My biggest concern out of this circus...

[milanja]

I think the fact that it's happened before the boys have reconvened for pre-season will definitely mean there's less of an affect on team morale.

There's a lot of changes to the team this year which means this squad needs to build new relationships and that can always be a real positive and fresh change. The morale of the squad will be dictated by the off-season not by Pearce leaving IMO.

My biggest concern from the fall out of this and I've already posted it elsewhere is that I think we've undermined what we stand for as a club or at least the direction we had been headed in. What message does this send to a youngster who wanted to be a one club man at our club? What message does this send to the fan base about our clubs attitude to one club players? No player is bigger than the club but there's no doubt supporters want to see one club players and they want to believe the the romance in the game is still alive and real.

Fans are definitely feeling more disenfranchised that ever before, so how does this affect those fans?

There's a lot of people who will say winning premierships is all that matters but I don't buy that. A club has to stand for more than just winning premierships at all costs and that's now the difficult question... what does our club stand for?

I dont think our club has ever really stood for much, since I started supporting them, we have always tried to buy the best player, or best coach, and we have sacked coaches and got rid of players without regret, the worst for me was how quickly Murray was booted in 2001. I accepted that we are a club that does whatever to succeed, and accept that once politis goes, there probably won’t be a place for us in the Sydney area anymore.

not sure how many other clubs really stand for anything these days anymore either, long time since the dogs have been know as the family club or the entertainers, or Souths as the pride of the league(why would anybody really want to be like them).

Does any club stand for anything anymore??

[top_joe]

I think . A club has to stand for more than just winning premierships at all costs and that's now the difficult question... what does our club stand for?

I think it is clear that every player must perform in accordance to their renumeration and not bring the reputation of the club into disrepute through poor on on field or off field actions. 

[stsae]

I dont think our club has ever really stood for much, since I started supporting them, we have always tried to buy the best player, or best coach, and we have sacked coaches and got rid of players without regret, the worst for me was how quickly Murray was booted in 2001. I accepted that we are a club that does whatever to succeed, and accept that once politis goes, there probably won’t be a place for us in the Sydney area anymore.

not sure how many other clubs really stand for anything these days anymore either, long time since the dogs have been know as the family club or the entertainers, or Souths as the pride of the league(why would anybody really want to be like them).

Does any club stand for anything anymore??

Its a professional game Mingeflog.

We stand for the anthem only and that may go the way of The US soon.

We used to stand for The Transit Lounge. Thank fark that has been eliminated.

Maybe we can all stand for The Flog?

[MCMLXVI]

What message does this send to the fan base about our clubs attitude to one club players? what does our club stand for? One club players are very much the minority. It's great to look back romantically at a one club player, but that's all it is, a rare bit of fluff. Our club (at least for me) stands for that badge with the little red rooster on it, the red, the white, the blue. Our club represents the eastern suburbs. Players are just the petrol that powers the car. As others have said, they are professionals contracted to represent and perform for our club. As much as I love every player in our team, I would trade any of them for a better player, because I go for Easts, not the players. I don't care about aspiring youngsters wanting to be one club players. I doubt that there are many youngsters that strive for that anyway.

[stsae]

What message does this send to the fan base about our clubs attitude to one club players? what does our club stand for? One club players are very much the minority. It's great to look back romantically at a one club player, but that's all it is, a rare bit of fluff. Our club (at least for me) stands for that badge with the little red rooster on it, the red, the white, the blue. Our club represents the eastern suburbs. Players are just the petrol that powers the car. As others have said, they are professionals contracted to represent and perform for our club. As much as I love every player in our team, I would trade any of them for a better player, because I go for Easts, not the players. I don't care about aspiring youngsters wanting to be one club players. I doubt that there are many youngsters that strive for that anyway.

This.

Respec you roman numeral flog.

[4 the all in brawl]

Does any club stand for anything anymore??

The Warriors do,

The Culture of Losing!!!!!

[4 the all in brawl]

What message does this send to the fan base about our clubs attitude to one club players? what does our club stand for? One club players are very much the minority. It's great to look back romantically at a one club player, but that's all it is, a rare bit of fluff. Our club (at least for me) stands for that badge with the little red rooster on it, the red, the white, the blue. Our club represents the eastern suburbs. Players are just the petrol that powers the car. As others have said, they are professionals contracted to represent and perform for our club. As much as I love every player in our team, I would trade any of them for a better player, because I go for Easts, not the players. I don't care about aspiring youngsters wanting to be one club players. I doubt that there are many youngsters that strive for that anyway.

Well said Mr 1966?, where is the Thracian when I need him? I am crap with Roman numerals...

Most young players follow the cash once they are established as first graders. Mind you with the price of RE in Sydney, Melbourne and SE Qld I don't blame them.....

[Arties Pie]

My biggest concern from the fall out of this and I've already posted it elsewhere is that I think we've undermined what we stand for as a club or at least the direction we had been headed in. What message does this send to a youngster who wanted to be a one club man at our club? What message does this send to the fan base about our clubs attitude to one club players? No player is bigger than the club but there's no doubt supporters want to see one club players and they want to believe the the romance in the game is still alive and real.

He got ten years at the one club so I don't think the club failed him in any way, mind you he gave the club plenty of issues. All the club did is decide to go in another direction, he could have stayed and became the highest paid bench player in the comp spelling Jake from the bench, who knows maybe he could have made the Hooker position his own and resurected his NSW Rep career as his Rep career at Half is done and dusted I would say.

He chose to leave, the Club stated they wanted him to stay now whether or not they were being disingenuous I can only guess but no one here knows for sure, maybe Pearce should have been more of a team player and said "hey coach I will play where ever you put me" as he still get payed the same regardless. But he chose to throw the toys out of the cot I would assume and asked to leave his contract because the club signed the number 1 Halfback and current Australian Halfback.

[HBK]

I think Cronk will bring a really positive professional attitude to the joint & have that aura about him that the other players will gravitate toward him & the team will be all good.
Winning games is the key though.

definitely. Cronk will be SBW 2.0

[Johnny Tobin]

What message does this send to the fan base about our clubs attitude to one club players? what does our club stand for? One club players are very much the minority. It's great to look back romantically at a one club player, but that's all it is, a rare bit of fluff. Our club (at least for me) stands for that badge with the little red rooster on it, the red, the white, the blue. Our club represents the eastern suburbs. Players are just the petrol that powers the car. As others have said, they are professionals contracted to represent and perform for our club. As much as I love every player in our team, I would trade any of them for a better player, because I go for Easts, not the players. I don't care about aspiring youngsters wanting to be one club players. I doubt that there are many youngsters that strive for that anyway.

Good post.

[theGman]

He got ten years at the one club so I don't think the club failed him in any way, mind you he gave the club plenty of issues. All the club did is decide to go in another direction, he could have stayed and became the highest paid bench player in the comp spelling Jake from the bench, who knows maybe he could have made the Hooker position his own and resurected his NSW Rep career as his Rep career at Half is done and dusted I would say.

He chose to leave, the Club stated they wanted him to stay now whether or not they were being disingenuous I can only guess but no one here knows for sure, maybe Pearce should have been more of a team player and said "hey coach I will play where ever you put me" as he still get payed the same regardless. But he chose to throw the toys out of the cot I would assume and asked to leave his contract because the club signed the number 1 Halfback and current Australian Halfback.

Very much agree Artie.

At this stage of his league career he could have bit the bullet and accepted the transformation to hooker and thrived to the point of representing his state and country. Think Buderus, Toovey.....former great halves.

Not so long ago Aust coach Meninga was talking up Pearce's chances as a back-up hooker to Smith off the bench.

Anyway, he's made the call, hoping for his sake his career doesn't nosedive for whatever reason.

[Cockadoodledoo]

What message does this send to the fan base about our clubs attitude to one club players? what does our club stand for? One club players are very much the minority. It's great to look back romantically at a one club player, but that's all it is, a rare bit of fluff. Our club (at least for me) stands for that badge with the little red rooster on it, the red, the white, the blue. Our club represents the eastern suburbs. Players are just the petrol that powers the car. As others have said, they are professionals contracted to represent and perform for our club. As much as I love every player in our team, I would trade any of them for a better player, because I go for Easts, not the players. I don't care about aspiring youngsters wanting to be one club players. I doubt that there are many youngsters that strive for that anyway.

This 100%. The Board hires the coach with one goal in mind, winning premierships. There are no KPI's around quota's for one club players etc. Nick Politis has a simple message to Robbo each year. Win this club a premiership. As such Robbo is given a responsibility to recruit players (I know Nick is involved as well to an extent) he believes will give him the best chance to do that, not keep the facebook fans happy. Most of them have no idea what the clubs goals are, why games are won or lost. Many of them could not even care if we won or lost, as long as they had the players out there who make them fell warm and fuzzy. There are quite a few like this here too.

This is professional sport, I just don't understand why people think NRL clubs are supposed to operate any differently to other professional sports clubs in competitions all around the world who make similar ruthless decisions. We don't want to be like some NRL clubs that are run like pub teams (The West Tigers of old, Gold Coast, Souths of old), otherwise we will end up like them. We need to benchmark against successful sporting organizations.

Ever wondered why coaches in the offseason go overseas and visit NFL teams, Premier League teams etc. It isn't just a junket, they go to see what these clubs do to ensure they are successful in their own competitions, with bigger funding. How they prepare their players to be in top shape, training programs etc. They don't invest this money to see how they can improve, only to return and run the team like it is 1956. This is not just about Pearce but any player who the club let's go or recruits. It is all done for a reason and that is to be successful. I back the coach and club for the decisions they have made.