Oh George Bradley Hogg. What have you done! The heart and soul of the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash has just given a massive finger to club loyalty by reportedly signing with the Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming season.
To say this move has come as a shock does not do it justice. It’s seismic.
Since the first season of the BBL, Hogg has been the competition’s most likeable player, and been shown nothing but love from the Scorchers franchise who have bent over backwards to accommodate him into their plans.
On the wrong side of 40, Hogg has been allowed to sign one-year deals over the last two seasons ensuring he has to the last moment to decide if the body is still up to it.
Despite this, he’s decided to take the cash and join the Renegades out of Etihad Stadium in cold Melbourne. And what a pick-up he is for the Red side of town who have been desperate for a world class spinner to help exploit the low, slow home conditions.
Only death bowling specialist Ben Laughlin (60) has more wickets in the history of the BBL.
Hogg’s 46 wickets have come at an average of 21.82 runs, while his career economy rate of just 6.23 is the third best mark all-time – he’s one of just eight players with an economy under seven.
Naturally, Scorchers coach Justin Langer is upset. And JL doesn’t hide it well either.
“I’m really disappointed about that,” he said at a press conference today.
“What can I say? I’m personally disappointed, professionally disappointed, but it’s his decision and life goes on.
“In my opinion he’s made the wrong decision, that’s OK, that’s not my business.
“But I can go to bed at night knowing we offered him more money than we offered him last year, we think we’ve had a good deal with him for the last few years and it could have been a real win-win situation for him and us.”
It’s not the first time JL has sent off a defector in style, and it won’t be the last. Hogg’s departure has left a gaping hole not just in their bowling stocks, but also in the club’s marketability to fans.
He was King of the kids in the West, and no doubt the ‘Gades will be looking to capitalise on this at Etihad.
This was supposed to be the season Ashton Agar became a genuine allrounder, but he may have to focus more on his bowling now.
Can James Muirhead recapture his form of 2014 and get a game? Will the Scorchers now fit Mitchell Johnson into the rotation alongside the already burgeoning stable of quicks?
All of a sudden one of the competition’s most consistent franchises has lost a foundation pillar.
Has Hogg made the right call by taking the cash? Does JL have any right to have his knickers in a knot? Let me know below.
ChrisB
Guest
Be interesting to see what Langer would have done in the same situation at the end of his career. Interesting that this is an issue in an Aussie Rules state. Love the sport but my god it's fans have OTT antiquated notions about club loyalty. Hogg is a pro at the end of his career. Best of luck to him
Paul D
Roar Guru
Langer has a bit of form for this, I seem to recall he grumped a fair bit when Craig Simmons left to go to the Adelaide Strikers as well. He’s always been a very intense, quirky character – he will need to work on wearing his heart a bit further away from his sleeve in matters like this though, because the nature of cricket these days pretty much guarantees this sort of player movement.
Tom from Perth
Guest
So much for wanting to play at the new Perth Stadium. Disappointed Hoggy!
GD66
Guest
Unlike 91.3 SportFM head honcho and Shield commentator-at-large Colin Minson I am under no illusion that members of a franchise such as Perth Scorchers should be WA born and bred, and play for WA's honour without any thought for playing elsewhere. The franchises are a variety of locales swept along on the tide of success the BBL has uncorked by bringing cricket into the household at dinner time on balmy summer evenings, but players are free to peddle their wares wherever they wish. As a Scorchers fan I think the biggest part of Hogg's future is behind him, and I am more than happy to see his slot allocated to a young, up-and-coming star of the future. He's been good, so let's see how he goes in Melbourne. I agree with Burgy, Langer shouldn't be grumping about it in the press either.
BurgyGreen
Guest
I know Langer is proud of what he's built in all three formats over in WA (and rightly so), but it's poor form to say this sort of stuff in the media. Hogg's a professional and it's his decision. He's given plenty to WA cricket in his time. Guys like Muirhead and Agar need to be playing to develop anyway - it's arguable that Hogg's presence was holding them back. I don't see a problem with this move at all.
Rissole
Guest
This must be what divorce feels like
Aransan
Guest
And it was Hogg's decision to have one year deals? Make hay before the sun sets!
harry ini
Guest
Max, sorry mate you are living in the past and a current mist of nostalgia. Use of emotive and loaded terms like defector are not appropriate and offensive. Football, soccer, rugby, cricket has been a business for a long time. The operators want you to still believe in a team because it suits them to be able to garnish money from supporters. No problem with that people need som thing to believe in and follow but the reality is it is commercial and entertainment. Cynical? when I see Melbourne football clubs asking supporters to stump up cash because the club is in financial trouble, whilst paying its players hundreds of thousands of dollars you bet. It's all about the money! on all sides sorry to ruin your illusion mate but he is in business selling his product.
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Club loyalty to an artificially created entity in a professional sport. Now that requires some mental agility that would be at hope on a set of Olympic parallel bars. Club loyalty is a quaint anachronism that died with the advent of professional sports. A professional sportsman or woman has a very limited window in which to make their money and secure their future. This is what happened to "club loyalty". It's ok for an amateur to have the loyalty to a club - their livelihood doesn't depend on it. A professional has no such choice.