Redlight wrote:I'm never getting on board the 'that's just how it is' bandwagon.
It doesn't have to be like this, we got along perfectly well without free-agency and we don't need it now. The players may like the idea of an unexpected payday but it's damaging to the clubs and therefore to the fabric of the comp.
The blokes moving aren't unhappy fringe players looking for a chance to ply their trade, it's Ablett, Beams, Thomas, Franklin, Tippet - franchise players that clubs can build a decade around. The sort of players that bring, and keep, supporters attached to a club.
Even worse is that free agency has led to a situation where even contracted players are not off-limits, Brisbane offers Beams a truck load of money and, even though he's contracted, he's off - to the club of his choice and they get to dictate terms. What contract?
This will only snowball and we'll all shrug and say 'that's how it is in America' but guess what? I don't give a flying f&*ck what the Americans do.
The AFL can scratch it's head and wonder why crowds are dropping. A bit of it is expense, a bit is scheduling, a bit umpiring, but I'm beginning to suspect that all of these changes are breaking the connection supporters have to players and then, subsequently, the the clubs themselves.
The game is losing it's identity. We should fear the day that supporters stop caring when great players leave, not embrace it.
I don't disagree with people who feel like that - my points are this: firstly, we have a draft, so players don't get to pick where they play, so you are immediately behind the 8 ball when it comes to engendering loyalty. Pendles could be a hated Hawk, Swanny a Saint...and so on.
Secondly if Dayne Beams doesn't want to be there, we owe it to ourselves to be ruthless and get the best deal - if Dayne doesn't like it, tough. We need to look after ourselves. Finally, I absolutely love Luke Ball, but he left his club and came to us. Those connections can still be built - and I say this as someone who loves the 2010 Premiership team to death.
Soon as the club flicks Sharrod Wellingham with a flea in his ear from Gary Pert, the players are entitled to wonder what happened to loyalty. This is the modern era - I'll boo Dayne Beams out of the building next year, but I understand it. And we have to get absolutely ruthless (like Hawthorn) if this is how it is...
We just got nutted at the clearances...