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The romantic notion of being a one-club player is no longer just under threat, but completely out of touch with the realities of modern football.
Now, the end of the football year means one thing: the beginning of the trade season, a period so frenetic it resembles an open season.
Since the introduction of free agency, the trade period has never been filled with more intrigue or uncertainty.
The momentum of finals and the grand final can now be carried into the ensuing weeks of trade, with every pundit watching the movements of their team and favourite players.
It’s great for fans and it’s great for the players who bargained for their right to free agency – essentially the right to choose where to work after a certain time spent at one club.
But since the introduction of free agency, and the increased movement of players, never has loyalty or the primacy of being a one-club player been so heavily debated.
Even now, on the eve of the final round of the home-and-away season, these same issues dominate discussion.
Should Steve Johnson stay? Will he move to another club? Will Geelong move him on to make way for Patrick Dangerfield? And just how many of those Geelong greats need to retire?
The question marks hanging over players’ heads, including those of Johnson and Dangerfield, are inextricably linked to expectations that champions should remain as one-club champions.
Cameron Ling has been particularly vocal on the issue, citing the move of Paul Chapman from Geelong to Essendon in the twilight of his career as something regrettable from the Cats’ perspective, as well as Chappy’s.
But why, exactly? Chapman was a loyal servant for Geelong and will always be remembered as a triple-premiership legend of the club. His final two years at Essendon can, in no way, belie the instrumental role he played in the Cats’ success.
What’s more, Chapman had every right to seek employment at another club once he and Geelong could no longer agree on his role at the club, or how much his services were worth.
So while the idea of Steve Johnson following the same path as Chapman seems somewhat abhorrent to Ling and other traditionalists, the counter-argument – that remaining a one-club player is part of the fabric of football – is romantic and antiquated.
Free agency was something the players wanted and they should be free to work within the rules to move between clubs, even if that means they take the unholy pledge of being a two or, god forbid, three-club player.
Shaun Higgins – the recruit of the year in many people’s books – has repeatedly said how his move from the Western Bulldogs to North Melbourne as a free agent this year was a decision that completely reenergised his career.
Given more freedom to roam forward, Higgins is second only to Drew Petrie in the goal-kicking stakes at the Kangaroos.
The change of environment and culture has manifested in one of Higgins’ best years as a footballer. And it must be noted, the Bulldogs have not missed him much either.
Because what often goes unheeded in the free-agency debate is that teams are compensated for their losses, and are able to change their structures and game plan in order to adapt to the change.
In the absence of Buddy Franklin, Hawthorn’s forward line remained just as potent because the Hawks were able to adapt their game style, and share the goal-kicking load around a group of players.
And so, regardless of whether Johnson, Dangerfield or any other champion decides to move clubs come trade time, what mustn’t be lost around the hysteria is that free agency now makes it less desirable than ever to be a one-club player.
While notions of loyalty are part of the football narrative, they are now at odds with the system at hand. It’s a system the players opted for, and rightly so. Why shouldn’t they have some say in their own destinies?
At the same time, free agency doesn’t automatically preclude loyalty from winning over players and keeping them at the one club for their entire career.
This loyalty does, however, have to be reciprocal. It’s up to the clubs as much as the players to be open, transparent and steadfast in their commitment to one another.
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