Mega Thread Port Forum 'General AFL Talk' Thread Part 6

[Tredz]

Fairly sure Francis signed a contract extension well after his brother died.

But, did Francis sign a contract extension after Impeys father died? Everyone reacts differently to grief - our job as part of the human family is to provide a level of compassion and comfort (within reason) to those suffering grief and assist them through those times.

 

[Tibbs]

Fairly sure Impey’s father died after Impey signed his contract extension.

That's irrelevant. It was clearly evident that Francis has been struggling for some time. He requested a move back home, and no doubt would have told Essendon that he was struggling in Melbourne. Dodoro's reputation in these issues is well known - He is a dick! So by not releasing him for unders last year at his request, they now have further harmed him, and will probably lose him completely.

Yes they had the "right" to play hardball, as did GWS with McCarthy, but was it the "right" thing to do?

So proud of Port, we have set a high standard on principles, ethics, & morality. When to stand strong on our rights - ala Nick Stevens - and when to do the right thing, ala Impey.

 

[CharlieKelly]

At this stage, I think a fair and reasonable trade would be a second rounder, we have two this year (the default pick and St. Kilda's) or a future second rounder.

It's a safe assumption that Chris Davies was referring to Francis as one of the players knocking on Port's door for a trade at the Member's Convention on the weekend.

And honestly, I don't think it really matters if we get him or the Crows get him, or Essendon do the right thing by him, he should be in a place where he can enjoy life and football.

 

[Tibbs]

Huge LOL...

Former Gold Coast Suns players Henry Schade, Daniel Gorringe depart Balwyn after Rodney Eade hired as coach
BALWYN will be without two of its marquee recruits for the season after former AFL players Daniel Gorringe and Henry Schade walked out on the club. The former Gold Coast teammates have not trained at the Eastern Football League powerhouse since Rodney Eade replaced Marty Pask as coach.

https://goo.gl/AjrDgz

Daniel Gorringe ....

 

[Forzaport]

That's irrelevant. It was clearly evident that Francis has been struggling for some time. He requested a move back home, and no doubt would have told Essendon that he was struggling in Melbourne. Dodoro's reputation in these issues is well known - He is a dick! So by not releasing him for unders last year at his request, they now have further harmed him, and will probably lose him completely.

Yes they had the "right" to play hardball, as did GWS with McCarthy, but was it the "right" thing to do?

So proud of Port, we have set a high standard on principles, ethics, & morality. When to stand strong on our rights - ala Nick Stevens - and when to do the right thing, ala Impey.

It's entirely relevant as Francis' situation and Impey's situation are objectively different.

Francis suffered a family tragedy, then moved away from home, then signed a contract extension to stay at Essendon

Impey moved away from home, then signed a contract extension, then suffered a family tragedy.

If Francis had genuinely been struggling for some time, why sign a contract extension at all? He had ample opportunity to leave after his initial contract with Essendon. He could have walked at the end of 2017 if he didn't sign a contract extension. Yes Dodoro is a dick but he is absolutely entitled to seek something resembling fair value for a player with 2 years to run on their contract. Generally speaking, allowing a player to break a contract on compassionate grounds is appropriate if there is a material change to the player's circumstances after they have entered into said contract. Impey is an example of a player to have a material change to his circumstances with his father passing away and a big part of his support structure in Trengove leaving. As far as I'm aware, and I could be wrong, Francis has not had a similar material change in his circumstances since signing his contract extension, other than an increased desire to return to SA. Ergo, McCarthy MkII.

It's entirely possible Essendon did try to trade McCarthy to Port or the Crows in good faith but no deal was possible.

At some point the individual needs to take responsibility for their decisions.

 

[LFC2010]

At this stage, I think a fair and reasonable trade would be a second rounder, we have two this year (the default pick and St. Kilda's) or a future second rounder.

It's a safe assumption that Chris Davies was referring to Francis as one of the players knocking on Port's door for a trade at the Member's Convention on the weekend.

And honestly, I don't think it really matters if we get him or the Crows get him, or Essendon do the right thing by him, he should be in a place where he can enjoy life and football.

Essendon do the right thing for a player! You are kidding aren't you.

 

[Arthur Dunger]

I

If Francis had genuinely been struggling for some time, why sign a contract extension at all? He had ample opportunity to leave after his initial contract with Essendon. He could have walked at the end of 2017 if he didn't sign a contract extension. Yes Dodoro is a dick but he is absolutely entitled to seek something resembling fair value for a player with 2 years to run on their contract. Generally speaking, allowing a player to break a contract on compassionate grounds is appropriate if there is a material change to the player's circumstances after they have entered into said contract. Impey is an example of a player to have a material change to his circumstances with his father passing away and a big part of his support structure in Trengove leaving. As far as I'm aware, and I could be wrong, Francis has not had a similar material change in his circumstances since signing his contract extension, other than an increased desire to return to SA. Ergo, McCarthy MkII.

It's entirely possible Essendon did try to trade McCarthy to Port or the Crows in good faith but no deal was possible.

At some point the individual needs to take responsibility for their decisions.

That's a very simplistic and naive way of looking at it, no-one really knows when the 'Black Dog' will or may come knocking at your door and being such a young guy well away from friends and family his mental health should be held way higher than anything secondary like a football contract.

 

[Tibbs]

It's entirely relevant as Francis' situation and Impey's situation are objectively different.

Francis suffered a family tragedy, then moved away from home, then signed a contract extension to stay at Essendon

Impey moved away from home, then signed a contract extension, then suffered a family tragedy.

If Francis had genuinely been struggling for some time, why sign a contract extension at all? He had ample opportunity to leave after his initial contract with Essendon. He could have walked at the end of 2017 if he didn't sign a contract extension. Yes Dodoro is a dick but he is absolutely entitled to seek something resembling fair value for a player with 2 years to run on their contract. Generally speaking, allowing a player to break a contract on compassionate grounds is appropriate if there is a material change to the player's circumstances after they have entered into said contract. Impey is an example of a player to have a material change to his circumstances with his father passing away and a big part of his support structure in Trengove leaving. As far as I'm aware, and I could be wrong, Francis has not had a similar material change in his circumstances since signing his contract extension, other than an increased desire to return to SA. Ergo, McCarthy MkII.

It's entirely possible Essendon did try to trade McCarthy to Port or the Crows in good faith but no deal was possible.

At some point the individual needs to take responsibility for their decisions.

Look, that is your your opinion, but I dont agree with it. Mental health pays no heed to the timing of the catalyst event. When he re-signed in 2016, he might have felt he was Ok to continue, but the fact that a year later he was needing to return home, indicates it was not working. His mental health comes first over his contract, and the "rights" of Essendon IMO.

As I said, its all about opinions. I love our club for putting people first over paper, and just hope Francis can sort out his issues, and move on with his life.

 

[Forzaport]

That's a very simplistic and naive way of looking at it, no-one really knows when the 'Black Dog' will or may come knocking at your door and being such a young guy well away from friends and family his mental health should be held way higher than anything secondary like a football contract.

I have no issue with Francis staying at home with family and friends and not playing AFL football. McCarthy did it.

Edit: I'm not sure why the comparison to McCarthy has caused so much angst. Mental health was central to McCarthy's move as it is in Francis' case. Both players had 2 years to run on their contracts when they requested a trade. It's entirely possible the outcome for Francis will be the same as it was for McCarthy. Just because GWS and Essendon weren't able to finalise a trade doesn't mean they're lacking in compassion or aren't considering the player's welfare. And given it is Essendon, they would be last club that would want there to be any doubt over their commitment to player welfare after their disgraceful recent past.

 

[CharlieKelly]

Essendon do the right thing for a player! You are kidding aren't you.

Good point

 

[TeeKray]

It's entirely relevant as Francis' situation and Impey's situation are objectively different.

Francis suffered a family tragedy, then moved away from home, then signed a contract extension to stay at Essendon

Impey moved away from home, then signed a contract extension, then suffered a family tragedy.

If Francis had genuinely been struggling for some time, why sign a contract extension at all? He had ample opportunity to leave after his initial contract with Essendon. He could have walked at the end of 2017 if he didn't sign a contract extension. Yes Dodoro is a dick but he is absolutely entitled to seek something resembling fair value for a player with 2 years to run on their contract. Generally speaking, allowing a player to break a contract on compassionate grounds is appropriate if there is a material change to the player's circumstances after they have entered into said contract. Impey is an example of a player to have a material change to his circumstances with his father passing away and a big part of his support structure in Trengove leaving. As far as I'm aware, and I could be wrong, Francis has not had a similar material change in his circumstances since signing his contract extension, other than an increased desire to return to SA. Ergo, McCarthy MkII.

It's entirely possible Essendon did try to trade McCarthy to Port or the Crows in good faith but no deal was possible.

At some point the individual needs to take responsibility for their decisions.

He's a very young man who has probably had a whirlwind few years emotionally. He might have been struggling to begin with, had a little bit of time when he was in a better space mentally and signed the new contract, then started to struggle again. It's harsh to assess it on a linear timeline. I suspect he will be at either Port or the Crows next year.

 

[RossFC]

I reckon he'll end up at Westies.

 

[tribey]

He's a very young man who has probably had a whirlwind few years emotionally. He might have been struggling to begin with, had a little bit of time when he was in a better space mentally and signed the new contract, then started to struggle again. It's harsh to assess it on a linear timeline. I suspect he will be at either Port or the Crows next year.

Salopek and Boak are probably the two closest examples from our standpoint and we were lucky that a mixture of our support systems and their individual coping mechanisms were adequate enough to see them through, but I don't think anyone would've blamed them for wanting to go home, contracted or not.

 

[CharlieKelly]

Ha

 

[Tibbs]

View attachment 459692
Ha

Did LOL.

Good-natured trolling at it's best.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

Interesting to see if he shows the young Lions how to take sniping cheap shots at every opportunity

 

[tribey]

Interesting to see if he shows the young Lions how to take sniping cheap shots at every opportunity

If that arm-raising duckmaster Rhys Mathieson adds that to his arsenal I think I'll expire.

 

[CharlieKelly]

One other mitigating factor with a possible trade with Essendon for Francis...

They'll probably need points to bid on Mason Fletcher, apparently this kid is a carbon copy of his dad

Essendon currently has a default first rounder, Gold Coast has their second rounder (Saad trade) but they have GWS's second rounder (Devon Smith trade), no third rounder (GWS has it) and default picks from fourth round onward.

I think we could offer one of the two second round picks we have.

 

[Grave Danger]

View attachment 459692
Ha

I went to my letterbox today to see if anyone has tried to steal my heart. There was a leaflet from Falun Gong warning about Chinese state sponsored organ harvesting

 

[Doctor Feel]

Francis would just about come free or not at all i'd suspect.

 

[RossFC]

Former Gold Coast Sun player Daniel Gorringe departs Balwyn after Rodney Eade is hired as coach.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/fo...h/news-story/006c281c751fcc693075ff689a01066f

Massive bullet dodged. Almost had Eade as a coach and Gorringe as a player. Both of 'em are clowns.

 

[LFC2010]

Former Gold Coast Sun player Daniel Gorringe departs Balwyn after Rodney Eade is hired as coach.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/fo...h/news-story/006c281c751fcc693075ff689a01066f

Massive bullet dodged. Almost had Eade as a coach and Gorringe as a player. Both of 'em are clowns.

What an absolute meathead... I hope enjoy's that wait for a coffee.

 

[LFC2010]

Francis would just about come free or not at all i'd suspect.

nah, Essendon will demand O Wines plus a 1st round pick for him.

 

[Forzaport]

He's a very young man who has probably had a whirlwind few years emotionally. He might have been struggling to begin with, had a little bit of time when he was in a better space mentally and signed the new contract, then started to struggle again. It's harsh to assess it on a linear timeline. I suspect he will be at either Port or the Crows next year.

You're right, it is harsh but it was necessary to demonstrate key differences in circumstance between Francis and Impey and to provide a rationale for why a compassionate break of contract can be viewed differently between the players.

To be clear, I agree that player welfare is paramount. No argument from me. However, there does seem to be an unwritten belief that a homesick or depressed contracted player is entitled to switch to an AFL club of their choosing for a trade considered significantly below market value. That's 1 step too far for me. There are pragmatic limits to club goodwill which would be impacted by circumstance and trade opportunity. Fortunately for Port we were able to accommodate Impey's request for something nearing market value. Sometimes a player finds themselves in a position where they just have to sit a year out because they signed a contract they regret signing.

It's a fairly safe bet that Francis will find his way to Port or Crows for 2019.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

Forget Gorringe for a moment though Rocket is loathed by about everyone he ever coached