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AFL clubs across the board should back off players who are homesick and want to be traded back.
The media, the coaches and the list managers overreact to every single piece of trade period news, but we should wait until after grand final day to start speculating. Plenty of players get homesick – they don’t like being far away from their family and friends when they relocate to another state.
Over the last few years we have seen plenty of players head home to be closer to family and friends.
Cam McCarthy is a shining example. He was a key forward for GWS, and it was in the plans for him to become part of their formula for their maiden premiership. However, in late 2015 McCarthy, months after re-signing with the Giants, was feeling homesick and wanted to go back to Western Australia.
Fremantle had their eyes set on one man, and that was McCarthy, but the Giants refused to trade him. McCarthy sat out 2016 and went back to Western Australia, which forced GWS to cave and trade their homesick forward back to WA. McCarthy became a Docker.
In 2016 there was a battle between Adelaide and Carlton – not on a footy field, but in a boardroom – over where Bryce Gibbs was going to play his footy in 2017. Adelaide list manager Justin Reid, failing to inform Carlton, came out on trade radio and said Bryce Gibbs had requested a trade home and that he was confident of getting Gibbs back to South Australia.
AFL trades 2016: Blues target Charlie Cameron for Bryce Gibbs trade https://t.co/xE8z5E50Lf (News) #melbourne #victoria
— Melbourne Live News (@MelbLiveNews) October 11, 2016
Adelaide and Carlton went back and forth for ten days, with Adelaide being weak at the trade table and failing to give up players Charlie Cameron or Mitch McGovern for Bryce Gibbs, who had three years left on his deal and was playing his best footy.
Ultimately Adelaide gave up. Reid and the Adelaide recruiting team failed to get Gibbs, and that was fair enough for the fact they failed to keep up their end of the bargain.
The trade rumours for the star Carlton midfield continue 12 months later. If Adelaide want to lure Bryce Gibbs home, they need give up big, including a star player and a first-round pick.
Adelaide coach Don Pyke, being hypocritical about Brisbane showing interest in Crows half-forward winger Charlie Cameron.
Adelaide coach Don Pyke slams Brisbane mentor Chris Fagan for expressing Charlie Cameron interest. https://t.co/ijDfmqTZZ3 #aflcrowsswans pic.twitter.com/sHprPHkPuL
— Sporting News AU (@sportingnewsau) August 16, 2017
Hold on, Don Pyke – didn’t you want Bryce Gibbs and target him last year without letting Carlton know? It seems contradictory for players with lengthy contracts wanting to leave their club. It’s modern football, Don. Lve with it.
What I’m saying is that unless the player admits they’re homesick, like Cam McCarthy and Sam Docherty, they should be left alone.
Adelaide are guilty, and so are a few other clubs, this trade period. It’s annoying and it’s frustrating for football clubs and their fans.
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