Backwell Sacked - did i hear right ?? 5AA

[Dirko]

So what has playing in Darwin got to do with his job or making a living?

Exactly. Nothing. He is putting a guest stint ahead of his contracted club.

[wycbloods]

I have heard the same story about collins to be coaching at a prestigious college in melbourne next year.

I believe they have the same colours!

Interesting assumption

TOUCHE

[milbo]

I think Mouse actually confirmed it on 5AA.

I agree re standards and "culture" etc... I agree that a level of professionalism has to be set... but for years Ive been howled down that this is SANFL footy. Blokes have real jobs... have lives outside of football and that SANFL footy doesnt pay the mortgage. I have been told for years that its "different courses for different horses" in regards to how much training is done, how many times a bloke has to go to gym, if a bloke has to attend rehab and how much of the pre season a bloke has to do. I always argued that there should be a standard and that standard should never be compromised.

Listen to players though they made me very aware that with jobs ranging from Lawyers to Tradies that they cant make some sessions... they cant be there sometimes on time... they sometimes have to miss matches (Ben Moore so he wouldnt get injured just before his fire service physical exams, Lucas Block went to Perth for work last year). Why is this one match (where he aint exactly just sitting on his **** doing nothing) going to draw to a close the best player the GFC has recruited in the last 10 years. I saw him close up when he was injured. Doing everything he could to get over the line and convince the physios he could contribute. He's played with injuries other blokes wouldnt have even considered playing with.

I cant help but think there is WAY more to it than just mouse training all week at the GFC and flying up for a final.... it cant be that petty.

So what has playing in Darwin got to do with his job or making a living?

Are we 100% confident he wasn't being paid. I have been led to believe (despite yes I know what it says in the article about him playing to purely help out his mates) that he was being nicely rewarded for his appearances... and that was the reason the GFC said yes in the first place. That they had cut his contract back substantially had had agreed he could go to supplement his income. I was told this directly by someone that I would have thought knows. May be wrong. But thats what I was led to believe.

[cje]

as sad as it is for those mouse fans (including me) we must always put the club before
the induvidual.


what club is he most likely to play with?

[mighty_tiger_79]

i think both the club and mouse are to blame for the situation

as has been mentioned the club is far bigger then the individual

Perhaps eagles or south would be the options or he could go to the country and earn decent wage

[on the rails]

what club is he most likely to play with?

Depends on who wants to put up with his demands - not the cheapest player going around and has held out each season for a few years now for more money.

Norwood could be a very viable option as they have lost quite a few senior players and because of the Salary Cap breach have not been able to recruit so should have some $$$ in the bank?

[Wedgie]

Hopefully he's not lost to the SANFL and continues at another club, a real nice bloke and a great player IMHO. It's lucky the Bays are putting on Coopers this year.

[baysman]

So many ways of looking at this one.

" There's no " I " in team ". The GFC have to have a squad that is 100% commited to the " Unfinished Business " slogan we are unofficially touting. I find Backwell's mode of think peculiar. Rather play for a side in the N.T finals than put in for his SANFL side. It's his decision. Nothing more to say....let's move on ! But bitterly disappointed

I personally think the club has sustained far too much damage over the past few months to be a serious " premiership contender ". I am more than happy to be proven wrong, but I feel that we will be going through our " Rebuilding " phase yet again. Purely natural considering our losses, and makes it even more bitter to swallow that our best chances of silverware success were in the past two years.

Time to refocus, stay positive and look forward to season 2010 !

GO YOU BAYS !

[Wedgie]

Norwood are looking for March recruits. A perfect fit perhaps?

[baysman]

He'd probably be happier up in Darwin

[Dutchy]

Norwood are looking for March recruits. A perfect fit perhaps?

Isnt it ironic that they may be the only club that has cap space this time of year!

[SnappyTom]

I never thought much of Backwell as a player (personal opinion).

That said, I am satisfied that those within my club saw fit to assign players to play on him to nullify his effect on games. That speaks volumes for his ability, which I richly underrated.

I also hope he isn't lost to the SANFL. If he leaves the Bays he might even learn not to duck so much!

ST...

[on the rails]

Norwood are looking for March recruits. A perfect fit perhaps?

Depends on how keen he is to play finals? No direspect to Norwood but with their outs this year and the fact they haven't been able to recruit would suggest that they will really struggle to make the 5 in 2010.

[JK]

Norwood are looking for March recruits. A perfect fit perhaps?

Depends on how keen he is to play finals? No direspect to Norwood but with their outs this year and the fact they haven't been able to recruit would suggest that they will really struggle to make the 5 in 2010.

Yup, finals pretty unlikely .. Plus the fact Norwood are in re-build and re-evaluate mode so I really couldn't see the longer term benefit of us chasing him (despite the fact he would easily fit into our best team no question)

If he would be expecting reasonable $$ then I think that would be another reason to rule him out.

[Bullitt]

Well over two hours since this news broke, and nothing from Punky. Can we send out a search party, is he OK?? Unlike Punky to miss a chance to sink the boot into the Bays. has he been playing with matches once too often and burnt down his computer???

sorry mate, I'm sick of saying "I told you so"....

You just know the right people Punky.

[Bluedemon]

is interesting that bakewell gets the axe fom the bays for playing in darwin. Luke Norman was happy for Jeremy Johncock to go play in the NTFL to help out some old mates. Josh Cubillo has down it in the past by playing there. Bakewell is keeping himself fit by playing regular football which i thought the bays would like.

[milbo]

Sorry to labor the point but it is really irking me that senior players over the past few years (under the same coaching regime) can actually quit the club or "take a season off" and then walk back in mid year.... and then a bloke who's doing all the mid week training wants to finish what he started and will be there round one... and he gets the axe.... its not making sense. Should he have quit and then magically returned in a few weeks saying "he wants in"...???

Blokes get married or are in best mates wedding parties mid season and dont get chopped. This is really disappointing.

Needless to say the losses now of Fisher, Backwell, Block, Hinge, Holmes, Hall from the Glenelg midfield are mounting up!!!

[One Eyed]

Will play country for twice what he was getting at the Bay

[dedja]

Sorry to labor the point but it is really irking me that senior players over the past few years (under the same coaching regime) can actually quit the club or "take a season off" and then walk back in mid year.... and then a bloke who's doing all the mid week training wants to finish what he started and will be there round one... and he gets the axe.... its not making sense.

Blokes get married or are in best mates wedding parties mid season and dont get chopped. This is really disappointing.

Needless to say the losses now of Fisher, Backwell, Block, Hinge, Holmes, Hall from the Glenelg midfield are mounting up!!!

Sigh ... anyone who took time off had to come back and earn ther keep and didn't walk straight back into the league side.

Are you suggesting that Rudolph shouldn't have played reserves last year when he came back? That Kirk didn't play reserves before earning his league spot late in 2008?

The Mouse situation is totally different. Yes, he is a legend at the club and is well respected and we all love the guy, but he pushed the envelope one too many times and paid the price. This outcome is a culmination of a few events, not just the issue of going up to Darwin for a finals game.

I for one are more than happy with the stance the club had taken. If Rubbers wanted Mouse here for the camp and he refused, then I'll back Rubbers 1000%.

Not the way you want to end a career at the club. I didn't enjoy Max Maynard lining up for another club when he parted ways either all those years back but the club is bigger than the individual. That's the way it is and the way is should be.

And finally, FFS forget about the loses, the Bays still have a very strong side and will be right up there.

[milbo]

Fair enough. Thats your opinion. Im happy with that.

Im just disappointed at what is the loss of a real genuine GREAT of the club. Along with some other personal favorite players.

Could mouse have played a reserves game or 2 to prove his worth then?? or as a "penalty" for missing the camp?