Poor Little Finch Boy

"It is not often that a person - let alone a rugby league player - gets a chance to rub the decision of a former boss back in his face. But that is exactly what Brett Finch will have on Sunday when the Melbourne Storm play Parramatta in this year's NRL grand final."LeagueHQ.com.auIf I seriously have to read one more of these Poor Little Finch Boy articles, I'm going to puke. This portrayal of Brett Finch having been spurned by his club and going on to guide his new side to a grand final is a re-writing of history convenient to journalists who don't know how to find an angle for a sporting story unless it smacks of a Shakespearian tragedy.I'm not taking a shot at Brett Finch here, every interview I've seen with him in the past couple of days, he's desperately tried to dodge this question and journalists attempt to beat up a rivalry that doesn't exist. However, the record needs to be set straight.Parramatta didn't axe Finch. Finch asked for a release after being told he wasn't playing well enough to hold his spot at the Eels.Players have contracts. They don't have to go anywhere. There was no way that Parramatta could force Finch out if he didn't want to go.The reality is Anderson told Finch he wasn't playing well enough to lead the Eels around the park. Had he not quit after his shocking performance against the Roosters, chances are he would have been playing for Wentworthville the following week. He's not the only who's faced that fate. Krisnan Inu was punted back to Wentworthville, so was Ben Smith. Both worked their arses off and won their way back into the NRL side and are now back to their very best form.Make no mistake, Finch took the easy option. He took a pay-out, avoided having to work his way out of reserve grade and instead landed a cruisy role playing a supporting half role for one of the premiership's leading teams.Again, I don't blame Finch for doing that. It was the best option for him, it was the best option for the club. But spare me, the cast-off pity card.Here's a helping hand for those journalists who can't find a real story. Let's dig up all the quotes from all the so-called experts who wrote Parramatta off once Finch left.Let's dig up all the quotes from those who described Jeff Robson as not being fit to shine Finch's boots (all words to that effect). All the snide remarks aimed at Daniel Anderson for having the temerity to tell one of his leading players that his form wasn't up to scratch.The fact was Daniel Anderson came into the club and had to change a culture. The club had become too comfortable. Combine Michael Hagan's laid back style, with the influence of the good-time brigade of senior players - led by Finch and former Eel Mark Riddell, and you had a culture that was never going to be conducive to any type of turnaround.Finch is a character. He's popular with the players. But he's also a person who last year told media that he wouldn't comply a drinking ban that was floated by former CEO Denis Fitzgerald. With Daniel Anderson needing to change the mindset in the club, there simply wasn't room for a personality as big as Finch and which was so counter to the disciplined culture Anderson was trying to instill.From a playing perspective, Finch wasn't up to, and has never been up, being the main playmaker. He's all but admitted that, himself. Again, it wasn't his fault that Parramatta tried to force-fit him into that role. But he was being paid like a main playmaker and not delivering anywhere near value for that money.Finch is a great fit in a team filled with senior players. He helps team bonding and takes on a lot of the media role, other players may not enjoy so much. He's also a reasonable five-eighth when he doesn't have to do a lot except float around and chime in on occasions. He was great for us in 2007 and he fits like a glove at Melbourne right now, but he wasn't what Parramatta or Daniel Anderson needed this year.And that there, my friends, is the story. The story of a coach, who has shown all year that he is brave enough to make tough decisions and be brutally honest with every player on his roster, regardless of their standing or salary. And the story of a side, who has made the grand final despite the fact that they're leading playmaker pissed off for a cushier role.

I don't suppose anybody has ever stopped to ask the question why Finch was 'released' whilst under contract, the weekend after Mason and Miles were stood down for 'drinking' during the week prior! If 'drinking' was such taboo at the Roosters, why did the coach get so drunk that he forgot which was his room in N Qld? Or how Nate Myles found himself balls deep in shit in the corridor of a Terrigal hotel??

Maybe Miles and Mason were stood down for doing something slightly more serious than 'drinking'. Maybe Finch was released because he happened to be with Mason and Miles at the time?? Maybe Finch never pressed our club for compensation due to a breach of contract because the real 'truth' of the matter potentially was more damaging to him than us??

I like Finch and I'm pleased he's doing well for the Storm. Obviously the Eels boys still like him as per the remarks in the Herald today from Robson, Hindmarsh and Ben Smith, however, I cannot feel 'sorry' for him!

"I wouldn't call Da Silva a cancer. He was happy to stick with Wests if they provided him a plan post Api but Wests just said better off going now. He wanted to stay for 2026. I wouldn't call that cancerous."

Replies

Active September 28, 2009 at 11:24am

Agree, Agree, Agree
valdo September 28, 2009 at 11:41am

He didn't play particularly well at Parra anyway. Media hype to grind every detail out of the GF is 90% garbage..
Bourbon Man September 28, 2009 at 11:56am

I don't suppose anybody has ever stopped to ask the question why Finch was 'released' whilst under contract, the weekend after Mason and Miles were stood down for 'drinking' during the week prior! If 'drinking' was such taboo at the Roosters, why did the coach get so drunk that he forgot which was his room in N Qld? Or how Nate Myles found himself balls deep in shit in the corridor of a Terrigal hotel??

Maybe Miles and Mason were stood down for doing something slightly more serious than 'drinking'. Maybe Finch was released because he happened to be with Mason and Miles at the time?? Maybe Finch never pressed our club for compensation due to a breach of contract because the real 'truth' of the matter potentially was more damaging to him than us??

I like Finch and I'm pleased he's doing well for the Storm. Obviously the Eels boys still like him as per the remarks in the Herald today from Robson, Hindmarsh and Ben Smith, however, I cannot feel 'sorry' for him!
- xr8sk > Bourbon Man September 28, 2009 at 12:43pm
  
  its a quite interesting theory....
xr8sk September 28, 2009 at 12:02pm

to me Brett Finch was only a short term fix for the team when he was signed until guys like KK were ready to take the lead. Atleast DA was honest and upfront with him with his plans.

Parra will be better off without him....goodluck to him at the Storm...
Nidge September 28, 2009 at 12:08pm

I thank Brett Finch for going.. It was 1 of the many catalysts to our season turnaround!
Pat September 28, 2009 at 1:02pm

Could not agree more. It is also interesting to note that Ben Smith did not handle the treatment of Finch well. Finch electing to leave the club was a blessing simply from the point of view it did not promote any more player unrest. As with other comments noted here was he actually capable of being a Grand Final winning halfback ???
Djl September 28, 2009 at 1:03pm

i couldnt see why they couldnt put him at five eight this year at eels and kk at halfback but him leaving is the best thing that ever happened otherwise we wouldnt of seen the evolution of daniel mortimer
Stewie September 28, 2009 at 4:37pm

Finch to show Eels who's boss? Please... There's 16 other players in the Melbourne team and he's not even they're best player!
- Jim > Stewie September 28, 2009 at 4:44pm
  
  I didn't even notice him playing Saturday