West Adelaide all things 2021

Yes  I agree, CK.

Just looks like sour grapes and isn't the best look.

I'd rather they search inwardly to understand the reasons the Club has list its two most promising young players

I have a good postie and have a good idea what happened
But I'm going to keep it to myself

Feel for west losing two very good players, especially when they are doing it tough. The club would be rightly disappointed to see them go....but.... the public send off given by the club was pretty poor. Any prospective recruit reading that would be a little concerned.

blueandwhite wrote:Feel for west losing two very good players, especially when they are doing it tough. The club would be rightly disappointed to see them go....but.... the public send off given by the club was pretty poor. Any prospective recruit reading that would be a little concerned.

I don't see that at all. I agree that the club should be looking internally at why this has happened, but I don't think they need to hide their disappointment or annoyance at the players's decisions, or send them off with the club's best wishes. And I don't think a prospective recruit would give a second thought to something like this. If they even read it, they'd simply see a club that was very unhappy about losing a couple of players - hardly a surprise.

In the statement put out by the "Bloods" it mentioned that they will soon announce new recruits, surely they are getting these players from other clubs that will be very upset at losing them, just the same as W.A. The Eagles did not manage to secure departing AFL players in Scott McMahon (Sturt), Malcolm Karpanny (South) and Matthew Broadbent (South). Also after signing a continuing contract with the Eagles Jarrad Allmond broke the contract and joined North. The movement of players has always happened whether we like it or not. Good clubs fight back and have an environment that attract replacement players.

Feathers wrote: Good clubs fight back and have an environment that attract replacement players.

Well that's what the club is doing, as you said in your first sentence. You seem to be criticising the club for some sort of hypocrisy in recruiting players from other clubs and then saying they need to recruit players from other clubs.

I'm not criticising WA for recruiting, all clubs have to do it, just don't shitbag players when they leave WA, that's where the hypocrisy is. If your club is good enough they will attract decent replacements.

WOODEN spooner West Adelaide has lost two key players to rival SANFL clubs –
and given them a public spray on the way out.
Rebounding half-back Elliot Dunkin has signed for preliminary finalist South
Adelaide and lockdown key defender Mitch Duval is poised to put pen to paper for
premier Woodville-West Torrens, sparking outrage at the Bloods.
In a message to members on the club’s website, West Adelaide football director
Derek Bonner wrote: “This week the West Adelaide Football Club lost two talented
footballers. Both chose to walk away from the club that gave them their senior
opportunity. I want to let the members and supporters know that both players were
offered comprehensive playing contracts for 2022 but they chose not to accept them.
They chose themselves over the playing group, coaches, support staff and you, our
loyal members and supporters.
“We will move on and focus on the players who have committed to this great club
and are invested in our plan, which is to play finals football and build sustained
success.’’ The loss of the ace pair, who finished fifth and eighth in the Bloods’ bestandfairest voting this season, is a significant blow to the club and follows the
retirement of midfield ball magnet Kaine Stevens, who finished joint runner-up.
South Adelaide confirmed the signing of Dunkin, 23, to The Advertiser, describing
him as “a really good player who will help shore up our defence’’.
“Elliot’s in a good age profile for our group and we think he can have a very good
immediate and long-term impact,’’ Panthers chief executive Neill Sharpe said.
Dunkin, whose camp is understood to be upset by West’s public outburst and have
questioned whether he had been offered a “comprehensive contract’’ to stay,
averaged 22 disposals and five marks in 15 games this year.
Duval, 24, has been on the radar of AFL clubs since debuting as a mature-age
product for the Bloods last season.
He averaged 15 disposals and five marks in 18 matches this year.
The Eagles, chasing a hattrick of premierships next season, are expected to
announce his signing this week.
South Adelaide, meanwhile, has further beefed up its playing stocks by signing
former Adelaide SANFL midfielder Oliver Davis after the Tasmanian spent this year
trying to earn an AFL spot with the Crows.
The club is in talks with a pair of its former ruckmen, Keegan Brooksby and Paul
Hunter, about a return to the club after Brooksby was delisted by Hawthorn and
Hunter by St Kilda.
It has re-signed two veterans, Magarey Medallist Bryce Gibbs and star half-back
Matthew Broadbent, but failed in its attempt to sign retired Crow David Mackay,
who will return to his home state of Victoria to take up a school football
coaching/development position

Feathers wrote:I'm not criticising WA for recruiting, all clubs have to do it, just don't shitbag players when they leave WA, that's where the hypocrisy is. If your club is good enough they will attract decent replacements.

The club has always been gracious when players move to a higher comp (AFL) or a lower comp, but I think there's a difference when they change to a club in the same competition. Who would have believed a club statement that said we thank them for their service and wish them all the best at their new club?

Feathers wrote: Also after signing a continuing contract with the Eagles Jarrad Allmond broke the contract and joined North.

you might see him back next year if what i heard is correct

I guess Derek Bonner expressed the frustration all clubs must feel when this occurs. He just did it publicly.

It is the norm also for clubs to send players off the AFL with good wishes and that is understood. But they must stop and think what is the long term prognosis as the competition is pillaged of players to many leagues including country, ammos
and interstate leagues.

The salary cap is two-thirds of what it was. How long is this sustainable?
I read somewhere that we will be lucky to see players older than about 25-26 if this continues.

I will start a separate post for that.

Without bringing old wounds & Lee into it, you have to ask what has work at West Adelaide since the coup ?


duck eggs is my answer

bayman wrote:Without bringing old wounds & Lee into it, you have to ask what has work at West Adelaide since the coup ?


duck eggs is my answer

Don't think anyone could argue with that bayman.

Lee wrote:Well, I can confidently confirm Flag No 10s statements about Brett Turner.

I wish him well.  He's a good lad and his best football is also good, when it's seen.

I do know, without fear of being contradicted by Feathers, that Brett's judgement of his correct pay scale is far in excess of what all others would judge it to be.

Hence his decision to move.

I support the Club in its reasonable offer to him.

Well that pay scale just got a very healthy rise 🤪🫣🤫

Certainly has. I wonder if playing In a good team instead of a wooden spoon team has made the difference.

Scrappy wrote:Games Ive watched GL play Brett Turner  has played very well
Has he played mostly well in most or all games ?

Congratulations to Brett on being drafted.
At his rate of improvement he must be a chance to win the Brownlow Medal soon!