OldSchool
11 Feb 2006, 07:22
A great article in todays Hun.
Griffen: (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,18109996%255E19742,00.html)
Griffen finds home in west
11 February 2006 Herald Sun
David Hastie
BUDDING Western Bulldogs' midfielder Ryan Griffen has admitted to an early bout of homesickness after his move to Melbourne last year.
The South Australian, taken at No. 3 in the 2004 national draft, grew up in the coastal town of Goolwa and found the transition to Melbourne tough.
"I struggled early on," he said yesterday.
"Moving from Adelaide was pretty hard, missing my family and my friends."
But Griffen, last year's runner-up in the NAB Rising Star award, slowly adjusted with the support of young teammates, including Adam Cooney, 20, a fellow Crow Eater.
"I settled in really well to Melbourne, which I didn't think I would," Griffen said.
"I moved in with Farren Ray and I knew 'Coons' and a few of the boys already, so it was a lot easier. After a few months, I always wanted to stay."
The talented onballer has extended his contract with the club until the end of 2008.
Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade intends to rotate Griffen through the midfield this season.
"From a football point of view, we want to play him more in the midfield," Eade said.
"His form early was up and down, as you would expect from a young player, but I think he showed in the last half of the season what he can produce."
Griffen has had an ideal preparation to 2006, a far cry from last year's interrupted pre-season when he had surgery to remove cartilage from his left knee.
"Ryan didn't do any running last year before Christmas," Eade said. "He went into 2005 with not as much fitness base as you would have liked."
But with a full pre-season behind him, Griffen craves a midfield role.
"I was speaking to the midfield coach, Chris Bond, a fair bit about playing a bit more in the midfield," he said.
Griffen served a dream apprenticeship during the summer after being paired with seven-time club best-and-fairest winner Scott West at training.
"The club paired me with Scotty West so I've been following him around the track, trying to beat him, trying to push him out of the midfield," Griffen said, tongue-in-cheek.
After his stellar second half of the 2005 season he is bound to attract more attention from taggers, but it doesn't bother him.
"I'm not really worried about the pressure that I will have," he said. "I'm just going to try and get the red thing."
Griffen: (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,18109996%255E19742,00.html)
Griffen finds home in west
11 February 2006 Herald Sun
David Hastie
BUDDING Western Bulldogs' midfielder Ryan Griffen has admitted to an early bout of homesickness after his move to Melbourne last year.
The South Australian, taken at No. 3 in the 2004 national draft, grew up in the coastal town of Goolwa and found the transition to Melbourne tough.
"I struggled early on," he said yesterday.
"Moving from Adelaide was pretty hard, missing my family and my friends."
But Griffen, last year's runner-up in the NAB Rising Star award, slowly adjusted with the support of young teammates, including Adam Cooney, 20, a fellow Crow Eater.
"I settled in really well to Melbourne, which I didn't think I would," Griffen said.
"I moved in with Farren Ray and I knew 'Coons' and a few of the boys already, so it was a lot easier. After a few months, I always wanted to stay."
The talented onballer has extended his contract with the club until the end of 2008.
Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade intends to rotate Griffen through the midfield this season.
"From a football point of view, we want to play him more in the midfield," Eade said.
"His form early was up and down, as you would expect from a young player, but I think he showed in the last half of the season what he can produce."
Griffen has had an ideal preparation to 2006, a far cry from last year's interrupted pre-season when he had surgery to remove cartilage from his left knee.
"Ryan didn't do any running last year before Christmas," Eade said. "He went into 2005 with not as much fitness base as you would have liked."
But with a full pre-season behind him, Griffen craves a midfield role.
"I was speaking to the midfield coach, Chris Bond, a fair bit about playing a bit more in the midfield," he said.
Griffen served a dream apprenticeship during the summer after being paired with seven-time club best-and-fairest winner Scott West at training.
"The club paired me with Scotty West so I've been following him around the track, trying to beat him, trying to push him out of the midfield," Griffen said, tongue-in-cheek.
After his stellar second half of the 2005 season he is bound to attract more attention from taggers, but it doesn't bother him.
"I'm not really worried about the pressure that I will have," he said. "I'm just going to try and get the red thing."