It's not often I disagree with Guy Smiley, and even on the topic of Jeff's mishandling by the club, he gives me pause to think, because he's right, we're attaching emotional responses to the events of yesterday.
So I thought about it. It still sucks.
It sucks because I'm the sort of bloke that gives everyone a fair go, until they demonstrate that they don't deserve the privilege. As far as I'm concerned, this is such a moment for me with Mark Harvey and his team.
It was only a few weeks ago that I thought the FFC stood for something still recognisable as football, despite the inevitable, necessary and prominent corporatisation of footy. I thought it was still possible to do the right thing by the team, the supporters and players and run a footy club in the modern climate.
That the club did what they did for Shaun McManus, when many in the footy world saw only a flawed but hard working clubman, cast adrift in a media created world of 'superstars' told me they still understand they are a footy club.
To do what they've done to one of the best, if not the best small forward of the modern era, is a disgrace.
I've never condoned what issues Jeff created off field, and his latter transgression on field always attracted more penalty than they were worth, because of the umpire baggage of being Jeff Farmer.
Like the team we've become used to seeing so often, the admin have lurched from the sublime to the ridiculous. It now seems clear this was a foregone conclusion before last Friday. Yet Jeffrey really did play that game as if it were his last. Because he knew it was. The way he played it, no one could tell; it just looked like the Wiz playing like he always does.
I was sitting way up on Jeff's right as he kicked his final goal. I got a perfect side view of the ball in flight. It was headed for the far post. At some point, it reversed and parallel parked itself plum between the sticks. It was at that point I thought Jeff had demonstrated he was worth another year. It seems he was just proving a point, yet sad he was able to do so.
After a year of indifference to Freo's fortunes this year, considering our season was shot early, and begrudgingly knowing I'll be forking out out to do it again in 09. After that goal, feeling certain he'd be doing it again, I was ready to write a cheque with pleasure.
And given the exodus this year, it's hard, no impossible, to fathom why he won't be there. Sure it's only a year, but there's a brace of kids coming in who will now get plenty of games, and playing alongside Jeff not only gives them breathing space, but experience.
Mark Harvey has dropped a fair way down in my estimation. Next year this decision could well come and bite him on the arse. It's not just that Jeff only had a year left, it's the manner of his leaving. Jeff didn't retire, he was retired.
