Crows fans, understandably, will be feeling angry with Nathan Bock. As a talent who progressed through the ranks of the Crows and was thoroughly supported when he was arrested in 2009, many fans feel he has betrayed the club.
However, don’t blame him.
You spend a long time retired and the money and terms the Gold Coast offered were just too good. This allows him to set himself up for life after football.
Instead blame the AFL for letting this get out hand on three fronts.
Firstly, in its good interests to make the side competitive quickly, the AFL has created a smelly culture of fear and distrust. By not allowing disclosure of who has signed for the Gold Coast, clubs and players are being frustratingly kept in the dark about future of the team.
It seems ridiculous that AFL coaches this season had to play players in the knowledge or non knowledge that they would not be there in 2011.
The AFL has tried so hard to differentiate itself from the NRL in player transfer arrangements by not allowing players to play in the knowledge they would not be in their club. This Gold Coast GWS episode will see this reputation disappear.
My second gripe with the AFL is the concessions allowed to be given to the Gold Coast and GWS. I do support concessions for the new clubs as they are in difficult territory.
I don’t want them to end up like the Brisbane Bears or Sydney in the 80s stuck in enemy territory with no support.
However, the amount of support given to the expansion clubs is ludicrous. Both expansion clubs get an extra $1 million in their salary cap and the best young talent in the competition for the next five years.
The clubs should only get one of these concessions. It is not fair that they get extra money and the best draft picks while the other struggling clubs are left to pick up the scraps at the AFL dinner table.
My final gripe is the lack of compensation that is provided to AFL clubs while their best players are plundered. For losing Nathan Bock, the Crows get pick 26. If Geelong likely lose Gary Ablett Jnr., Geelong get pick 16.
This is an insult to the clubs, which have not seen this type of plundering since the Vikings terrorised Europe. Clubs deserve better draft concessions and maybe financial rewards for allowing entities with superior financial resources to plunder their talent.
The AFL has a lot to answer for letting this building the club revolution get out of hand.
beaver fever
Guest
Thats crazy Kurt, everyone knows the AFL is responsible for everything that is remotely bad, even every Irishman interviewed now hates the AFL. http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/08/18/afl-not-so-welcome-in-irish-heartland/
Westcoast929406
Guest
This article from the Gold Coast Bulletin is possibly an indication of future attitudes to the "new order" in the northern states. All of the exiating clubs signed up for this new order and now they dont like it. Its great to see our game spreading itself further around the country - How about the AFL brings some changes to the Commission so that every state has a rep including WA. http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/08/18/248125_editorial-news.html
Redb
Roar Guru
This is article is purely scare mongering coupled with hysteria. Change in the form of free agency was coming anyway.
Michael C
Roar Guru
Agreed with Kurt - the old Brisbane Bears was something that could NOT be repeated. The deals afforded to the Crows and Eagles back at establishment were pretty ruddy good in locking away a lot of local talent, including already drafted talent,.......I think Tregenza had been drafted by the Doggies, Jameson to North, amongst others. This time around, if you've re-signed your players - you'll get the chance to trade for the Suns and GWS currency of draft picks. Otherwise, you'll lose uncontracted players but get later picks as compensation. Not too bad. There's no such thing as a perfect plan in this situation.
Kurt
Roar Pro
Here's a crazy idea, how about being angry at no one? He's an out of contract player who has chosen to take the best offer on the table. Sure the AFL has given the new clubs concessions, quite right too. All the other clubs would love another Brisbane bears scenario where they could off load a couple of no-name players to the new clubs and then rely on them being easy beats for several seasons. This is why the clubs don't run the game, an independent commission does and thankfully makes decisions in the best interests of the competition as a whole.