Is it fair to hold a grudge against players moving clubs?

[Coach]

Discussion about Lids in another thread has got me thinking a bit. I think it's fair to be disappointed with a bloke for leaving but I don't think abusing someone is the right way to go about it. If a bloke is a money grabbing club whore then I'd understand some abuse directed towards him. In the case of someone like Deledio I would understand if he wanted to give it a crack somewhere else. FWIW, I reckon he'll stay but could understand him leaving if we don't play finals this season. He's been one of our best players for 7 years. It's not as if he hasn't tried.

As long as a player busts his ass at Richmond then I have some respect for them. At the end of the day players play to win premierships. If you don't think it's possible with the club you're at then by all means, go have a crack somewhere else. That's my take on it

Regards,
The Coach

[Penelope]

i think thats a fair assessment davey.

the other thing we have to consider is most players don't get a say in the club they play for any more.

[Dubstep Dookie]

Depends on the context. Ottens and old man Cloke can S my B's

[MADTIGER2010]

Richmond will be one of the best clubs to be at from 2013 onwards whether we make the finals this year or not. We are a team on the rise and if we came 9th this year we'd be expected to play finals in 2013 for sure. Only Collingwood, Carlton and Hawthorn should expect to finish higher in 2013. All of his mates are at Punt rd, the support in the stands will be unbeatable too. There would be no better club to be at than Richmond for Deledio. I'd be angry if he left

[Damo]

Depends on the context. Ottens and old man Cloke can S my B's

Nathan Brown is ok ?

[Penelope]

KB nearly went to colonwoood. It was Hafey that convinced him otherwise.

Wouldnt have been much of a loss though, just another skinny bloke that got knocked off the ball too easily

[Coach]

I was a bit angry with Ottens at first but moved on early into the 2005 season. I enjoyed watching him at his best for Geelong but would have liked it if he'd still been with us! He did what was best for his career. I don't believe he spoke about us in a negative way after he left either.

KB nearly went to colonwoood. It was Hafey that convinced him otherwise.

Wouldnt have been much of a loss though, just another skinny bloke that got knocked off the ball too easily

 

[bojangles17]

depends on the circumstances really, If I was melbourne yeah I'd be peeed at scully..Lids, we'll see when he gets to the fork in the road...On ottens i wasnt peaved at all, thought both parties needed to go in different directions. he was coming off a woeful 18 months with the RFC dont forget

[WA Tiger]

Good thread Davey....

I think if a player is traded to another club and that has been the choice of the club and not that of the player then us as supporters/members have no right to hold any grudges or boo them when they play us.

Now, if we pick a player at pick 1, then develop him, put years into him, build the club around him and then he leaves....yes, I do believe we have the right to hold a grudge, its our membership money that goes towards his development, his wage his lifestyle etc.... and the club.

Ottens; we looked after that guy through all his injuries, including the roof fall and then through his form slumps, for what....him to leave. I will never forget Danny Frawley saying on his way out the door; Ottens must stay at Richmond, he owes the club.......Ottens left and I still and always will hold a grudge against him.

On another note,  I also hold somewhat of a grudge against the club for trading Rodan, Maxfield, Hogg (believe it or not and we came out better off), Bond....and perhaps a few others....

So Yes I do think as supporters we are permitted to hold a grudge against self centered players that put themselves, money, their own glory and self importance above that of the club.

[yellowandback]

If Lids went to GWS, I'd be annoyed........

Another take is this, the Saints had a pact many years ago under the G Thomas reign that none of them (senior core Roo, Lenny, Joey, Kosy, Goddard, Ball etc) that none were to leave, they would see it through together.
Those players are still filthy with Ball despite the issues with him being played off the bench etc.

Be interesting to see if Goddard does leave

[Penelope]

didnt maxfield want to go?

Hoggy? well the club new he was finished because of back problems.
It was sad still.

I'll never forget the reception the richmond crowd gave hoggy the following year at princess park against the roys. You would have thought he was still wearing the yellow and black.

Just back to Delidio, it seems that he is waiting and seeing. Perhaps he too feels that there are no excuses......?

[Penelope]

If Lids went to GWS, I'd be annoyed........

Another take is this, the Saints had a pact many years ago under the G Thomas reign that none of them (senior core Roo, Lenny, Joey, Kosy, Goddard, Ball etc) that none were to leave, they would see it through together.
Those players are still filthy with Ball despite the issues with him being played off the bench etc.

Be interesting to see if Goddard does leave

Reminds me a bit of roos and pert. I'm pretty sure it was colonwoood that roos was considering moving to and pert talked him out of it, only to move there himself a few years later.

[The Big Richo]

Almost all of us (except for Bojangles who lives in his own dimension) would happily cut any player who we don't think is performing.

In my opinion that means we forgo the right to complain when players leave us.

[Smokey]

I am so at the opposite end of the spectrum to WAT and a couple of others on this one.  Like it or not, AFL Football is now a very, very large business with a turnover larger than most corporations.  Just like every large corporation, it has a huge responsibility in ensuring the longevity of it's brand.  As with most large corporations it employs many thousands of people, both directly and indirectly, and it must apply the same ethical and legal rules to it's employees as any other business.  To this end, the employees are just like employees at any business.  They have a duty to their employer and they will exhibit different levels of attitude, loyalty, sacrifice and ability in performance of these duties.  The players are no different to any other employees in that regard.  But at the end of the day they retain the absolute right to determine their own destiny in regards to their employment and for whatever reason they choose, no ifs, buts or maybes.  Just like every single one of us do (and rightly demand) in our own work environment.  The cut-throat nature of their employment demands an even higher level of self-determination (dare I say selfishness) than other more conventional employees do.  On one hand we bemoan the fact that a good player or clubman decides to leave our club but conversely we welcome those from another club with open arms, glad that said player 'saw the light'.  And to pass the emotive judgment of eternal damnation on those that choose to leave is really just Hypocritical 101.  The days of club loyalty being anything more than a minor consideration to most players are so long gone that it doesn't have a place when comparing the types of people that play the game now to those from many seasons ago.  Until you get over the fact that club loyalty went out with drop kicks and flick passes, never to return, then you are only going to risk giving yourself a stress induced episode worrying about something that will never exist again.

[Darth Tiger]

KB nearly went to colonwoood. It was Hafey that convinced him otherwise.

Wouldnt have been much of a loss though, just another skinny bloke that got knocked off the ball too easily

Yeah - I think he shanked 778 kicks in his time.

Good with his hands in traffic though !!