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There is nothing to be gained by Tom going on. In fact the more convincing arguments are for him to call it a day.
1) He is physically at his limit, his best days are well behind him and I question whether he is able to go through another pre-season, yet alone a season in it's entirety.
2) We need to get game time into Gillies and Laidler, particularly while Dash and Scarlett are there to show them the ropes.
3) Although Tom was/is a great leader, we are far from wanting in the leadership department; either in the B/L or the club more broadly
4) I would've though that going on simply to rack up 2 more games on a personally tally is going against out recent ethos. But anyway.....
We love you Tommy, but it's time to go.
Tom's leadership is why we won two premierships

Would be nice to see the club do a nice thing for a player for a change i reckon.
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It's called an assumption, an educated guess from what I have seen. And as luck would have it, this is an Internet forum, where both are keenly encouraged.basing the pre season call on what? your in depth knowledge of his condition?

I don't doubt that at all. I'm sure if Harley retires this year or next, his presence and influence will be missed. However, I was making the point that he is hardly leaving a leadership vacuum. So in this regard, now is as good a time as any.Tom's leadership is why we won two premierships, don't discount his influence so lightly.
Alternatively, it could equally be argued that Tom would be setting a great example by, yet again, putting his wants/needs ahead of the greater good of the club. Which is, in part, creating space for fresh blood.The ethos is about loyalty and comradeship, seeing your captain to 200 would fit in here i think, which is what bomber is advocating.
I'm certainly not advocating a 'scrap pile' for Tom. I love him and what he has given this club. And he will always be remembered for that. Walking away from a playing career as '2 Time Premiership Captain', the last game of which you held the cup aloft, is hardly the scrap pile.amazing how the captain that sees us to our first two cups since the 60's has so many people wanting to throw him on the scrap pile like Ayres did to so many of our beloved, and we bag Ayres all the time for it. Would be nice to see the club do a nice thing for a player for a change i reckon.
Tom is out of contract and on base wage anyway so him retiring wouldn't have changed a thing this week.
The only list management issue surrounding Tom's decision is about drafting.
If he plays on, we draft one less kid at the end of the draft.quote]
When are the list lodgement dates and when does he have to let us know of his decision?
I really doubt Tom would play on just to reach 200 games and then retire, he's too much of a team man for that. If he doesn't think he can play a full season with his body, and/or if he really wants to not commute from Sydney, he'll retire.
And it will be a perfect note to retire on.
The more I think about it, the stronger is my opinion he should retire.
Our defence, in general, is aging. We don't want to lose too much experience in one go - and we don't want to be blooding too many raw defenders in one go either.
Harley should retire this year. The game has gone past him. That means next year we can slot another defender in without too much hassle, allowing him to be covered by the experienced defence whilst also learning greatly at the same time.
The year after, Milburn retires. Then we slot the next defender in.
Then a year or two later, Scarlett.
We need to stagger the retirements of our current defenders and the inclusions of new defenders.
Tom can do whatever he wants. 2 time premiership captain is good enough for me.
When are the list lodgement dates and when does he have to let us know of his decision?
Spot on mate!i would love to see harley play another couple of games and reach 200. i really respect bomber for recognising this. hopefully we will remember harley in years to come as a champion bloke, solid player, dual premiership player and 200 gamer.
i would be willing to accept the consequences (not draft one more player or whatever - i'm not exactly sure) to give Tom this and as i said before i have a lot of respect for bomber for encouraging this as well.
of course he would play on next year on minimum wage wtih the expectation of once he reached 201 games he would make way for gillies.
to all those that say the club is more important than the player: i think you all will agree that a key to geelong's success has been the loyalty / devotion / comittment of the players. by the cats giving harley this it will demonstrate to the players even more about how important they are to the club - and how we're not gonna flog them off, drop them, etc.

Liberal Leadership
Out: Turnbull
In: Harley

Geelong Defence
Out: Harley
In: Gillies
Liberal Leadership
Out: Turnbull
In: Harley
Spot on.
If i was in his position i'd retire but as a dual premiership captain of our great club he's earned the right to make his own decision, in his own time.
First list lodgement - October 30
Second list lodgement - November 13
Final list lodgement - December 2
Tom said he's announce his decision after his honeymoon which is fair enough given how hectic the last month has been for him.
He'll be back before the October 30 first list lodgement so we'll know by then.
)...so long as he doesn't decide (either way) so late we end up 1 senior lister short (ala Crawford) then I'm happy