It is fair to say the term ‘loyalty’ held a different place in our society back in the day more so than it holds today.
In sporting terms, you would never see a player leave his club and move to the ‘old enemy’ or a club that you played in.
For instance, think a West Coast Eagle player moving across to play for Fremantle, such would be the storm of abuse that player would receive from his old supporters who would risk that or a Richmond player transferring to Collingwood or vice versa.
We now live in a society where everyone is so used to having what they want straight away.
So, the question I am asking here today is when it comes to loyalty should we, as supporters, simply move on to another team when our team is constantly languishing at the bottom of the ladder?
To put this in context, I am a St Kilda fan and have been from a young age.
This year, I sat through the most atrocious season I have seen by my team in many years and can go right back to the 1970s and 80s to illustrate my point if need be.
As frustrated as the players are at this year’s outcome, I wonder how much thought was given to the impact their form had on their fans.
You know the ones – those who watch or go to the games each week only to come away feeling demoralised by the performance of the team they love, the team they defend in the pub, at work, at BBQs and in the stands.
If players can site issues like ‘homesickness’ or wanting to find a fresh start – why shouldn’t our loyal supporter go well? I’m following someone else this year.
This is exactly where I find myself after years of supporting the Saints.
What about those loyal Carlton supporters or Gold Coast or Brisbane Lions – although there seems to be a glimmer of hope there?
There are many who suffer each season hoping that their team will show something only to be disappointed or become the brunt of their friend’s ‘friendly’ banter.
The trade period and drafting have become big business in the AFL. So, when you are unceremoniously dumped out of the equation at the end of Round 22 the mindset turns to – who can we get in?
The Saints now have some huge decisions to make and I’m not just talking about this in terms of improving the list and the quality of the footy department.
I’m talking about being conscious of what those loyal supporters are hoping to see.
The Saints have been linked to just about every free agent going around plus players still in the – contract such as Dan Hanneberry from the Sydney Swans.
As a loyal supporter, I have become very nervous with the chatter surrounding what the Saints will have to give up for Dan Hanneberry.
While I admire him as a player, surrendering the number three pick would bring my association with the Saints into question.
I will not go into details of what I think the Saints should do other than to say trading the number three pick or even having the pick involved with a deal for Hanneberry is ridiculous and to be honest, bordering on incompetence.
Loyalty is a two-way street, supporters want to see those in positions of authority at our clubs act responsibly and work within the constraints of what they have both cap wise and player availability.
Henneberry is still a good player but nowhere good enough to give up the number third pick.
(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
A few short seasons ago, St Kilda traded the fifth pick for Jake Carlisle when Essendon wouldn’t budge and Hawthorn were lurking.
Even though different people now sit in those positions, you have to worry as a supporter.
Last year, Gold Coast gave up the number two pick for Lachie Weller – and personally, I think Fremantle came away as the big winners in that exchange.
I keep hearing the term ‘super seven’ in AFL articles regarding this year’s draft. The experts are saying the third pick will result in a very good player.
The major problem the Saints have is that they have been surpassed by North Melbourne as a destination club. Ask Jared Polec.
Players want success, does playing for St Kilda give them that? What will Simon Leathlean and his team do?
Well, he will have to be bloody ruthless because no other attitude is going to bring the club back to a position of strength.
Moreover, if they do not play hardball what will the supporters be left with?
Perhaps, another year of mediocracy with the recruitment of players bought in because they couldn’t get the players they really wanted.
Hardly inspiring isn’t it?
The same could be said for those loyal Carlton fans, a club with so much tradition and for so many years a powerhouse of the competition currently left languishing.
And what is the AFL’s position in all of this – have they been complicit in their duty as administrators?
For me, I will be watching intently. The choices the Saints make this offseason will determine whether I lace the boots up for another season.
What about you?
Daz
Roar Pro
It is thought provoking. As a long-suffering Melbourne supporter and member, I can certainly understand what you're saying. There have been times where I had thought "is it worth it?" But I never considered changing teams, because who would I support? Sure there are teams I don't mind, but really, I don't want to support any team that's not Melbourne. I had a Carlton supporter American-born boss some 15-20 years ago and I still remember a discussion we had about football. He asked, if I like a particular player and they changed clubs, would I support the club he changed to. I said no of course not. His point was that if we're not following the people, then all we really support is the jumper, which is a piece of fabric. I think it's only slightly off. I think supporting a clubs is the communuity, the club itself, the history, the tradition, the sense of belonging as well as the people involved in the club, now and the past. As far as Hannerberry, Carlisle, or Weller goes, my thoughts changed over the last 10 years or so. I am happy to pay "overs" for players who genuinely want to play for my club, rather than a high draft pick for an unknown. Melbourne has burned its share of high draft picks in the past. I don't want to draft players who leave after a few years, so I think the Saints should throw everything at getting Hannerberry if he actually wants to go to Moorabbin. Who says draft pick number 3 might turn out to be?
Boomer
Roar Rookie
Thanks Sam I'm living in hope.
Sam
Guest
Hi Boomer. I have been a Collingwood supporter since 1979,the year they lost the VFL GF to Carlton,thanks to an 'out of bounds' that wasn't called,when Wayne Harmes scooped the ball to Ken Shelton who kicked what was ultimately the winning goal. There have been some lean times for the 'Pies since 1979,AND THANKFULLY,some great times,none more so than winning 1990 flag beating Essendon. And during those lean times,I have never ever thought of supporting another team. Your team,St.Kilda,have had some great times,for example,the Tony Lockett years,making 1997 and 2010 GF just to name a couple. You just keep sticking with your beloved Saints because,with the AFL's policy of equalisation,the Saints will come good again soon.Just ask the long time fans of the Bulldogs & Tigers.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Freo is not one of those clubs. They are bubbling beautifully. Carlton is struggling but it's members may be the problem there with their insistence on 'old boys' calling the shots. The Saints have changed management often so which management personnel would you blame? It seems to me that the management that would only offer Ross another year instead of offering multi year security could be blamed...but they've gone. Freo's gain.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
People who boo ex-players are a substantial minority...they are just loud. That's the nature of being feral. Civil people, the overwhelming majority, continue to watch their ex-players with interest. I have enjoyed watching Lachie Weller's emerging leadership, Matt De Boer's full-blown leadership at GWS and I have loved Chris Mayne's resurgence.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Not so, anon. It's for people with humanity. You should try it. You are obviously missing something in life. So joyless.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Yep. There was a lot to like about Lachie Weller's season and Freo fans were happy to see his success.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Freo is certainly not involved in a 'half decade' rebuild. With so many first 22 to return after missing half to all of the season, Freo's biggest problem will be who to leave out. They are totally 'rebuilt' in only 2 years. You get so much wrong. You should look at the Freo club before you advertise your paucity of knowledge.
clipper
Roar Rookie
Perhaps knowing that any membership and gate profit goes back to the club and not some millionaire, or in Soccer's case, billionaires, pocket. What they then waste it on is a different story.
Boomer
Roar Rookie
Yep, in many ways I have been lucky that the Saints, who at one stage looked like they were in big trouble financially , survived.
Boomer
Roar Rookie
Thanks for your comments Christy - I'll pondor your sons musings. Appreciate the time you took to respond to my article.
Boomer
Roar Rookie
Well, the reason I bought Carlisle up that we lost the whole first year to his social media misshap. I also think that he has only been serviceable since signing, I haven't seen him once take the game by the scruff of the neck and win us a game. And yes, Gres has been a great pick up.
Boomer
Roar Rookie
Yes, possibly Clipper however apart from the AGM what other impact does a supporter have over his club? I agree that it's a multi billion dollar business and that's part of the reason I think we are sometimes forgotten.
Seano
Roar Rookie
Daniel Metropolis wce - freo David Cloke rich - Coll Aaron Hamill Carl - stk What old days do you speak of?
Boomer
Roar Rookie
That's right, if your bank is hiking up it's interest rates and you call them on that and they do nothing - you move on.
Boomer
Roar Rookie
Wow! I'd change your moniker if I were you. What you have written is a great observation on where we're at as supporters in the 21st century. Thanks for the comments, love what you said.
Boomer
Roar Rookie
You're right and now we have very little option but to start trading players we want to keep. There definitely seems to be a problem at the club of bringing the young drafted players through to a point where they become good AFL footballers. Whole club process needs a re-think.
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
I think the real question is, what exactly are you being loyal to in an AFL competition where clubs are increasingly detached from locality? in an era of increasing player movement? where players from the get go are allocated to clubs not on the basis of any pre-existing affiliation (supporter, family history, neighbourhood) but via the draft? where clubs relocate their base of operations to some place outside their traditional home? where they even chop and change their guernsey and even their colours? where decades of tradition get cast aside for the sake of increasing market share? Really, all we're being loyal to is a sense of affiliation to fellow supporters, a weak community built around what is ultimately just a corporate brand. It's like being "loyal" to Coke. People criticise Gold Coast and GWS for being fabricated, "plastic" teams on the grounds that they have no history or organic culture, but the truth is that, under the current set up, all clubs are exactly the same. "Tradition" in this context functions as product differentiation, something to be leveraged to gain market advantage. GC and GWS are merely the most visible signs of this fundamental lack or weakness of tradition, appearing to be more fabricated than other clubs simply because they do not (because they cannot) maintain the pretence that they are anything other than clubs without a history. I don't say any of that out of a romantic yearning for the past (well, mostly I don't), and it's not as though players etc. weren't able to switch clubs back in the "good old days". But I do think that all of that means that it's a bit rich to chastise people who do, on occasion, question their loyalty to a club.
Cookie Monster
Guest
I have switched clubs. I was a Fitzroy supporter my whole childhood, but when they became defunct I couldn't bear the thought of barracking for an interstate team, so I changed. The team I picked was the one that some of my family already barracked for and grew up in the area, so I already sort of followed them. I still follow the Lions with interest though.
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
Because we also love the footy &, being Aussies, the underdog ;-)