Players walking out on the team?

[southerncross]

I was having a read about Rhan Hooper walking out on the Lions over the weekend leaving them a player short. It reminded me a little of Cayden Bethams departure from the Saints a few years back.

I know we had our own problems with Richard Osborne leaving us to try out as a punter at the US before coming back just as the season started. Terry Wheeler blamed Osbornes absence as the main reason why he lost his coaching job.
Tony Campbell also retired before returing a season or so later as well.

Stephen Pitt was another one who was drafted in the pre-season draft and played in a couple of practice games for the reserves before heading back to the police force in SA.
Andrew Wills might have left us early in one of the seasons as well.

Does anyone know any other players that walked out on us?

[bulldogtragic]

Koops (Pick 17 - DAVID MUNDY)

Winmar?

[GVGjr]

Koops (Pick 17 - DAVID MUNDY)

Winmar?

Yes Koops did but didn't Winmar leave at the end of the season?

[bulldogtragic]

Yes Koops did but didn't Winmar leave at the end of the season?

Possibly, but my memory is he was still under contract.

[GVGjr]

Possibly, but my memory is he was still under contract.

Yes he signed a two year deal and only played one but he didn't leave us a player short.

[The Coon Dog]

I'm sure we drafted Mark Naley in one mid season draft but he remained in SA.

Sam Phillipou decided to remain in SA for a further year after being drafted.

Simon Tregenza was drafted by the Doggies but remained in SA to play with the Crows when they joined the AFL.

John Riley was a nuclear physacist or rocket scientist who came over in the mid 80's from SA but left after 1 game.

Notice the pattern?

[Sockeye Salmon]

I'm sure we drafted Mark Naley in one mid season draft but he remained in SA.

Sam Phillipou decided to remain in SA for a further year after being drafted.

Simon Tregenza was drafted by the Doggies but remained in SA to play with the Crows when they joined the AFL.

John Riley was a nuclear physacist or rocket scientist who came over in the mid 80's from SA but left after 1 game.

Notice the pattern?

Ex-Port general manager Brian Cunningham was another one but that was before the draft and player list limits.

[southerncross]

I'm sure we drafted Mark Naley in one mid season draft but he remained in SA.

Sam Phillipou decided to remain in SA for a further year after being drafted.

Simon Tregenza was drafted by the Doggies but remained in SA to play with the Crows when they joined the AFL.

John Riley was a nuclear physacist or rocket scientist who came over in the mid 80's from SA but left after 1 game.

Notice the pattern?

Phillipou, Koster and Southern were all drafted in the same year and yet all stayed home the following season. Koster and Southern joined us the following year and Phillipou the year after that. Our list was 3 players short for one season.
Riley and Naley are interesting ones but while I agree with Riley coming over I don't think Naley ever intended to play for us and he might have been a mid season draftee.

[W W Biscuit]

David Morgan from Geelong was picked up by the Bulldogs at the beginning of 1992 but didn't play for us. As I recall, the Swans were somehow involved (they may have drafted him at some stage, and he refused to play for them).

You're right about Naley SC. It was a mid-season draft, and he never intended to play for us. A bit like WCE drafting Tim Watson.

[southerncross]

You're right about Naley SC. It was a mid-season draft, and he never intended to play for us. A bit like WCE drafting Tim Watson.

I nearly made mention of that very fact.

There must have been more players that have walked out on the club than we have identified so far.

[Twodogs]

I nearly made mention of that very fact.

Did Collingwood 'draft' Gerard Healy as well, or did I imagine that?

There must have been more players that have walked out on the club than we have identified so far.

Luke Trew from West Coast.

Bernie Quinlan missed the whole preseason and was prepared to sit out a year because we werent prepared to clear him. Didn't he he miss a couple of games at the start of the year and then threaten to cross to the VFA without a clearence to force our hand?

[southerncross]

Trew didn't walk out. The club simply delisted him between drafts.

Collingwood did draft Healy.

I'm not sure the Quinlan example is correct.

[alwaysadog]

I'm sure we drafted Mark Naley in one mid season draft but he remained in SA.

Sam Phillipou decided to remain in SA for a further year after being drafted.

Simon Tregenza was drafted by the Doggies but remained in SA to play with the Crows when they joined the AFL.

John Riley was a nuclear physacist or rocket scientist who came over in the mid 80's from SA but left after 1 game.

Notice the pattern?

Naley correct.
Sam Phillipou stayed an extra year by mutual agreement. For all the good he did us when he did arrive he might as well have never come.
Tregenza was claimed by the Crows under the terms of their admission, unfortunately we got nothing for being gazzumped.
I think Riley had a water tight contract with his SA club which we colluded with him to break to test his SA club's determination. When the magnitude of what we had done dawned and the threatened repercussions were explained he went back.

The pattern if there is one is that we didn't act too cleverly with our recruiting.

On another tack. Didn't we bring down a rover from Wang called Brunner who played soem preseason matches but decided he preferred life in the bush.

[Twodogs]

I think Riley had a water tight contract with his SA club which we colluded with him to break to test his SA club's determination. When the magnitude of what we had done dawned and the threatened repercussions were explained he went back.

He took the bloody car we gave him back with him though!


IIRC it was soon after the Foschini court case which a few clubs thought spelt the end of the VFL permit and trading rules. Morwood played without a clearance and we thought we'd take our chance and play Riley without a clearance. Is that right?



Anyway he looked like a bit of a spud and didnt appear to be any great loss, apart from the car.