Tracking your Team - Port Adelaide

Booney, I'll give you my take on it and I'm happy to state it publicly.

Henry Slattery was happy to sign at West. Port "Power' offered him a job on the proviso he signed at Port Magpies. Henry is a good person and accepted the offer, as anyone would in the circumstances.

Port Power then later said the offer was open, whoever he signed for.

I don't always believe what football clubs say and I'll leave others to make up their minds.

'One Club' was specifically supposed to avoid this type of thing and it's really poor when a junior from a club, returning from ther AFL, is directed to the SANFL part of the 'One Club'.

Am I angry about this?

Yes, rightfully so.

The concern over the magpies benefitting from an arrangement, unique to just them, is very fair and reasonable.

At the same time, West in recent seasons have watched former juniors Welsh, Eagleton, Tiller and now Slattery return from the AFL to other Sanfl clubs.

It can't be easy for West supporters to watch, but many have been very vocal about pointing out reasons/excuses as to why they haven't resumed their careers at Milner Rd.

These "reasons" are generally suggested to be of a financial nature.

West have clearly spent however, given the exceeding of the cap and the number of recruits on their list in recent seasons, so I would hope members and supporters that are disgruntled are challenging their club hierarchy as to why they have missed out in each of the past 3 seasons, rather than seemingly questioning the methods of the clubs that are successfully recruiting them.

Good post, S.

In most cases, not necessarily all, financial return to the player has been the over-riding cause, despite what the players said at the time.

It is difficult for all clubs to staty within the salary cap, but the amounts offered to some of those returning players makes you wonder how it could be done.

In most cases, though, West's decision not to enter into a bidding war has been justified by the following events.

R&B, in one sentence you say Slattery was happy to sign with West ( which I assume you got from West heirachy ) and in the next say you dont always believe what football clubs say.So which one is the truth?

Perhaps the people in charge at West knew of the impending salary cap issues ( yes, I know Port also had some ) as well as the extremely fickle ( yes, I know ) financial position West find themselves in.

If Slatterys role with the AFL arm of the PAFC does not or did not impact upon where he played SANFL ( and I'm not naive enough to think that is 100% the case ) then it might be best to ask Slattery why he went to the Magpies and not back to West?

I can understand your dismay, but as noted above this isn't something new to former AFL players returning to SA and Westies.

Also, who is to say Slattery would not have picked the Magpies or ended up at Alberton if not for the employment agreement?

Good point Booney, who would have thought Port would be a more stable club than Westies 6 months ago?

OK, Booney, I'll answer those one by one:

1. I didn't get it from the West hierarchy at all, but I'm sure it's correct. The two statements are not mutually exclusive. He could have been happy to sign with West and I don't necessarily believe what football clubs always say. Both can be true, surely?

2. Yes, West would have been aware of the salary cap issues, so their offer would have been relatively modest, but you forget that Port also had salary cap issues and weren't in a position to offer him much more. He may not have signed at West, who knows, but West had the inside running.

3. The whole point of what I'm saying (and which you seem to be agreeing with) is that his decision was made because of the employment offer, which was dependent on him playing with the Magpies.

4. I agree, he may have ended up at the Magpies, but without the Power employment offer, if West couldn't sign him, he more likely would have gone to a more cashed up club than either West or Port.

I know we all defend our club, but I think this is a clear case of Port saying one thing and doing another - something they promised they'd never do.

It wasn't the only similar thing, either.

I think the loss of Dolling,Clayton,Young and Lees would have freed up considerable salary cap room and despite recruiting Hayes I believe there would have been more than enough room in the cap for Port to chase Slattery without his employment offer.

I dont think we'll see eye to eye on this.....lets just hope he gets to play finals football at SANFL level.

Yep, on the other hand, the loss of Brad Fisher, Ben Fisher, Caruso x 2, Willits and others would have freed up similar room.

You're right, we won't agree, but I'm firm in the belief my summary is correct and that it's an issue which was promised would never happen.

Anyway, I'll look forward to catching up at the footy

Scrunch wrote:Portland and Ramblers

Technically ramblers should be eagles aligned if you follow the zoning.

They done well with the Hodges connection.

Salisbury North also do very well from the magpies.

port got another player i hear from the western side of town

This is getting beyond a joke.

Ben Newton was selected for West's trial today and didn't play.

I've got a fair idea of where he'll end up.

Port's word is worth nothing and they're thumbing their nose at the other SANFL teams.

I thought it was a couple of strikes before an AFL club could try to instigate an SANFL club move for one of their listed players.

What's the story here?

westies woudnt play him where port wanted him to PLAY
so much for one club could be the death of the sanfl
i for one not happy jan

Can't be cleared after one game I don't believe ... West should play hardball

Arrogant behaviour to decide that on the eve of the first trial.

One Club.

Administrative efficiencies only, of course, (suckers) .

That's an absolute joke if Newton has left to go to Port even before the 1st trial game is played.

Newton has been injured for the past 2 yrs.

How can an AFL player move without even playing a game this yr.
If he left to go to Port that's even a bigger joke. Newton could have played in the position Port wanted him to next week

Thought the Magpies have been banned from recuiting

things like this are obvious in my book, this will be the start, they will make it hard for every SANFL club in this regard hoping that the other 8 clubs will get jack of it & then they'll get their own way & they'll all be playing for Port ie a Power reserves team, i think this is clearly a plan & will the SANFL & THE SANFL CLUBS fall for it ? i'm afraid so but i hope not

I suspect that Ben was available to Sturt and South, but will finish at Port.

Didn't they already get Danny Butcher?

Add this to the Henry Slattery 'deal' and it smells.

One Club.

Can't stand by their word.

Is this against the agreement?

It's not to do with the agreement, that was the problem with the Slattery case in particular, but it is indicative of a pattern of behaviour that acts as if there was no agreement in place.

When you also add what they wanted to do with Liam Jurrah, that is send him straight to the Magpies, it just confirms two things: firstly, they regard the Magpies as their Reserves side and secondly they have a total arrogance and disregard for the other SANFL sides.

I didn't want the Magpies to fold a fews years back, but I have to say now I'm not bothered if they do. My only regret would be that it would be devastating for good Magpie supporters such as you and some others, Booney.

It'll just make victories against them all the more sweeter R&B.

redandblack wrote:It's not to do with the agreement, that was the problem with the Slattery case in particular, but it is indicative of a pattern of behaviour that acts as if there was no agreement in place.

When you also add what they wanted to do with Liam Jurrah, that is send him straight to the Magpies, it just confirms two things: firstly, they regard the Magpies as their Reserves side and secondly they have a total arrogance and disregard for the other SANFL sides.

I didn't want the Magpies to fold a fews years back, but I have to say now I'm not bothered if they do. My only regret would be that it would be devastating for good Magpie supporters such as you and some others, Booney.

Seems, to me, as though a dose of sour grapes is the deciding factor in you now not caring if the Magpies survive or not.

People at SANFL head quarters can step in at any stage to deny a transfer, would that be right? If so, let them decide.....they were privy to any agreement made.

No, the SANFL can't deny a transfer, I think.

It's hardly sour grapes. I'm on record, as you know, in supporting the Magpies many times previously, but I think it's fair to get very annoyed when their actions are the opposite of their word.

As I said, I feel for the good Maggie supporters who are about to see their team become the Power's Reserve side when the licence is sold after this season and the effect that will have on our competition.

This is a player who played half a season in the B grade last season and the rest was of the field dealing with injuries. Why wait until now, only weeks out from a new season and on the eve of the first trial to decide he should go elsewhere

Very ordinary treatment by the power failure to not even have the decency of notifying West Adelaide earlier in the week, but waiting until as late as they could before withdrawing him from the side.