Thanks to those glorious sporting clichés, we hear about it all the time.
“It’s not about the money, it’s about winning”. Or “It’s not all about winning”.
Or “Winning isn’t everything – it’s the only thing”. Or “A sporting career is short, we have to make the most of it while we can”.
Or my personal favourite – “I’d swap all the money in the world for a premiership”.
I seriously could go on and on, and of course we can’t forget one of the most memorable lines from a recent sporting movie: “Show me the money.”
Watching the Hawks pick apart and feast on Carlton last Friday night got me wondering. Which cliché would best fit Lance Franklin at the moment?
Courtesy of that extraordinary $10.2-million, nine-year deal he signed at the end of 2013, Buddy has the money. A footy career may be short but thanks to that contract he has at least another seven years of getting paid from football.
He also has the anonymity, which brings a much quieter, relaxed lifestyle in Sydney. So, perhaps winning really isn’t the be all and end all.
And, Buddy does already have two premierships, having climbed footy’s Everest back in 2008 and again in his swansong (pardon the pun) season with the Hawks in 2013. How many premierships does one player need? Not everyone needs to win seven like Michael Tuck.
You would imagine, considering the way they have moved on since, winning the flag last season and suddenly looking totally unbeatable this year, that the Hawks are not too perturbed about the departure of Buddy.
Certainly watching the past few weeks they seem to be coping OK with the likes of Jack Gunston, Luke Breust, even Ryan Shoenmakers – not to mention Jarryd Roughhead and Cyril Rioli – having no problem at all causing havoc among defences.
But I wonder how Buddy feels?
He certainly would have felt pretty good heading into last year’s grand final with his new team hot favourites to beat his old, but it seems – at least for the moment on current form – that Bud might have been winning more had he stayed put for a few dollars less.
While the Swans do have some great young players coming through, and notably the likes of Dan Hannebery, Luke Parker, Tom Mitchell, Sam Reid, and Dean Rampe to name just a few, the Hawks are hardly Dad’s Army and their youngsters also assure the future is bright.
I’d imagine both clubs will continue to feature in finals for some time to come, but you can’t help but wonder what Hawthorn would be like now with Buddy still in their side.
On the strength of their past three wins, it’s difficult to imagine how they could be that much better, but perhaps they wouldn’t be. Maybe Buddy coming back in might upset the cart a little.
Could we be so brave to dare say that Buddy leaving has actually made Hawthorn a stronger team?
It seems an absurd statement, but now as they are not as single minded when going forward searching for Franklin, nor so one dimensional, maybe that makes the Hawks a different, unpredictable, and more dangerous beast?
Perhaps everyone has now stepped up, and, playing their roles, they make for a stronger team?
It’s a longshot perhaps, but it does fit.
But as I originally said, I wonder how Buddy feels? Maybe he’s enjoying his football more in Sydney? Maybe he’s happier in this environment?
And you can’t begrudge Franklin for taking the $10 million and running with it. I’m pretty sure you or I and everyone else reading this would have done the same. But a professional athlete is a different beast.
Any professional sportsman is happiest when they are winning. They all play the game to win, not to make money, and while Buddy’s Swans are getting their share of victories they won’t be winning a flag at the moment while the Hawks continue the way they are.
As for those Hawks, they are living proof that no one player is bigger than a club.
zoosegoose
Guest
No I think buddy would.make HAWKHORN BETTER
Gecko
Guest
The Swans have certainly lost their famous Bloods culture, and the arrival of Buddy and Tippett may have accelerated this. However, the main reason was the departures of Brett Kirk, Ryan O'Keefe, Jude Bolton and LRT. The last show of Bloods culture was when Goodesy on one leg dragged them to a premiership in 2012, but Goodesy is too old to do that again. I expect the Hawks to sink to at least mortal after the imminent retirement of Hodge and Mitchell (Lake, Gibson and Burgoyne will also be missed but their leadership levels are less vital) around 2016, and then really come back to the fore when Roughie and Jordan Lewis start struggling in a few years time. Those 4 are the leadership engine of the Hawks.
Frank R
Roar Rookie
Nick Nack, you are just casting aspersions. Why wouldn't they be under the cap? They are a well managed club. Better then the drug riddled Eagles of the 2000's which I'm guessing you support.
Sportnut
Guest
I think 2012 taught us (Hawks) a valuable lesson. 2013 saw the beginning of life without Buddy as they knew he was most likely leaving. We lost 2012 due to being too focussed on him. 2013 was the year of change and 2014 was the absolute proof point. I commented on what I see as the lack of value for money Tippet has delivered to the Swans. If he delivered the same return as Rough it would be a very different story - especially given they are substantially playing the same role. I just have never seen Tippet own a game like Rough has. Add the support Rough gets from the other 5 in the forward line and it all makes sense. No other team provides these options and all from a group that individually most experts would not rate them as the stars we know them to be as a collective. Would we have Buddy back. Of course. Do we need him back. Not on current form.
Alex DeLarge
Guest
More likely they buy houses for the players and this is kept off the books. West Coast used this tactic for years. It would be better for everyone if we went to the European style trading system.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Mumford was a bad loss I'll admit. The way Malceski was playing I'd say not. Mumford is much better ruck than Pyke. We bet on the wrong horse in that regard,.
Michael Huston
Guest
I should also note that one thing that has improved since Buddy's departure is the mentality of this current Hawks outfit. They always come out to make a statement, and they always play with intent and purpose. They attack everyone - from wooden spooners to their nearest rivals - with an out-for-blood attitude. I just don't think footy-wise they're as good as when they had Buddy.
Michael Huston
Guest
I don't think so. Hawthorn in 2012 and 2013 were better than the Hawthorn of the last two seasons. I think they're just different to the team that had Buddy in it. There's a huge spread of goal-kickers now and I think the 22-man rotation through the forward line has helped add new dimensions to the games of Lewis, Hodge etc. But they were ridiculously formidable with Buddy. He and Roughy had their forward set up perfectly, both able to be stay-at-home forwards, but also able to roam further up the ground and wreak havoc. This is something Buddy and Tippett haven't been as successful at in Sydney. I also think the Hawks look better now because the competition around them has dropped off, whereas they have kept at their elite level from season to season. Between their 08 and 13 flags, they were usually prevented by the genuinely great Geelong and Collingwood teams of that period. Now days, their only real competition is in the form of a Fremantle side that is a match-up nightmare and a Sydney team in constant crisis. It'll be interesting to see if West Coast can emerge as a contender, because they actually resemble the Hawks a lot: clean skills, forward efficiency, under-rated midfield, numerous attacking weapons. While I think the flag is Hawthorn's to lose, I still don't rate them that highly, believe it or not, as I still don't think they've reached that level they were at a few years ago. I take their thumpings of Fremantle and Sydney with a grain of salt, since both teams are in incredible slumps at the moment and both have proven to be mentally intimidated by Hawthorn without the Hawks even having to do anything. 2012/2013 (and even a lot of that period between 2008 and 2011) i would be constantly marvelling at their performances and what they would do.
Greg
Guest
Buddy is a one man band whereas the Hawks are the complete team.....there is no I in team!!
AR
Guest
That may be so Jack, but the Swans lost Malcelski (in a year he was All-Australian) and Mumford, solely because of salary cap pressure.
Mark
Guest
*Dane Rampe It's embarrassing how many journalists get this wrong.
Mark
Guest
Wrong. As usual.
Tricky
Guest
Correct on the Pies and yet still frustrating final-less for another year, they've been rebuilding since the GF loss and still going down the ladder. All the talk six weeks ago was finals, now "it's we'll good next year, we're a young side - finals" and next will be the same "oh we're a young side, we'll be good next year" and we'll still be bottom 4 - oh sorry - improved though! Pun intended, my patience has run out quite Franklin.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Shame Collingwood have no forward bait of their own. They are playing pretty darn well despite having too forwards being completely useless (Cloke and White). I say this liking the Pies game style and having a new found respect for Nathan Buckley this year.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
I agree with your Hawks sentiment but not the Swans. Pretty sure that neither Tippett or Buddy was actually paid $1 million in their first year if you read reports. Buddy's is definitely in the middle and then tapers off for most dollars.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
As a neutral to the Hawks i thought it was ludicrous people thought they would drop without Buddy. As I have said above, I never thought they were Buddy centric. The media was but the team certainly wasn't. That small sample size I think was overplayed anyhow. I do believe was laughable given I'm pretty sure they were middle of the table-bottom teams that they beat without him. But nevertheless, it will be brought up.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
I don't think the Hawks were ever Buddy centric, his departure has simply meant others have been able to step into the limelight. Forwards will always be one of the most interesting positions on the ground in footy. Roughead and Cyril (who is awesome but I hate the commentators that dribble over him) have filled the void. Jack Gunston is without question, pun intended, a gun.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
I touched on this with others at the end of last year. - Buddy they had had salary cap room. Also, I would not be surprised if they did what Geelong did a few years back and committed to perhaps being paid a bit less overall for glory.
Nick Nack
Guest
If Hawthorn is under the salary cap I am a monkey's uncle. Seriously they are scamming the system. There needs to be some serious scrutiny of that club.
Bretto
Guest
He'd look bloody good in a Collingwood jumper.