Resource Exodus - movement of Jah people. 2004 vs 2024

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I've been having a conversation with GremioPower about how we lost a lot of people straight after we won the flag and over the next few weeks and this impacted on us and our ability to defend our title. The Hawks stole plenty off us and a bit more again a few years later.

I get the feeling there will be a big exodus in the next few weeks, but for a different reason, this time 12 years of not achieving another flag.

If I have missed any names, especially from 2004, let me know.

I seem to recall that we had 8 major departures from the club within 2 or 3 weeks of winning the flag. I have 8 - Bucky, Stewart Clarko, Russell, Pittman, Hardwick, Carr and Schofield. But it might have been 8 off field staff. Pelchen's departure was about 10 weeks after we won the flag.

I will update the 2004 list of departures, from any info from fellow posters, along with the 2024 list of departures as they are announced.

2004

Administration

1 Brian Cunningham - went for the AFL GM Football Operations job along with Brian Cook in August 2003, didn't get it as bloke leaving the job Andrew Demitriou, whom took over as CEO from Wayne Jackson a few days later, wanted a lackie to be his 2IC and appointed a lawyer Adrian Anderson, so Bucky said he would stick around 12 months, hoping to win a flag. To his credit Bucky didn't fully check out, but he didn't commit to some people to longer term contracts eg Fitness boss Andrew Russell.

2 Allan Stewart - Head recruiter and list builder. List Manager wasn't a title 20 years ago. See Josh Carr below for crap picks he gifted us on departure.

3 Chris Pelchen - chief Victorian recruiter, highly regarded and ran our Melbourne office for years. We hardly made a profit after winning a flag and shut down the Melbourne office in mid December 2004 and gave Chris the boot. You guessed it, Clarko and the Hawks snapped him up in early 2005 and he adds to their great recruiting team and results. ( He wasn't at the Hawks when they got Roughie at 2, Buddy at 5 and Lewis at 7 in the 2004 draft).

Coaches
1 Alistar Clarkson Forwards coach - was officially appointed after we won the 2004 QF, the day of the SF round. He wasn't sure what to do re our finals campaign and Bucky told him to go straight away as he will struggle with the time to plan for his job at Hawks. He spent the 2 weeks he could have been planning Port's GF assault, planning who to pinch staff from Port.

2 Andrew Russell Fitness Head - didn't want to go, but publicly revealed for the first time a couple of months ago, we penny pinched him, Clarko said come with me we will pay you properly, then Port upped their offer but too little too late. For years Port pushed the line money wasn't the issue. He revealed recently that was BS.

3 David Pittman - dual premiership player for crows, was a part time ruck coach and resigned to concentrate on his stock broking business.

Players
1 Damian Hardwick - Retired. Was going to stay in SA, finish his commerce degree, maybe become a development/ assistant coach for the club. Clarko pinched him within a week of retiring.

2 Josh Carr - asked for a trade to Freo to play with his brother Matthew, no other reason. We get Freo's 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks ( 11,27,45) and Allan Stewart pissed them up against the wall with drafting Adam Thompson with 11 and trading 27 and 45 for Aaron Shattock and pick 34 which gets us Alan Ezard. Came back at the end of 2009 when his brother had retired, and made sure we got him for nothing in the Pre Season Draft.

3 Jarrad Schofield - traded to Freo. Recently admitted he shouldn't have listened to his wife who wanted to get back to WA.

4 Cain Ackland - Delisted
5 Wade Champion - Delisted
6 Chris Hall - Delisted
** Robert Foster-Knight - Delisted then re-rookied

2024

Administration

Coaches

1 Luke Kelly - midfield development coach

Players
1 Charlie Dixon - retired
2 Trent McKenzie - retired
3 Tom McCullam - delisted
 
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I've been having a conversation with GremioPower about how we lost a lot of people straight after we won the flag and over the next few weeks and this impacted on us and our ability to defend our title. The Hawks stole plenty off us and a bit more again a few years later.

I get the feeling there will be a big exodus in the next few weeks, but for a different reason, this time 12 years of not achieving another flag.

If I have missed any names, especially from 2004, let me know.

I seem to recall that we had 8 major departures from the club within 2 or 3 weeks of winning the flag. So far I have 7 - Bucky, Clarko, Russell, Pittman, Hardwick, Carr and Schofield. But it might have been 8 off field staff. Pelchen's departure was about 10 weeks after we won the flag.

I will update the 2004 list of departures, from any info from fellow posters, along with the 2024 list of departures as they are announced.

2004

Administration

1 Brian Cunningham - went for the AFL GM Football Operations job along with Brian Cook in August 2003, didn't get it as bloke leaving the job Andrew Demitriou, whom took over as CEO from Wayne Jackson a few days later, wanted a lackie to be his 2IC and appointed a lawyer Adrian Anderson, so Bucky said he would stick around 12 months, hoping to win a flag. To his credit Bucky didn't fully check out, but he didn't commit to some people to longer term contracts eg Fitness boss Andrew Russell.

2 Chris Pelchen - chief Victorian recruiter, highly regarded and ran our Melbourne office for years. We hardly made a profit after winning a flag and shut down the Melbourne office in mid December 2004 and gave Chris the boot. You guessed it, Clarko and the Hawks snapped him up in early 2005 and he adds to their great recruiting team and results. ( He wasn't at the Hawks when they got Roughie at 2, Buddy at 5 and Lewis at 7 in the 2004 draft).

Coaches
1 Alistar Clarkson Forwards coach - was officially appointed after we won the 2004 QF, the day of the SF round. He wasn't sure what to do re our finals campaign and Bucky told him to go straight away as he will struggle with the time to plan for his job at Hawks. He spent the 2 weeks he could have been planning Port's GF assault, planning who to pinch staff from Port.

2 Andrew Russell Fitness Head - didn't want to go, but publicly revealed for the first time a couple of months ago, we penny pinched him, Clarko said come with me we will pay you properly, then Port upped their offer but too little too late. For years Port pushed the line money wasn't the issue. He revealed recently that was BS.

3 David Pittman - dual premiership player for crows, was a part time ruck coach and resigned to concentrate on his stock broking business.

Players
1 Damian Hardwick - Retired. Was going to stay in SA, finish his commerce degree, maybe become a development/ assistant coach for the club. Clarko pinched him within a week of retiring.

2 Josh Carr - asked for a trade to Freo to play with his brother Matthew, no other reason. We get Freo's 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks ( 11,27,45) and Allan Stewart pissed them up against the wall with drafting Adam Thompson with 11 and trading 27 and 45 for Aaron Shattock and pick 34 which gets us Alan Ezard. Came back at the end of 2009 when his brother had retired, and made sure we got him for nothing in the Pre Season Draft.

3 Jarrad Schofield - traded to Freo. Recently admitted he shouldn't have listened to his wife who wanted to get back to WA.

4 Cain Ackland - Delisted
5 Wade Champion - Delisted
6 Chris Hall - Delisted
** Robert Foster-Knight - Delisted then re-rookied

2024

Administration

Coaches

1 Luke Kelly - midfield development coach

Players
1 Charlie Dixon - retired
2 Trent McKenzie - retired
3 Tom McCullam - delisted
3 Tom McCallum - Delisted
When did Alan Stewart leave?
 

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When did Alan Stewart leave?
Yep he was 2004. I said his departing gift was those BS picks and forgot to add him. Will put him to the list.
 
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Underrated change but we need to have a new person responsible for the players boots. For years our players are always slipping over.
Its not underrated, but players are allowed to pick their own boots these days, despite regularly falling over. Its shithouse, but AFLPA rules via CBA that players can have the freedom to wear what they want.
 
I've been having a conversation with GremioPower about how we lost a lot of people straight after we won the flag and over the next few weeks and this impacted on us and our ability to defend our title. The Hawks stole plenty off us and a bit more again a few years later.

I get the feeling there will be a big exodus in the next few weeks, but for a different reason, this time 12 years of not achieving another flag.

If I have missed any names, especially from 2004, let me know.

I seem to recall that we had 8 major departures from the club within 2 or 3 weeks of winning the flag. I have 8 - Bucky, Stewart Clarko, Russell, Pittman, Hardwick, Carr and Schofield. But it might have been 8 off field staff. Pelchen's departure was about 10 weeks after we won the flag.

I will update the 2004 list of departures, from any info from fellow posters, along with the 2024 list of departures as they are announced.

2004

Administration

1 Brian Cunningham - went for the AFL GM Football Operations job along with Brian Cook in August 2003, didn't get it as bloke leaving the job Andrew Demitriou, whom took over as CEO from Wayne Jackson a few days later, wanted a lackie to be his 2IC and appointed a lawyer Adrian Anderson, so Bucky said he would stick around 12 months, hoping to win a flag. To his credit Bucky didn't fully check out, but he didn't commit to some people to longer term contracts eg Fitness boss Andrew Russell.

2 Allan Stewart - Head recruiter and list builder. List Manager wasn't a title 20 years ago. See Josh Carr below for crap picks he gifted us on departure.

3 Chris Pelchen - chief Victorian recruiter, highly regarded and ran our Melbourne office for years. We hardly made a profit after winning a flag and shut down the Melbourne office in mid December 2004 and gave Chris the boot. You guessed it, Clarko and the Hawks snapped him up in early 2005 and he adds to their great recruiting team and results. ( He wasn't at the Hawks when they got Roughie at 2, Buddy at 5 and Lewis at 7 in the 2004 draft).

Coaches
1 Alistar Clarkson Forwards coach - was officially appointed after we won the 2004 QF, the day of the SF round. He wasn't sure what to do re our finals campaign and Bucky told him to go straight away as he will struggle with the time to plan for his job at Hawks. He spent the 2 weeks he could have been planning Port's GF assault, planning who to pinch staff from Port.

2 Andrew Russell Fitness Head - didn't want to go, but publicly revealed for the first time a couple of months ago, we penny pinched him, Clarko said come with me we will pay you properly, then Port upped their offer but too little too late. For years Port pushed the line money wasn't the issue. He revealed recently that was BS.

3 David Pittman - dual premiership player for crows, was a part time ruck coach and resigned to concentrate on his stock broking business.

Players
1 Damian Hardwick - Retired. Was going to stay in SA, finish his commerce degree, maybe become a development/ assistant coach for the club. Clarko pinched him within a week of retiring.

2 Josh Carr - asked for a trade to Freo to play with his brother Matthew, no other reason. We get Freo's 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks ( 11,27,45) and Allan Stewart pissed them up against the wall with drafting Adam Thompson with 11 and trading 27 and 45 for Aaron Shattock and pick 34 which gets us Alan Ezard. Came back at the end of 2009 when his brother had retired, and made sure we got him for nothing in the Pre Season Draft.

3 Jarrad Schofield - traded to Freo. Recently admitted he shouldn't have listened to his wife who wanted to get back to WA.

4 Cain Ackland - Delisted
5 Wade Champion - Delisted
6 Chris Hall - Delisted
** Robert Foster-Knight - Delisted then re-rookied

2024

Administration

Coaches

1 Luke Kelly - midfield development coach

Players
1 Charlie Dixon - retired
2 Trent McKenzie - retired
3 Tom McCullam - delisted
3 Tom McCallum - Delisted
I was actually thinking along similar lines today.
 
Its not underrated, but players are allowed to pick their own boots these days, despite regularly falling over. Its shithouse, but AFLPA rules via CBA that players can have the freedom to wear what they want.

Did not know that thanks REH. Well someone needs to better advise our players which boots to choose then! bloody oath. Especially Rozee who comes to mind where he slips every game
 
How about Geoff Morris? Not sure when he was poached by Clarkson but he definitely ended up at Hawthorn.

Came back to the club in 2020 I think but was let go because of the covid cuts.
 
It's not about who leaves or who goes. It's about how the entity, the club deals with it. We fell to absolute a million pieces as a whole after 2004. As if the job has now been done. We made the AFL....won a flag. JOB DONE.
The only job we've done is undone greatness since 1870.
 
We got so focused on winning the flag that we never thought what we would do after. We were caught blindsided.

I’m on record saying that it will be tough after Hinkley. I think it will be worse than after 2024 in the short run, but better in the long run.
 

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It's not about who leaves or who goes. It's about how the entity, the club deals with it. We fell to absolute a million pieces as a whole after 2004. As if the job has now been done. We made the AFL....won a flag. JOB DONE.
The only job we've done is undone greatness since 1870.

We won’t stop, stop, stop
‘Til we are top, top, top

We were top, thus we stopped. It’s in the club song!

[We should change “until” to “because”.]
 
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How about Geoff Morris? Not sure when he was poached by Clarkson but he definitely ended up at Hawthorn.

Came back to the club in 2020 I think but was let go because of the covid cuts.
Geoff left us after 10 years and went to Hawks after 2006 season ended. Clarko again.

Stui Dew came back from USA mid 2007 after retiring at end of 2006 saying he had enough of the fat tests and running of AFL training. Clarko coached him at Centrals in 2001-02 and Port 2003-04 and told him if he lost a certain amount of weight, still 20kg heavier than he should have been, he would draft him.

Stui gave the fitness run a go, got to the weight Clarko asked him to get to, and then convinced his recruiting team to take him with pick 45 of 2007 draft. 15 minutes during the 3rd quarter in 2008 GF he busted open the game and won the game for the Hawks.

Then the bastards got Shaun after 2009 season, thought he'd be at the Hawks for 3 years, gave them 12 years great service.
 
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It's not about who leaves or who goes. It's about how the entity, the club deals with it. We fell to absolute a million pieces as a whole after 2004. As if the job has now been done. We made the AFL....won a flag. JOB DONE.
The only job we've done is undone greatness since 1870.
It is about who leaves. You loose too many of the right people, then you are stuffed.
 
Cheers for the reminder of yet another reason to hate the Hawks. This whole “everyone’s second team” thing shits me. A meteoric ride this year isn’t enough to make me forget it’s not even a decade since they threepeated.
 
Premierships are won off the field by the people running your club.
As Fos would say;

Players win the Ball,
Teams win Games, and
Clubs win Premierships

For many years the club had a page on its website with a picture of Fos next to these words, and others

Stupid Koch would say some American sports team said it but replace club with "organisations win Championships." when this page was still up on the club website. I sent an email to KT and Richo and told then to show Koch were it came from - Fos, not an American sports team.

This is where it is now quoted on the club website.


Got love Big Footy old threads. I talked about it at this post in July 2022 and put up this picture.




1727786702313.png
 
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Every club has exactly the same thing happen after a flag but seem to bounce back. We did the opposite and broke records that will forever embarass this once mighty Club.
We still made finals (and won a knock out one against a higher placed opponent) in 2005.

Compared to the Hawthorn (who missed Finals in 2009 coming 9th), Dogs (who missed finals in 2017 ending up 10th), Richmond (2021 fell to 12 after back to back wins), Geelong (missed finals in 2023 finishing 12th) and Collingwood (missed finals this year finishing 9th).

Our 2008 response to the 119 drubbing of 13th with 7 wins, is only 1 position and 1 game worse than Geelong's backup of 2022.
 
We still made finals (and won a knock out one against a higher placed opponent) in 2005.

Compared to the Hawthorn (who missed Finals in 2009 coming 9th), Dogs (who missed finals in 2017 ending up 10th), Richmond (2021 fell to 12 after back to back wins), Geelong (missed finals in 2023 finishing 12th) and Collingwood (missed finals this year finishing 9th).

Our 2008 response to the 119 drubbing of 13th with 7 wins, is only 1 position and 1 game worse than Geelong's backup of 2022.

A fair outlier to point at. Maybe 2005 we were still the mighty club SparklingAle69 spoke of, surviving an exodus of high performers. Yes we also royally screwed up 2004 draft & trade but that wouldn't be felt for a few years. The penny pinching that had us under resourced there and made it tough to keep key people was downstream of external structural pressures then beyond our control. Still by 2014 we took back some control of viability by forcing the Adelaide Oval issue. Our last 10 years has no flag, no mitigating factor like fighting off financial vampires, no generational "thing" like AO done that sets us up fundamentally better as consolation.

In retrospect, 2007 primarily broke individuals. As you point out, using an unusual comparative measure of failure, we held up in 2008 (!) but the other pressures were still building. If 2011-2012 might have killed the club, 2015-2024 have surely left it paralyzed, fearful of change. Your examples all won or at least made multiple grand finals in the last decade. They dared, did, then dived. Good on them. We didn't make one, not a single one, so what if our drop offs were sometimes more shallow (ignoring ah, repeat flag winners, because cherry picking stats)? The huge new outlier to point at is a decade-long lack of response to not winning a flag, a coaching record of such mediocrity that it's damn near as embarrassing as 119 because its just as unimaginable. Your examples all lost good people year in year out and all recovered faster than the place which uniquely, record-breakingly chose to hang on to mediocre leadership.

Still, I have a glimmer of hope that because so much of our mediocrity is concentrated on Ken and Koch and to an extent on CD, that when they go, we as a club will survive any temporary drop and ultimately thrive better because of their departure and the because of any downstream departure of others whose highest level of commitment is to those individuals.
 

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Resource Exodus - movement of Jah people. 2004 vs 2024

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