We hope it's not becoming a habit, but we're again breaking our self-imposed rule not to focus on the Bombers.
Jake Niall's story in today's Age highlighting the implications for other players of free agency gives just a little idea of the deliberations that confront AFL list managers almost daily.
Essendon's interest in Brendon Goddard leaves veteran David Hille, speedster Alwyn Davey, hard nut Sam Lonergan and perennially-injured Scott Gumbleton swinging in the breeze.
For what it's worth, AussieRulesBlog thinks Goddard's best is well behind him, although a new environment may curb the petulance that has blighted his career thus far.
On the other side of the coin, Hille wouldn't have more than a year left and might expect to see a fair bit of VFL action in 2013. Davey's only weapon is his speed, which is devastating occasionally, but he's a long way short of Cyril Rioli's impact. Lonergan is as hard at the ball under the pack as anyone on the Dons' list, but his disposal and finishing are pale in comparison with, say, Watson. And Gumbleton? Who knows? Occasional flashes suggest a prodigious talent, but injury has cruelled his development and we have to wonder whether he can now get close to fulfilling his potential.
Does a potentially re-energised Goddard compensate for these four? The heart says no, resoundingly.
This though, is the brave new world that the players wanted. It's terrific for those in demand: not so good for those on the fringes. We wonder what Hille, Davey, Lonergan and Gumbleton thought of the free agency proposals when they were discussed. Did they imagine they'd be potential collateral damage in a big free-agency play?
It's not only the Bombers playing the waiting game. The Travis Cloke saga remains unresolved and a good many other players wait to see whether their club will have room for their paypackets depending on where Cloke finishes up.
AussieRulesBlog hates Trade Week and the ritual cancelling of careers that the AFL imposes on clubs every year, and we feel deeply for the players so summarily thrown onto the scrap heap. For once though, the players can't complain. It was their association that was complicit in the free agency system, for good or ill.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The Brave New World
Labels:
Essendon,
free agency
We hope it's not becoming a habit, but we're again breaking our self-imposed rule not to focus on the Bombers.Jake Niall's story in today's Age highlighting the implications for other players of free agency gives just a little idea of the deliberations that confront AFL list managers almost daily.
Essendon's interest in Brendon Goddard leaves veteran David Hille, speedster Alwyn Davey, hard nut Sam Lonergan and perennially-injured Scott Gumbleton swinging in the breeze.
For what it's worth, AussieRulesBlog thinks Goddard's best is well behind him, although a new environment may curb the petulance that has blighted his career thus far.
On the other side of the coin, Hille wouldn't have more than a year left and might expect to see a fair bit of VFL action in 2013. Davey's only weapon is his speed, which is devastating occasionally, but he's a long way short of Cyril Rioli's impact. Lonergan is as hard at the ball under the pack as anyone on the Dons' list, but his disposal and finishing are pale in comparison with, say, Watson. And Gumbleton? Who knows? Occasional flashes suggest a prodigious talent, but injury has cruelled his development and we have to wonder whether he can now get close to fulfilling his potential.
Does a potentially re-energised Goddard compensate for these four? The heart says no, resoundingly.
This though, is the brave new world that the players wanted. It's terrific for those in demand: not so good for those on the fringes. We wonder what Hille, Davey, Lonergan and Gumbleton thought of the free agency proposals when they were discussed. Did they imagine they'd be potential collateral damage in a big free-agency play?
It's not only the Bombers playing the waiting game. The Travis Cloke saga remains unresolved and a good many other players wait to see whether their club will have room for their paypackets depending on where Cloke finishes up.
AussieRulesBlog hates Trade Week and the ritual cancelling of careers that the AFL imposes on clubs every year, and we feel deeply for the players so summarily thrown onto the scrap heap. For once though, the players can't complain. It was their association that was complicit in the free agency system, for good or ill.
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