VFL Past #77: Heath Hocking - Coach of JHA

[Runk]

Thank you for being the first to come back. Thank you for 126 games of 100% effort. Thank you for your 12 years of service.

And all the best for the future, Buddha. I hope it is bright.

yep - this.

Should call him 'The Ball' cos he got it rolling with his signature last year.

 

[jsd09]

I hope he gets a contract elsewhere, such a good club man - but there's just no room for him anymore. onya son!

 

[boncer34]

 

[eth-dog]

Cheers Cobber.

 

[RearNaked]

Offer this man a vfl contact as Captain

 

[Dennis Trumpet]

One of the best clubman you could ever ask for. Cracked in hard every week. Was probably our second best player behind Watson for a couple of seasons.

Really hope Gold Coast give him a lifeline.

 

[Bombermania]

Congrats to Hocking on being a great competitive bomber, I kind of felt he had another year in him but he was always going to be mostly a depth player going forward, maybe the VFL side can keep him on.

 

[DonsRule]

Sad face.




Disappointed to see him go. But, proably the right decision

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Sad for Heath but probably the right call. An absolute team and club man to the end.

 

[pazza]

Him and Stanton to be the VFL leaders for next season. Humble to the end.

 

[Highly Evolved]

Thanks heaps Buddha!

Absolute workhorse and great clubman. As others have said, would make an excellent VFL leader.

 

[Doss]

Him and Stanton to be the VFL leaders for next season. Humble to the end.

Stanton's retired...unless you're thinking he's going to sign specifically for the VFL team. Same with Hocking too.

 

[Yoda_]

Class person, brute of a footballer

The way he carried himself after being told early in the year he wouldn't play much senior football is first rate. Went down to the VFL each week and put in right too the end.

 

[AcuteWhistle]

Glad he got another game before it was all over, classy statement as well Buddha, would be very easy to still be salty with everything that went on.

 

[Kakkle]

Him and Stanton to be the VFL leaders for next season. Humble to the end.

They'll both move on to other things. Them playing VFL next year, would seem kind of...sad.

 

[SherbertLemon]

The kind of player you remember after 20 years irrespective of the sum of games played.

Thanks Heath. Enjoy your after footy career!

 

[Mercurial89]

Helped get us into finals in his final game.

Thanks for everything Heath.

Always sucks this time of year. Probably why those calls for players to not have mad Monday are absolute trash. Last proper time the group is all together as one.

 

[Vindicater]

Been a champion.

Should try to get one more paycheck out of a northern club looking for professionals to set standards on the training tracks

 

[BrunoV]

Always had time for Hocking as a player. He was much more effective that it seemed but I think the reality that our midfield was so slow and defensively un-accountable made him seem to be more of a problem than he was.

I have to say, though, that I'm bemused that this is how it has ended. From 'comeback Buddah, be part of our Comeback Story, we love you' to 'thanks but you won't be offered another contract'.

I don't care that it's form over substance, that was our list management strategy inviting the players back. This doesn't feel very dignified.

 

[Stopher]

Helped get us into finals in his final game.

Thanks for everything Heath.

Always sucks this time of year. Probably why those calls for players to not have mad Monday are absolute trash. Last proper time the group is all together as one.

It's such a shit call. You'd think that after everything this group has gone through, the media would see them as actual people and not just players.

Only when it suits, apparently.

 

[katana]

Always had time for Hocking as a player. He was much more effective that it seemed but I think the reality that our midfield was so slow and defensively un-accountable made him seem to be more of a problem than he was.

I have to say, though, that I'm bemused that this is how it has ended. From 'comeback Buddah, be part of our Comeback Story, we love you' to 'thanks but you won't be offered another contract'.

I don't care that it's form over substance, that was our list management strategy inviting the players back. This doesn't feel very dignified.

how long does the club need to pay lip service to 'saga-afflicted' players for? he's a big boy, reckon maybe he can take it.

 

[Capt Hindsight]

Always had time for Hocking as a player. He was much more effective that it seemed but I think the reality that our midfield was so slow and defensively un-accountable made him seem to be more of a problem than he was.

I have to say, though, that I'm bemused that this is how it has ended. From 'comeback Buddah, be part of our Comeback Story, we love you' to 'thanks but you won't be offered another contract'.

I don't care that it's form over substance, that was our list management strategy inviting the players back. This doesn't feel very dignified.

He's out of contract and turning 30 next year and only managed 2 games. Was always going to be delisted.
When he signed back on he knew it was a 1 year deal and most likely his last at senior AFL level.
Not sure what is so undignified about it.

 

[Mercurial89]

It's such a shit call. You'd think that after everything this group has gone through, the media would see them as actual people and not just players.

Only when it suits, apparently.

I don't mind when media nobodies make the call, maybe they were never part of a club or played the game, or maybe they don't understand it. That is more an ignorance which is excusable.

What pissed me off was the past players peddling the line, Lloyd being one of them.
You hear it from a lot of older people, or past players. This need to be tough, no don't celebrate, soak up the sadness, internalise it to turn it into rage and then come out swinging the next season and win the flag.

 

[Mercurial89]

Always had time for Hocking as a player. He was much more effective that it seemed but I think the reality that our midfield was so slow and defensively un-accountable made him seem to be more of a problem than he was.

I have to say, though, that I'm bemused that this is how it has ended. From 'comeback Buddah, be part of our Comeback Story, we love you' to 'thanks but you won't be offered another contract'.

I don't care that it's form over substance, that was our list management strategy inviting the players back. This doesn't feel very dignified.

he's a professional athlete and a smart guy. All players would have been spoken to about where they stood and what to expect.

Speaking to Howlett earlier in the year, he was just happy to be back playing, it didn't matter the level. Wouldn't be surprised if Heath was the same.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Thanks for a solid career Heath Hocking.

At his best was a reliable player for the club he barracked for.

Well done Heath.