Carlton captain Marc Murphy remains unsigned for the 2019 Australian Football League season and speculation has begun to swirl that he will pursue premiership success at another club.
According to Fox Footy, Murphy is seeking a two-year contract extension from Carlton but the issue remains unresolved.
Murphy is currently 30 years old, playing in his 13th season at the top level and finds himself under a serious injury cloud.
Carlton suffered a triple-figure crushing at the hands of Melbourne in Round 9 and Murphy left the ground late in the first quarter with a foot injury.
While Murphy would later return to the ground and complete the match, he remains in doubt for the Round 10 contest with Geelong.
2018 is shaping up to be another disastrous season for Carlton – currently parked in 18th spot on the ladder with a single win for the season.
Carlton has failed to kick 100 points in a single match for 42 consecutive rounds. The last time the Blues managed to do was in Round 11 of the 2016 season.
Marc Murphy of the Blues looks dejected (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Brendon Bolton is slowly but surely being put to the sword by the media, forced to take accountability for his side’s lack of development since last season, and as captain Marc Murphy should be standing alongside him.
Murphy was drafted to Carlton in 2005, taken at pick number one, and became captain in 2013.
While it’s fair to ask questions about his quality as a player in comparison to the rest of the competition, as a member of the Blues brigade he’s offered plenty – winning multiple best and fairest awards, polling more than 100 Brownlow Medal votes and booting 170 goals in a 240-game career.
When it comes to the idea of leaving there’s a lot of important factors to weigh up, all loosely referenced above.
In club history, Carlton has rarely reached the abysmal, rock-bottom levels of performances it’s currently offering up week to week. As captain, is it really just for Murphy to leave the club now and seek success elsewhere?
On the other hand football is a team sport. Murphy has offered a huge percentage of his playing career to Carlton. While he plays a role in the way things have unfolded, it’s not entirely on him.
Essendon premiership forward Matthew Lloyd (a one-club player) weighed in on the issue during the week.
“He has been a great Carlton man, but sometimes you have to be selfish and think, ‘What’s best for me? What do I want to achieve out of football?’,” Lloyd said.
“I think Marc Murphy would be sensational at another club. I still think he’s got the burst speed and ability to perform.
“I’d put the selfish hat on and get out of Carlton to see if I could achieve a premiership in the next couple of years.”
It’s a view that’s easy to understand. Murphy’s career isn’t far from over and Carlton isn’t climbing into premiership contention any time soon.
He wouldn’t be the first club leader this decade to bail either – and honestly, the results speak for themselves.
Western Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen departed the club in a dramatic off-field change in October of 2014, leaving for Greater Western Sydney.
Since then Griffin has failed to hold a senior position at the Giants and the Western Bulldogs won a premiership in 2016.
Richmond vice captain Brett Deledio made a similar move at the end of 2016.
Richmond missed out on finals all together in 2016 after playing consecutively from 2013-15 and struggling with injury but still a clear star, Deledio made the move from Richmond to Greater Western Sydney.
Former Richmond Tigers player Brett Deledio (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Richmond won the premiership in 2017, crushing Deledio and his new Giants squad in the preliminary final round.
Deledio has spoken publicly about the pain of watching his original club enjoy success without him and it’s a story Murphy needs to pay close attention to.
“I’ve watched every grand final for the last few years for motivation. It was just so raw, the emotion of it all,” Deledio said in October following the finals series.
“I made the decision (not to watch) … out of fear of it getting to me mentally. Pretty gut-wrenching.
“(I’ve seen) the photos of the boys celebrating, they were some of my best mates.
“That was really tough to go through everything we did and the work we’d done in previous years and to see them celebrating when I felt like I could have or should have been a part of (that) was really tough.”
With that said, the chances of Carlton rocketing to success remain slim and he’s unlikely to suffer the same pain. But, you never know.
There’s precedent beyond the AFL for Murphy to make the move – his father did the same thing in the VFL.
John Murphy, an AFL Hall of Famer and father of Marc, played more than 200 games at Fitzroy, winning multiple best and fairest awards, before departing for South Melbourne and then North Melbourne in the final years of his career.
It will be interesting to see if Murphy follows in his father’s footsteps or tries a different path.
All things considered from my perspective, Murphy must remain at the club under the circumstances the club offer him. Carlton is in a deep, dark pit and Murphy was on board when they dug the hole – he should be on board to help build the ladder to get them out of there.
But at the end of the day the only person’s opinion who matters is Murphy’s.
Whatever the choice, he will be the only one to have to live with the experience and its repercussions and he should follow his own judgement and intuition.
User
Roar Rookie
Lay off the turps kiddo, you must have a sad existence because coming on open forums trying to be clever when your diametrically opposed to that is quite well sad, I do feel empathy for those who deal with you on a day to day basis that is a certainty.
Don Freo
Guest
That's even sillier. I can't believe you actually didn't get embarrassed repeating it.
User
Roar Rookie
No I didn't say manager had made enquiries, read again don and you will notice that I said his manager had apparently been approached with a contract extension from Geelong. Now run along your boring and unable to read so pointless discussing further.
Don Freo
Guest
What does that have to with anything. You said his manager has made inquiries "many times'. That is just made up by you.
User
Roar Rookie
If gaff left wce as is his right and has served the number 3 here superbly I have no problems. And like list managers from Victoria would making enquiries with his mngt as they would with both Lynch's, Sloane etc as Geelong would've also done with Pickering re ablett last year it would be remiss if wce or freo didn't do due diligence enquiring about Kelly, hogan, ah chee, martin or swallow. What aspect of this surprises? I'm sure lycett and McGovern manager has received calls, I'm certain cerra mngt has received calls. It professional sports player movements happen no biggy , didn't expect a Adelaide/Jake leaver Like reaction on speculation from you cat. Even if Kelly plays 200 games for Geelong won't change fact Perth has better weather.
User
Roar Rookie
Don- wce have extended the contracts of most of last years draft, freo have extended brayshaw and crowden, extended contracts for players who clubs wish to keep is common practice. Not saying there is great truth in Kelly reports but they aren't wa based at all which is different
User
Roar Rookie
Cat-Seems to me you're a bit cranky losing to Harry's boys with ablett a liability can do that. you may note I did say if given the chance I would prefer to keep gaff over getting kelly, did you miss that if so I'll say again I would prefer to keep gaff than get Kelly also it may shock but I reckon wce don't need Kelly but there is some non wa based scuttlebutt. BTW wce don't need Tim Kelly so I'm more than happy for him to end up continuing at Geelong or possibly (certainly) at freo. Don- mangers let things leak to better their clients position regularly, that's what this could be but say its true Geelong are on downward slide and wce and freo will be thereabouts next year and for foreseeable future , so both will be attractive options don't you think?
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Geez Paul we already have 23 mids in our senior list!
PeteB
Guest
If Murph wants to leave I’m actually ok with that. Hasn’t been able to offer the Blues much this year anyway. Would be a very handy 3rd or 4th midfielder at some other clubs. Good luck to him whatever he chooses.
Don Freo
Guest
Absolutely made up, Matti. There is no way that that many management approaches would be known, especially by a social media gossip. That is pure imagination. There is also no way a player's manager would make more than one approach in the space of 9 matches. So fanciful.
Cat
Roar Guru
If you just signed a 2 years deal and were approached 6 months into it while dealing with all the stuff you've mentioned you wouldn't be in any rush to pen a new one either. Plenty of players won't and don't re-sign so quickly. One story started by Slobbo at the Scum is hardly going to make me worry about it. Funny how you are usually one of the first to bash these types of stories and now that one goes your way its truthful and spot on.
User
Roar Rookie
Cats have approached his mngt with an extension on numerous occasions and is not signing. Don't get used to him cat, he has towed line by being seen to say he loves it at Geelong but if his partner isn't she calls the shots. Women with young children tend to want to be near support networks and really I have two kids under 4 and its hard work. Twins under 6 months would be a damn site harder without aunties, grand parents, parents etc to help ease burden, just way it is. Plus Geelong isn't as nice of weather as Perth is ;)
Cat
Roar Guru
I'm well aware of where Kelly is from and his three children. I also know they are all living happily in Geelong now too. He still has another year on his contract after this year so its not even worth talking about at this point.
User
Roar Rookie
Yep, if not this year it will be end of next. Could find a spot for him at either wce or freo, I'd go as far to say we may not have taken either petrucelle or ainsworth if Geelong hadn't grabbed him. Probably ainsworth as he might've slipped thru to rookie draft.
User
Roar Rookie
He is coming back, would prefer gaff to stay but a lot of non wa scuttlebutt around that he isn't extending contract and likely to pursue trade. Thing your missing is he won't be returning just for himself, his partner is primary reason. And of course cold miserable winters aren't to his liking
Jonboy
Guest
Wiithout any doubt , Kelly will be back to Perth, sooner than later,
Cat
Roar Guru
Kelly isn't going anywhere. Feel free to dream though.
User
Roar Rookie
Kelly seems pretty intent on returning to WA, getting a bloke whose partner was about to give birth to twins, therefore taking a young first time mum away from support networks doesn't look like great planning, ready made replacement for gaff if he decides to pursue his career elsewhere next year
Macca
Guest
Cat - There are a few differences between this time around and replacing the players I am talking about; 1) when replacing the last lot you still had Selwood, Taylor, Hawkins etc who had been part of the premiership era 2) I doubt you will have players the calibre of Dangerfield, Henderson & Ablett wanting to come back and live in their home town 3) The Cats are looking like a 5-8 side so far this year while the as opposed to the 1-4 side they were when the other departed 4) looking at your 23 and under players the next Dangerfield, Ablett, Selwood doesn't seem to be on there. A lot can happen in the next 4 years but there is a lot of work to do.
Macca
Guest
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