Mal Michael to Essendon!

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Michael backflips to be Bomber

FORMER Brisbane Lions defender Mal Michael has back-flipped on retirement plans, with Essendon announcing today it will sign him on a two-year deal.

Michael announced his retirement in October, citing a lack of motivation and wanting to spend more time working on charitable projects in his native Papua New Guinea.

But Essendon has committed to taking Michael with its first selection in the pre-season draft next month.

It is believed Brisbane is furious with Michael's decision, with his retirement just prior to October's trade week meaning the Lions were unable to get anything for him.

Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy said Michael's move back to Melbourne had led to him rethinking his retirement.

"We believe he has a lot of football still left in him . . . we think he can be a very important player for us for at least the next couple of years," Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy said.

"He will provide us with some real strength and experience in defence while we continue to develop some of our younger players for key defensive roles.

"Physically he is in very good condition and the time away has freshened him up mentally."

The 29-year-old will commence training with Essendon in mid-December.

Michael has played 201 games for Collingwood and Brisbane and was part of the Lions' three premiership sides.

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I really think that Lethal has big problems up there at Brisbane.

Players leaving in droves, and now Mal Michael who stated he will never return to the game, has signed up for two years with Essendon!

I find it extremely hard to believe that he retired without any intention of doing something like this....

[smac]

I really think that Lethal has big problems up there at Brisbane.

I reckon Sheedy has bigger problems signing up players that can only offer short term value. Long term gains need to be made otherwise we wind up like Carlton.

[Blue Boy]

The lions seem to be pretty peeved @ this decision by big Mal !!!

[Footy Chick]

More of a case of Brisbane has lethal problems perhaps???

[Zorro]

The lions seem to be pretty peeved @ this decision by big Mal !!!

And rightly so. The AFL needs to make a stand on this one by making him see out his contract with Brisbane. If he has to stand out of footy for a year its likely he'll 'retire' again but so be it. Otherwise Brisbane have released a contracted player for no compensation.

IMHO this is also poor form by Sheeds after the recent collaboration from all clubs on the decision re Ramanauskas.

[JK]

Agreed Zorro ... There's strict penalties for draft tampering and this is akin to it imho.

[heater31]

The AFL needs to make a stand on this one by making him see out his contract with Brisbane. If he has to stand out of footy for a year its likely he'll 'retire' again but so be it. Otherwise Brisbane have released a contracted player for no compensation.

Iraq will buy a conatainer load of Bibles before this will happen

[Roylion]

I really think that Lethal has big problems up there at Brisbane.

Players leaving in droves,

Why is this necessarly a problem with Matthews?

Ageing premiership players were always going to retire or be delisted at some point. We all knew a player exodus was coming. Matthews and the board met at the end of 2002 and made a conscious decision to go for three or four premierships by retaining their older better players instead of rebuilding. There was gouing to be be some 'pain' along the way at some stage. This meant also that at some point there was going to be a number of premiershp heroes who retired or would be delisted in a short period of time.

The only one who truly 'left' was Akermanis and now perhaps Michael.

Voss - retired. Body couldn't take anymore.
B.Scott - retired. 30 odd.
Keating - delisted
Attard - delisted

Re-signed over the off season
- Michael Rischitelli
- Justin Sherman
- Joel Patfull
- Tim Notting
- Beau McDonald
- Jason Roe
- Cheyenne Stiller
- Scott Harding

and now Mal Michael who stated he will never return to the game, has signed up for two years with Essendon!

Obviously had a "re-think". According to the Lions' CEO, Michael refused a trade to a Melbourne club in the trade period. I'm not surprised, if that is the case that the Lions are annoyed.

[TroyGFC]

Well very pi$$ed off if this is the case, the AFL should step in and make Mal either sit out next season or reinburse Brisbane with money. This is a very under the table dealing IMO.

[Coorong]

WELL, dont be too surprised if recently retired Carltons DeLuca follows the same path.

Seems a loop hole exists that will be closed but a tad too late.

On radio and TV in Melbourne today this has got a lot of airplay and legal challenges that have caused the lawyers here to party!

[sydney-dog]

this is a disgrace,
Mal your a disgrace and the Bombers you are not much better

Firstly, Mal advised the club he wished to retire from footy, based on this position the Lions agreed to terminate the final year of his agreement

Mal, now wants to play for the Bombers and the Bombers have signed him

Memo to Mal and Sheed's - no very ethical

To me, this should be a no brainer, I can not see the AFL allowing Mal to register for the draft, this will set a precedent the AFL will not want followed...

How will the Power feel if Dew now went to the Crows

This is a easy fix, their needs to be a standard clause in all player agreements, that clearly states if a player is to retire prior to seeing out his current contract term, the club may terminate his agreement, how ever if a player choses to re-register as a player prior to the expiry date of his last contract, he must either step out of football until the contract has passed the expiry date of his last registered contract or he can be registered on the list of his last club providing their is a spot available and the club meets salary club requirements

POOR Form Mal, whether this was a pre-strategy or not, Essendon should of showed stronger ethical behaviour, considering all other 15 clubs have just supported the Bombers with the Rama situation

[Coorong]

Thats the loop hole and it cannot be made retrospective.

Not saying I agree with it but given then situation Mal will line up with the Bombers. For the pre-season draft, the Blues have allready named Ackland at 1. The Bombers can now (and have) named Mal at 2.

Not a Bombers fan, but they have circumnavigated the rules and good on em too.

[sydney-dog]

Coorong

Agree in regards to the loop hole, their may be nothing the AFL or the Lions can do, other then closing the loop hole and preventing future occurances

BUT if the Lions can provide enough doubt the Bombers tampered with the draft rules and encouraged Mal to prevent a trade and retire, then the AFL may have the power to prevent the contract moving forward

If it was my club "Essendon" I would not want them to go down this path, it's just my personal view

[Dutchy]

well we have Pick 3...any more out there??? Whats the chance of the Roos calling Dewie?

[Coorong]

Dutchy..... DeLuca?

[sydney-dog]

lets not forget

this is the same club that asked all 15 clubs to support the Rama proposal as it was in the spirit of the game

but also asked all the 15 clubs, if the AFL would not rule in the Bombers favour to show good faith and not draft Rama

This Mal case may be a legal loop hole but it is poor form

[Dutchy]

lets not forget

this is the same club that asked all 15 clubs to support the Rama proposal as it was in the spirit of the game

but also asked all the 15 clubs, if the AFL would not rule in the Bombers favour to show good faith and not draft Rama

This Mal case may be a legal loop hole but it is poor form

However should the Crows finish 16th next year and Gibbs "retires" from AFL footy after a year, you would be fine with it?

[sydney-dog]

Dutchy

mate, I would love to see Gibbs one day wear the tri colour jumper, but definitely not in this manner

this situation stinks

Mal said tonight, a lot of people come out of retirement

he has been retired for 6 weeks,

[Dutchy]

Agree with you - how about having a crack at the Bombers regarding their mature age recruits???they are the new Kanagroos!!!

[sydney-dog]

Dutchy

Mate, I think the Bombers recruiting strategy in recent seasons has been very poor at best, they continue to recycle players but Sheedy keeps bluffing the football public that they are re-building

I hope this all blows up in their face

Memo to Mal Michael, from someone who owns his own business

Mal, has publically stated his intensions to be a successful business person after his footy career has finished, in business, if you want to be respected, you must act in an ethical manner, be transparent and always aim to act "in good faith"

you can not put a $$$ value on having an ethical reputation, both Mal and the Bombers may have done some damage to their own reputations