There's a lot of back and forth going on here, but no one from outside of GWS can honestly say that their players aren't taking unders. In fact, Josh Kelly is living proof that at least someone is taking unders to stay, and I'm sure there are plenty more than just him.
I think the differences between Hawthorn (circa 2008-2015 era) and this current GWS team are as follows:
- GWS have multiple top end players (high draft picks) that are attractive to other clubs
- GWS are not in a football 'heartland' and have multiple players from interstate who clubs will target
- GWS have had to pay over to some players in order to bring them to the club (initially) and are probably moving towards a more sustainable pay scale now (similar to what Manchester City and Chelsea have previously done in the English Premier league)
- GWS have worked their way down from a greater list size and salary cap size to the standard sizes they have today
Jon Patton looks like someone who is deemed surplus to requirements based on the development of players like Himmelberg and Finlayson as well as the fact that he is on a large contract, makes him an expendable asset from a GWS point of view. The added benefit is they open up more space to potentially resign the players they feel will contribute to their next premiership tilt.
All of the above is just an outside perspective obviously.
I think the differences between Hawthorn (circa 2008-2015 era) and this current GWS team are as follows:
- GWS have multiple top end players (high draft picks) that are attractive to other clubs
- GWS are not in a football 'heartland' and have multiple players from interstate who clubs will target
- GWS have had to pay over to some players in order to bring them to the club (initially) and are probably moving towards a more sustainable pay scale now (similar to what Manchester City and Chelsea have previously done in the English Premier league)
- GWS have worked their way down from a greater list size and salary cap size to the standard sizes they have today
Jon Patton looks like someone who is deemed surplus to requirements based on the development of players like Himmelberg and Finlayson as well as the fact that he is on a large contract, makes him an expendable asset from a GWS point of view. The added benefit is they open up more space to potentially resign the players they feel will contribute to their next premiership tilt.
All of the above is just an outside perspective obviously.