After The thrill is Gone

[Doc_Tiger]

I really don't see the self satisfaction one gains from going to a club or team stacked with bought stars to win a premiership. What a hollow feeling that would be compared to what was possible with continued persistence, patience, hard work and hope.
When all is said and done, they'll have a ring, their name etched on a trophy and an army of fans from the club they stiffed that will forever remember them as the blokes that deserted them and their team mates.
I hope it's worth it for them. But as I said, I don't get it. If only there were more Wayne Pearces about these days. Never won a premiership but an absolute legend.

 

[barra]

I agree WD!

Somewhere along the way, the heart and soul of rugby league seems to have been taken out. It seems like it is all about the individual player now. Fans not even mentioned in all the contract decision making of our 'stars'… players being more interested in ticking the boxes of individual goals than being part of a 'team'. Changing clubs mid-season, laughing and smiling with the opposition after they've just been lapped, always doing "what is best for me and my family".

Meanwhile the NRL sits back and seems happy for it to continue down this path as long as the TV audience is up and the dollars roll in. There is little compensation for developing and keeping your own juniors or reward for being a one club man.

And the clubs are happy to make individuals the stars of the show and the face of the club only for them walk away halfway through the season - or even before it even starts!

The game is now its own worst enemy sometimes as it continues to erode its own core values and identity.

The fans seem to be last in line an awful lot these days.

 

[momo_amp_medo]

I really don't see the self satisfaction one gains from going to a club or team stacked with bought stars to win a premiership. What a hollow feeling that would be compared to what was possible with continued persistence, patience, hard work and hope.
When all is said and done, they'll have a ring, their name etched on a trophy and an army of fans from the club they stiffed that will forever remember them as the blokes that deserted them and their team mates.
I hope it's worth it for them. But as I said, I don't get it. If only there were more Wayne Pearces about these days. Never won a premiership but an absolute legend.

Look …. as a old magpie supporter I have been through all this before.
Seeing the battle of Roy Masters in assembling a great group of players, reaching the finals and then having Arthourson's Manly rip the heart out of the team ..... by signing 3 best players. The players responded by playing busted in the major final and got thrashed ..... by you guest it Manly.
Few years later Canterbury did the same with with Lamb and etc etc etc.
So I'm sort of over it .... not used to it .... not happy .... but bloody used to it.
It's life .... rich get fatter and the rest can get stuffed! :deadhorse:

 

[Sabre]

I really don't see the self satisfaction one gains from going to a club or team stacked with bought stars to win a premiership. What a hollow feeling that would be compared to what was possible with continued persistence, patience, hard work and hope.
When all is said and done, they'll have a ring, their name etched on a trophy and an army of fans from the club they stiffed that will forever remember them as the blokes that deserted them and their team mates.
I hope it's worth it for them. But as I said, I don't get it. If only there were more Wayne Pearces about these days. Never won a premiership but an absolute legend.

At least that one person who supports the Roosters will be happy

 

[innsaneink]

It wouldn't be hollow after working with your new mates for 10 months to a common goal.. But it wouldn't be as satisfying as winning a comp with blokes you debuted with

 

[Fade_To_Black]

Good post WD. Players these days want the instant gratification of waltzing into a team on the cusp of a premiership- ironically neither the Bulldogs or Parra are much closer to grand final glory than what WT are. Ea$t$ will continue to load their roster with premium talent in the hope that they can buy the ultimate prize ala 2013\. Unlimited funds=unlimited options. Would love a competent salary cap auditor to come in and cut a swathe through the Rorters and their "8th party agreements".

The NRL has created this era of non-loyalty by not providing adequate incentives for a club to nurture and retain local juniors through salary cap concessions and also by not providing adequate incentives for a bloke to stay a one-club man (are there in fact ANY salary cap concessions for long-term players at one single club?). Both these factors create massive greed and the farcical situation we now have in the NRL.

Would love to see a day where champions of the game (and just loyal blokes and clubs in general) can create the ultimate team environment where longevity is rewarded to both club and player. Junior, Ettingshausen, Sirro, Blocker, Benny, Gavin Miller, Garry Jack, Sterlo etc were all absolute champions of the game who stayed loyal to their clubs despite undoubtedly being offered way more money to jump to a rival club. Those days were great as a supporter, really made you more passionate and invested in your team when you got the opportunity to support certain players from the start to the end of their playing days.
Doubt we will ever see the scenes like we did at Junior's last game at Leichhardt ever again and the game is certainly very much poorer because of it.
The NRL could easily rectify this but they never will. They're useless in virtually every decision they implement these days.

Having said this, our 3 mice were basically offered the world by WT, had their every need and want catered for yet still chose to run. Sincerely hope it backfires in the worst possible way on every one of the mangy mongrels.

 

[Russell]

Good post WD. Players these days want the instant gratification of waltzing into a team on the cusp of a premiership- ironically neither the Bulldogs or Parra are much closer to grand final glory than what WT are. Ea$t$ will continue to load their roster with premium talent in the hope that they can buy the ultimate prize ala 2013\. Unlimited funds=unlimited options. Would love a competent salary cap auditor to come in and cut a swathe through the Rorters and their "8th party agreements".

The NRL has created this era of non-loyalty by not providing adequate incentives for a club to nurture and retain local juniors through salary cap concessions and also by not providing adequate incentives for a bloke to stay a one-club man (are there in fact ANY salary cap concessions for long-term players at one single club?). Both these factors create massive greed and the farcical situation we now have in the NRL.

Would love to see a day where champions of the game (and just loyal blokes and clubs in general) can create the ultimate team environment where longevity is rewarded to both club and player. Junior, Ettingshausen, Sirro, Blocker, Benny, Gavin Miller, Garry Jack, Sterlo etc were all absolute champions of the game who stayed loyal to their clubs despite undoubtedly being offered way more money to jump to a rival club. Those days were great as a supporter, really made you more passionate and invested in your team when you got the opportunity to support certain players from the start to the end of their playing days.
Doubt we will ever see the scenes like we did at Junior's last game at Leichhardt ever again and the game is certainly very much poorer because of it.
The NRL could easily rectify this but they never will. They're useless in virtually every decision they implement these days.

Having said this, our 3 mice were basically offered the world by WT, had their every need and want catered for yet still chose to run. Sincerely hope it backfires in the worst possible way on every one of the mangy mongrels.

I remember FtoB the 3 mice that chose to run - I think they were blind, well our three were.

Blind to respect, appreciation, courtesy, honour and dignity.

 

[Fade_To_Black]

You are not wrong there Russell.
Geez it would be hilarious if WT managed to jag a premiership in the next 5 years whilst these 3 Judas' never win one between them. That would be so damn sweet. Karma if you will….....

 

[earl]

You are not wrong there Russell.
Geez it would be hilarious if WT managed to jag a premiership in the next 5 years whilst these 3 Judas' never win one between them. That would be so damn sweet. Karma if you will….....

I have a dream and this it it.

 

[tig_prmz]

lol the board's gone, coaches have gone, players have been replaced

the only thing constant is the fans, maybe we are the problem? :laughing:

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

… didn't seem too much fun at all. But I'll be there for you, as the world falls down...

 

[goldcoast_tiger]

It wouldn't be hollow after working with your new mates for 10 months to a common goal.. But it wouldn't be as satisfying as winning a comp with blokes you debuted with

I've never seen any Premiership Wimmers who have told of an empty feelings about it , but I've seen quite a few Wests Magpies that have been sorry that they stayed so long at Wests instead of going to a team with a chance of a GF. ( A bit similar?? )
Even Tommy , who would've been the most fanatical son of the Magpies would have given anything to win a premiership with anyone that he could have. That was the reason he went to Newtown when he did. ( as well as Singos money)
Even the storm don't have an empty feeling about cheating to win, they won on the day and they couldn't care less about what anyone says

 

[Cosimo_Zaretti]

Doubt we will ever see the scenes like we did at Junior's last game at Leichhardt ever again and the game is certainly very much poorer because of it.

That was the first live game I ever went to, aged 7\. Made me a Tigers tragic.

 

[Fade_To_Black]

Doubt we will ever see the scenes like we did at Junior's last game at Leichhardt ever again and the game is certainly very much poorer because of it.

That was the first live game I ever went to, aged 7\. Made me a Tigers tragic.

That would of made a lifelong impression without a doubt. Magic day, an appropriate send-off for the best skipper a team could hope for. Pity we were on the losing end that day. An absolute champion who never got the ultimate reward footy-wise.
The days of club legends like Junior are gone unfortunately.

 

[mightymagpie]

Good post. Sadly it seems those days are gone. Look at Cronulla last year. Won the comp with only 1 local junior (think that's correct anyway).
I don't think their fans really care. And I don't think the players really care neither.
Imagine if we assembled a premiership winning team with all this money we now have. Would it still feel hollow?

 

[Winnipeg]

All the players leaving are young enough to have tHe majority of their careers at their new clubs and become a 'bulldogs legend' or 'Roosters legend' or whatever.

The media would rather promote one of those over a 'wests tigers legend' any day of the week.

Their time here will be largely forgotten or to put it a better way, airbrushed

 

[earl]

I want these guys to be forgotten or rather remembered as the scummy traitors that they are.

 

[Trisdar]

Their time at Tigers won't be forgotten.
This will stay with them their whole career.
Especially when their new teams. One up against us.

 

[Doc_Tiger]

Good post. Sadly it seems those days are gone. Look at Cronulla last year. Won the comp with only 1 local junior (think that's correct anyway).
I don't think their fans really care. And I don't think the players really care neither.
Imagine if we assembled a premiership winning team with all this money we now have. Would it still feel hollow?

You're missing the point of the original post. The cash we have is due to an enormous loss of talent and investment. We're starting again rather than paying a motza for the final piece of an already star studded team. Would a win for us under these circumstances feel hollow? I think not.

 

[kh_canada]

I don't think it necessarily matters whether or not the current roster includes juniors from NYC who grew up playing together or one-team players.; I think the point is, if you have a team who have played a **few years** together who go on to win a grand-final, the emotion surrounding that win is a lot stronger in my opinion due to the team having to go through years of hard work to get where they are.

But on the other end of the spectrum, if you have a team who buys talent and then immediately win a grand final the following year, the win is no less satisfying I just think from the outside it isn't a fairytale premiership unlike what the Tigers achieved in '05.