A coffee date has the entire footy talking as a great weighed in on his own experiences. Plus why the rest of the AFL should be scared of the newest destination club.
In and Under delves into footy’s hottest topics, with insights from behind the scenes.
PART OF ALLEN-MITCHELL MEETING GREAT ‘CAN’T FATHOM’
Who knew two blokes getting a coffee could cause such a stir?
But reports that Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell met with Eagles captain and free-agent-to-be Oscar Allen in Perth this week has the footy world talking over the last 48 hours.
Some have gone so far to say the Eagles should strip Allen of the captaincy and questioned how the gun forward could possibly lead the rebuilding side moving forward.
Most acknowledge that there’s nothing wrong with out-of-contract players meeting with rival clubs in the modern landscape, with trade and free agency movement more rife than ever before. That’s something we’re going to see more and more of.
Heck, Chad Warner met with Eagles officials last off-season, so the shoe has been on the other foot (albeit, very different circumstances). And Matt Rowell caught up with the multiple Victorian clubs chasing the jet midfielder.
But it’s the timing and optics of Allen’s situation that are less than ideal. And largely the fact it became public information.
Hawthorn and Brisbane are considered the rival pack leaders for Allen’s services, having both reportedly tabled the 26-year-old a longer deal than West Coast.
Nathan Buckley believes that element of West Coast not yet being able to satisfy Allen and lock away a new deal “needs to be considered.”
But the Collingwood legend still “can’t fathom” a captain meeting with an opposition club in season, let alone ahead of Round 4.
“Given the leader of the locker room is the tone setter for the attitude and investment of the rest of the locker room,” Buckley told foxfooty.com.au.
“One, the fact it happened, two, the fact it came out, I believe it’s extremely problematic for the coach, Andrew McQualter, the team and the club. They need to face this and have some hard conversations around what the expectations are of their leadership.
“We are in the backdrop of a very modern, professional environment, but I still think there are some thresholds that shouldn’t be crossed and this is one of them.”
Buckley has been on either side of the coin during his time at Collingwood – both in trying to poach players from rival clubs as coach and being a target during his playing days as skipper.
Perhaps the most noteworthy example of the former was the Magpies’ attempt to lure Tom Lynch from Gold Coast at the end of 2018, before the Coleman medallist ultimately signed with Richmond.
On the outer? Which players should leave | 06:59
“You meet with players periodically. Tom Lynch met with clubs when he decided he was leaving, which was quite late in the season,” Buckley recounted.
“I know Collingwood was told he was leaving, it was just a matter of to where, and that Cold Coast was somewhat aware of that.
“There are nuances to different situations. Post Round 3 is a bit different, there’s a whole season to play and out and so much that can and will happen.
“(Players meeting with other clubs) happens, let’s be under no illusion. Happening is one thing and it getting out in the public forum is another. It creates a whole raft of challenges you probably wouldn’t have anticipated.”
As for when he was playing, Buckley recalled a cheeky recruiting bid from legendary Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy during a casual conversation while walking back to their cars from the MCG way back when.
Not that the 2003 Brownlow medallist at first realised it was a pitch.
“I was walking out of the MCG back when players used to park in the Yarra parklands. I ended up getting to my car around the same time Kevin Sheedy was heading out to his,” Buckley recollected.
“I initially thought we were just talking, then I got the gist about two or three minutes in when he asked me: ‘Are you happy in life? Are you happy where you are?’ — I knew what was going on,” Buckley chuckled.
“But that was a very incidental, one-on-one conversation that’s going to take place from time to time.”
Buckley said that was the only direct conversation he ever had with a member of a rival club, having never considered leaving Collingwood after moving from the Brisbane Bears.
“That is what managers are for,” Buckley continued. “I’ve got no doubt there would’ve been a fair few questions asked (about him) at different times.”
“Managers become the stopgap and dam wall between the quarantines of a professional in their environment absolutely committing to what the club and team needs and to their football career. At various times, the manager chooses to let something through the dam wall regarding this theory or that theory.
“They’ll end up reading the cues on whether it needs to be considered seriously, or whether it just goes back to the ether, which is where most of it was for me.
“I was absolutely committed to Collingwood and never going anywhere. Craig Kelly, my manager at the time, was aware of that and it never really progressed beyond there being a few knocks at the door. That should be expected for a high performer in their industry.”
… SO HOW WORRIED SHOULD THE REST OF THE AFL BE ABOUT DESTINATION HAWKS?
Very worried.
Allen isn’t the only player that’s been linked to Hawthorn, with the likes of Harley Reid and Zak Butters also reportedly on the club’s radar as Sam Mitchell’s side looks to get even stronger in a scary prospect for the rest of the league.
It comes despite the ladder-leading Hawks already being 4-0 and the flag frontrunners in the early parts of this season after acquiring defensive duo Tom Barrass and Josh Battle last off-season in a huge double coup.
Hawthorn couldn’t raid three Eagles stars in two years, surely!?
Well, the Hawks are very much a destination club again – perhaps the destination club in the AFL – led by Mitchell’s aggressive recruiting drive in a fast-tracked rebuild that’s taking the competition by storm.
It takes you back to the mid-2010s when it felt like every player on the market was linked to that dynasty Hawthorn side, landing the likes of Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, James Frawley, Jack Gunston and David Hale from rival clubs to contribute to its premiership success.
The Hawks already have several players on their list recruited from rival clubs — Barrass, Battle, Mabior Chol, Massimo D’Ambrosio, Jack Ginnivan, Gunston (twice), Karl Amon, Sam Frost, Jarman Impey, Lloyd Meed and Jack Scrimshaw.
Such a recruitment drive after building a foundation through the draft is a proven blueprint for success over the years, though the increase in player movement has made trade and free agency mechanisms more important than ever.
It’s a strategy Sam Mitchell has been ahead of the rest of the AFL with, according to Kangaroos legend David King, both in the way the Hawks coach has gotten on the front foot and through the all-encompassing pitches to lure players.
“It highlights the competition has been asleep at the wheel in terms of player acquisition. The Hawks have discovered a method that clearly embraces all facets of the player they’re attracting,” King told foxfooty.com.au.
“Whether it be the family or partner or the lifestyle of the financial side of things. It’s not just, ‘Come play for us for $6 million over six years’, or, ‘We want to play you on a half-forward flank or give you midfield time’.
“Coaches are getting involved, coach’s partners are getting involved. The personal touch and the actual investment in the family you’re acquiring – not just the player you’re acquiring.
“It’s nothing to do with how many kicks, marks and handballs that player can get for you, it’s how can we make you part of our football club. You being your wife, your kids, your parents, the lot.
“They’ve gone deeper than most and they’ve been more aggressive ad upfront than most. And I just think they’ve caught the competition napping. It’s an approach that’s hit the competition hard and left them for dead.
“Sam Mitchell and the Hawthorn Football Club have come up with a method that others, to be fair, have been slack in their endeavour and basically been left for dead for 12 to 18 months.”
‘Less room for error the way he does it’ | 02:14
It’s possible we’re in for another Hawks golden era, with the potential for this young side — that still has a profile closer to a rebuilding team than a contender — to go all the way in 2025 then top up with more starpower.
The Hawks have Carlton’s first-round pick — currently the No. 3 pick — after West Coast preferred Hawthorn’s first-rounder in the Barrass deal, plus two future first-rounders to use as trade capital.
Hawthorn’s talented list will already be hard to keep together, given how many of its emerging stars will be due for big pay upgrades in the coming years. Throw in another big-money recruit or two and it will only become trickier.
Other clubs will ask the question of free agent James Worpel and be eyeing lesser names that can’t break into the senior side, like Henry Hustwaite and Jai Serong.
But why would any player want to leave the opportunity to be part of this seriously special group right now? They’re a destination club for a reason.
“The days are gone of just walking in and saying: ‘Here’s the big contract, here’s the money. Let’s go’. If you think they’re still here you’re wearing flares,” King added.
“What we have learned is it’s now a more holistic approach, detailed approach and family-centric approach. With a long-term view — not just what you can do for the football club on field.
“The competition should be afraid of what Sam’s doing, absolutely they should be. Because the presentation is bloody good and has proven effective. It’s really not all about money.
“I know for a fact Battle was offered more to stay at St Kilda than what he got at Hawthorn, but he chose to leave anyway. I think that gives you an indication of where things are at.”
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