If you need MORE than one excuse, well, you have NO EXCUSE!

[Rocket Science]

If culture and standards are the issue it's curious you'd seek the embrace of a club that's spent most of its off-season publicly hand-wringing about how shit its culture and standards have been.

[bornadog]

My opinion...

I think he wants to go and I think he want to go 100% for the money...at that’s his choice. Others would do it to.

And the reason NO ONE at the club or Dunkley has commented is because I think both player and club believe that a deal will NOT be done. Dunkley won’t publicly announce anything UNTIL that trade is committed 100%.

With all the reasons about why he wants out (what we are hearing), is right up there with why Coll want Treloar gone. EXCUSES. That’s all it is.

I see it the same way as well.

What I would like the club to do is say to Dunkley, you are a wanted player, you have two years left on your contract, end of story.

A want the message to go out to all clubs and all our contracted players. if we don't do this what is stopping another club with salary cap space putting forward a big contract in front of Smith, Naughton, or any young gun.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

If culture and standards are the issue it's curious you'd seek the embrace of a club that's spent most of its off-season publicly hand-wringing about how shit its culture and standards have been.

But I can also see a sales pitch that says we're cleaning house now. We've reviewed and we know where things are rotten. We've got a core of guys and with you on board we are going to turn this ship around.

I mean we managed to sell our club to Tom Boyd whilst at the same time appearing to all and sundry to be a well lit dumpster fire.

[Rocket Science]

But I can also see a sales pitch that says we're cleaning house now. We've reviewed and we know where things are rotten. We've got a core of guys and with you on board we are going to turn this ship around.

I mean we managed to sell our club to Tom Boyd whilst at the same time appearing to all and sundry to be a well lit dumpster fire.

Sure, being enlisted as an agent of change must hold a certain appeal.

Unless you're an Indigenous player being courted by us of course.

[DOG GOD]

I see it the same way as well.

What I would like the club to do is say to Dunkley, you are a wanted player, you have two years left on your contract, end of story.

A want the message to go out to all clubs and all our contracted players. if we don't do this what is stopping another club with salary cap space putting forward a big contract in front of Smith, Naughton, or any young gun.

Exactly. If we WANT to be a powerhouse club, we have to ACT like a powerhouse club. Standing our ground, staying strong, and showing others we are no pushovers, is something we HAVE to do. It’s a non negotiable as far as I’m concerned. If Naughton can make it as a forward, watch WC and Freo throw $900k at him in a few years.

If Power and the club can’t do this, then I expect us to bend over to dodo in the last hour and give Dunkley to Essendon for pick 7.

[The bulldog tragician]

Going back to mjp’s original thoughts, what worries me is that all those extra “excuses” aren’t being converted into reasons to stay. If you were offered a heap of money BUT on the other hand could say:

we’ve got a great culture and a bunch of blokes dedicated to success, I don’t want to leave something precious..

I love Bevo and even when he does weird sh*t like play me in the ruck I understand and respect his reasons...

I want to play mid more often and can talk this thru with the coaching staff and feel confident next year will be different..

If instead all of these are not the case and can’t override an outlandish offer, then we have a problem bigger than the “players are greedy, who could resist that kind of money” narrative.

And what worries me more, aren’t there echoes of the Jordan Roughead playbook? Another “great bloke.” Disaffection, disillusionment, frustration with what his role was. Sounds familiar doesn’t it ... but the crap-load of money factor wasn’t even there. Two years from a flag, still capable of good footy, and he said he would have retired if we didn’t let him go.

Historically we were used to players leaving us, for finals, for success, for money, because we were a small fish, didn’t have great facilities, mightn’t survive the next season. I thought our flag transformed all that, yet 4 years on, here we are again.

[GVGjr]

I think all reasons being offered are genuine but the catalyst is the vastly bigger money early
I certainly wouldn't discount the reduction of time in the midfield as a contributing factor though

[bornadog]

Historically we were used to players leaving us, for finals, for success, for money, because we were a small fish, didn’t have great facilities, mightn’t survive the next season. I thought our flag transformed all that, yet 4 years on, here we are again.

All clubs lose players every year for a variety of reasons. Have a look at the Hawks losing Buddy in the middle of the three peat.

[Bulldog4life]

What's a change window and why does Saturday make a difference?

I agree with what you say. If someone rings in sick and says "I can't come in, i've got a cold" then you believe them. You write it up on the board at the reception desk and get on with the day. If they ring in and say "I can't come in today I've got a cold and the cat died and Nana got engaged again and my car broke down and one of my kids was kidnapped by Mexican bandits" and further overegg the pudding then you start adding quotation marks up on the board and you make damn sure it stays on the board with the skeptical looking quotation marks until they eventually make their way into work again.

It's like taking 3 crap players (Cowton, Moylan and Williams) for one champion player (Dempsey) in a trade. No amount of list cloggers make up for that one really good player.

Crazy Horse. Used to run around in circles.

[azabob]

Crazy Horse. Used to run around in circles.

Where’s Neil Young?

[Ghost Dog]

If culture and standards are the issue it's curious you'd seek the embrace of a club that's spent most of its off-season publicly hand-wringing about how shit its culture and standards have been.

Hird's father wants a new inquiry into the sad saga. Just goes on forever.

[boydogs]

There's always a tipping point, I don't agree with the one reason logic

You might not go to the footy by yourself, you might not catch up with a mate outside the footy, but you might go to the footy with your mate

[Topdog]

There's always a tipping point, I don't agree with the one reason logic

You might not go to the footy by yourself, you might not catch up with a mate outside the footy, but you might go to the footy with your mate

That's a reason to do something as opposed to an excuse to not do something.

[mjp]

That's a reason to do something as opposed to an excuse to not do something.

Precisely.

[Mofra]

All clubs lose players every year for a variety of reasons. Have a look at the Hawks losing Buddy in the middle of the three peat.

Buddy was OOC and a free agent.
I think players under contract and players out of contract need to be considered separately.

I'm very much in the 'keep Dunkley and avoid Treloar' camp but I would be comfortable if we traded Dunkley for ridiculous overs, if only because I have faith that Rhylee West will develop if given more opportunity. I'd be more comfortable if we had a fit Toby McLean next year.