Player Watch Pick #5 (2006) - Travis Boak

[johnnysix]

We've gone through the looking glass on the whole "it's about the journey and the friends you make" thing. Players used to say this in retrospect about a career they spent trying to achieve the ultimate success. "A brotherhood forged under fire" so to speak. Now players are so superficially self-aware and marketing have cottoned on to the idea that emotions and connection are what sells product, that we get players putting the cart before the horse. That bond between mates and self-discovery comes as a result of intense focus and endeavour to complete a mission. Like others have said in other places, you can discover yourself and hang out with your mates on your own dollar, members and fans want performance. Specifically performance. We can get entertainment elsewhere.

 

[Lambot]

It's amazing to me that people are slagging off Boak for playing on. We have a bloody list manager! If Boak shouldn't be on the list, blame the list manager, not Boak. If McEntee shouldn't be on the list, blame the list manager. If Scully should still be on the list, blame the list manager.

I've got nothing against players accepting contracts. If a club offers you one, why the hell would you turn it down?

 

[Bump Bailey]

Boak was done the moment he’s sooked it up after losing a prelim and Koch, in one of his rare decent moments, had a crack at the group for not winning.

Fork in the road moment on many fronts.

Unfortunately, it wasn't even a prelim. It was an elimination final.

And Koch firing a broadside then walking back hat in hand to Ken groveling, rather than staying the course, is one of the worst things to ever happen to this football club.

 

[Papa G]

 

[El_Scorcho]

No doubting you're an absolutely wonderful human being Trav. And a credit to yourself and your family.

But when you're a professional football player, what you do on the field does matter. A lot. And can define that period of your life.

Am I being unreasonable?

It's not mutually exclusive but of course a player wants to shift the focus when his finals record is disastrous.

Russell was (and remains) a saint. One of the most wonderful people you could hope to have associated with your footy club. But his legacy is his performance on field, his premierships and his magareys.

 

[DSL64]

I've got no problems with Trav going around again.
Interestingly though, this should've been a two year conversation, not a one year.

Lets say Trav plays 20 games next year, which is a reasonable assumption since he's only played less than 20 games in a season once (19 in 2022) since 2012. If he does, he'll finish the year on 391 games.

Are we going to cull him, 9 games short of the magical 400?

And he could even be closer.
He played 23 this season. If he does that next year, he'd finish on 394 - only 6 games shy...

 

[chiwigi]

The club deleted my comment on their Facebook post about 'being a person is all that matters'.

All I said was surely we exist to win premierships and that despite us not winning anything for his career we are bombarded with constant 'positive' posts.

Soft campaigners.

Guess they proved my point.

 

[Bump Bailey]

The club deleted my comment on their Facebook post about 'being a person is all that matters'.

All I said was surely we exist to win premierships.

Soft campaigners.

that is absolutely pathetic

 

[Peninsula Boy]

It's not mutually exclusive but of course a player wants to shift the focus when his finals record is disastrous.

Yep.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

The club deleted my comment on their Facebook post about 'being a person is all that matters'.

All I said was surely we exist to win premierships and that despite us not winning anything for his career we are bombarded with constant 'positive' posts.

Soft campaigners.

Guess they proved my point.

I got posts deleted on this forum for cracking a joke or two about Soldo's girlfriend.

And we bemoan Timmy G on 5AA.

 

[rumoursofwinter]

He should have retired. He should have been told to retire. He shouldn't be limping to the finish line in the magpies. He doesn't need the money, players need to put the club first and move on. Its in the best interests of both Port and boak.

 

[simba_]

i guess he and his coach's favorite side have won 4 flags in his playing time, imagine getting to play in the same competition as your team, pretty cool

 

[RossFC]

I've got no problems with Trav going around again.
Interestingly though, this should've been a two year conversation, not a one year.

Lets say Trav plays 20 games next year, which is a reasonable assumption since he's only played less than 20 games in a season once (19 in 2022) since 2012. If he does, he'll finish the year on 391 games.

Are we going to cull him, 9 games short of the magical 400?

And he could even be closer.
He played 23 this season. If he does that next year, he'd finish on 394 - only 6 games shy...

Once you get deep in your 30's, it should only ever be 1 year deals.

 

[Doctor Feel]

lol we went from players and admin facing the members after every game to deleting facebook posts that boil down to "hey maybe we should try be better"

****ing hell. What's the point.

 

[DSL64]

Once you get deep in your 30's, it should only ever be 1 year deals.

I agree, especially when you get to 35+
But personally, if they don't want him to go around in 2026, they should've talked him out of going around next year.
Being 29 shy wouldn't even be mentioned, but if he plays 20 or so next year and he's only 9 away, that discussion (and the 'optics' from the media) will be interesting...

 

[JimmyBC]

I agree, especially when you get to 35+
But personally, if they don't want him to go around in 2026, they should've talked him out of going around next year.
Being 29 shy wouldn't even be mentioned, but if he plays 20 or so next year and he's only 9 away, that discussion (and the 'optics' from the media) will be interesting...

Who gives a shit about games played records he's an over the hill ball burner.

 

[TeeKray]

Here's a stat that some here will enjoy:

If he plays 12 games he equals Robert Harvey for most games in history without a premiership (13 he takes the record outright).

 

[JimmyBC]

Here's a stat that some here will enjoy:

If he plays 12 games he equals Robert Harvey for most games in history without a premiership (13 he takes the record outright).

 

[Doctor Feel]

Here's a stat that some here will enjoy:

If he plays 12 games he equals Robert Harvey for most games in history without a premiership (13 he takes the record outright).

 

[Portology]

I'm not as against the sentiment as some from a bigger picture perspective but I'll still never understand why the club think this is the sort of thing they should publish to the fans. The only investment fans have in the club and players is what they do on the field and ultimately winning on the field. It's bizarre to be telling the fans that what you do on the field is a secondary concern.

My other concern is that someone like Boak is undoubtedly a good person but then the system will also spit out an entitled man child flog like Houston and call him a good person. It's a bit of a warped bubble like that.

"The Club" publish that because they don't believe we can "Win" win and aim for "regularly better than average" instead.

So they need to throw up cliches and homilies as distractions.

Imagine how much more powerful an image it would be if it was published AFTER we actually WON something.

 

[klem22]

It's amazing to me that people are slagging off Boak for playing on. We have a bloody list manager! If Boak shouldn't be on the list, blame the list manager, not Boak. If McEntee shouldn't be on the list, blame the list manager. If Scully should still be on the list, blame the list manager.

I've got nothing against players accepting contracts. If a club offers you one, why the hell would you turn it down?

The lack of leadership from those at the top is disgusting, PAFC has become a self serving atm.

 

[Rigs]

I’m a big Boak fan. I know he’s no clutch player but he’s still performing well.

I wouldn’t be getting angry about him “selfishly” going around again, when he’s able to perform at the required level or that he’s taking a young players spot. I’d more ask “why” aren't there players on our list that are over taking him and what he can do.

 

[Dutchy5150]

I got posts deleted on this forum for cracking a joke or two about Soldo's girlfriend.

And we bemoan Timmy G on 5AA.

You make jokes about players girlfriends and cry about getting deleted???

Moron.

God we have some dickhead supporters...

 

[Ljc_86]

No problems with Boak going around again. In fact after the swans game I hoped he did because he doesn’t deserve to have that performance as his last game for Port.

What I don’t like is this crap about being a nice human and that’s what matters etc..

Remember when football was only about football?

It’s almost sickening.

I understand why my dad and his mates go to the local footy and invest in that.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Here's a stat that some here will enjoy:

If he plays 12 games he equals Robert Harvey for most games in history without a premiership (13 he takes the record outright).

Fantastic. Basically a lock.