By now you should be aware that Ben McEvoy and Nick Dal Santo are no longer with the StK football club. Many fans are disappointed at losing two players who still had a lot to contribute on the field. I share that disappointment (they were two of my favorite players), but I think there's a bigger problem.
StK is a club that is about to lose it's leadership. Milne, Kosi, and Blake have all retired and it won't be long for Reiwoldt and Hayes. So who will be left? Maybe Montagne? I had thought the plan included Dal and Ben, but now, of course, it doesn't. So it looks like the next club captain will be a younger player, because there's a huge, empty gap between the veterans and the up-and-comings.
But the most damaging aspect of these two losses is the message it sends to the young players. Loyalty is huge in footy. To be successful, a club needs a combo of experienced veterans, strong mid-career players who are planning to stick around, and eager newcomers who are excited to learn and show their potential. In order to achieve that, those mid-career players have to be loyal to the club. They're the ones who eventually become the stalwart veterans. If great players routinely depart with 4-6 years left on their careers, all you're left with is washed-up has-beens who are only around because no other club wants them. I haven't seen a premiership team yet who has any of that sort of players.
And loyalty begets loyalty. When the mid-careers show their loyalty to the club, it inspires loyalty in the younger players. When the club shows loyalty to the mid-careers, it makes the younger players excited to be a part of the club. If I were a young player like Curren, Lee, Steven, or Webster (all likely to be very good players), the lesson I'd learn from this (and Goddard's departure) is that if this club thinks they can get more use from trading you than from playing you, they'll ship you off in a heartbeat. It took them about three hours to shake hands on McEvoy and they held out as long as they could for the best deal on Dal Santo (but clearly, they had every intention of trading him). And in both cases, the club did not know exactly what it would get in return.
Yes, I know it's part of the game. And sure, the players could have protested. But honestly, would you want to play for a club that would really rather have draft picks and lesser-caliber players instead of you?
This leaves a foul odor in the air, and I think the overall effect on the younger players will be negative.
