Russell Packer

[BennyV]

BennyV
My major issue is with the notion that "he owes us something" mentality.
I introduced a prisoner release work work programme in conjunction with the Salvation Army at the company I managed.
The prisoners were within 12-18 months of getting released and it was a system by with which they were getting ready for release into society and were given certain rights and privileges including the opportunity to work and live independently within the goal system.
We had all sorts murderers, drug runners, car thieves, gun runners but we stopped short of accepting pedophiles and DV people.
Some worked out great and some had no idea and quickly found their way back into the prison system due to being non compliant.
We employed them all as casuals and received no tangible benefit for having them other than the fact most were very compliant and extremely thankful for the opportunity and all said and done the worst day on the outside was better than the very best day on the inside so absenteeism with them was almost non existent.
After their tenure with us they mostly wanted to go onto other careers, return to the demographic region they came from and their families and most importantly get on with life in a normal manner.
I initially thought they owed us a bit more than that but after discussing things with them I learnt that all said and done it was a business arrangement that suited all parties at the given time and that they were now free and should start making good decisions to ensure their futures.
In fact after careful consideration it was obvious that the company had got the better end of the deal initially.
Many came back to see me from time to time to let me know how they were going and occasionally ask for advice and it was thanks enough to know that they had turned into good law abiding family people and were making careful decisions to ensure their futures and that of their families.
Neither myself nor the company could claim any real glory for what transpired as it took steely determination from the participant to make it work and in the end we were just happy to be part of a system that gave people a chance instead of condemning them to the social scrap heap.
Anyway we all have different points of view and whatever big Russell does I for one am glad he played with us and if he goes elsewhere I believe it will only be because he is once again making good decisions for himself and his family and I will hold no malice or feeling of being cheated.

As I said, it's not black or white. Owing us something doesnt mean he has to sign with us for a meat pie and a coke, but it also doesnt mean the guy should be cursed down if he opts to leave. A big part of what he owed us was to make the most of the opportunity we gave him and use his skills and a footballer and a leader on the field and he's certainly doing that.

I may be being a bit pedantic, but the term 'he owes us nothing' IMO is rubbish, because we were the ones to take the risk on him. He doesn't necessarily need to continue repaying it for the rest of his life, but the hard work that you refer to is definitely part of repaying the faith we put in him.

And you're being modest BTW, what you and your company did was very admirable and you should be proud of it.

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

My crystal ball tells me have no fear........reveal day is very close......thank you for the complement...thats if your not winding me up

Complement it was.

Just after any info you can share as you seem to know a bit about the contracts for both.

Me like most others are simply speculating what could happen.

Obviously I hope we can keep both.

 

[possm]

It's not that black and white OT. You're making out like credit should only go to Packer or the club, but in reality both had a hand in it.
No one knows where big fudge would have ended up had we not initiated things while he was still in gaol, but considering no other club showed interest and he was on the verge of being deported (I believe employment with our club, including community service, formed part of the case to avoid deportation) it's not at all unreasonable to assume he may not have made it back to the top, and almost certainly wouldn't have been lining up for a test match in 2017. Plus the uni degree/s.

This doesn't at all mean that Packer didn't work hard. And yes, we benefitted from it. But considering we literally signed him from prison, at the lowest point of his life, and gave him all that we did, we are the ones who took the risk on him, notnthe other way around. Doesn't mean he should sign with us on understand, or even that he should prioritise us over other clubs. But to claim he owes us nothing is just wrong. We were a huge part of giving him the chance to get to where he is today. And I'm sure Packer knows that, being the positive sort of person that he is.

(and likewise, we owe Packer gratitude and acknowledgement for repaying the faith we showed in him by offering him a fair and reasonable contract to stay with us.)

I still believe we should have sign Packer and our other first grade players as soon as we realised the offer to Dugan was way less than his asking price and that he was not prepared to budge.

As it turns out, we most probably would have signed our other players for less than what we have to pay now and may even had enough to sign Dugan after all. If not so be it.

 

[2010]

The way all this is being handled by our recruitment is we could lose Dugan, Packer, Mann and Lafaii.

 

[possm]

The way all this is being handled by our recruitment is we could lose Dugan, Packer, Mann and Lafaii.

So do you think this as a mess? I do.

 

[denis preston]

The way all this is being handled by our recruitment is we could lose Dugan, Packer, Mann and Lafaii.

Really ? If anything if we lose all 4 we will be cashed up, and that's why this scenario doesn't make sense.How does anyone here really know how our recruitment is being handled ?

 

[cussy]

Do you have inside knowledge 2010 or just speculating?

 

[barry]

The way all this is being handled by our recruitment is we could lose Dugan, Packer, Mann and Lafaii.

I disagree, I don't believe the club is in a position to make a move on packer, Mann and Lafai until we know what's happening with Dugan, the clubs made this public aswell.

If Dugan accepts our offer I expect to keep 2 of the 3, if the club insists on keeping Dugan and up his offer we could lose more.

You have to realize that if Dugan doesn't sign the club might need to work on a back up plan which will also affect the other signings.

It sounds like the other players are willing to wait which is good.

 

[coast_dragons]

Really ? If anything if we lose all 4 we will be cashed up, and that's why this scenario doesn't make sense.How does anyone here really know how our recruitment is being handled ?

Denis other then Millward the players and managers no one knows.

The media likes to think it does but it doesn't.

Funny enough I haven't heard a whimper about lafai or Mann going anywhere its all about Dugan at present hell even the Milne rumour went quiet a few weeks back.

Seems to me lafai and Mann seem happy enough and are getting oppurtunities especially lafai and he has turned things around and i am happy as i know he's a very good centre.

If players want to move on so be it thats the nature of the game these days.

 

[OzDragon]

Packer has just officially signed with Tigers. Announced on fox.

 

[OzDragon]

^ see how easy it is to make stuff up

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

^ see how easy it is to make stuff up

I fart in your general direction.

 

[hewi]

Just proves you don't need a long neck and feathers to be a goose, I thought he would stay .

 

[possm]

Really ? If anything if we lose all 4 we will be cashed up, and that's why this scenario doesn't make sense.How does anyone here really know how our recruitment is being handled ?

The results speak for themselves. It's no good being cashed up if there is no talented first graders available in the positions we require. Dugan and Packer keeps the team together, With Hunt and maybe Lafai, Milne/Mann also being signed, we have a top side for 2018.

Lose Dugan and we need someone like Hayne to play fullback.
Lose Packer and we really need to test Kerr and Lawrie this season.
Lose Milne and we need to fix Aitken's defensive problems.
Lose Mann and we really don't have a utility player that is first grade ready.

 

[2010]

Do you have inside knowledge 2010 or just speculating?

Just speculation. Hope I'm wrong

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Complement it was.

Just after any info you can share as you seem to know a bit about the contracts for both.

Me like most others are simply speculating what could happen.

Obviously I hope we can keep both.

No worries mate.....Im just pretty confident both will stay...I dont have any info....to be honest they the players wouldnt know right now is my honest opinion....

 

[Ace-STi]

Lol now trending that now that packer signed as posted on triple M they also said last night dugan to sharks! These are listed as rumours but people seem to take them as gospel

 

[mobels]

Lol now trending that now that packer signed as posted on triple M they also said last night dugan to sharks! These are listed as rumours but people seem to take them as gospel

He's 100% gone if the rumoured numbers reported are true, and he should take it. Their offer is $150k offer more per year and another year added to it in what will be his last contract.

Hopefully we find a way to keep him as we did last year when it was pretty much 'confirmed' that we had lost Luciano.

 

[Gareth67]

Lol now trending that now that packer signed as posted on triple M they also said last night dugan to sharks! These are listed as rumours but people seem to take them as gospel

If indeed correct , I would be most disappointed . More so in losing big Russ .
One of the big yardage eaters for the team , plus one of our hard man , shall be difficult to replace .

 

[TomRedVRiver]

If we lose Packer and Dugan the club should have a look at making a big play for Gagai and Asofa-Solomona. I know that Asofa will probably not leave Melbourne, but as we might see with Packer, money can talk.