Gavin Colville Awarded Premiership Medal

[am Bays]

then give one to scott lee, danny stevens, jeremy aufderheide, adam switala etc etc. don't "cheapen" it!

Don't forget Mark Motlop, who played evry game in 1985 but got dropped for the GF. dDopped, injured same issue, you weren't in the 20/21 that played the game you shouldn't get a medal as the rule/convention is now.

[am Bays]

Switala got dropped. Threadgold got dropped. See SANFL media release for the exact reason Colville received his.

but like them he didn't play in the same way McIntosh didn't play and shouldn't have got one.

This is the SANFL FFS, not the U/10s Auskick, where everyone gets a participation medal. Yes the club can give a momento (medal/plaque/trophy) for being part of the squad but not an actual premiership medal.

Talk about cheapening the title a "premiership player"

The more I think of this the more it is sooooooo wrong.

[CENTURION]

totally agree-now, I'm off to watch 2 men in a tinnie on the ABC. Goodnight all, god bless, xxx

[BigRed42]

Talk about cheapening the title a "premiership player"
The more I think of this the more it is sooooooo wrong.

Couldn't agree more!!!!!!!!

[Spiritof64]

I think that medallions should be given retrospectivly to every player who missed out in a GF back to 1668. (or therabouts)

I think the fact that he actually accepted it, is disappointing

[Aerie]

Switala got dropped. Threadgold got dropped. See SANFL media release for the exact reason Colville received his.

but like them he didn't play in the same way McIntosh didn't play and shouldn't have got one.

This is the SANFL FFS, not the U/10s Auskick, where everyone gets a participation medal. Yes the club can give a momento (medal/plaque/trophy) for being part of the squad but not an actual premiership medal.

Talk about cheapening the title a "premiership player"

The more I think of this the more it is sooooooo wrong.

Not cheapening at all. You ask the 21 men who won a medal on Sunday if they feel the title of premiership player has been cheapened by awarding a medal to their leader who has fought tooth and nail for the past decade for a premiership and unselfishly gave up his position in the team for the benefit of his club after injuring his shoulder in the last 5 minutes of the Preliminary Final because he was doing what he always does putting his body on the line. I bet they are all glad and grateful to the SANFL for their decision. And in the end the opinion of the premiership players means a hell of a lot more than a has been Glenelg trainer who bombards us with his thoughts from another state.

[mrjbeam1981]

what about Jon Floreani...

injury prone year, gets himself back into some form, then a crows player gets dropped and takes his spot for league side. can't get back in for the rest of the year. my heart went out to him on Sunday afternoon

[am Bays]

Hmm Confuscious say if losing arguement, attack person, forget issue......

My opinion is based on feeling both sides of the issue (country sport not elite level sport won't even pretend I can play) five years ago I was in a senior squad but missed out on playing in a A grade premiership team, on the day and at the presentations they wanted to include me but it just didn't feel right no matter what my winning mates say.

Two years later I'm in a winning side and I go to include a mate who played everygame bar two....and hs body language and verbal comments stated he didn't feel part of it.....

Maybe your right Aerie, he should get a medal for playing everygame, but I'll bet deep down he knows and it will live with him for the rest of his life the medal is a token because at the end of the day he wasn't out there playing....

Everyone well tell him they "did it for him", "that he sacrificed himself for the club", "he was there in spirit", 'they players felt him out there" and his "the epitome of courage" but the cold hard reality of the day is he didn't play and as a player (especially players at the higher levels) you know that.

You know as a professional athlete, the medal ain't quite right......

Which is why the most dedicated and hardest working person on the track next year at the Eagles will be Colville as he will want to earn a REAL premiership medalion.

PS That is how felt and how I trained the year after missing out......

PPS Funny how my opinion seems to be in accord with the majority of persons in this thread and I didn't realise I had to to be in 85 km further West to be able to have an opinion. Thanks for bringing up my past at the Bay, it is bringing back lots of good memories....Preliminary Final day 1992 to be exact....

[SnappyTom]

I dont agree with this,however,a standard was set in 97,that standard being no-standard at all.If you dont play,for mine,you dont get one.Simple.If you start handing them out to every one the gloss and prestige attached will dissapear.21 medals get struck for 21 players.

100% agree with Booney...

[Aerie]

Hmm Confuscious say if losing arguement, attack person, forget issue......

My opinion is based on feeling both sides of the issue (country sport not elite level sport won't even pretend I can play) five years ago I was in a senior squad but missed out on playing in a A grade premiership team, on the day and at the presentations they wanted to include me but it just didn't feel right no matter what my winning mates say.

Two years later I'm in a winning side and I go to include a mate who played everygame bar two....and hs body language and verbal comments stated he didn't feel part of it.....

Maybe your right Aerie, he should get a medal for playing everygame, but I'll bet deep down he knows and it will live with him for the rest of his life the medal is a token because at the end of the day he wasn't out there playing....

Everyone well tell him they "did it for him", "that he sacrificed himself for the club", "he was there in spirit", 'they players felt him out there" and his "the epitome of courage" but the cold hard reality of the day is he didn't play and as a player (especially players at the higher levels) you know that.

You know as a professional athlete, the medal ain't quite right......

Which is why the most dedicated and hardest working person on the track next year at the Eagles will be Colville as he will want to earn a REAL premiership medalion.

PS That is how felt and how I trained the year after missing out......

PPS Funny how my opinion seems to be in accord with the majority of persons in this thread and I didn't realise I had to to be in 85 further West to be able to have an opinion. Thanks for bringing up my past at the Bay, it is bringing back lots of good memories....Preliminary Final day 1992 to be exact....

Yes, I absolutely agree with the bold part of your statement and apologies for the personal attack...

However, I don't think that giving Gavin Colville a premiership medal cheapens the concept at all. It was a unique situation. He made the ultimate sacrifice for his team*. We haven't seen the likes of this since Jesus**.



* in football terms
** sorry, getting carried away

[am Bays]

Aerie, you are spot on about Colville's actions. Gavin Colville's actions will go down as one great acts of SANFL GF history, in many ways it is our version of the Peter Crimmen's episode except this time he showed the ultimate to the club cause to rule himself out. If he isn't already, his actions at 1:00 pm on Sunday have etched Gavin Colville as a legend of the Eagles footy club.

Personally it is one of the gutsiests decisions I've ever seen a footy player make. I have heard of one AFL player who alledgedly "jagged" a hamstring at the 2nd last training night before a GF, kept it quiet becasue he wanted to play but by 1/4 time he was on the bench with a tear. Lucky his team won, or he'll go down as the most selfish prick in footy history...


IMHO the beauty of sport is its gloriest uncertainties, the highs are the greatest, the lows are so painfull. That is what is so great and fulfilling about sport at the highest level. High level sport is not fair, which is what makes achievement and success in it so great and so worthwhile but defeat and loss are the worst. It is what challenges sports people to come back from adversity and face it.

To me when you start giving out awards that fly in the face of that ethos, as this is IMHO, you start playing with the whole fabric of elite and high level sport. There are always winners and losers, good luck and hard luck stories in sport that is what challenges athletes to take it up. My experience is that elite level sportsperson accept that as part of their lot, that sometimes no matter how good your preparation, no matter how good your form, no matter how good your fitness sometimes the uncertainty of sport (the footy gods as Blight would say) conspire against you.

Yes give out consolation/participation medal at the lower levels they need the encouragement. But at the elite level the one true motivation is winning and being successful and no consolation medal is going to make up for that, in Colville's mind if he is the kind of sportsman his actions demonstrated that he is at 1:00 pm on Sunday. He is not a premiership player and no medal given two days after the event is ever going to change that.

The Bottom Line, Gavin Colville is all class and true footy supporters know that from his great sacrificial act on Sunday. IMHO on reflection that is probably the moment the result became a forgone conclusion. May not be a premiership player but he is a premiership leader.

[Aerie]

Aerie, you are spot on about Colville's actions. Gavin Colville's actions will go down as one great acts of SANFL GF history, in many ways it is our version of the Peter Crimmen's episode except this time he showed the ultimate to the club cause to rule himself out. If he isn't already, his actions at 1:00 pm on Sunday have etched Gavin Colville as a legend of the Eagles footy club.

Personally it is one of the gutsiests decisions I've ever seen a footy player make. I have heard of one AFL player who alledgedly "jagged" a hamstring at the 2nd last training night before a GF, kept it quiet becasue he wanted to play but by 1/4 time he was on the bench with a tear. Lucky his team won, or he'll go down as the most selfish prick in footy history...


IMHO the beauty of sport is its gloriest uncertainties, the highs are the greatest, the lows are so painfull. That is what is so great and fulfilling about sport at the highest level. High level sport is not fair, which is what makes achievement and success in it so great and so worthwhile but defeat and loss are the worst. It is what challenges sports people to come back from adversity and face it.

To me when you start giving out awards that fly in the face of that ethos, as this is IMHO, you start playing with the whole fabric of elite and high level sport. There are always winners and losers, good luck and hard luck stories in sport that is what challenges athletes to take it up. My experience is that elite level sportsperson accept that as part of their lot, that sometimes no matter how good your preparation, no matter how good your form, no matter how good your fitness sometimes the uncertainty of sport (the footy gods as Blight would say) conspire against you.

Yes give out consolation/participation medal at the lower levels they need the encouragement. But at the elite level the one true motivation is winning and being successful and no consolation medal is going to make up for that, in Colville's mind if he is the kind of sportsman his actions demonstrated that he is at 1:00 pm on Sunday. He is not a premiership player and no medal given two days after the event is ever going to change that.

The Bottom Line, Gavin Colville is all class and true footy supporters know that from his great sacrificial act on Sunday. IMHO on reflection that is probably the moment the result became a forgone conclusion. May not be a premiership player but he is a premiership leader.

Yes, very well written and it was in this way he received the medal.

[smac]

Whether or not there is a rule, a standard has been set. Unless the SANFL will retrospectively award medals to unlucky players (Scott Lee is the one who springs to mind for me) then they should not be changing from that standard.

I think if they tried to retrospectively award them, the players concerned would tell the SANFL 'thanks, but no thanks' - in a few months time, I reckon Gavin would feel the same way. It would be very surprising if it is kept anywhere but the sock drawer.

[am Bays]

But I bet deep down to him it is a "medal" not a "premiership players medal" because they key word is he didn't play.

He didn't suit up, he didn't cross the white line in anger, his SANFL game tally is still the same as it was at 1:00 pm Sunday. He is not a premiership player, only premiership players should get premiership medals if the SANFL is the elite level competition it is suspposed to be.

Hopefully for him he becomes a premiership player next year and EARNS a medal. Earn in the athlete definaition of actually playing.

Obviously we have to agree to disagree on this one Aerie......

My final comment is Gavin Colville did a great thing on Sunday, it was the ultimate 1%er

[dinglinga]

my belief is

players kick goals
teams win games
clubs win premierships

all in all every one concerned shoul recieve reconigition

[spell_check]

But I bet deep down to him it is a "medal" not a "premiership players medal" because they key word is he didn't play.

My final comment is Gavin Colville did a great thing on Sunday, it was the ultimate 1%er

That's the same way I feel too.

[Squawk]

An emotional thread this one.....

There are many examples in sport where "extra" medals are awarded. The NBA has been quoted but other examples that spring to mind include olympic boxing (2 bronze medals awarded) and relay swims (sometimes 6 medallists but 4 swim in the final).

The SANFL decided to retrospectively award Magarey Medals to players who tied historically but 'lost' on a countback. The AFL awards Brownlows to players who tie without a countback.

In my view, the club is worth recognising. Give a medal to those who play and win, and inscribe it "player". Give another medal (either same or similar) to other contributors, but work out a policy for this. 1 league game? Administrators? volunteers (eg trainers) - hmmm. Don't know.

At the very least there seems to be an inconsistency with the policy for a Magarey (more than 1 person can receive one) and a premiership medallion (only players get one except where the Commission decides otherwise).

Overall, Colville is a rare individual in a team sport. 4 losing GFs and he sacrificed his role in the team for the greater good. An outstanding example of a Captain leading from the front with actions, not words.

[Ian]

The more I think about it, the worse it seems to me. Imagine giving the favourite for an Olympic event the gold because they were out of the final injured, it wouldn't happen, if you don't play, you don't get the medal.

[Zorro]

I agree with every word said about Colville and understand the Eagles supporters sentiments and support for the decision, but you can't deny that is very subjective and is therefore a very difficult standard to maintain. This thread has already shown the differing views and interpretations.

For what it's worth I believe you either stick with the 21 players or give some kind of medal to every employee and volunteer of the club. Assigning premiership medals on a horses for courses basis is not something we want to see.

Good luck to Gavin though.

[Dissident]

In all honesty, I don't think Gavin would consider himself a "premiership player". The medal is a recognition of his work for the club as captain and the unfortunate and depressing decision he had to make nigh on game time. But I don't think he will look at it as an equal to the other players' medals at all.

He summed it up quite well on the day he received it, to the tune of "we play a team sport for a reason. If we wanted individual honors we would play individual sports". Or, something to that effect.

As a passionate Eagles man, I imagine him going in to the Centrals rooms time after time after time - sad and depressed, giving his speech - and going home a losing grand final captain. And then to pull out of the winning grand final a few hours before the first bounce - it's the ultimate sacrifice. This is why I have an easier time accepting what happened.

But in saying that, I do understand everyone's comments about it. It's unfortunate that it's always been just the 21 players but that's the way it is. I guess it's an easy assumption that everyone playing in a grand final is part of the "best 21 players" for the club, rather than the "best 21 on that day".