On SEN today, KB was trying to stir up some trouble by asking the resident journo if ROK was left out because of unrest at the club. The journo's response was simply that during pre-season, ROK was so far behind his teammates in pace that they started to have a bit of fun at his expense. When the end comes, it comes quickly, and that is why he wasnt in our team. No conspiracy theory, no unrest - he simply didnt have the pace.
Ah, the good ol' Occam's Razor. Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one. It is a shame because he is a champion of our club, one of a select few who are dual premiership players, and will be remembered as our first ever Norm Smith Medallist, but even champions have to call time at some point. Even Jude knew when to go out.
The latest rumour mill is that O'Keefe and Franklin had a heated argument last Thursday at training and that all is not well at the Swans. Dean Moore was on 3AW and categorically denied it, said he rang Ryan and Ryan just laughed. Of course the commentators said where there is smoke there is fire and that there are lot of unSydneylike things coming out. Maybe that's true but I firmly believe that in the past there would have been things that happened, arguments etc but until Buddy's arrival we were insignificant in the AFL media, except for Hall's brain fade of course.
So true. Because of Buddy we're under a lot more 'scrutiny', if that's the right word for the attentions of the lazy and cretinous Melbourne media bubble.
I think this is ridiculous. There was evident genuine delight and support for Franklin as the players surrounded him when he kicked that goal on Saturday. Macca said in an interview before the match that the players don't care who earns what - all they care is that players buy into what the Swans are aiming to do and that Franklin has done that.
If ROK had blown GWS apart in the last quarter there might be reason to be suspicious there was more than form behind his omission from the first team chosen. But he didn't. Why should we doubt what Longmire said? ROK got pushed out by a younger group for the first match. In announcing the team Longmire went to great length to say he expected ROK to be a big contributor over the year on a match-up basis.
These commentators are just looking for a sensational headline.
ROK would also be perturbed about the great treatment that the club offered Jude Bolton in 2013, and would feel that he was owed the same curtesy!Originally Posted by Xie Shan
After the 2012 Grand Final, John Longmire said that he did not know if Jude Bolton would go on! He was 32 and had sustained some damage to his knee during the 2012 season. Bolton who was out of contract, took some time to make his decision. He came back and said he wanted to play on! The club then organised a contract to take him through 2013. It was the least that could have been done for a two time premiership hero and club stalwart. He then got to play most senior games in 2013 in a specially designed forward role! He was never dropped!
ROK has seen what happened and wondered why could something not be worked out for me in 2014, like it was for Jude in 2013! Instead he has to fight his way back into the side!
I meant to add above - and there haas been a line of players re-signing contracts since they have known about Franklin's deal. That doesn't sound to me that there is something wrong in the club. In McGlynn's interview following his re-signing he made a point of saying how well he had been treated by the Swans ever since he made the move from Hawthorn. He looked genuinely delighted.
The team played poorly on Saturday. It's hardly the first time and unfortunately probably not the last time. I'm sure that's what the coaches and the players are now concentrating on.
Sorry, but little of that makes any sense. ROK was in contract at the end of 2013 (hence he is still on the list), so there was no need to work out a one year deal for him. There may or may not be at the end of 2014, depending on how the season unfolds.
Why can we not presume that Jude was picked in the team each week on merit. There was a clear role for him to play, and one he played pretty well throughout the year. There was no-one in the reserves capable of playing the role that he was keeping out of the team as a favour to him.
Why can we not presume that Longmire and the rest of his coaching panel will also pick the 2014 each week on merit. That may or may not include ROK each week. What exactly needs to be "worked out" for ROK?
Sadly it is part of the human condition that we (or some of us) like to see others fail. Discord makes better stories than harmony. Clubs and the media see us as a contender, and some are irritated that the club has broken the rules by staying relatively competitive over a fair stretch of years. Didn't the Swans realise it was their duty to languish down the bottom of the ladder for a few years to give richly deserving clubs like Carlton and Richmond their shot at success? Two premierships in less than a decade was certainly one too many; for some it was two too many. When will these interstate clubs realise they are only there to pad out the ladder so the venerable Victorian teams can look down from an even greater height when it's their turn at the top of the ladder? Between Brisbane, Port and West Coast (and maybe soon Freo and then GC and GWS) we really haven't understood how things are meant to work.
I'd be disappointed if players at the club didn't get into heated arguments from time to time. They pride themselves on plain talking, on calling out a mate who isn't doing "the team thing". They are (we hope) driven to succeed. There have to be disagreements now and again - hopefully constructive but I doubt they are all the time, at least not at first.
I can see why the coaching panel made their decision on ROK, but I think Jude had a dignified finish to his Swans career! Arguments can be made about the relative performance and positional requirements of Jude in 2013 and ROK in 2014, but I hope ROK has an equally dignified finish as Jude when the time comes!
I do too. ROK has been one of my favourite players for a long time. I hope he has a great season. But I have no expectations that the club will pick him on sentiment rather than merit. It has to be up to him and the club to find a way to use him that will be of benefit to the club.
Not getting selected in the original side for round 1 doesn't necessarily spell the end. Brad Sewell (who, as you'd remember, was right up there with ROK as one of the best players in the 2012 grand final and who also shares ROK's lack of pace) was dropped for a while from Hawthorn's side last year. But he worked his way back in and picked up a premiership medal. He's also still going in 2014.
Get the impression that Jude was one of the best clubmen ever. Never head ROK even close to being described that.
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