Carlton players wrap up Brisbane forward Brendan Fevola. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
The baggage that comes with a player like Brendan Fevola is well-documented, and it is no secret that there is a high chance that some of these issues will raise their head should a club take a risk on him.
He is at the start of a very long journey in getting himself right as he looks to rebuild his life after his axing from Brisbane and his issues with alcohol and gambling.
Casey Scorpions have obviously taken a good look at the upside and seemed happy to use him to further their gate receipts and publicity.
They planned to take him on against the wishes of their affiliate, Melbourne, who fund them to the tune of $250,000 a season, and as soon as an issue reared its head, they want to spend a night reconsidering their position before he officially signs.
Let’s put things into prospective here.
Fevola did not do anything wrong. He is a recovering gambling addict who ventured into Crown for a game in the Poker Room. The Crown counselled him and advised him to leave for his own wellbeing.
Fevola left, on his own volition, without fuss.
You cannot spend a few weeks in rehab and expect all your problems to be solved when you walk out of the door.
These behavioural changes will take months, maybe years to rectify. The shocking admissions on The Footy Show paint a picture that all is not well.
Casey Scorpions should have known this. Any club doing their due diligence would have found this out.
If they back out, it shows their lack of regard with rehabilitating him and that they have put their head in the sand and hoped his on-field exploits would further their own agenda.
Did the hierarchy at Casey seriously believe that a chat with the leadership group was the tonic and, bang, behavioural issues would be solved?
Fevola has had plenty of chances and I am not suggesting that football is obliged to ensure he gets his life back on track.
You cannot fault the approach taken by Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney. They emphatically rejected any association and declared under no circumstance they would take him on.
They have done no harm by rejecting the idea.
As soon as Casey Scorpions took him on and welcomed him to training they took on an obligation to assist him with his rehabilitation.
His personal issues became their issue.
If they were not willing to entertain the idea of a relapse of any kind, they should not have entertained the idea of signing him.
Raising these false hopes does Brendan Fevola no favours as he tries to rebuild his life. This issue transcends football. We’re talking about a human life here.
He is not a pawn to raise gate receipts.
If a VFL club wants the upside that comes with Brendan Fevola, they must also take on the downsides that come with him as he battles alcohol and gambling issues.
Otherwise, allow him to move on with his family and management as they take the steps and ride the bumps to get his life back on track.
Bayman
Guest
Jared, First allow me to congratulate you on a great article or maybe it's just that I agree wholeheartedly with just about everything you have written. My query, though, is the notion that the Scorpions took responsibility for Fevola's rehabilitation when they initially invited him out to train. While I can accept that the Scorpions should not actually bring harm to the guy, his rehabilitation must surely be Fevola's responsibility. While I'm sure some people are predisposed to depression, alcohol or drug abuse by the nature of the personality they were born with it is also true that many of these people initiate themselves the method and nature of their demise. We may never fully know the level of help provided to Fevola by Carlton, Brisbane and his management. Perhaps his former clubs just tolerated his excesses to take advantage of his ability on the field. Perhaps if they had been tougher, earlier, his life may have taken a different track. I'm particularely thinking of Carlton here. Perhaps, also, Brendan Fevola was simply a thick head who knew better and wouldn't listen? Too much money, too much time. Maybe if a fellow like David Parkin had been his coach he may not have fallen off the rails. Parkin didn't like players with nothing other than football in their lives. He insisted on a job, or at least some study lest players get mentally stale. Idle hands, etc. As I said, we may never know how Fevola came to be like he is but he's, ultimately, the one responsible for making it happen. Dozens of others have had the same lifestyle and survived the ordeal. Fevola is simply unfortunate in that he's one of those people who is blessed with making poor decisions in relation to his private life. The Brownlow night, the casino, the trip to the US when he might be best served staying home and presenting a more humble, acceptable image to his potentially new club. Priorities don't seem to be high on the Fevola agenda except those that fall into the category of pleasing himself. Fevola's worst enemy is, well, Brendan Fevola. There's nothing to be done about that and I'm not sure it's the Scorpions responsibility to try. Their offer may well have been seen, by them, to be a part of his rehabilitation. He chose to make it difficult for them. Optionally, as you suggest, maybe they just wanted his upside (whatever that was perceived to be) and didn't give a damn. Either way, when it's all boiled down, Fevola is simply a player in need of a club and the Scorpions are a club who thought they needed a player. There's an old saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink". I'm always astounded that in this suffocating politically correct world in which we now find ourselves, people forget why these old sayings were ever thought up in the first place. Brisbane may have better understood, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it". Throw away lines to some but written down and recorded for a reason. They are simply universal truths. Always have been, always will be. Like every generation though, we must ignore the advice and find out for ourselves that what we were told when we were young is mostly true. Brendan is just another example of someone going his own way because he knows better or is too stupid to listen. As a result, he "reaps what he has sown". Bugger, there's another one! Fevola may be a tragedy but he's one of his own making. Rather than worry about Fevola I'm more concerned for all those people he has let down over the years. They get more sympathy from me. Mind you, they could have paid more attention to some of those old sayings too.
itsuckstobeyou
Roar Pro
JN is right. When did we as a public go from backing a battler, to kicking a bloke while he's down? The bloke attempted suicide and we're beating him up for failing to meet his contractual obligations? I couldn't give a rats about the welfare of the Scorpions or the Demons or the AFL. Listen to yourselves. You want to sack a bloke for playing 2 hands of poker. People are trying to kill themselves. The politics have gone too far. Give him some privacy.
Redb
Roar Guru
Thats if he has the discipline to train and get his body right for footy. If he cant stay away from a casino for 1 day, what hope does he have maintained a regime for a year? Big gamble. How much does Casey value the Melb Demons relationship is under question. Surely the Dees feel vindicated.
Koops
Roar Rookie
I disagree, I reckon he represents a coup for Casey, will they lose sponsors and fans because of it, or gain them ?, everyone stops to see a train wreck, we are not talking about a AFL club, where PC reigns, but a suburban club, where the scrutiny is not as intense. Fev will bring plenty of new/old fans out of the woodwork, to see the "man" himself and the great goals he is capable of kicking.
BigAl
Guest
Well of course they '...only wanted Fev as a side show who could pull a crowd ' - Casey Scorpions are not in the rehab. business ! Having said this, maybe something good will come of it - Fev might scratch some of his life back together, and their young players hoping for an AFL career could have a real life, in your face, 'drink & drive ' type ad. of what can easily happen...
Jared Newton
Roar Rookie
Yes that's true Brett, Casey have the right to do as they wish, but my issue with them is they ignored the concerns from their affiliate who would have told them explicitly about the risks involved and they proceeded to move ahead. If a 15 minute game of poker is enough to throw them into hiding and reconsider their position I don't feel they were serious about rehabilitation and only wanted Fev as a side show who could pull a crowd. The guy has issues and the constant media circus and flip flopping on signing him does not help him. He basically admitted last night he self harmed and that should be ringing alarm bells with people. If he's not worth the risk, that's fine, football clubs don't have to be a patron saint for these issues but if they take him on knowing his baggage he becomes part of their family and they take a responsibility for helping him.
Brett McKay
Guest
Jared, agree with everything you say here, but by the same token, surely Casey have the right to review their position in this scenario? Even if they had done all the due dilligance - and you expect they went/go into the Fevola deal with eyes open - surely they can still at some point realise that the deal is no longer worth the risk associated. Minds get changed around business deals all the time, I don't know this any different. And that's not to gloss over the obvious problems Fevola himself is currently facing, either...
Redb
Roar Guru
As much as it would be good for Fevola to play football again, he represents too much of a risk for Casey after yesterday's incident. Can't help but feel sorry for Fev, but unless he is prepared to make some hard decisions himself, by thinking playing poker is Ok shows he is a long way off from self understanding.