickering has completely killed his career.

Geoff Walshe was interviewed on 3AW & refuted the claims of Taylor (another one who I hope is told to stay away from the club) that he was offered a $100 K paycut.

 

[mattys123]

Sad way for the career of our greatest indigenous player to end.

I'll miss Leon, he gave us great service.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Onya Leon, it was a pleasure watching you wear the no 1 at Collingwood. Hopefully the club does the right thing and retires the number for 2012.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Loved Leon, but like Bloben said, football is such a small part of a person's lifespan, and not many people in the world get paid that sort of money to be adored on a weekly basis and play a sport they love.

He also had a chance to be a part of Collingwood history, which he can't get back now.

He has the rest of his life to spend at home with his family, and I guarantee it won't be long before he gets the itch back, especially if he sees the boys achieve success next year.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Idiotic way to finish his career, and typically shortsighted of Ross "the recycler" Lyon.....when finally he is gifted an All Australian, he opts for Zac Dawson.

 

[morgoth]

Leon should have been so much more than he acheived.

Club will be better off without him.

 

[bLUE_bALLs]

I bet he wishes he had a new/different manager now, Liam Pickering has completely killed his career.

Geoff Walshe was interviewed on 3AW & refuted the claims of Taylor (another one who I hope is told to stay away from the club) that he was offered a $100 K paycut.

Have spoken to a WA player manager about this, and this claim seems to be on the money. Wasn't so much a "go home" thing that made Leon leave, more so the $100k pay cut on offer.

Timing killed him, as by the time he decided to walk, majority of clubs were far along their player management process.

Too good not to be playing, but these things happen.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Have spoken to a WA player manager about this, and this claim seems to be on the money. Wasn't so much a "go home" thing that made Leon leave, more so the $100k pay cut on offer.

Instead he opted for a 300k pay cut.

 

[TheOldXav]

Walshe also said that when Leon signed his last contract he was rewarded 'overs'. Rohan Connolly then chimed in & suggested that the 'industy' thought he didn't earn his keep in 2010 & was persisted with when many would have cut him free. The new contract seemed to reflect this drop off & wasn't soley judged on 2011 form.

Only Perth are interested in Leon and they are one of the poorer WAFL clubs.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

I don't know where this bullshit paycut rumour started.

Leaving Collingwood meant a pay cut REGARDLESS of which club he ends up at, whereas at Collingwood, he could have still ended up on the same money.

So how, in the name of logic, could he have left because of a pay cut, if it was his next club giving him that pay cut?

 

[morgoth]

Walshe also said that when Leon signed his last contract he was rewarded 'overs'. Rohan Connolly then chimed in & suggested that the 'industy' thought he didn't earn his keep in 2010 & was persisted with when many would have cut him free. The new contract seemed to reflect this drop off & wasn't soley judged on 2011 form.

Only Perth are interested in Leon and they are one of the poorer WAFL clubs.

Yep I was told he was on approx $500k a year for his current contract and that is why neither West Coast or Freo were interested in a trade in 09 and 10 when he made requests to be traded to WA.

So he took a cut but of all our stars he was the most expendable due to age and the fact that he has never strung two good seasons together. He made an implusive, ill informed decision and now he has to pay the price.

Instead of carrying on like idiots, his mates like Brian Taylor should have told him to pull his head in.

 

[TheOldXav]

So he took a cut but of all our stars he was the most expendable due to age and the fact that he has never strung two good seasons together. He made an implusive, ill informed decision and now he has to pay the price.

Brian Taylor was hosting the 6PM Sports Today last week & the topic of Leon Davis came up with Caroline Wilson. Taylor (who I hoped is never allowed back into the club for a year) said the offer to Leon was insulting.

Wilson then raised Thomas, Dawes & co as players who accepted 'unders' (but an increase on their previous contracts) based on market value. Taylor then bitched and moaned that Leon deserved a pay increase like them, imv a totally unrealistic claim given no one outside Collingwood were prepared to offer contracts higher outside the club. His management team really failed in their due diligence about other offers (there were none) outside Collingwood.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

How many other senior Collingwood players were asked to take a $100000 pay cut? What would be your reaction if your boss offered you a 30% pay cut after you received a worker of the month award?

 

[morgoth]

Brian Taylor was hosting the 6PM Sports Today last week & the topic of Leon Davis came up with Caroline Wilson. Taylor (who I hoped is never allowed back into the club for a year) said the offer to Leon was insulting.

Wilson then raised Thomas, Dawes & co as players who accepted 'unders' (but an increase on their previous contracts) based on market value. Taylor then bitched and moaned that Leon deserved a pay increase like them, imv a totally unrealistic claim given no one outside Collingwood were prepared to offer contracts higher outside the club. His management team really failed in their due diligence about other offers (there were none) outside Collingwood.

I think Bucks decided that we would keep him if the price was right, if not we were prepared to let him go. Leon was one of MM's faves and got a few allowances that others did not, especially around form.

Fact is he stunk when it mattered most in finals.

As for Taylor he should stick to calling games where he does not offer an opinion cos when he does he shows that he is not einstein.

 

[mattys123]

How many other senior Collingwood players were asked to take a $100000 pay cut? What would be your reaction if your boss offered you a 30% pay cut after you received a worker of the month award?

Might not have been a pay cut, but Pendles, Swan. Dawes, Toovey and Thomas all recently signed deals that were well less then what their "market price" was, so to me that's a pay cut in itself.

Leon didn't leave primarily for money, but there's no doubt it was a factor, after all if we had of matched Leon's original demands, he wouldn't have started talking about this "I'll go home and decide" crap.

I loved what Leon gave to this club, but there's more than one reason (age) no one else wanted him, and that's simply because Leon Davis does not help you win premierships, sorry, but it's true.

Why else would Freo choose Zac "the dud" Dawson over Leon, and basically pay Dawson the same as Leon wanted?

 

[TheOldXav]

How many other senior Collingwood players were asked to take a $100000 pay cut? What would be your reaction if your boss offered you a 30% pay cut after you received a worker of the month award?

It's not as simple as that. If you got a massive payrise in your previous offer & had only performed to a level that reflected that in 1 of those 3 years you wouldn't be too surly.

You would take into account your history with the employer. There were many times in Leon's career where he was lucky to get an extra year/contract (he was all but out the door in 04/05).

There is a rumour that Swan Districts pulled the contract of playing and a job with BHP as a development officer as Leon failed to front for the interview, instead sending Pickering. On top of the failure to even contact Buckley before he walked out, there is something strange with this whole situation.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

How many other senior Collingwood players were asked to take a $100000 pay cut? What would be your reaction if your boss offered you a 30% pay cut after you received a worker of the month award?

Most people on this board would be paying their bosses for the privelige of working if they took a 100k pay cut

Whats your point exactly?

Everybody knows that footballers have limited career spans and that football clubs have salary caps to manage.

 

[SuperSteele22]

Sounds selfish I know, but I'd rather this way than seeing him light it up for another club.

Farewell Magic, a favourite of mine throughout your whole career.

 

[Primetime Pricey]

Yep I was told he was on approx $500k a year for his current contract and that is why neither West Coast or Freo were interested in a trade in 09 and 10 when he made requests to be traded to WA.

So he took a cut but of all our stars he was the most expendable due to age and the fact that he has never strung two good seasons together. He made an implusive, ill informed decision and now he has to pay the price.

Instead of carrying on like idiots, his mates like Brian Taylor should have told him to pull his head in.

Leon should have been so much more than he acheived.

Club will be better off without him.

Jeez you talk shit. Whoever gave you that info is also talking shit.

Wasn't a financial decision at all

 

[Rummy]

Jeez you talk shit. Whoever gave you that info is also talking shit.

Wasn't a financial decision at all

So what did he leave the club for? it certainly doesnt seem to have been for the go home factor, because all of those potential clubs refused to pay him the amount of money he was demanding. Hence him leaving and choosing another potential club was a financial decision, granted it wasnt the 'sole' factor otherwise he may of gone to GWS, but it certainly seems to have been the major contributor

 

[Primetime Pricey]

So what did he leave the club for? it certainly doesnt seem to have been for the go home factor, because all of those potential clubs refused to pay him the amount of money he was demanding. Hence him leaving and choosing another potential club was a financial decision, granted it wasnt the 'sole' factor otherwise he may of gone to GWS, but it certainly seems to have been the major contributor

The major factor was he wanted to go back and live with his family and friends in either SA or WA but preferably WA. He put a number out there and if the 4 SA clubs didn't want him at that price then you can negotiate. The clubs had their reasons why they didnt want him. He knew this could happen and he was fine with it and will play local footy and get a job easy enough.
The fact people are saying he left Collingwood because of taking a pay cut is wrong and the only reason i say this is because i heard it from one of his best mates that i see Leon with most summers.

It's dissapointing he is being portrayed as someone who has walked out on the club for being asked to take a pay cut when it has never been about that. He has tried to leave on many occasions but then changed his mind because of loyalty to the club and now he wants to settle down with his young family back home in WA or in SA with his mrs family and friends.