Rumour 2024 Rumours and Speculation (Rumours total 25, last 28th August)

Will we land a big fish?

  • Yes

    Votes: 34 17.6%
  • No

    Votes: 159 82.4%

  • Total voters
    193

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Reasonable guess I think and you may well be right - but could have also been 70 games just as easily which still equates to 17.5 per year (just under 80% of available games)

We just don’t know the facts but to leave such a player - long term stalwart type player who is a “cultural fabric” guy, played just under 250 games and AA and played at a high level for a decade - stranded a game or 2 short of a trigger would be very poor don’t you agree? Both ethically and perhaps even legally (breaching some possible term of a contract - I don’t know but guessing here). His Manager certainly would have kicked up a massive fuss and media would have been all over it.

Crows have had lots of negative PR in recent years - camp, Tippett, lots of shit - I am glad we didn’t leave someone like Smith a game or 2 below his trigger just because we could have. There would undoubtedly be further player cultural issues when you start doing that and Smithers has always been up there as the most popular guy in the team from my understanding (taking the weekly interviews on afc.com.au, lots of social functions at his and parents house etc).

Things aren’t always as black and white as many make out.
We did it with Hartigan Henderson
 
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Why do you think that?

Adelaide would be as good as any other option for a player not considered best 22 at their present club.

Obviously knows Izak well so there's that as well because you can bet if we have interest Izak will be involved.
Think he’ll go to a club with less competition for forward line spots

Also can’t see us bringing in all of Cumming/ANB/Luko/Rosas, as well as draftees. Maybe if Luko goes to another club?
 

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We did it with Hartigan
Henderson? Ricky was in career best form and we just stopped playing him. Then he went to Hawthorn and continued to have a couple more blinder years (for him).
 
We did it with Hartigan Henderson
Sure I remember, but I tried to emphasise the importance of Smih culturally and playing wise for OVER a decade. It’s clearly a very different sort of player on many levels inc formal leadership posn.

So re my question…would you be ok leaving him a game or 2 short of the trigger just because we could?
 
Sure I remember, but I tried to emphasise the importance of Smih culturally and playing wise for OVER a decade. It’s clearly a very different sort of player on many levels inc formal leadership posn.

So re my question…would you be ok leaving him a game or 2 short of the trigger just because we could?
Yes
 

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Fine I'll expand on it

I have no problems with triggers but they work both ways. An astute group of people like lets say a football oriented fan board would have noticed the decline this year and extrapolated this into next year and shuddered

Oh wait we did

With inside info ie injuries or family pressures etc may have swung the needle a little but ultimately a decision has to be made and on the balance - as a club - I would advocate we didnt play him to his trigger

Now that also doesnt mean we dont offer a fresh contract - it just means we set the price on a new contract
 
Fine I'll expand on it

I have no problems with triggers but they work both ways. An astute group of people like lets say a football oriented fan board would have noticed the decline this year and extrapolated this into next year and shuddered

Oh wait we did

With inside info ie injuries or family pressures etc may have swung the needle a little but ultimately a decision has to be made and on the balance - as a club - I would advocate we didnt play him to his trigger

Now that also doesnt mean we dont offer a fresh contract - it just means we set the price on a new contract
Do we know what the trigger entails though? I'm assuming it's not an extension at the same amount of $$$.
 
Do we know what the trigger entails though? I'm assuming it's not an extension at the same amount of $$$.
I doubt they're all the same, probably depends on the wording in his contract.

But why are there triggers at all? You're either good enough to be re-contracted or you're not.
 
Come on Jen we dropped him for the last half of the year.
He’s supposedly hit the trigger by 2 games!
I guess we were happy to have him on board in 2025 even as a senior leader/reserves player so we weren't fussed about the trigger
 
Sure I remember, but I tried to emphasise the importance of Smih culturally and playing wise for OVER a decade. It’s clearly a very different sort of player on many levels inc formal leadership posn.

So re my question…would you be ok leaving him a game or 2 short of the trigger just because we could?
Based on form yes - was clearly out of form early on (apologising to the group, playing on the bad back etc.) And should have been dropped sooner. Also shouldn't have been recalled when Cook was out.

Gifting him games just so he can hit a trigger is silly - especially cause there is nothing saying we couldn't negotiate a new contract with him based on his form etc.

And I'm a big fan of Smith's - but we held out hope he would return to top form too long this year.
 

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Rumour 2024 Rumours and Speculation (Rumours total 25, last 28th August)

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