Mitchell and Lewis asked to leave. To put it another way. Mitchell and Lewis left on their own terms.
Geelong stars in the contrast wanted to stay and got kicked out.
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Hawthorn's treatment of its veterans compared to Geelongs
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Geelong stars in the contrast wanted to stay and got kicked out.
bomberman31
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- Jul 14, 2012
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ahh I love when people have to eat their words...
He was saying what happened at Geelong wouldn't happen at Hawthorn. He was right. What has happened to Lewis and Mitchell was completely different to what happened to the Geelong legends. Lewis and Mitchell were both given 1 year contracts. Contracts we would have been happy to honour. Unfortunately we also gave them a great deal of control of their own destiny by being upfront with them at the end of this season on the chances of them getting ongoing contracts (especially in Lewis's cases). Clarko didn't want to have to give them the arse at the end of 2017 without a heads up, which seems to have been the Geelong approach with its club legends. So we told a number of players during this year that we couldn't be certain we had spots for them at the end of next year. Mitchell and Lewis took that information and used it to plan ahead to ensure their best long term interests were looked after. We could have played hard ball with both, and forced them both to stay, but we didn't because of the respect we had for them, and the knowledge that what WC and Melbourne were offering was beyond what we could give them for the next few years (3 years in Jordan's case). Instead of keeping them at the club by using their contracts, and basically punishing them financially, we reluctantly let them go. We were more reluctant with Jordan after Mitchell decided to leave, because we still want some senior mids around to help mentor the next bunch, but like Mitchell, he was held in such high regard by the club that they agreed to him breaking his contract and leaving.
And for those that think this was about cap space. Even after Vickery and TOM we probably had around 900k-1.1M to pay a potential JOM signing BEFORE Lewis and Mitchell left. Yes, we've now built a giant warchest for FA next year, which will be handy, but that is a side effect of those players leaving, not the reason they left.
I'm not happy Mitchell and Lewis have left, but I'm very proud of the way the club has allowed them the freedom to do so, and optimised their outcomes by being up front with them as early as possible. It might not be the best thing for the club, or the fans, but speaks of a respect for club champions that teams like Geelong and North Melbourne are a very long way from achieving.
Sttew
Brownlow Medallist
You believe the rubbish you wrote? So Mitchell and Lewis asked to leave?
Lewis said on radio tonight this was 100% initiated by Clarkson.
- Sep 26, 2012
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Um since when did players have all the say in what happens to them? who runs the club and so on etc..
weren't they Bomber Thompson's words?
Sttew
Brownlow Medallist
Not sure what you mean.
When was the last time a reigning B&F was told his services were no longer required or as Ckarkson put it "we think you should play somewhere else and then become an assistant coach"
Yes, by Clarkson telling him he couldn't guarantee he'd be given another contract extension at the end of 2017. He was contracted, and we'd have been happy if he chose not to go, but going was best for him in terms of extracting the maximum return of his final years of footy.
It may have been initiated by Clarkson, but Lewis asked to leave.
Always thought Bigfooty needed another Geelong vs Hawthorn shitfight bumped.
Sttew
Brownlow Medallist
When? After Clarkson visited him at his home?
After he got a good offer from the Demons.
Wojcinski
Brownlow Medallist
A perfect 5/7 thread
It's all stage managed PR spin by the 'family club'. Mitchell and Lewis playing along with the bullshit so as to not appear bitter and twisted. They are simply maintaining their dignity and rolling out the usual Mr Nice Guy cliches. I could understand teams getting rid of veterans who haven't achieved anything meaningful in their careers like North did however these guys are top shelf premiership legends at the Hawks and there is no way in the world they would have wanted to leave.
Tulip
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Geelong gave their veterans a chance to say goodbye, the second year around. Didn't do so well with Chappy, but such is life.
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I think we've handled it pretty well. Mitchell wanted to coach, and was keen on west coast after discussions with Simpson. Clarko asked him if he'd want to go a year early, play a year there, then coach. Had Mitchell wanted to stay, he could have, but chose the option that suited him best.
Lewis, Clarko was honest with him, told him we couldn't guarantee another year after next season. So he went searching for more job security.
Whilst I'd loved to have kept them, it also makes sense to send them on their way.
Lewis, Clarko was honest with him, told him we couldn't guarantee another year after next season. So he went searching for more job security.
Whilst I'd loved to have kept them, it also makes sense to send them on their way.
You know it was bumped by a Geelong fan? And yes I agree given how Geelong treated their legends compared to us.
All three shafted by the club in a manner which made it difficult for them to optimise their AFL exits which is exactly the freedom we've given Mitchell and Lewis. SJ was lucky he was clearly still good enough (Like Mitchell) to attract interest, but would have been easier for him if we was given the kind of heads up Mitchell and Lewis were given. It is a pity we didn't get to see them carried off, but the club decided looking after the players was more important than looking after the fans. We offered Mitchell and Lewis 1 year contracts that we were happy to honour if they wanted to go out as 1 club players at the end of next year. What offer did your three get?
- Apr 3, 2006
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Mitchell and Lewis will be chaired off by Darling and Shuey, Hogan and Viney.
Weird.
Weird.
- Apr 3, 2006
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Mitchell and Lewis asking to leave - if true even - is just embarrassing.
Hawthorn kool-aid is strong.
Hawthorn kool-aid is strong.
boncer34
Formerly "Dos23"
Talk about reaching.
Geelong: Up front with their players telling them this is it, giving them plenty of time to negotiate with other clubs if they could find suitors and letting them get the send off from their supporters.
Hawthon: Signing players onto contracts, pushing them out the door so they don't have to honor the contract and refusing to let them have a send off from the fans.
Terrible from Hawthorn in comparison to Geelong.
- Aug 16, 2006
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It would be if what you are saying was true. It clearly isn't. The club says it isn't, the player's say it isn't. We signed players onto contracts that we fully intended to honour, and were very happy to honour. It was very obvious with Lewis that we wanted him to stay, and really didn't want to lose him for next year. It was respect for both players that led us to allow them to break their contracts. Neither were pushed at all. Clarko had an idea for Mitchell that he thought we set Mitchell up very well , and Mitchell grabbed it with both hands. It as very clear neither player was pushed, except from the point of view that it was also made clear to them that at the end of 2017 they were not guaranteed extensions. We give them a full year more heads up than Geelong gave, and backed that up with contracts that we were very happy to honour if they wanted to remain at the club another year before making a decision that might have been more forced.
From a sentimental point of view it would have been nice to have a send off, but when it comes to what fans want compared to maximising the outcomes for club legends, I'm happy to forgo the sentiment if it means optimising outcomes for players that gave us 4 flags.
Does the main board have a backfire tag option?
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