Herald Sun interview with Joe today unearthed this nugget:
Chris Honnery: Why, ultimately, did you decide to leave?
JD: I had to weigh up everything in my football career and in my life at the time. All those factors, which there were a lot of, put them together and the answer for me was to come up to Brisbane and have a change and change the luck of the previous few years. I feel like it’s been the right decision. Intuitively, I knew what it was going to be like and pleasingly, it’s been pretty close to that. I’m certainly enjoying the challenge of a new environment.
…CH: Who was it hardest to tell?
JD: No one really. I didn’t find the situation too challenging. I’m very lucky that I have a family who really supports me and supports my endeavours. I know I’ll have their support whatever I do.
What an excuse for leaving: “have a change and and change the luck of the previous few years”.
Why not have a change by actually getting on the ground? Why not have a change by turning out for the club that has had a gaping KPF hole for years largely because of your expensive international absence? Why not change your luck by buying a rabbit’s foot?
And it wasn’t hard to tell anyone you were going? Not the player you made a vow to see through the bad times with? Not the supporters copping it since 2012? Not the kids with the banners and jumpers? Is that becuase you didn’t face them?
JD leaving, even though it was forewarned, was a seismic event. Forget that Saad was more reliable, Conor more freakish, this was a prince of the club who could have been a king.
I for one would appreciate a video to the supporters just acknowledging what we enjoyed together and either a better reason for leaving or simply saying he wasn’t at liberty to explain it. Because that for sure was not an explanation. And if you say he doesn’t owe us one, I say my bond, and my family’s bond, with the EFC runs a lot deeper than that.