One year too many.

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MrWoollie

Club Legend
Jul 28, 2008
2,009
3,709
England
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Lincoln City Imps, West Perth
I can see that it could be very hard to reach the 'retire now' decision. When you are a professional athlete, to say 'time's up' must be really tough.
Especially if the club keep offering you big money to play on and the alternative is to end the career you've been on since you were a kid. And do what?
Usually it's the player not ready to admit time, but sometimes it's the club. I remember Sandilands was ready to retire time and time again, but the club kept begging him to play on. Shows his loyalty that he did so. Never should have though.

And sometimes you get it wrong. A year ago I thought Tax Walker was shot. After a great start to 2021 he's slowed down, but he's still pretty good.

Right now the guy looking cooked in my team is Jamie Cripps. Lost the zip, tackles nearly as much but they don't stick the way they used to. Goal count and goal assist numbers are way down and while he makes pretty good position, he invariably fumbles the ball resulting in a turnover.

Walters is just getting old and Fyfe has the excuse of a history of injuries. When he's on the park he's dangerous, but the question seems to be how many games and what percentage of any game will he be good for. Hard to believe such a champion is in his 12th year and is only just about to crack 200 games. I think Walters should end it this year but Fyfe can probably go another 4-5 if he can keep the body ok. Reducing minutes and more and more forward time though.
 
Nov 8, 2007
11,733
16,697
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
I can see that it could be very hard to reach the 'retire now' decision. When you are a professional athlete, to say 'time's up' must be really tough.
Especially if the club keep offering you big money to play on and the alternative is to end the career you've been on since you were a kid. And do what?
Usually it's the player not ready to admit time, but sometimes it's the club. I remember Sandilands was ready to retire time and time again, but the club kept begging him to play on. Shows his loyalty that he did so. Never should have though.

And sometimes you get it wrong. A year ago I thought Tax Walker was shot. After a great start to 2021 he's slowed down, but he's still pretty good.
Tax Walker has been great
 
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Zach Guthrie has gone 5 years too long with another few to come before because his brother has become a star in the past two years 🙄

Donnarumma effect.
I remember his very first pre-season game and he got like 25 touches and seemed to really hold his own. That was clearly his peak
 

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Sky

Doctor Demise
Feb 14, 2021
3,769
7,826
NT
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Raptors, Storm, Chelsea
Media has him linked to Juve and Barca, nothing concrete yet, I'm thinking it's Juve although I think he'd be perfect for Man U.
A Raiola boy would be better suited to Chelsea than Manchester United I would’ve thought.
 
Jul 13, 2015
36,299
40,463
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Why be so childish?

someone posted Zac Guthrie and you had to come in and defend Zac guthrie because well that’s just what you do. That’s not the point of this thread.

i came in to post burgoyne. And yet I see a Geelong board sh**fight.

We have more salary cap space than soft cap space and Burgoyne was expected to be given reduced games to get to 400 but really focus onbeing a mentor for the kids.

The interesting thing is whether he gets to 401 then retires or plays as many as he can then retires.
 
Yeah because 20 games is enough to make an assessment on anyone
Reminds me of a young Mackie. Mackie had the same issues early on too. Far too soon to judge.
 
May 5, 2016
43,478
48,513
AFL Club
Geelong
Why be so childish?

someone posted Zac Guthrie and you had to come in and defend Zac guthrie because well that’s just what you do. That’s not the point of this thread.

i came in to post burgoyne. And yet I see a Geelong board sh**fight.

Yes all threads should just be a dispassionate list of people agreeing with one another
 
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