Brendan Fevola’s sacking from the Brisbane Lions yesterday was to be expected. There are only so many chances football clubs are willing to give players these days, and when you run out of them as quickly as Fev, your job security tends to get a bit unstable. However, we shouldn’t let the Lions – or the AFL – off so easily.
At first, you can completely understand where the Lions are coming from.
The club accused Fevola of “serious and wilful misconduct” and “persistent breaches of his obligations as a player” in justifying the termination of his contract. One such breach was his arrest for being drunk and disorderly in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
Before that, he had already been on the wrong side of club officials.
Last September, the Lions were unusually heavy-handed in response to allegations Fevola had exposed himself to a woman at a non-club function. A bold statement was released, chairman Angus Johnson promised “the club will be taking action” and so strong was the feeling a sacking was approaching, one newspaper ran with the headline, “Brendan Fevola’s career ends in shame”.
Of course, as we now know, Fevola was eventually cleared by police of the allegations and was not let go. But the Lions had revealed their cards – Fev simply couldn’t afford to slip up again.
Yet that’s exactly what he did in Brisbane early on New Year’s Day.
Fevola could’ve gotten the message after the way his time at Carlton ended, he could’ve gotten the message after last September. He didn’t, on either occasion. That’s why it’s easy to see things from the Lions’ perspective.
But even so, scrutiny of the Lions’ decision (and the league’s involvement) should be welcomed.
Former AFL player Wayne Schwass was fuming last night, saying via Twitter that he’s been “reminded again of football’s inability to handle/address mental illness among players appropriately.” He claimed the decision had “no compassion, no understanding of underlying issues [and it’s the] worst possible message to send others suffering.”
He has a point.
Fevola has been battling depression, a gambling addiction and alcohol abuse. He is currently in a rehabilitation clinic. Now seems like the time to be supporting him, not sacking him.
Sure, there comes a time when enough is enough, but look a little closer at the Fevola rap sheet.
When you leave aside the New Year’s arrest, and remember the police cleared Fev after the September incident, what else is there?
His gambling problem and admission to rehab?
Those are the only things left, and they are most definitely not sackable offences.
Of course, the Lions may also be looking at events from Fev’s time at Carlton. But is that stuff all that relevant now? Did he not pay for those indiscretions through his sacking from the Blues over a year ago?
Then there’s the AFL’s role in all of this.
According to Caroline Wilson, who broke the story in The Age on Saturday, the AFL gave the Lions permission to spread Fevola’s payout over two seasons, as it did with St Kilda and Andrew Lovett, to ease the salary cap burden. Previously, the Lions were facing working Fevola’s entire payout under this year’s cap.
By granting permission to do this, the AFL essentially gave the Lions the green light to sack Fevola – and bend the salary cap rules in the process.
Fev has had many chances and many opportunities to get the message about his behaviour, you’ll find no debate over that here.
But it doesn’t excuse the poor handling of this situation by the Brisbane Lions and the AFL. Not by a long stretch.
What a sad way for a great player’s career to end.
You can follow Michael on twitter @mdifabrizio