Grant still top dog?

[The Hitman]

Not a troll. Not a dig. Just a valid question from an interested observer who has gone to the people who should know - the Bulldog supporters.

Is Chris Grant still seen as your best player, and perhaps more importantly, should he be your captain?

From a neutral perspective, I think the answer is no to both. Brad Johnson and Nathan Brown have become more important and have become better players, and 2003 will tell if Darcy has really taken the next step into AFL superstardom and if he too supercedes Grant.

I find it strange that Grant is a quiet man who is arguably in decline, and is no longer your best player, but is still captain. I think that Nathan Brown will be your next captain, and perhaps should be given the job now since your club is in a self-proclaimed rebuilding stage - what better time?

Anyway, I hope you take this in the right frame of mind, and I'd be interested in your thoughts on this undoubted great player and his worth to both the Western Bulldogs and as captain.

The Hitman

[stefoid]

Grant will play 2-3 stellar years at CHB for the dogs and as captain. The dogs of 03 should have a kick-arse defence if we retain Luke Penny, build around Grant at CHB.

Im not just being blindly loyal to the doggies. Its always been my opinion that Grant is the best CHB going around, except for the fact that Wallace has played him almost soley in attack, to which he is unsuited.

[PC28]

He needs to lose some of the muscle.

[W. W. Biscuit]

Originally posted by PC28
He needs to lose some of the muscle.

Now THAT'S not something I'd thought I'd hear in connection with the Bulldogs!!

[PC28]

Originally posted by W. W. Biscuit


Now THAT'S not something I'd thought I'd hear in connection with the Bulldogs!!

:D

Was bought up in a conversation with SigScotty yesterday, and we agreed that Grant was a little top heavy. Went a little over board in the gym.

He'd be a better player if he were just a little lighter
(Wouldn't we all :p)

[Curly5]

Although Chris is pretty quiet off-field he is apparently a very good on-field leader. He seems to be very well respected by the other players. He had a relatively poor year in 2002, but there were reasons for that. I think you will see a much better player in 2003, when he is established at CHB.

[The_Flying_Egg]

I'd guess that he is still the most respected player amongst the players and I have heard only good things about his leadership

And I agree that at CHB he will dominate. I also don't think Browny will ever be captain, he's too outspoken. I tihnk Johnno will be our next captain

[chels_09]

I hear what you are all saying, but it is the truth that with Wallace as coach Chris Grant was not allowed to play anywhere near his best as he was played out of position and all over the ground.

Now with a new coach, i believe Chris Grant will become the best centre half back in the competition and do it as captain, he has been a champion of OUR club for a long time now so peoples standards are set to high for him, why dont all you people who want to knock him on the head look at the reasons why he has been in poor form lately.

Now to Nathan Brown as captain! I do believe that Nathan will be captain in the next 2-3 years, he will still only be about 26 years of age, but he has the respect of many of the people at the club, especially the younger blokes and in two years time, those younger blokes will be awesome and exciting and Browny will be leading them onto the MCG on that last saturday in september and the younger guys will really play with the passion and spirit that we know they have, as the person that they have looked up to, became best friends with, had fun with, gone out with, thier roll model will be their captain!!

Look out the football world, the dogs are on thier way!!

[PC28]

Originally posted by chels_09
[B]
Now to Nathan Brown as captain! I do believe that Nathan will be captain in the next 2-3 years, he will still only be about 26 years of age, but he has the respect of many of the people at the club, especially the younger blokes and in two years time, those younger blokes will be awesome and exciting and Browny will be leading them onto the MCG on that last saturday in september and the younger guys will really play with the passion and spirit that we know they have, as the person that they have looked up to, became best friends with, had fun with, gone out with, thier roll model will be their captain!!

Look out the football world, the dogs are on thier way

a/ There is a wonderful invention called a "full stop" learn how to use it.

b/ In a previos post you said that Browny still has that "school boy" side to him. For that reason alone, he'll never be captain.

Don't get me wrong, i love the kid, and his one finger salute earlier this year.

He has the respect of the kids, granted, however, there is no doubt in my mind that Johnno will be the next captain, when Grant feels he no longer wants it.

If you want to look at younger players who might step up and lead this club one day, given that it will be at least, one would thing, 6-7 years down the track, look no further than the current number 2.

[Bulldog1954]

He is no longer our best player, but while he is quiet off field if you go to training you can hear him yelling his tits off. He is also a tough player with an unbelievable work rate, a marvellous role model. Look how well he handled himself during the Wallace saga.
You don't have to be the sides best player to be skipper

[stefoid]

Originally posted by Bulldog1954
He is no longer our best player, but while he is quiet off field if you go to training you can hear him yelling his tits off. He is also a tough player with an unbelievable work rate, a marvellous role model. Look how well he handled himself during the Wallace saga.
You don't have to be the sides best player to be skipper

I reckon he will show ability to turn games in defence that he couldnt when in attack. the difference is that when the Careys of the world are faced with a shot on goal they relish the opportunity, whereas Granty ****s himself.

[dogboy23]

Originally posted by The Hitman


and 2003 will tell if Darcy has really taken the next step into AFL superstardom and if he too supercedes Grant.



The Hitman Sorry to go off the subject but what the hell else can Darcy do to get a bit of recognition.It is extremely rare for a ruckman to have 2 very good seasons in a row(very, very rare) and Darcy at a pinch has had 3 in a row(exceptional seasons that is).He has to be rated as one of the elite in the competitiion surely.

To answer your question from the topic Granty has not been considered our best player by most doggies fans for atleast 2 or 3 years now.With the switch to chb though it is very easy for me to see him striking career best form.He reads the play so well down there he just controls the game.

[jim440]

Originally posted by dogboy23
Sorry to go off the subject but what the hell else can Darcy do to get a bit of recognition.It is extremely rare for a ruckman to have 2 very good seasons in a row(very, very rare) and Darcy at a pinch has had 3 in a row(exceptional seasons that is).He has to be rated as one of the elite in the competitiion surely.

To answer your question from the topic Granty has not been considered our best player by most doggies fans for atleast 2 or 3 years now.With the switch to chb though it is very easy for me to see him striking career best form.He reads the play so well down there he just controls the game.

Grant has been our best player since about '94. His '96 & '97 seasons were exceptional.

Wallace robbed us of the best CHB going around and replaced him with a pretty good forward.

[dogboy23]

Originally posted by jim440


Grant has been our best player since about '94. His '96 & '97 seasons were exceptional.

Wallace robbed us of the best CHB going around and replaced him with a pretty good forward. IMO in the last 3 years Darcy,West,Johnson and Brown have all been more influential than Grant.Obviously Grants rating in importance to the team goes up slightly because he is akey position player.

[The Hitman]

Thanks for your replies.

Fair enough about him being skipper. I look forward to seeing how he goes at CHB, but I wouldn't automatically say he'll be the best CHB in the comp - he's been playing forward reguarly for years.

As for my comment on Darcy, I think it takes more than what he has done to reach superstardom. Voss is a superstar. Hird is a superstar. Crawford is a superstar. I wouldn't quite have Darcy up there yet. We'll see how he goes this season.

Your next captain would probably be Brown, surely? If Grant is captain for, let's say, two more years, Brad Johnson (your only other candidate IMO) will be 29 at the start of the 2005 season. Would that be too late to start when you would have a younger option in Brown? Maybe a bloke like Robert Murphy or Daniel Giansiracusa could be a smokey?

The Hitman

[OldSchool]

Originally posted by PC28
He needs to lose some of the muscle.

I actually agree.
A lot of footballers add weight and muscle over many seasons and then as they get a little older they try and shed some kilo's to maintain their flexibility and speed.
Richard Osborne is just one example of being able to extend his career by shedding some weight.
At one stage of his career he was an absolute rock but towards the end he was getting lean.
Grant might be better if he lost a couple of kilo's and worked on his conditioning rather than his strength.
I think he will have a very good season in 2003