Kevin Durant announced to the world yesterday that he was taking his talents to the Bay Area and going to suit up for the Golden State Warriors. In making this decision, Durant has joined a super team as he clearly chases that elusive NBA Championship. This doesn’t just happen in the NBA, with many players in the AFL having left clubs and forced moves in order to chase the dream of winning a premiership. Durant’s move will only be considered a success if Golden State wins the championship, so it is worth looking at the AFL players that have left to chase the dream and how successful they were.
“when we come out of this and we win a Grand Final, they will make a movie and write books about us”
Brendon Goddard
The first big name player to fully utilise free agency was Brendon Goddard who left the Saints to chase a premiership with Essendon. Unfortunately for Goddard, he walked into the biggest controversy to ever engulf the AFL. The Essendon drug saga has clearly had a toll on the playing list as they have never been able to reach the heights that Goddard hoped for. In 2015, Goddard said, “when we come out of this and we win a Grand Final, they will make a movie and write books about us”. When Goddard said this, I don’t think he envisaged the Bombers being on the verge of a wooden spoon in the next season. Goddard needn’t be worried, the Bombers are prepared to give Josh Green $400K a year which should put them back on track for a premiership.
Nathan Buckley
Drafted to Brisbane through the Northern Territory zone, Buckley quickly established himself as one of the brightest young talents in the AFL. However, he felt the Melbourne sporting culture was more desirable to his needs and requested a trade from Brisbane to a Victorian club. Buckley’s choice was Collingwood where he established himself as one of the top five players in the AFL for more than a decade, winning a Brownlow Medal in 2003. However, the premiership he so desperately wanted eluded Buckley. He played in two grand finals of course, both ironically against Brisbane where he ultimately fell short. Whilst ‘Brand Buckley’ understandably took off in Victoria, the premiership medal was never draped around his neck because of the team he walked out on all those years ago.
“ I wanted to be part of something big being built..and I felt this was underway at Richmond”
Nathan Brown
At the Western Bulldogs, Nathan Brown was one of the hottest properties in the AFL where he had kicked 206 goals in a seven-year career. At the end of the 2003 season, the Bulldogs were unable to meet his demands and he sought a trade away from the club, believing that was his best option to win a premiership. Countless clubs were after him, but he settled on the Tigers as his preferred destination. On the move, Brown said “I wanted to go to one of the big clubs” and that he “wanted to be part of something big being built..and I felt this was underway at Richmond”. Brown’s first game for the Tigers was the stuff of dreams, a best on ground performance against Collingwood earning him three votes. It was in 2005 where Brown made his mark on the competition, in nine rounds he had kicked 32 goals including 19 goals in four rounds. Going into a Round 10 clash on a Friday night against Melbourne, Brown was widely regarded as the best player in the AFL. That night though, Brown suffered a sickening injury when Matthew Whelan fell across his leg. Whilst he returned to play football, he was never the same. As for his Premiership aspirations, they never materialised and he never played in a final for the Richmond Football Club in a move that was an abject failure considering the Bulldogs were finals contenders in the back half of the decade.
Chris Tarrant
Chris Tarrant was the prodigal son at Collingwood – a high-flying, big-biceped forward who eventually fell out of favour due to poor form. A move to Perth to play for Fremantle revitalised his career as he was moved into the backline to play full-back. At the end of the 2010 season, having seen many of his former teammates capture premiership glory, “Taz” decided that he wanted to finish his career back at Collingwood in the hope of winning a flag in 2011. Returning to Collingwood, Tarrant immediately took over the spot Simon Prestigiacomo had made his own. Tarrant seamlessly slotted into the Collingwood line-up and was part of the Grand Final team that took on Geelong. The Pies faltered that day and curiously Tarrant was never moved on to Tom Hawkins, who wrested the game away from Collingwood as Ben Reid was unable to quell his influence. Tarrant’s second season was marred by injuries and he retired at the end of the 2012 season, unable to claim that premiership he so desperately craved when returning to Collingwood.
James Frawley
Like Brendon Goddard before him, James Frawley exercised his free agent rights to leave the struggling Demons and join Hawthorn, the reigning premiers. The move was maligned at the time, mainly due to the Demons receiving pick three in compensation. It was a tough start for Frawley at Hawthorn, with a torn pectoral muscle keeping him out of action for a sustained period of time. On his return from injury, Frawley looked a completely different player and along with Brian Lake was a key component of the Hawthorn back six. It was on Grand Final day where Frawley delivered on his big contract, playing on the Coleman Medallist Josh Kennedy and keeping him goalless in what was a key matchup for the Hawks. With Lake’s retirement, Frawley has established himself as the premier key defender for Hawthorn and a now integral part of their best 22. More importantly, he was able to reach the finish line in his chase for a premiership.
With four teams having won the premiership since 2007, it is clearly very difficult to win a premiership in the AFL. With only one player being successful in chasing a flag, it indicates that it won’t all be smooth sailing for Kevin Durant in his move to the Golden State Warriors. However, the one player that was successful in James Frawley walked into a dynasty, very much like the one Kevin Durant is walking into.