As the footballing codes have progressed from their humble beginnings of something to do in spare time to a multi-billion dollar industry, a lot of things have changed.
Whether it be the size of competitions, venues or the player payments there have been numerous changes, maybe it is time we change our view of how loyalty is perceived in professional sports as well?
All the wash-up from AFL Round 3
» Eight quick takes
» Power Rankings
» Team of the Week
Up until around 2000 it was almost unheard of players changing teams unless they had a massive fall out with the club. This led to the players staying and giving their all to the one club.
Players are now employees. When employees do not perform they are sacked. The difference is that in professional sports there is a lot fewer opportunities to find work again compared to other industries.
As we all know there is big money in professional sports now so the players are expected to perform, otherwise we as fans lack loyalty to the players when we are calling for them to be dropped from week to week or delisted at the end of the year.
With the lifespan of a professional footballer being short and with the uncertainty of getting traded to different parts of Australia or the world at times, can we really blame them for trying to get the most money in the short time they have?
When we are judging if are player is loyal or not, instead of looking at if they stay at the one club or code for their whole career, maybe we look at how much they give to the particular team or code for their time there.
If the player gives their all and does everything they can to contribute to the team’s success isn’t that all we can ask for as fans?
Parramatta Eels fans could never question Jarryd Hayne’s dedication to the club when we chose to have a go at the NFL. This is the same for Geelong Cats and Adelaide Crows fans when Gary Ablett Jnr. and Patrick Dangerfield decided to leave. They both left their respective clubs for different reasons but their is no doubt that both players gave their all for their clubs for the duration they played at them.
It is hard for the fans when they see their champion players leave for another team or code but the days of all the star players staying at the one club are becoming rare. All the fans can ask for is that the players give their all and do everything to win while they are at the club.
SmithHatesMaxwell
Guest
You're only as loyal as your options
Johnny Dalmas
Guest
When you have a national draft that can move an 18 year old across the country to a place he doesnt want to live, why should players show loyalty? Its ridiculous for any interstate player to feel compelled to play out their career in some city just because they got drafted there.
GJ
Guest
I don't think loyalty is dead. I do think there has probably been a bit of a shift. In the past where players grew up and supported their local and team and then when onto play for them the loyalty was primarily with the club. Now with players often moving states and joining clubs that they didn't necessarily support I think that their loyalty is primarily with their team mates and to lesser degree coaching staff. The players in the past had day jobs and trained together a couple of times a week. They would have had bonding sessions and been mates on the whole. The professional era sees players spend far more time at the club and together. Many of the younger players from the country or interstate live together. Seems only a few years ago supporters would get a little weird seeing former team mates at the end of a game having a laugh and a hug.
Craig Delaney
Guest
The AFL and the clubs need fans to be loyal followers of teams, but loyalty in the 'industry' is no longer a high priority. There is an anomaly here that might never come home to bite, but also just may.
mattyb
Guest
You've pretty much said a few of the points I wanted to say Perry so I'll just agree with your comment and add my little bit. The seventies was huge for player movements and North basically won a premiership because of it. Even in the 20s/30s players would switch from VFL club to VFA club purely fo money. We like to romantacise about the past and loyalty but from my actual memory as well as reading about the true history of our game it simply a bigger myth than it is fact.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Dead since the short lived 10 year rule (72-73) - effectively the first dalliance with 'free agency' - that saw North Melb pick up John Rantall, Barry Davis, Doug Wade and help achieve premiership success. The writing was on the wall even if that rule was rescinded - and largely on the basis of reaction to the NSWRL restraint of trade actions where loyalty has seemed far less a feature.
Jeff dustby
Guest
Dead since 1983
Perry Bridge
Guest
Nah - loyalty has always been a luxury of the successful. Ron Barassi when he moved to Carlton over 50 years ago stressed that his loyalty was not at fault however it was transferable. In the AFL we used to have player transfers happening during the season up until the June transfer window closing - and could see a player play for team A (say, Russell Greene with St Kilda) one week and team B (Hawthorn) the next (1980). Paul Morwood and Silvio Foschini tested the 'loyalty' notion. Brownlow medalists and premiership players have always been open to a move. Footscray was a club that seemed to find it hard to retain their most lauded players Templeton, Dempsey, Hardie, Quinlan and Wilson either won Brownlows whilst at Footscray or after departing the kennel. Peter Moore won Brownlows at both Collingwood and Melbourne. Since then - player movement has become more managed as a post season activity and actually became too restrictive which had the effect of limiting 'opportunity' for players. A healthy player transfer market allows beneficial recycling of players. And as it was - my North Melbourne recycled well in the '90s and won a couple of flags by recycling players like Bell, Abraham, Roberts, Scott, Blakey (a little harsh to label him recycled - but, - new opportunity) among others.
The Doc
Roar Guru
Nice read. The notion of loyalty in the AFL is Not the same as it was a decade or more ago but is still superior to other codes both in Australia and around the world. The free agency and trade rules mean that is much harder for players to move clubs than in other codes. AFL has probably got the balance right here. As you alluded to, loyalty is often seen as a one way street. We demand and expect players to stay as long as they can at 1 club yet clubs delist and trade at their behest to serve the clubs best interest. We should also be mindful of the fact that players only have a small window of opportunity to make money and secure their future. Whilst this goes against our romantic ideals of football loyalty, we must be understanding of the financial pragmatism that often underlies player movement