Why I don't understand, can't understand and wont ever understand.

[mjp]

So the trade period is done and I have been listening to trade radio, reading newspaper articles and 'trying' to follow things. Probably like everyone else. And at the end of it - if I summarise - here is what is being said:

- Hawthorn are 'ruthless' because they got rid of Mitchell and Lewis and 'the best' because they found a way to get Mitchell, Vickery and O'Meara.

Fine. But if Chris Grant and Scott West finished their careers at another club, I would have been absolutely spewing and I just will never, ever understand why they did these things. Don't get me wrong, I think Mitchell and O'Meara will be good but without Lewis and Mitchell there, well - does it really matter how good they are? How is this 'getting better' when they have lost their best two mids and given away their first round draft picks this year and next? I am old and not very smart but didn't Hawthorn build their team from the draft and ADD PIECES at the trade table? Since that has been successful, why have they flipped the switch? Not only that, but two of their deals are so dubious that it seems AFL investigations are likely...yet Wright is saying they acted with 'integrity'? Really? The family club?

- St Kilda have 'won' trade week because they got in two reserves players (Stevens and the GWS kid Steele) and one of the Brown brothers who couldn't get a game at Collingwood. How is that winning? Sure, they 'won' the trade with the deal with the Hawks (you know, the one the AFL are going to investigate?) but adding a couple of spare parts doesn't make you premiers.

- The Giants are amazing and have just 'loaded up' with talent again by somehow getting Deledio and pick #2. Meanwhile, two previous top 10 picks walk out of the club for a single pick in the 50's? This is progress is it? And Steele (a previous number 20 pick) leaves as well...But of course getting in Deledio who hasn't played much and NEVER in a winning side and losing midfield depth doesn't matter when everyone has anointed you premiers 2017.

I could go on (and on and on). But I am just so out of touch. Apparently top 10 picks walking out for nothing is now 'good'. Losing club legends for nothing proves you are 'ruthless'. And bringing in reserves players from other clubs drives you to the flag.

And the poor old Gold Coast. Now they have 4x top 10 picks which is apparently bad in the new world?

[LostDoggy]

Agree mjp. I remember the gushing reviews Crazy Vossy got immediately after his infamous debut trade period. Media will talk up those that nab the 'name' players in the short term, but that means diddlysquat in the long run.

[jeemak]

Good post. I tend to switch off at this time of year, for the most part.

One word to describe Hawthorn's effort is hubris. Trading themselves out of the next two drafts will hurt them, particularly if they pull a dud effort in 2018. However, they think they're better and the norms don't apply to them. Like Geelong and Norf I think they'll be penalised for not bottoming out over them medium and longer term when usually draft replenishment and access to top 25 picks pays dividends.

The positive commentary surrounding St Kilda and GWS is based upon the trade period being relatively bland. Mediocre returns are being pumped up.

[comrade]

We effectively traded out 2 potential delistees (Hrovat and Stevens) for draft picks, and parlayed a DFA into a top 30 pick. We also brought in a work horse KPF for nothing.

We get to have a crack at adding elite talent to the group with 2 picks inside 30, while stockpiling salary cap to help retain our stars and have a crack at a very good free agent class in 2017. At the same time, we lost very little in terms of overall squad quality (Hamling is the only one that may hurt is but even he was battling in the VFL 2 months ago).

Yet most journos are reporting our trade period as a definite loss or average at best.

[Remi Moses]

I also recall the media gushing over Pagan picking up reserve player after reserve player back in the early 2000's.
The trade period now is just for the afl to dominate the sporting news cycle for a bit longer .
supporters also seem to panic when their club doesn't get involved also

[Hotdog60]

Good post mjp, I think we did alright with the list we have and to improve our draft position. Keep bringing on the kids I say and keep and list team on a good wage so the bastards don't poach them.
I think one has to worry about ripping the sole out of the footy club and like GWS there is no sense of belonging. Maybe the squawks are taking this model.

[Twodogs]

So the trade period is done and I have been listening to trade radio, reading newspaper articles and 'trying' to follow things. Probably like everyone else. And at the end of it - if I summarise - here is what is being said:

- Hawthorn are 'ruthless' because they got rid of Mitchell and Lewis and 'the best' because they found a way to get Mitchell, Vickery and O'Meara.

Fine. But if Chris Grant and Scott West finished their careers at another club, I would have been absolutely spewing and I just will never, ever understand why they did these things. Don't get me wrong, I think Mitchell and O'Meara will be good but without Lewis and Mitchell there, well - does it really matter how good they are? How is this 'getting better' when they have lost their best two mids and given away their first round draft picks this year and next? I am old and not very smart but didn't Hawthorn build their team from the draft and ADD PIECES at the trade table? Since that has been successful, why have they flipped the switch? Not only that, but two of their deals are so dubious that it seems AFL investigations are likely...yet Wright is saying they acted with 'integrity'? Really? The family club?

- St Kilda have 'won' trade week because they got in two reserves players (Stevens and the GWS kid Steele) and one of the Brown brothers who couldn't get a game at Collingwood. How is that winning? Sure, they 'won' the trade with the deal with the Hawks (you know, the one the AFL are going to investigate?) but adding a couple of spare parts doesn't make you premiers.

- The Giants are amazing and have just 'loaded up' with talent again by somehow getting Deledio and pick #2. Meanwhile, two previous top 10 picks walk out of the club for a single pick in the 50's? This is progress is it? And Steele (a previous number 20 pick) leaves as well...But of course getting in Deledio who hasn't played much and NEVER in a winning side and losing midfield depth doesn't matter when everyone has anointed you premiers 2017.

I could go on (and on and on). But I am just so out of touch. Apparently top 10 picks walking out for nothing is now 'good'. Losing club legends for nothing proves you are 'ruthless'. And bringing in reserves players from other clubs drives you to the flag.

And the poor old Gold Coast. Now they have 4x top 10 picks which is apparently bad in the new world?


Good rant Mike.

Answer my this regarding GWS. What's the penalty for avoiding the drug testers?

[westdog54]

It staggers me that so many people are raving about the Hawks landing Mitchell and O'Meara and yet conveniently forgetting they are more or less frozen out of this year's draft until the 5th *!*!*!*!ing round.

How does that even happen?

Only two clubs really made any sort of traction out of this years trade period as far as I'm concerned.

Gold Coast - Got good value for O'Meara and have four top 10 picks this year.
Fremantle - Still a strong draft position plus picked up a premiership defender, an extraordinarily talented and athletic forward, an even more athletic outside mid, plus a depth forward for bugger all, plus offloaded a fringe tall forward and received massive overs in compensation. The winners of the two weeks by a fair margin.

[1eyedog]

The AFL has ripped the heart out of the thing by introducing GC and GWS to the competition. Trade periods since the inception of the two franchises have been haphazard and reactive. This trade period has been the most volatile and both GWS and GC have led the way with other clubs now desperately trying to catch up. The desperation some players are showing to get out of there is bordering on the ridiculous and then there's the flip side, the big money thrown around to lure others in...

The problem is that unlike the GWS' the Hawthorn's and North Melbourne's simply cannot move on their best players and hope to keep up. And it seems that if you are St. Kilda, Carlton and Collingwood and manage to snare a couple of their reject B-Graders (who were once touted as A graders), then you're leading the pack at trade time.

More than anything these two clubs have fast-tracked free agency and have completely dismantled the player - club relationship and all that it once stood for. The only interest group who sees any importance in this is the fans. Woe be me when we lose the Bob Murphy's of this world, the last strands of the fabric of clubs.

I'm old and a traditionalist and things change but the competition has changed for the worst. GWS and GC need to be burnt to the ground and the AFEL has a lot to answer for.

It's only going to get worse.

[LostDoggy]

The other thing about Hawthorn trading away their main draft picks is that they don't seem to have much quality from their last few drafts either. That spells big cliff approaching.

[1eyedog]

The other thing about Hawthorn trading away their main draft picks is that they don't seem to have much quality from their last few drafts either. That spells big cliff approaching.

It's a massive 4-5 year gulf. They've got a paucity of talented kids between 19-22 and no future talented kids coming in for the next 2 years. Maybe they'll continually just trade away their champion 30 year olds to buy back in?

They'll be bottom 8 for a long time and the O'Meara's / Mtchell's of this world will be slugging away like the Gibbs' / Murphy's of this world. That said though, I'd still take 4 flags in 8 years.

[GVGjr]

- St Kilda have 'won' trade week because they got in two reserves players (Stevens and the GWS kid Steele) and one of the Brown brothers who couldn't get a game at Collingwood. How is that winning? Sure, they 'won' the trade with the deal with the Hawks (you know, the one the AFL are going to investigate?) but adding a couple of spare parts doesn't make you premiers.



That trade with the Hawks should never have been approved but will serve the Saints very well.

There is no real trade period now, it's now just a hybrid of a points accumulation game crossed with a hint of Caribbean Gardens swap of parts.

[soupman]

Yeah Hawthorn have come across a little desperate with their recruiting. Losing Mitchell and Lewis for effectively nothing is a joke, regardless of the provided reasons. And banking their entire future on an injury prone 20 something year old who hasn't played for 2 years is insanity, no matter how good you think your medical facilities are.

Geelong is now presenting as a team desperately trying to cling on to an ever fading premiership window. Barely any young players emerging that would be anything more than a B+, a list that has actually gotten worse over this trade period and the biggest one man side of recent times. Also I have an issue with them getting Deledio and Tuohy to declare their intentions to join, and then basically shrugging their shoulders and saying that they don't know if they have the tradeable assets to get them there and they can't fit them in the cap anyway. Disgraceful behaviour and more should be made of it.

Freo did great. 3 walk up starts to their squad, one with incredible potential, and replaced an ok tallish forward with another at great profit.

GC were limited for options as to who to trade in and will have a young side again, but they now have another chance at a super draft and got Lyons in for unders.

I cannot believe how poor the roi was at GWS for Ahearn and Pickett, and Marchbank also depreciated quickly. More could be made of how McCarthy was worth a lot less this year than last too.

StKilda did well, from a value pov, but made no big moves.

North also got some cheap recruits that have good ceilings, although Williams is a weird one.

Collingwood as usual paid top dollar for players that will likely never justify it. They are paying a lot more money than market rate for many players now; Aish, Greenwood, White, Wells and Mayne. I hope when Moore starts asking for more they feel the pinch.

[bulldogtragic]

After being bundled out in straight sets. Their Footy Manager left. Their Vice Captain walked out furious and won't even empty his own locker. Their Best & Fairest quit the club. An electric running player requested a trade out too. Their president quit earlier in the year too. They then entered into a big trade and paid a young kid, taken 1st in his draft year with very little footy, with a massive irresponsible contract. Isn't this mixture a #ClubInCrisis ?

Waiting for the footy media, in particular Barrett & Leigh Matthews to report on Shocktober, and target that player trade. Then every interview next year to start with naming all the exits, one by one, and highly irresponsible trading.

[Dry Rot]

Aside from no draft picks for this year and next, Hawks have taken more damage that will take time to see.

How would you feel as one of the 6 or 8 players they tried to get to move to the Gold Coast?

You know that the Club now thinks you are expendable. Your move in the next season or two when you come off contract....

[Twodogs]

Aside from no draft picks for this year and next, Hawks have taken more damage that will take time to see.

How would you feel as one of the 6 or 8 players they tried to get to move to the Gold Coast?

You know that the Club now thinks you are expendable. Your move in the next season or two when you come off contract....

Especially if you had taken below market pay "to keep the group together. Apart from the captain and vice captain obviously, they're gone."

[Twodogs]

Yeah Hawthorn have come across a little desperate with their recruiting. Losing Mitchell and Lewis for effectively nothing is a joke, regardless of the provided reasons. And banking their entire future on an injury prone 20 something year old who hasn't played for 2 years is insanity, no matter how good you think your medical facilities are.

Geelong is now presenting as a team desperately trying to cling on to an ever fading premiership window. Barely any young players emerging that would be anything more than a B+, a list that has actually gotten worse over this trade period and the biggest one man side of recent times. Also I have an issue with them getting Deledio and Tuohy to declare their intentions to join, and then basically shrugging their shoulders and saying that they don't know if they have the tradeable assets to get them there and they can't fit them in the cap anyway. Disgraceful behaviour and more should be made of it.

Freo did great. 3 walk up starts to their squad, one with incredible potential, and replaced an ok tallish forward with another at great profit.

GC were limited for options as to who to trade in and will have a young side again, but they now have another chance at a super draft and got Lyons in for unders.

I cannot believe how poor the roi was at GWS for Ahearn and Pickett, and Marchbank also depreciated quickly. More could be made of how McCarthy was worth a lot less this year than last too.

StKilda did well, from a value pov, but made no big moves.

North also got some cheap recruits that have good ceilings, although Williams is a weird one.

Collingwood as usual paid top dollar for players that will likely never justify it. They are paying a lot more money than market rate for many players now; Aish, Greenwood, White, Wells and Mayne. I hope when Moore starts asking for more they feel the pinch.

I hope you're not saying that not everyone at GWS is the best in the AFL at what they do. They are a bit touchy up there and tend to give up easily and stop trying if they think somebody is criticising them.

[mjp]

I understand where 1eyedog is coming from as well (comments about Giants and Suns) but - oddly enough - I thought Gold Coast presented as a 'footy club' during this trade period more than a few others. They did what they could with the O'Meara trade and I didn't like the Hawthorn centric reporting of what was happening. When their chairman said 'They picked a bad year to take us on' and everyone jumped on him because O'Meara was out of contract for the first time therefore when did he EXPECT them to take him on...but I just didn't think he was worried about O'Meara - he was talking about the fact that the clubs who wanted him (and in particular Hawthorn) were low-balling the offer and offering pick 10 to a club that already had 4, 6 and 8 was really not all they were after. Hawthorn SHOULD have done better. If they had just kept pick 14 and given the Suns 2x first rounders it would have been done straight away...but they wanted to bully the Suns, they wanted the media to bully the Suns - into giving O'Meara away for less than market value.

On that - all the comments about O'Meara not playing for 2 years? Well - I don't see that as relevent to the trade situation. If you sign a reported $700K per year contract then I think the market is speaking...and at age 23 a player worthy of a salary like that is worth A LOT more than pick 10. Isn't he?

As to the Giants, I am struggling a bit there. Can you imagine if our club gave away Pickett (a top 5 pick 2 years ago) as part of a swap for a pick in the 50's? It is a disgrace. Other clubs blow a top 5 pick (remember Tim Walsh) and opposition supporters bang on about it for a decade...the Giants slide one out the back door and no-one batts an eye-lid.

[Twodogs]

It's because GWS especially seemed to have so many early picks and weird picks and drafts that only they got that no one understood and keep having early picks that they become sort of like Monopoly money. You read "Former top 5 pick" and then see it's a GWS player and it doesn't seem as important as another club wasting one.

[ledge]

Maybe I'm different but I can understand Hawks getting rid of Mitchell and older players , when they retire you get nothing for them, trade them with two years to go if you have won flags and are on the way down and get a few kids.
Wages will be a problem no doubt though in the coming years.
I suppose you could go the other way and pick up young ones in the draft At least for the first two years your paying bugger all and can wiggle your salary cap better.
Omeara to me is a big gamble , injury prone and if he doesn't make it its one of the biggest mistakes in the history of trades , it will hit them for years.

[hujsh]

Let's all be thankful that GWS are awful at drafting and developing young talent. If they matched us there simply wouldn't be a competition for the next 5 years

[SlimPickens]

Let's all be thankful that GWS are awful at drafting and developing young talent. If they matched us there simply wouldn't be a competition for the next 5 years

Gold Coast?

[1eyedog]

I understand where 1eyedog is coming from as well (comments about Giants and Suns) but - oddly enough - I thought Gold Coast presented as a 'footy club' during this trade period more than a few others. They did what they could with the O'Meara trade and I didn't like the Hawthorn centric reporting of what was happening. When their chairman said 'They picked a bad year to take us on' and everyone jumped on him because O'Meara was out of contract for the first time therefore when did he EXPECT them to take him on...but I just didn't think he was worried about O'Meara - he was talking about the fact that the clubs who wanted him (and in particular Hawthorn) were low-balling the offer and offering pick 10 to a club that already had 4, 6 and 8 was really not all they were after. Hawthorn SHOULD have done better. If they had just kept pick 14 and given the Suns 2x first rounders it would have been done straight away...but they wanted to bully the Suns, they wanted the media to bully the Suns - into giving O'Meara away for less than market value.

On that - all the comments about O'Meara not playing for 2 years? Well - I don't see that as relevent to the trade situation. If you sign a reported $700K per year contract then I think the market is speaking...and at age 23 a player worthy of a salary like that is worth A LOT more than pick 10. Isn't he?

As to the Giants, I am struggling a bit there. Can you imagine if our club gave away Pickett (a top 5 pick 2 years ago) as part of a swap for a pick in the 50's? It is a disgrace. Other clubs blow a top 5 pick (remember Tim Walsh) and opposition supporters bang on about it for a decade...the Giants slide one out the back door and no-one batts an eye-lid.

Agree on GC this trade period Mike and I enjoyed Cochrane's diatribe through the media on their position re. O'Meara.

GWS are like a kid with a big bag of lollies picking out the least preferred. It would be interesting to know how many first round selections played in the prelim against us. I'm not sure how much it's pure luck or lack of talent that they missed out on Stringer and Bont but one thing is for sure they've changed the trade and pick exchange landscape forever.

Anyway I'm ranting again and derailing the OP.

[Sedat]

Media scribes are lazy and don't do any research on U18's (a couple of notable exceptions excluded), so they always report on clubs bringing in known quantities for cheap picks as winners. It is madness to rate the trade period without looking at the ND and rookie drafts but the scribes do this every year.

I remember our unmitigated trade week disaster in 2003 vividly - the scribes to a man all classed us as one of the winners of trade week that year.

[jeemak]

After being bundled out in straight sets. Their Footy Manager left. Their Vice Captain walked out furious and won't even empty his own locker. Their Best & Fairest quit the club. An electric running player requested a trade out too. Their president quit earlier in the year too. They then entered into a big trade and paid a young kid, taken 1st in his draft year with very little footy, with a massive irresponsible contract. Isn't this mixture a #ClubInCrisis ?

Waiting for the footy media, in particular Barrett & Leigh Matthews to report on Shocktober, and target that player trade. Then every interview next year to start with naming all the exits, one by one, and highly irresponsible trading.

Is any of the detail in your first paragraph verifiable?

[comrade]

You have to hand it to Hawthorn though, they are the masters of spin and controlling the narrative.

[bulldogtragic]

Is any of the detail in your first paragraph verifiable?

Nah, I made it up. That kind of stuff only happens to irrelevant clubs.

[jeemak]

Nah, I made it up. That kind of stuff only happens to irrelevant clubs.

Wanker! :)

I was hoping to use it in a bit of a FB battle I started on Thursday night. I don't often battle on Facey anymore, and these 'tid-bits' verified would have helped my cause significantly.

[azabob]

Is any of the detail in your first paragraph verifiable?

Footy manger is now coach of Brisbane.
Lewis is on record as saying he is getting Roughead to clean out his locker.
Hill was traded.
Mitchell quit or was pushed.

[Greystache]

Wanker! :)

I was hoping to use it in a bit of a FB battle I started on Thursday night. I don't often battle on Facey anymore, and these 'tid-bits' verified would have helped my cause significantly.

It's all true, it comes down to how it's framed.

Us moving on Cooney and Higgins as premiers = a successful club demanding certain standards even from its leaders. Us after finishing 15th = club in crisis

We could *!*!*!*! up a lot in the next two years and get credit for seeing angles weaker clubs can't. Hawthorn have but it won't be for a number of bad seasons before they get slammed for it.

[bulldogtragic]

Footy manger is now coach of Brisbane.
Lewis is on record as saying he is getting Roughead to clean out his locker.
Hill was traded.
Mitchell quit or was pushed.

Now you twist, you distort, you know, you put facts in the story. :D

And Newbold quit earlier this year. Jaeger was #1 in the mini draft (therefore the best that year).

[bulldogtragic]

Wanker! :)

I was hoping to use it in a bit of a FB battle I started on Thursday night. I don't often battle on Facey anymore, and these 'tid-bits' verified would have helped my cause significantly.

All true, I couldn't resist. Battle away.

[Twodogs]

It's all true, it comes down to how it's framed.

Us moving on Cooney and Higgins as premiers = a successful club demanding certain standards even from its leaders. Us after finishing 15th = club in crisis

We could *!*!*!*! up a lot in the next two years and get credit for seeing angles weaker clubs can't. Hawthorn have but it won't be for a number of bad seasons before they get slammed for it.


We have to win multiple flags though. Otherwise we will have wasted a Generation. Apparantly it's 10.30am on our premiership clock and the window is gaping. Two won't do it. It has to be 3+ with this group.

[mjp]

Two won't do it. It has to be 3+ with this group.

Nice. I am pretty happy with one to be truthful. Never thought it would happen...if we fall off a cliff now because the players have had a l-o-n-g celebratory period, well you know what - I wont blame them.

[The Underdog]

Nice. I am pretty happy with one to be truthful. Never thought it would happen...if we fall off a cliff now because the players have had a l-o-n-g celebratory period, well you know what - I wont blame them.

I'm planning on celebrating the premiership at all our games next year. Results be damned.

[Mofra]

And the poor old Gold Coast. Now they have 4x top 10 picks which is apparently bad in the new world?
I think what the picks represent is seen as poor - their ability to retain players.
Queensland football has a problem and the Lions have arguably been worse at retention than the Suns.

[Mofra]

The other thing about Hawthorn trading away their main draft picks is that they don't seem to have much quality from their last few drafts either. That spells big cliff approaching.
They tried to trade away some of their kids too for picks to get the O'Meara deal over the line - Hartung & Whitecross for starters.

Geelong is the club I think are far more likely headed for a cliff though - Bartel and Enright this year, Mackie, Taylor and Lonergan the next year or two (and they have one decent young KPP on their list as far as I can tell - the lesser Kolo brother).
Caddy for not much, first rounder out, Thuoy is ok but not a significant difference maker and I'm not sold on their midfield depth.

[comrade]

They tried to trade away some of their kids too for picks to get the O'Meara deal over the line - Hartung & Whitecross for starters.

Geelong is the club I think are far more likely headed for a cliff though - Bartel and Enright this year, Mackie, Taylor and Lonergan the next year or two (and they have one decent young KPP on their list as far as I can tell - the lesser Kolo brother).
Caddy for not much, first rounder out, Thuoy is ok but not a significant difference maker and I'm not sold on their midfield depth.

Danger surely can't have as dominant a year as 2016. His form papered over a lot of cracks.

If he drops a few %, I can see their midfield getting torched. Would love to finally beat them.

[Ozza]

A bit off topic - but just the talk of CEO's resigning has reminded me.

Did anyone find it a bit odd - that in all the many post grand final speeches, including at the best and fairest night - from Bevo and PG, at no point (from what I can recall) did either of them mention David Stevenson or Brett Montgomery at any point.

Will Minson was the only person on Best and Fairest night to mention Monty - as far as I can recall.

Just stuck out a bit to me....anyways...sorry to be off topic.

[Ozza]

Danger surely can't have as dominant a year as 2016. His form papered over a lot of cracks.

If he drops a few %, I can see their midfield getting torched. Would love to finally beat them.

I think last year, they could have done with 2 Cam Guthrie's. As he is their best quick small defender, but also helps their midfield.
I guess they are banking on Tuohy filling that need in defence, and having Guthrie as a full time mid. But then there is the hole left by Caddy.

Seems strange to say when they've got Selwood and Danger - but I think I agree with you - that they are a mid or two short.

Their other issue is that Mackie looks gone, and Enright leaving will hit them very very hard. Pretty hard work replacing (arguably) the best half back of the modern era - who makes all of the others look good.

[GVGjr]

A bit off topic - but just the talk of CEO's resigning has reminded me.

Did anyone find it a bit odd - that in all the many post grand final speeches, including at the best and fairest night - from Bevo and PG, at no point (from what I can recall) did either of them mention David Stevenson or Brett Montgomery at any point.

Will Minson was the only person on Best and Fairest night to mention Monty - as far as I can recall.

Just stuck out a bit to me....anyways...sorry to be off topic.

Smorgo got a lot of mentions by the media.

[LostDoggy]

A bit off topic - but just the talk of CEO's resigning has reminded me.

Did anyone find it a bit odd - that in all the many post grand final speeches, including at the best and fairest night - from Bevo and PG, at no point (from what I can recall) did either of them mention David Stevenson or Brett Montgomery at any point.


Good point Ozza. Bevo gave praise to his assistants, including Monty, at the post grand final function, but not a lot. Otherwise it's absolute silence. As for PG, lol.

[Ozza]

Good point Ozza. Bevo gave praise to his assistants, including Monty, at the post grand final function, but not a lot. Otherwise it's absolute silence. As for PG, lol.

Ok - well at least Monty got a mention at the post GF function then.

[Scraggers]

A bit off topic - but just the talk of CEO's resigning has reminded me.

Did anyone find it a bit odd - that in all the many post grand final speeches, including at the best and fairest night - from Bevo and PG, at no point (from what I can recall) did either of them mention David Stevenson or Brett Montgomery at any point.

Will Minson was the only person on Best and Fairest night to mention Monty - as far as I can recall.

Just stuck out a bit to me....anyways...sorry to be off topic.

Brett Montgomery got an invite Grand Final eve to Peter Gordon's house didn't he? I'm sure I read that somewhere

[Bulldog Revolution]

Brett Montgomery got an invite Grand Final eve to Peter Gordon's house didn't he? I'm sure I read that somewhere

I hadn't read that - its a nice touch if he did

[Scraggers]

I hadn't read that - its a nice touch if he did

LINK (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-night-before-bulldogs-became-premiers-the-inside-story-of-gathering-at-chairmans-house-20161007-grxrr2.html)

This was the original article, but I'm sure I have read elsewhere that Monty was an invitee.

[bulldogtragic]

LINK (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-night-before-bulldogs-became-premiers-the-inside-story-of-gathering-at-chairmans-house-20161007-grxrr2.html)

This was the original article, but I'm sure I have read elsewhere that Monty was an invitee.

The Gordon's & Montgomery's purchased the Pound Cafe together, in turning things around at the club. I'd be shocked, stunned, if the Gordon's put on a Bulldogs gathering at their home and didn't invite them both. In fact I'd be certain they did. Monty was up Brisbane for extended period interviewing for the head coach and senior assistant roles, and probably checking out real estate etc.

[azabob]

Brett Montgomery got an invite Grand Final eve to Peter Gordon's house didn't he? I'm sure I read that somewhere

I dont think so, Simon Garlick did though.

[Max469]

Monty was one proud man at the Grandfinal. Tears at the end of the game. I spent a little time with him on the day. As I told him he should be proud as he had a hand in us being the team we become.

[boydogs]

MJP is your criticism of the clubs or the media?

[bornadog]

Monty was one proud man at the Grandfinal. Tears at the end of the game. I spent a little time with him on the day. As I told him he should be proud as he had a hand in us being the team we become.

What I don't understand is why he left the club so abruptly and didn't see out the season. He was every part a massive contributor for the year. ( and past few)

[comrade]

What I don't understand is why he left the club so abruptly and didn't see out the season. He was every part a massive contributor for the year. ( and past few)

From the outside, Bevo didn't want him and there is a new rule that assistants need to be told about their ongoing employment prior to a deadline (which is pre finals) so they can start planning for future roles.

We informed him that he wouldn't be at the club next year and maybe we pushed him to leave now, maybe he cracked it and left on his own accord. Maybe a bit of both.

Our form sky rocketed after he left. Whether that is coincidental or not, who knows. I'm glad he's gone and we continue to freshen up the coaching set up.

[jeemak]

From the outside, Bevo didn't want him and there is a new rule that assistants need to be told about their ongoing employment prior to a deadline (which is pre finals) so they can start planning for future roles.

We informed him that he wouldn't be at the club next year and maybe we pushed him to leave now, maybe he cracked it and left on his own accord. Maybe a bit of both.

Our form sky rocketed after he left. Whether that is coincidental or not, who knows. I'm glad he's gone and we continue to freshen up the coaching set up.

I think that's a pretty good summary. Add in the likelihood he was going to be involved in the Brisbane process and you have your reasons.

The spike in form was mostly to do with list health, the form cycle and the week off in my view, but his absence can't be discounted as a possible factor.

[Topdog]

What I don't understand is why he left the club so abruptly and didn't see out the season. He was every part a massive contributor for the year. ( and past few)

It was apparently all around how the Coaches association set things up. Basically if they didnt have a contract for the next year, they should be let go early. At least that is what i read in a few articles at the time.

Edit: Beaten by comrade

[ledge]

Maybe monty said he wanted to try for Brisbane job and club said ok go now ?

[LostDoggy]

Maybe monty said he wanted to try for Brisbane job and club said ok go now ?

Sorry for going off topic,but is your Avatar upside down Ledge?

[Twodogs]

Sorry for going off topic,but is your Avatar upside down Ledge?

That's what it is, I could see it was a tattoo but I couldn't figure out why it looked wrong.

[Max469]

I did think about asking him but thought I would let it be. He is not at the club for whatever reason and there is always going to be difference of opinion as to why is he not there anymore and we will probably never know the truth. We talked about the team and how good they were and he thought 97/98 were pretty damn good. I know that a lot of people on here don't like him, but I was a big fan. I used to sit with his Dad before he passed away and I suppose Monty was my link to his Dad who I miss very much- which he knew. Love him or hate him - he still was part of our club.

[Topdog]

Not the biggest fan of his but he is still a Bulldog. Has been at the club forever and a day.

[ledge]

Sorry for going off topic,but is your Avatar upside down Ledge?

Yeah and everytime I turn it around it goes back to upside down again

[LostDoggy]

Great Tatt ;)