WAT, seriously, that is probably the worst attempt at justification of a poor policy that I have ever read.
Each to their own mate, Richmond just need to get Martin signed, end of story!
That's where we are diametrically opposite on this.
I think the club has been first class in it's handling of this whole episode. They have been tolerant and open with Martin all the way through and have refused to compromise their position or standards and it is the most heartening thing I have seen them do as a club in a fair while. We have all bemoaned how we have been a basket case of failure for 30 years through inept management both on and off field and now that we have a topline management team and a set of standards that we refuse to compromise you seriously want to set it aside the very first time it is tested? I don't want to lose Martin but I don't want us to forsake all the gains we have made as a club collectively for the sake of satisfying my own emotional fear. We will win a flag with or without Martin and by making this stand in this most public manner we are gaining huge tracts in football community respect, something that will pay off in spades in coming years. Players (and their managers), of our club and others will be watching and seeing how we are a club that can be trusted in it's word, and a safe and fair place for them to play. Just how they now perceive Geelong, Sydney and Hawthorn. They might not pay top dollar but they are extremely well run and have been successful for a long time now, and have no problem attracting and keeping quality players. We can't reach those lofty heights by compromising our standards the minute the pressure is on and caving in to pay Martin what no other club in the competition was prepared to pay him would be doing just that.
gotta agree also. good post.
my only concern in all this has been we walk away with nothing for martin if he does go.
unlike others i have a sneaky suspicion that gws will get him in the psd. they look like they are being good guys now but have a deal done already. a deal that allows em to get dusty for nothing.
but i digress we do need to stand our ground and while standing our ground we need to
1/ re - sign martin if possible in a way where both parties can walk away with heads held high.
failing that make sure we get decent compensation for him enabling us to continue to grow our list and club. in other words turn a bad situation into a win
the worst thing we can do is have the situation deteriorate into no win situation where dusty says stuff the lot of ya i will walk into the psd.
as i said i have a sneaky suspicion this is what will happen with the blessing of gws. this could have been in the making for two yrs. i hope im just being paranoid.
finally when you think about it i reckon the controls on his life outside of footy have been a big part of the problem. for him to go to gws close to home and out of the fishbowl so to speak would greatly appeal to dusty with what has transpired so far. ffs he cant fart without the media having a go at him or the club and the afl telling him where he can go, who he can see what he can do i reckon id be prety peeed off as well.
as long as he stays on the right side of the law and keeps his nose out of trouble its up to dusty to make decisions about who he sees dan connors, who his manager is weather he has bikie friemds weather he goes to parties these are nobody elese business and are decisions martin has to make for himself.i dont have a problem with any of them as long as he continues to play good foty continues to work hard and he stays on the right side of the law.
