How does Paul Chapman slip through?

[larson]

If Geelong are a chance for the flag they have clearly made a mistake, if they aren' then they have made the right call.

I think they are a great chance to go far in september and am amazed they let him go.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

My guess is Chapman in a Hawthorn guernsey would make any Geelong supporter's skin crawl. And that there'd be few things that would delight Hawthorn supporters more (both that they got an A-grader for nothing and that it was a former Geelong champion).

As far as I'm concerned, the rivalry between the clubs is almost entirely to do with the supporters. There may be the odd villain from either side (perhaps Scarlett for Geelong and someone like Guerra for Hawthorn, guys like Selwood and Mitchell if you want to look more broadly), but, by and large, both playing groups seem to have a lot of respect for each other. I like Hawthorn's players; they seem like a nice enough bunch of blokes.

Well said. I'll be the first to admit I really enjoy watching Geelong play, and especially like several players. Including Chapman.

I can only admire how well Geelong have been run in the last several years.

As for the rivalry - it makes the games especially intense but it ends there.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

Sorry that we don't need a 32yo with dodgy hammies running around for us. Just like your mob didn't need him...

Well done on completely missing the point.

 

[1061]

3 games in and his injured, was always risky.

 

[boncer34]

Absolutely. I wasn't sure how I'd respond when I first saw Ablett in a Gold Coast guernsey, but I immediately found myself supporting him. I knew I'd be very keen for Chapman to do well at his new club and to me, it's absolutely no surprise that he has. I can't remember ever hating an ex-Geelong player when he's gone to another team and I'm not about to start with a club champion that wanted to stay.

Justin Murphy?

 

[MarkCatsFan]

Disclaimer:

On behalf of all rational Cat's supporters I apologise for the f*ckwits in our fanbase that still can't accept that Chappie is gone because:
1. He turned down our contract offer and
2. His body is almost shot

Some day I hope the spoiled brats who have come to this club and only experienced success will drop off the bandwagon, but for now we have to deal with the drama queens.

We are not all like that

 

[HirdyLannister]

3 games in and his injured, was always risky.

Sprained ankle and it's end of the world. How's Motlop and Christiansen doing this season?

 

[1061]

Sprained ankle and it's end of the world. How's Motlop and Christiansen doing this season?

No not the end of the world for a 22 year old, at 32 any injury is a major issue.

They'll probably jab him and send him out, Jab him with Pain Killers that is nothing else of course!

 

[Jade]

I seriously question my team and how they didn't feel Chapman would be more than a handy pick up. It's not as though any of us didn't see that he was still capable of what he is producing for Essendon. Not enough done by the other 16 AFL clubs?

Well he is 32. A lot of clubs simply don't have the list profile to take on a player of that age for two years.

I think a lot of people are being too harsh on Geelong; I believe they had (and I would need to check the accuracy of this) eight players over 30 on their list at the end of last year - they really needed to start turning over the list.

Essendon on the other hand, after its list changes had only one (Fletcher), so they could accommodate him.

That and we needed another reliable forward option.

Just hearsay now, but I believe Carlton and Essendon were the two interested suitors. Chapman assessed that Carlton were too far away from contending and went to the Bombers.

 

[Whiskers]

Potentially interesting. But sorry, I'd need to see a statement from the club before I believe it. Rumours are too easily spread, far too easily believed, and very frequently flat out invented.

Fair enough. It's hard to believe anyone on BF.
You can believe it or not.
I didn't like what I heard, it seemed more personnel than good reasons.
Hocking said fans wanted him to stay coz of his good game against port but he said had a shocking game against freo, that's when I stopped asking questions (coz he was sub and I got over it)
Plus he was called undisciplined coz of that very minor bump.
Pfft!

 

[PhiloBeddoe]

Would have liked to see more from non Geelong and Essendon people about possible reasons why their clubs didn't show interest in Chappy. From a Collingwood perspective

• We had delisted some older players due to injuries and form. Form may not have been an issue with Chappy but injury may have been. Leap of faith for short term gain.
• Regardless of some views (very few) we are not a chance of a flag in the next two years so the recruitment could have been for pinching a couple of extra wins and mentoring.
• Putting time into younger players who could have ten years at the club. If not, risk losing them through seeking opportunities elsewhere.
• Risk the nauseating Chappy love shown by Bombers supporters at games. The Colingwoooood chant is cringeworthy enough these days.

 

[Jade]

• Risk the nauseating Chappy love shown by Bombers supporters at games. The Colingwoooood chant is cringeworthy enough these days.

And he's not even the most popular debutant Essendon's had in the last year

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Justin Murphy?

I didn't really know enough about that story until years later. At the time, I thought it seemed pretty reasonable for Murphy to be filthy and I thought he was a pretty good player for the Cats that year. Trust me, I was shaking my head a lot at how the Cats farewelled Buddha Hocking from the AFL that day as well.

Disclaimer:

On behalf of all rational Cat's supporters I apologise for the f*ckwits in our fanbase that still can't accept that Chappie is gone because:
1. He turned down our contract offer and
2. His body is almost shot

1. The contract offer was an absolute insult. Either sign him with no limit on the number of games he plays, then manage him/drop him as his body and form dictates (you know, treat him like any other player); or cut him loose. The 'offer' looks suspiciously like the club just giving Chapman a token offer that they knew he'd refuse, just so they can say 'Hey, we made him an offer...we're not the bad guys.'

2. If Chapman's body is shot, there's a lot of other Geelong players, young and old, that must be in serious trouble. Because plenty of them have significantly worse injury histories than Chapman in recent years.

Some day I hope the spoiled brats who have come to this club and only experienced success will drop off the bandwagon, but for now we have to deal with the drama queens.

We are not all like that

Sometimes I wonder why the 'Hooray for Everything' types even bother signing up for a site like this. I thought the whole point was to discuss this stuff, present alternative viewpoints, suggest what you might have done if it was your decision and so on. Debate over the Thursday night selections, debate over how the team should match up against the opposition on the weekend, debate over how the sub should be used on game day, debate over whether making a late change on game day every week for 'match-ups' (and often costing the bloke who is taken out a game in the VFL as a consequence) is a worthwhile exercise, debate on which veterans should be managed and when, debate over if and when it's time to start a rebuild. I don't know, I find it pretty boring to just have the mindset that 'well, the club made the decision and the people at the club are smart, so it must be the correct one.' If I want the club's perspective, I'll go to the club's website. I thought leaving Chapman dangling was dumb in September, I thought it was dumb when they let him go and I think it's dumb now. Doesn't mean I don't love the club and appreciate everything that they've got right over my time as a supporter.

 

[Partridge]

Whether or not the "oath" is real or not the mythology of it is, as is the dislike that has curdled between hawks supporters and cats supporters because of it. Chapman would be more than aware of the perception of him as the enemy amongst Hawthorn supporters as would the club. To put that aside and join the enemies ranks, whilst possible, would be very very unlikely.

You've got to be under 30, and probably under 20 to believe that. The dislike between Hawthorn and Geelong fans goes back a lot further than when Chapman started playing for us. It was there in the late 1980s.

 

[boncer34]

You've got to be under 30, and probably under 20 to believe that. The dislike between Hawthorn and Geelong fans goes back a lot further than when Chapman started playing for us. It was there in the late 1980s.

Yet didn't appear for 20 years.

Sorry but you can't claim that it goes back 30 years when for 20 years neither club gave a shit.

 

[Partridge]

Fair enough. It's hard to believe anyone on BF.
You can believe it or not.
I didn't like what I heard, it seemed more personnel than good reasons.
Hocking said fans wanted him to stay coz of his good game against port but he said had a shocking game against freo, that's when I stopped asking questions (coz he was sub and I got over it)
Plus he was called undisciplined coz of that very minor bump.
Pfft!

I'd be wary right there. Anyone who singled out Chapman's game for blame in the Qualifying Final is either very biased, or wasn't paying attention. For one thing he was the sub, yet had 11 disposals, 3 marks and laid 5 tackles. That was in 44% game time. Josh Caddy had 84% game time, yet had 9 touches, 1 mark and 0 tackles. Nathan Vardy had 78% game time, but had 8 touches, 4 marks, 1 goal, 1 tackle and 6 hitouts (and he was meant to be a ruckman). Blicavs, Walker, Lonergan and Varcoe were others that all had underwhelming games to put it mildly.

 

[Partridge]

Yet didn't appear for 20 years.

Sorry but you can't claim that it goes back 30 years when for 20 years neither club gave a shit.

How many Geelong / Hawthorn games did an Essendon supporter attend in that time?

 

[Partridge]

As far as I'm concerned, the rivalry between the clubs is almost entirely to do with the supporters. There may be the odd villain from either side (perhaps Scarlett for Geelong and someone like Guerra for Hawthorn, guys like Selwood and Mitchell if you want to look more broadly), but, by and large, both playing groups seem to have a lot of respect for each other. I like Hawthorn's players; they seem like a nice enough bunch of blokes.

I've got no problem with any Hawthorn player, their coaches or their administration. The enmity that exists stems purely from a small subset of supporters. Have rarely enjoyed a Grand Final win as a neutral more than last year, when I got to watch a football team prevail against Ross Lyon's anti-football.

 

[boncer34]

How many Geelong / Hawthorn games did an Essendon supporter attend in that time?

Between 1989 and 2008 Geelong and Hawthorn played in one game above 60 thousand, the second semi in 1991.

They played in three games above 40 thousand.

Hell they even sent Geelong to Tasmania in 2007 indicating how low drawing the game was considered before 2008.

But yeah ok huuuuuge rivalry.

 

[Partridge]

Between 1989 and 2008 Geelong and Hawthorn played in one game above 60 thousand, the second semi in 1991.

They played in three games above 40 thousand.

Hell they even sent Geelong to Tasmania in 2007 indicating how low drawing the game was considered before 2008.

But yeah ok huuuuuge rivalry.

Excellent effort in misunderstanding. I never said there was a huge rivalry. I said the two sets of supporters have disliked each other for a long period of time. Anyone who has been to Geelong / Hawthorn matches since about 1985 knows that. And it's got nothing to do with crowd size either.

 

[JackFlash]

Sprained ankle and it's end of the world. How's Motlop and Christiansen doing this season?

This is my point, they should've kept Chapman for at least this year knowing that Menzal wlil never play again and they also knew Motlop was struggling over the summer. Christensen being out long term has compounded their forward line concerns. Geelong are basically reaping the benefit of blooding 10 players last year. They certainly have some good replacements on the rise. My argument is Chapman was the difference between winning and losing a Preliminary final, Chapman plays and the Hawks don't win the flag! You cannot put enough emphasis on experience and Essendon fans are seeing the difference an A list player can make to their team right now. He might still go down long term, but i would rather have him on our side than playing against us. IMO he is already Essendon's most valuable player. I wonder if there was more to this story than has been told? Getting suspended during the finals series didn't help his cause.

 

[JUBJUB]

Between 1989 and 2008 Geelong and Hawthorn played in one game above 60 thousand, the second semi in 1991.

They played in three games above 40 thousand.

Uh oh,Dan26 has a child or an evil twin on Bigfooty

 

[JUBJUB]

This is my point, they should've kept Chapman for at least this year knowing that Menzal wlil never play again and they also knew Motlop was struggling over the summer. Christensen being out long term has compounded their forward line concerns. Geelong are basically reaping the benefit of blooding 10 players last year. They certainly have some good replacements on the rise. My argument is Chapman was the difference between winning and losing a Preliminary final, Chapman plays and the Hawks don't win the flag! You cannot put enough emphasis on experience and Essendon fans are seeing the difference an A list player can make to their team right now. He might still go down long term, but i would rather have him on our side than playing against us. IMO he is already Essendon's most valuable player. I wonder if there was more to this story than has been told? Getting suspended during the finals series didn't help his cause.

Get over it Jack or just go and follow the Bombers.You're always whinging about something Geelong have done.
You make Rennis The Menace seem sane

 

[The 747]

If Geelong are a chance for the flag they have clearly made a mistake, if they aren' then they have made the right call.

I think they are a great chance to go far in september and am amazed they let him go.

So if we are a chance for a flag, our list management is faulty. LOL only BigFooty logic.

 

[BEEG]

Chappy at Essendon makes me happy