Our Biggest Turncoat?

[AndrewP6]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

That's the edited version he put out in the media, along with Essendon's spongy floor, and his desperation to play under Hird. He was actually told that if he didn't improve his defensive efforts and start playing to the team structure he would get less game time. He refused to accept he should have to do either of those things and wanted out. His leaving the club was his own doing and a completely selfish act, nothing more and nothing less. The fact the culture at the club dramatically improved from his leaving was just the silver lining for us.

Interesting. Was he told that by the previous coach? Shame he didn't stick around for the new guy. It's more than coincidence a large number of players simply wanted to leave. Regardless, he has not got a lot of time left, I just don't hold the anger for him that I do for Griffen.

[Greystache]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

Interesting. Was he told that by the previous coach? Shame he didn't stick around for the new guy. It's more than coincidence a large number of players simply wanted to leave. Regardless, he has not got a lot of time left, I just don't hold the anger for him that I do for Griffen.

Yes. He was told he continually lets his team mates down with his refusal to defend, be accountable, or doing pretty much any of the teams things, and unless it changes as of the first day of preseason he wouldn't be getting game time. Obviously Cooney found the prospect of playing team football a turn off and decided to go elsewhere. Pretty pathetic give how little his produced over recent years compared to the contracts he's been given.

He's 9 months older than Griffen and both have injury clouds hanging over them.

[1eyedog]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

Chris Dawes

Fancy choosing Melbourne over us - what a loooooser.

[Twodogs]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

Chris Dawes

Fancy choosing Melbourne over us - what a loooooser.

I'm glad he did though.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

Griffin by a long way. He can go and get...

But Ward still hurts me the most. The money he got offered was obviously massive overs at the time and I can't really blame him for taking it. Especially when we were so reluctant to get a deal done much earlier for whatever reason...

Proven performer in finals and about to step into the prime of his career. In the age bracket we severley lack quality. Possible future captain.

Rubbing salt into the wound was Melbourne getting 2 first rounders for Scully.

[Bornadog]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

Griffin by a long way. He can go and get...

But Ward still hurts me the most. The money he got offered was obviously massive overs at the time and I can't really blame him for taking it. Especially when we were so reluctant to get a deal done much earlier for whatever reason...

Proven performer in finals and about to step into the prime of his career. In the age bracket we severley lack quality. Possible future captain.

Rubbing salt into the wound was Melbourne getting 2 first rounders for Scully.

I am more unhappy about Ward than Griffen. Ward left at such a young age and would be perfect in the team now that we have lost so much experience. Imagine Ward, Libba and Macrae in the midfield.

[chef]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

And Griffen didn't? I don't think we've had a better finals player in our club's history.

Yeah, I know. I guess I meant leaving us after giving us his best footy.

Griffen snd Brown were in their prime with plenty of great footy years in front of them.

[Twodogs]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

I am more unhappy about Ward than Griffen. Ward left at such a young age and would be perfect in the team now that we have lost so much experience. Imagine Ward, Libba and Macrae in the midfield.

Didn't we get Macrae with the Ward compo pick? Still cut and paste Jacson with Bonti and that starting four l(whoever the ruckman is) ooks just as awesome.

[1eyedog]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

I'm glad he did though.

Me too . I remember the huge sigh of relief when it was confirmed, although truth be told I was warming to Gumbleton

[1eyedog]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

Griffin by a long way. He can go and get...

But Ward still hurts me the most. The money he got offered was obviously massive overs at the time and I can't really blame him for taking it. Especially when we were so reluctant to get a deal done much earlier for whatever reason...

Proven performer in finals and about to step into the prime of his career. In the age bracket we severley lack quality. Possible future captain.

Rubbing salt into the wound was Melbourne getting 2 first rounders for Scully.

Didn't we put forward an offer and then raise it when we found out what he would be on? I think he mentioned something about this. He said something along the lines of if that is what they think I'm worth why didn't they just put that on the line in the first place? I wonder how much responsibility our footy department had in Ward leaving. Would our final offer, if offered first, have kept him? He gave the impression it might have - although that may have been spin to help him shift the reasons why he was leaving.

[Mofra]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

Didn't we put forward an offer and then raise it when we found out what he would be on? I think he mentioned something about this. He said something along the lines of if that is what they think I'm worth why didn't they just put that on the line in the first place? I wonder how much responsibility our footy department had in Ward leaving. Would our final offer, if offered first, have kept him? He gave the impression it might have - although that may have been spin to help him shift the reasons why he was leaving.

We could have signed him up much earlier, he wasn't 100% leaving until the end of the year. Even his family were split on what he should do.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

I wonder how other clubs compare in their lists of traitors, ours seems to be substantial.

I'm going to float another one which is quite fresh:

Adam Cooney

He is a dill for leaving and here is why:
Essendon, I mean really? all he is going to get is embroiled in their still ongoing nonsense. They are not going to be anywhere near a grand final, let alone a prelim. At least do a Lake and go to a team with a real shot.

He is now officially "Tainted" as far as we are concerned having left us for no real reason.

Its no problems for us as a team, his body is shot and his footy best is behind him, but we have stuck fat with Adam over the last 5 years and left no stone unturned in helping him medically and also honoring his huge contract.

I'm really disappointed in Adam, i thought better of him i really did.

Now he's just another schmuck at the drug cheats.

I have barely any ill feelings towards Coons. He didn't want to be part of the team and meet expectations, ok, that's pretty poor considering he's a paid professional, however when you consider that Griff was gone, and Coons would be spending the twilight years carrying our midfield, it's no wonder he left to a team where he'd be allowed to play the way he wanted to play. At Essendon he's just a cog in the machine, at the Dogs he'd be the engine room, taking all the hits to protect the younger guys. I got the impression that the club were happy to see him go, and that has also allayed any feelings of betrayal. It's not like he promised to play the part THEN go behind everybody's back. He was open and honest about moving to Essendon. That makes a difference to me.

[JohnGentStand]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

Chris Dawes

Fancy choosing Melbourne over us - what a loooooser.

Luke Penny.
Ditched us for St Kilda.... ST KILDA!!!!!!
never to be forgiven

[jeemak]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

Cooney and Lake shouldn't really feature, as they were effectively pushed out by the club. Both were asked to play roles different to those they were accustomed, and both left in lieu of not wanting to play those roles.

Griffan stands out as the most pathetic performance to me. Approached by the current captain he accepts the role for the coming season. Six months in he starts a dalliance with a bimbo of a club, and not being able to get his overly comfortable and poorly cultured mates into line he complains about the coaching panel to the administration saying if things don't change he's out because the playing group (i.e. his mates) have had enough. A map for change is presented to him, and he accepts it as a way forward and advises the club he's good to go. Two weeks later he comes home from a holiday and leaves, and then goes on another holiday to avoid the fallout.

I agree with Sedat and other posters who suggest he played the best football under finals pressure we've probably seen as a supporter group. It's such a pity he turned out to be so naive and weak as piss off the field in his final months with our football club. Letting his mates dominate him trashed his reputation among a very large group of people who adored him.

[Sedat]

Re: Our Biggest Turncoat?

I agree with Sedat and other posters who suggest he played the best football under finals pressure we've probably seen as a supporter group. It's such a pity he turned out to be so naive and weak as piss off the field in his final months with our football club. Letting his mates dominate him trashed his reputation among a very large group of people who adored him.

I share the disappointment of the way in which Griffen ended his association with our club, but purely as a footballer he gave elite service to our club for 10 years. From the day he walked out I've taken a very pragmatic view - his departure has given us the opportunity to reload with a far better balanced list and have a proper tilt at genuine success in 3-4 years time. By that stage he will be retired or at the very end of his career.

Cooney could have been anything for us if injury hadn't intervened. Purely from an on-field perspective, I could care less that he has left the club. Essendon can pay his superannuation.

Ward stings because he is tough, courageous, and a natural leader and still has many years at the top of his game. He already showed in 2009 and 2010 how he can match it with the best in the competition in finals as a teenager. Having said that, Macrae is a more than worthy substitute for the unexpected loss of losing, and I don't think I'd swap Macrae for Ward today.