Opinion The new Crows attitude.

[cmndstab]

Univiting him gave Lever a free kick in the media when he didn’t deserve it.

I understand why the club did it, but they’ve got to be more strategic from a PR standpoint.

I haven't followed this super closely, but my understanding is we didn't uninvite him, right? We just told him, you realise it's going to be super uncomfortable if you're there, and he said "yeah, you're probably right" and opted not to go.

It's not like we had a bouncer at the door with a picture of Jake ready to march him out if he dared to show his face.

Surely Caro Wilson would’ve had a comment on this...

Surely...

Caroline did talk about the Richmond sexting scandal on 5AA yesterday. She said if the allegations bear out, and that she had no reason to assume they wouldn't, then the AFL should throw the book at the player and make an example out of him because it's indefensible and grubby. She was pretty direct about it.

 

[cmndstab]

I have a question. Why is it that the media has gone so aggressively at us, yet the actions of the Richmond players in (potentially) circulating a photo against the consent of the young woman involved has not elicited one single tweet from the "heavy hitters" of the Victorian media in Wilson, Barrett, Hutchinson, McClure etc? I am genuinely dumb founded by this.

I think the idea is they're waiting for the police to issue findings before they go hard. I know they don't normally show so much restraint, but then it's not like the Lever thing is a police matter.

 

[pirate bob]

I think the idea is they're waiting for the police to issue findings before they go hard. I know they don't normally show so much restraint, but then it's not like the Lever thing is a police matter.

They treated the allegations about Martin and the chop sticks the same. Seems to be a sensible approach.

 

[Vikingblood]

Are people happy with the way the AFC has gone about its business in the last couple of years? The secrecy, the not talking to the media, closed shop way of doing buisness?
The club is getting smashed in the media at the moment, with even Caro hammering us in an article today.
We are being laughed at as hypocritical in not letting Cameron go but trying to get Gibbs.
Tex is being smashed over his attitude to Lever. Don Pyke got smashed for jumping down the Brisbanes coach over Cameron.
To be honest I am happy with the tough talking we are doing at the trade table. I have wanted us to get fair value for people who leave. I was jumping up and down here over what we accepted to Danger, and look how thats proved out. I was annoyed with how we got unders for Lyons. And before anyone tries to legitimize the trade, there is a good chance Port will get as good or better for Impey as we got for Lyons. Let that sink in for a bit.

So is eveyone aboard the AFC admin train? I am kinda.

Yep, love it. Embrace being the hated. If we turn the hate into success it becomes respect.
20 years of getting reamed by all and sundry in every trade, AFL decisions etc etc has got us nowhere. Time to push back hard.

 

[goyoucrows]

I didn't hear it, but I was told she back pedalled a fair bit about her s**t comments on Tex. Is this right?

She said:

- Adelaide overreacted with the whole lever affair.
- she stood by on the 'rumour' that the club said to lever don't come to the best and fairest.
- she sweetened her story by saying Adelaide got a good deal.
- she said after talking to the club she would have"added a few more facts" to get article.
- she said CC wasn't happy and was "stone-walled by a couple of players" Kym said where did you hear this? Caro said "Charlie's people" and didn't name anyone. (rumour/lie spreading)

With Walker:
- he's getting smashed by the Vic media and doesn't deserve it and she said he's been "treated unfairly"
- she completely understand why Walker is disappointed with players leaving


She elluded to Adelaide losing players and it's a problem. Kym Dillon disagreed and went through 5-6 examples and said every club loses players. She disagreed and said Adelaide's issues are more worrying.

 

[Large 1]

I think the Crows needed to own the Jake Lever B&F issue.

They just needed to state something along the lines of:

"The AFC expects a team first attitude from all of its players and employees. While we understand that player movement is inevitable, we will protect our team first culture.

Our best and fairest evening is an opportunity to reflect on what our club, including all our players, employees and supporters, has achieved over this year.

It became apparent that The media attention surrounding Jake Lever's departure, especially in light of his recently televised interview, would prove to be a distraction, and risked moving the focus from the club as a whole, to an individual. Therefore, we reached a mutual understanding with Jake, that he would not attend the best and fairest evening.

We do not apologise for this, and will continue to take the actions we deem necessary to protect our team first culture"

 

[Rear Admiral]

No doubt Reid made an amateur mistake early with the Gibbs deal last year, but standing our ground and letting the deal fall through rather than overpay set an important precedent for future seasons. Now when he gives his best take it or leave it offers opposition clubs know its not all bluff.

Nailed it .

And it's this very reason why I'm not opposed to dump departing players back in the Draft. You take this hard stance, then other clubs/players will know you won't blink at the Trade Table. Of course you go in and show respect and professionalism when dealing with other clubs, that goes without saying. And of course the other club needs to get some value from the Trade. But you make it clear what your stance is.

I was listening to a recent CrowCast, and they discussed how we've got to take a different stance to most Victorian Clubs, as there isn't the same pressure to "go home" (back to Victoria) in comparison to many players at SA Clubs. We just have to take a different stance with players here. There are always going to be some players on our list that want to leave, and if we can get adequate trade value/compensation for the departing player, great. But if not, we need to be willing to send the player back to the Draft and show we're not going to roll over.