Callan Ward - Staying or going?

[Ghost Dog]

Signed. A. Long. Time. Ago. Just. Like. Harbrow.

Remember how our management met with Harbrow late last year to 'put one last pitch to him'? It was just as pointless as the charade Wardy's management (and Wardy himself, and his nearest and dearest -- selling your soul isn't as cheap as it seems at first) have been carrying out with the Dogs.

The only way the media have a 100% record on picking who's going to GC and GWS is because all the players signed on the dotted line on the quiet 12 months ago.

You dont know that for certain Lantern. Do you?

[LostDoggy]

You dont know that for certain Lantern. Do you?

Sorry missed this earlier.

Look, if you're asking if I've seen the paper that his signature is on, no of course not. But if you're asking if I've spoken peripherally to people who are paid to know these things behind closed doors, then yes -- there are players that are 'speculated' briefly about in the media due to whisperings or circumstantial evidence: these rumours are a dime a dozen and can be dismissed as coffee shop talk.

Then there are the ones that made commitments on the down-low to the expansion clubs, and these 'lists' (not real lists, but you know what I mean) circulate in football circles and are 'known' months before the end of the season, and these stories never go away because they're based on substance.

The industry gossip trail 'knew' -- but couldn't actually confirm without actual physical proof -- GC's list two months into last season, which turned out to be absolutely 100% accurate. In the same way, everyone knew Scully and Wardy was pretty much gone 4 months ago... information leaks in a cottage industry like football. This is why there was little to no speculation about a whole range of other out-of-contract players. If it was just 'guesswork', Daisy Thomas would be the top of the 'speculated about' list, but any buzz there quickly died down because there was no substance to the guesswork. Phil Davis was a surprise, but only because he HADN'T signed and won't until the end of the season, so there was no 'smoking gun' per se to follow. With Scully and Ward, it was irrelevant what any club's 'key messages' to the media were, it was what was being said in the corridors that told you everything you needed to know, and because there was an evidence trail, it's nearly impossible to keep a lid on it.

[Ghost Dog]

Sorry missed this earlier.

Look, if you're asking if I've seen the paper that his signature is on, no of course not. But if you're asking if I've spoken peripherally to people who are paid to know these things behind closed doors, then yes -- there are players that are 'speculated' briefly about in the media due to whisperings or circumstantial evidence: these rumours are a dime a dozen and can be dismissed as coffee shop talk.

Then there are the ones that made commitments on the down-low to the expansion clubs, and these 'lists' (not real lists, but you know what I mean) circulate in football circles and are 'known' months before the end of the season, and these stories never go away because they're based on substance.

Everyone 'knew' -- but couldn't confirm without actual 'proof' -- GC's list two months into last season. In the same way, everyone knew Scully and Wardy was pretty much gone 4 months ago... information leaks in a cottage industry like football. This is why there was little to no speculation about a whole range of other out-of-contract players. If it was just 'guesswork', Daisy Thomas would be the top of the 'speculated about' list, but any buzz there quickly died down because there was no substance to the guesswork. Phil Davis was a surprise, but only because he HADN'T signed and won't until the end of the season, so there was no 'smoking gun' per se to follow. With Scully and Ward, it was irrelevant what any club's 'key messages' to the media were, it was what was being said in the corridors that told you everything you needed to know, and because there was an evidence trail, it's nearly impossible to keep a lid on it.

Seems you have been proven right Lantern! But as others have pointed out, players that leave us are often cursed by the ghosts of Whitten oval...
Watch out Callan!

[Mofra]

The industry gossip trail 'knew' -- but couldn't actually confirm without actual physical proof -- GC's list two months into last season, which turned out to be absolutely 100% accurate. In the same way, everyone knew Scully and Wardy was pretty much gone 4 months ago... information leaks in a cottage industry like football. This is why there was little to no speculation about a whole range of other out-of-contract players. If it was just 'guesswork', Daisy Thomas would be the top of the 'speculated about' list, but any buzz there quickly died down because there was no substance to the guesswork. Phil Davis was a surprise, but only because he HADN'T signed and won't until the end of the season, so there was no 'smoking gun' per se to follow. With Scully and Ward, it was irrelevant what any club's 'key messages' to the media were, it was what was being said in the corridors that told you everything you needed to know, and because there was an evidence trail, it's nearly impossible to keep a lid on it.

I don't buy this at all - many "locked" rumours turn out to be crap, and if people are going to cherry pick the ones that come true as "proof" that the rumours are true, good luck to them but it proves nothing. The conspiracy theories floating around are ridiculous - to suggest Callan himself has been lying to his entire family and close friends for the past 4 months is something I cannot believe.

Alipate Carlisle and Taylor Walker were spoken about as locks earlier in the year yet they re-signed with their respective clubs, and as you have pointed out Phil Davis came from nowhere. Throwing in Scully as gone, the rumour mill if batting at 40% - and we just sacked a coached who took over a rabble and still managed a 57% winning average.