Wizfan, the players didn't, obviously some of the coaching staff did.

Sorry? So now Farmer's 'crimes' are equivalent to those of Cousins?

Here's an apple. There's an orange.

In my memory of the game I have never seen anyone demonised to the extent that Jeff was - he even had one of the broadcast cameras on him at every Subi home game. I could never work out why he was treated this way, but I knew that if he was one of my mates, I would stand beside/behind him. Headland, Hayden and Michael Johnson all came out and pleaded with their club to keep him - after the decision, silence.

I think this is what many of us are feeling - that we have to stand behind him. I know I do and it is as much a moral issue as one born out of admiration. When sides are drawn there is no middle ground. All the post-execution explanations and justifications are only going to make it worse - I can't even watch Harvey on the news anymore.

Greg spoke from the gut - it is in the same language that many of us share.

I think the decision is a mistake. How many players kick 3 goals in their final game? How many players get their highest ever possession count for a game in their last season? Champions are usually extended the luxury of continuing if they are playing good footy, and Jeff was.

The only reason I can think of for the clubs decision is that they have already decided that we will not be making the finals next year, and that Jeff would be too old to play the year after that. If that is the case, then by sacking Jeff now we end up with one extra very late draft pick - because we need to pick up so many players from the draft. Next year, with all the old blokes gone, we will have very few retirements, and so pick up very few players in the draft, so our last pick will be considerably higher (even given the gold coasts extra picks). So, based purely on logic, we would be better off keeping Jeff for one more year and getting a better draft pick next year. As it is, there will be some lucky kid being picked up at 90 in the draft, and I'm going to remind him that he needs to play as well as Jeff.

I've got nothing against the club making tough decisions which I don't like for personal reasons, but only when they make sense.

I guess its fair to say that Mark Harvey's honeymoon with the supporters is over.

"It was also weak and gutless for Harvey to run the "it was an amicable parting of ways" line on us. The club is treating us like a bunch of stooges here! We've been around this club too long to have him or anyone else practise on us like that."

Further to this, Harvey had the hide to say that Freo fans should remember Jeff as a footballer.

You're not really Freo yet are you Harves?

I don't know that it is, rogerrocks. Certainly I've got no feelings of animosity towards Harvs. I still think he could be the coach for us.

The 'club' made this decision, and more power to Harvey's elbow for coming out and claiming the decision as his. But he didn't make it on his own.

This has got nothing to do with pointing the finger at individuals. Yes, certain individuals must wear the responsibility for this decision, but that doesn't mean I've got any problems with those individuals on a 'personal' level. I'm sure they're all really top blokes.

The problem is that the decision they've made, sucks.

Gloved one, I'm still trying to get my head around what he meant when he said that this outcome is a 'compromise' between the club and Jeff.

Gloved one, Harves was not the one who suspended Jeff for six weeks. Harves has always spoken up for Jeff.

No. Harvey, Senior Coach of Fremantle Football Club, was perpetuating a myth.

Isn't the point that the club is having a clean out and rebuilding? You can't do that and leave your oldest player on the list. You especially can't do that when your oldest player has the 'potential' for the odd indiscretion when a new group of young players come under Harvey's tutelage.

The Wizz will not be around when we win our first premiership. The club made a decision that was the obvious one to make. I love the Wizz - he was a reason to go and watch footy. He was skill, chaos, charisma, quirkiness and craziness all wrapped up in a package. I'll miss watching him play but I don't doubt for a minute that this is the way forward for our club.

Greg, Wizfan is 50% right, you don't need to apologise regarding the tragedy remark. I objected less to that than it came accross. Thanks tho.

Wizfan, be careful about putting words in to my mouth, its a skill you don't have.

I bought up the tragedy remark simply to offer some perspective on what has happened. I had no intention of colouring anyone in any light in the ridiculous way you stated. Read my post again without the hysteria and you'll see I pronounced noone pro-club or anti-Harves. I was objecting to the personal attacks that I felt were unjustified. Make your arguments but don't pretend you know what I am thinking.

To further explain the tragedy controversy, my point was that Jeff has played 249 games when many get to play none. He is idolised by many, many people as a result of his extraordinary talents and personality. He is loved to the point that me and many others who are complete strangers to him would gladly stand up to any amount of public ridicule or worse in order to defend him against all "outsiders". Tonight he is at home with his family and with memories many of us would kill to have. His career is over but his life is not, nor has anyone's life been destroyed by this. That being the case, in my opinion, this is no tragedy.

However, if you or anyone else feels this is a tragedy, then you certainly have the right to say that and you don't need my permission, nor does Greg or anyone else. If this feels like tragedy then I'm happy for you, I hope this is as close as you ever get.

Why link mortality with tragedy? It's baseless - the word can adequately describe a range of situations where there isn't a loss of life. Yet 'loss of life' could adequately describe the football the Docker fans are facing in the future without Jeff.

Why bother trying to mince words, distend allegorical associations and attempt to defend the indefensible - from any perspective of the word, Jeff's dumping was a tragedy and it was shameful.

My thoughts on Jeff are prior 2006 he was a very good player. Past two years he has been more of a burden.

Jeff was to slow for the midfield. Yes at times he did rack up touches though he could not sustain a four quarter effort and he lost his goal kicking ability.

He gave away too many stupid free kicks and was a poor role model to many younger players at the club. The Club could no longer tolerate such attitudes from anyone. Thats is why Black was also moved on.

Jeff was never going to win a premiership for Freo and was more likely to lose a Grand Final. His role was a small forward and he wasn't doing his job. We are better off recruiting a Ballantyne from Peel or Richardson from Claremont who could fit in and kick potentially 40+ goals per year.

I have faith in what Harvey is doing. We had to many footballers who accepted mediocrity. Harvey is trying is best to change that attitude. Lets go with the future as our history has been very average.

Nothing less than a premiership will do now. Hopefully within 5 years.

FREOPREM, how can you question Jeff's pace? His closing speed was and is incredible. Jeff's runs in the midfield this year showed he could get the pill and do something with it even when the rest of the team refused to lead. He may not have the huge tank of Palmer but Farmer still looked one of the quickest players in the team.

Jeff's goal-kicking is still excellent; remarkable even. Maybe Farmer was a ticking time-bomb on the field or maybe, just maybe, he was in inspirational player whose every move was over-scrutinised by officials and the media.

We heard a rumour last Wednesday that Friday night would be Jeffrey's last game. We weren't going to go to the game as we were in the middle of moving house, but I just couldn't risk not seeing Jeffrey the last time he wore purple.

It was obvious to me at the end of the game that Jeffrey suspected it was his last and I am really proud that he chose to acknowedge the fans and in his own way say goodbye.

That being said, I am still furious with the club for treating Jeff like this. They must have known what the decision would be long before Friday night and I cannot believe they wouldn't give Jeffrey the same respect awarded Macca. He was robbed of the whole experinece of playing his last game in front of his home ground, the cheers everytime he got the wall and all of the emotion that went with it.

I can accept the decision for his retirement but I am disgusted with FFC club at the moment and how this was handled.

You’ve said everything I feel Greg. I’m so disappointed with the FFC. And I worry at the direction we’re heading in. To say our history has been very average is an insult. We may not have won a flag, but this club, I thought, was about more than win at all costs, I thought that’s what set us apart. Of course I prefer a win to a loss, I’m not a masochist. And I look forward to a flag as much as anyone.
Apart from his brilliant goals in that final game last Friday night, what I’ll also never forget is Jeff finding the footy at the end of the match and giving it to Mark Johnston. All Class.
FFC take a lesson.
The more franchise we become, the more I head back to the WAFL