Dustin Martin v Dayle Garlett

[The Falcon Strike]

I'm not one generally for the racially* charged conspiracy theories - but I am not sure there is any other explanation here.

Compare the following.

One player has obvious talent, significant off-field issues and is fielding offers in excess of $500k per year

Another player has obvious talent, significant off-field issues and can't get drafted.

I simply don't get it - and I simply don't get why Garlett wasn't rookied last year

Anytime you recruit a player you face risks whether they be talent, personality, injury, homesickness etc. Surely talent is the one that is hardest to rectify. Garlett has more chance of turning his off-field issues around and becoming a quality footballer than say Brant Colledge from my club or Tim Klaosen from the rookie draft.

If Garlett goes off the rails and has to be delisted, it is no different to a multitude of rookies who are delisted because they aren't good enough.


* And yes, I understand Martin has Maori heritage

 

[loki04]

Hopefully he gets drafted to Collingwood this year.

 

[Sydswans0512]

I'd like Sydney to take a punt on Gartlett, Dusty wage demands are a bit excessive

 

[BrockBlitz]

I've stated this elsewhere. I would never pick matrin up. 500+ a year, wants a long contract, would cost a lot on the trade table

Garlett equally as shit bloke and a liability. 70K a year, 2 year contract, costs a 4th rounder or a rookie list spot.

One is high risk high reward
The other is low risk high reward
Pretty simple really

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Hopefully he gets drafted to Collingwood this year.

Couldn't believe our luck last year.

I was watching the draft and after being pushed back late into the 40's due to acquiring Wellingham and Cripps, it looked like we were going to get ourselves another homegrown talent like Darling fall in our lap.

And then we inexplicably passed.

I understand the rumours that were circulating, but isn't that was the liaison officers are for - and the leadership group? to set examples and help people out?

Brendan Goddard had his life turned around by footy by all reports.

Ross Lyon set a great roadmap, with his handling of Walters - just not sure why 18 clubs passed.

There have been plenty of troublemakers recruited before and there is one courting massive offers at the moment.

 

[LemmingMaster]

This will always be one of the mysteries of that draft, if they skip on him again, it will add to the mystery.

 

[Suma Magic]

I don't know the details of his off-field issues, but you'd think his ability to play a full WAFL season and finish top 10 in the Sandover would really improve his chances of being drafted.

I'm among the majority on BF who want to take a chance on him.

I'm not sure what Martin's value is, but I think the potential for his issues to lead to problems, or for him to move again after his next contract finishes, does diminish his value a fair bit.

 

[footyfan000001]

If GWS want Dustin Martin - why wouldn't they have drafted Garlett last year? Makes no sense.

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

Well for one, one is a proven AFL midfielder who, at his best can dominate games. The other has shown he can play well in the WAFL as a HF.

Quite easy to see the difference IMO

 

[saintsrfreak]

I'm gonna stick my neck out and say that the recruiters probably know a great deal more than any of us, if a top 10 talent wasn't even rookied there would have to be a damn good reason.

 

[Pykie]

He will get taken this year, and inside the first 40 picks

 

[Books]

There were question marks around Buddy Franklin before he was drafted. He went at #5 and he plays ok...
Dusty Martin went at pick #3.
Alan Didak was about #3, from memory.
On the other hand, Laurence Angwin was about #7...

Not sure what Garlett is alleged to have done, but it seems every recruiter came to the same conclusion: Not worth even a rookie pick!

Will be interesting to see what happens this year. I'd be happy for Hawthorn to take a chance.

 

[timtamWB]

Was the off-field behaviour a concern for Martin when he was drafted? If so, Richmond must have been ready to take a punt on him with their culture, and it may have backfired a little bit. However he's still (mostly) performing on the field.

As for Garlett, obviously he must be a lot more trouble than any of us realise. If the stories of him turning it around are true, he'll get picked up this year, and inside the first 30 picks. And if not, then Essendon will pounce with their 3rd round pick.

And as far as Martin wanting a big contract, well his performances somewhat justify it, especially if he can get his tank up to scratch and deliver more 4-quarter performances. Martin is somewhat proven at AFL level. Garlett is not.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

I'm gonna stick my neck out and say that the recruiters probably know a great deal more than any of us, if a top 10 talent wasn't even rookied there would have to be a damn good reason.

Recruiters new a lot with Darling as well apparently...

Let's take the worst option

Garlett is a rampant drug taker and only semi-interested in training. And does so on his own schedule.

What do you think is more likely?

He turns it around or some rookie pick actually discovers talent?

Take him with a rookie pick, let him rot in the WAFL all year until he shapes up. If he does shape up, then you have a great talent on your list for next to zero.

If it turns out that he stops rocking up at all, you delist him at the end of the year, or perhaps after two years with the other no-talent rookies that didn't come on.

 

[george2]

Recruiters new a lot with Darling as well apparently...

Let's take the worst option

Garlett is a rampant drug taker and only semi-interested in training. And does so on his own schedule.

What do you think is more likely?

He turns it around or some rookie pick actually discovers talent?

Take him with a rookie pick, let him rot in the WAFL all year until he shapes up. If he does shape up, then you have a great talent on your list for next to zero.

If it turns out that he stops rocking up at all, you delist him at the end of the year, or perhaps after two years with the other no-talent rookies that didn't come on.

I agree with you. The only thing is that there is public pressure on clubs now when they do have a player that is undisciplined. Clubs don't want to be looked at that way, ever since the whole ben cousins situation the Eagles have been looked at differently. I would think that the eagles would not touch him because of that reason, and they are only just now starting to get looked at differently.

 

[goodie23]

Clubs are growing increasingly concerned with image as it allows them to attract bigger and better sponsors as well as increase membership. Between technology and the 24 hour news cycle it's much harder for clubs to sweep matters under the rug and any screw-up will inevitably not only be covered but scrutinised, sensationalised and exaggerated

 

[saintsrfreak]

Looks like clubs are about as keen on Dusty as they are on Garlett

 

[HBF]

Does anyone think it would be better if Garlett stayed in Perth at either West Coast or Fremantle, or would it be better for him to make a clean start outside of Perth? I know when Carlton drafted Yarran, he said that he wanted to get out of Perth where he could make a clean start and just concentrate on footy.

 

[Hva sher a]

Clubs are growing increasingly concerned with image as it allows them to attract bigger and better sponsors as well as increase membership. Between technology and the 24 hour news cycle it's much harder for clubs to sweep matters under the rug and any screw-up will inevitably not only be covered but scrutinised, sensationalised and exaggerated

Nail on head!
Although Martin was only picked up a few years ago, even since then, the Twitterisation of the world has made it harder to players/clubs to cover up misdemeanours. For instance, punters can now use their smartphones to take pics of drunk footballers in public places etc. There is no hiding for anyone and combined with the dependency on sponsor dollars, clubs are more and more reluctant to recruit "bad boys".

Its no accident that Collingwood have promoted the use of Leading Teams - rightly or wrongly they want to send a message to sponsors that they are trying to improve culture.

 

[yaco55]

Its simple - Once you are in the system, you can be a dickhead. You can't be a dickhead when you are out of the system.

 

[tigs2010]

Well for one, one is a proven AFL midfielder who, at his best can dominate games. The other has shown he can play well in the WAFL as a HF.

Quite easy to see the difference IMO

This. Dusty was smart enough to wait until after he was drafted. Once a club has invested in you they will keep working with you.

 

[calyam]

Given the year my club has had we should take both Martin and Garlett to improve our media attention.

As a supporter I'd like to think that the club has sufficient leadership that could embrace and support players with some off-field issues. That they and other clubs are unwilling to take risks speaks volumes about the lack of leadership at football clubs.

The obsession with character is as silly as the obsession recruiters once had with picking athletes over footballers. There's a non-trivial probability that the unwillingness to sign Brendan Fevola to a minimum contract cost a number of teams and opportunity a chance at a premiership or finals run. It was dumb then and similar decisions are dumb now.

Essendon is dying for a small forward who can play through the midfield and they could easily have had Garlett who kicked 48 goals in the WAFL this season. Instead they chose not to take him over character issues which is hilarious given the administration caused more problems than any individual player could possibly do.

It is a good thing that American sports are not as short-sighted as their Australian brethren. Someone like Martin, Garlett or Fevola wouldn't even register as a genuine problem.

 

[telsor]

Firstly, Dusty's rep has mostly come since he's been in the system for a bit.

There is a lot of pressure on AFL footballers (kinda catch 22 in that a large part of the pressure is due to them having difficulty blowing off steam), and some players, like Dusty have trouble handling it and the AFL recruiters make an effort to weed out the 'fragile' and likely to stray.

For players who are on the fringes, it's a fairly easy call.

For potential stars, like Dusty & Garlett, it's undoubtedly a discussion point.

If it'd been the other way around and Dusty had messed around, publically and with seemingly little remourse before he was drafted, he might have been skipped as well. If Garlett was a bit of a quiet kid from the rough side of the tracks, he probably would have been picked.

Once a player is in the system however, the 'potential' tag is largely gone, and clubs will be more willing to work with a player of known quality with issues.

I highly doubt race had much, if anything, to do with it.


Also, clubs might be a bit gunshy, but a lot of chances do get taken ( Richmond took Troy Taylor for example ). That Garlett got completely ignored says a lot of what they *ALL* think of him

 

[Hugos Horrors]

What is it about these 2 guys? Have they actually been arrested or is everything written about them all rumor and innuendo? I mean what is it about Dusty which make him a "bad boy"? Seems like the general perception is Garlett and Martin are dickheads but not sure most people would actually know why?

 

[theflea]

Its simple - Once you are in the system, you can be a dickhead. You can't be a dickhead when you are out of the system.

Yep. Simply Dusty waited till in the system to eff up v dayle who didnt.