Re: 2017 Rd 2 Pre Game Panic Carlton vs Melbourne
Reply #43 –
He may very well be in our best 22 - not arguing about that - I'm saying that whatever he is providing, and that may be his absolute 100% best, is seen by many as costing over the odds. However, if you think that what players are paid is irrelevant then I rest my case - I won't pursue the debate any further.
What a club offers them is very relevant, once they are on the books it no longer an issue.
All the players are even-steven with each new training session, it cannot be any other way without destroying the club culture and team moral.
One of the reasons a lot of us hate MM was because of the perceived bias against certain players, mostly derived from some on-field mistake and extended into the off-field and the media by the coach who in his own words "defends his players". He wanted a band of loyal followers, a completely anarchistic and obsolete way of managing a team, and failed in his attempt by falling at the very first hurdle, trust.
But it's not just MM that has questions to answer in this regard, the attitude from the likes of Henderson, Lucas, Yarran and Everitt also needs significant scrutiny. Their "marking time" attitude can be a cancer that is almost impossible to remove. At the moment I fear we have quite a few of that type left on our list, on the surface of it Boekhorst appears to be one, I'm not sure about Jaksch, Jones, Casboult, Gorringe, Lamb or Buckley in this regard either. The biggest public indicator of this "failing trait" is a players unwillingness to sacrifice themselves for team-mates on field.
When a team-mate has the opportunity to make a block, create space, a diversion or interference it should be automatic. Those are the valuable 1%ers. Too many of our blokes either don't do it or see it as optional.