Toast #18 Daniel Cross announces retirement

[Bulldogsnm1]

Thank you Melbourne Football club for giving my favourite player another 2 years to play the game he loves.

There was never a doubt he would give his absolute best to the team and I hope in the last 2 years Melbourne players have learned what it means to really give 100%.

Go out on the weekend and beat the GWS and give Crossy the send off he deserves.

 

[Klyntonius]

Cross has been an excellent short term acquisition for us. It's a shame he didn't get an extra year to play but hopefully he'll be around the club for years to come adding positively in an off-field role.

 

[Proper Gander]

Just for Crossey, I will get off my lazy arse and go sit in that hellhole known as Etihad and cheer like a lunatic for all 30 something Cross disposals.

Then I will wait until he is chaired out, still cheering, and safely out of the stadium. Then I will burn the place down before leaving as silently and mysteriously as I arrived.

 

[Dez!]

Thanks Crossy but this is the right decision.

 

[Some Idiot]

Just after he found some form!
Thought he was struggling the month or so prior to that, so though I am very sad to see him go, It's probably the right decision.
Congrats on a great career Crossy, you will be remembered for your fanatical work ethic on and off the field and your great courage, from winning the hard ball in the middle to dropping back into the hole in defence and taking marks with heat coming from behind to saving people's lives off the field.

Just a shame he fell just short of 250 games.

 

[DemonZombie_001]

15 years in the game I believe ? I remember reading somewhere that only 3% of players make it to 200 games, and he has gone on to make 249.

That is an amazing achievement in itself.

Been really good having him for the last two years, and I liked him at the Bulldogs as well, but it seems this is the right time to stop playing for this list.

 

[Dark Avenger]

Cant we clone it? Seems like such a waste only one player having it.

Put our Tom Lynch/Harry Labum/Daweshey money into a cloning program.

Cloning is Prendergast's department. Probably end up cloning Sylvia's heart.

 

[schmuttt]

I've settled down slightly after my initial melt when I saw he wasn't offered a contract. I can understand the decision the club made, but still WHY THE * ARE TERLICH AND MATT JONES CONTRACTED WTF

 

[Tulip]

I can't understand it, and have emailed the club detailing as much.

Still shattered.

 

[booshboy]

Unbelievable he hasn't been offered another contract, will be top 5 in the B & F this year, and at the very least would have been a very dependable depth player next year (another thing we don't have a lot of). Go well Crossy, you've been terrific since coming across and given me one more reason to go to the game Sunday, and one less reason to go Round 1 next year. Onya.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Probably 30 odd blokes who id retire on our list before this guy tbh. Im not devastated, but like others have said, i would have given him one more year. Even as a depth player i think he would be worth keeping on the list. Gives everything he has. One of the nicest guys ive met too. I really hope he stays around in some capacity.

 

[Benwah83]

Probably 30 odd blokes who id retire on our list before this guy tbh. Im not devastated, but like others have said, i would have given him one more year. Even as a depth player i think he would be worth keeping on the list. Gives everything he has. One of the nicest guys ive met too. I really hope he stays around in some capacity.

This is sort of what I thought. They could have kept him on one more year and he might have ended up playing 50% of the games. He would still offer more than a number of ordinary mid-aged players on our list.

I did suggest a couple of weeks ago that he seemed to be on the way out, and that this may be his last year. However, he came back with a vengeance on the weekend. So, I'm a little torn on this decision.

Regardless, the decision has been made, and I'd like to thank Crossy for what he's brought to us for the last couple of years. The consummate professional, he always gave 100%. Hope we do keep him around the club next year.

 

[MUYB]

Guess I will be making another trip to etihad...

 

[Topkent]

Not many blokes who play the game in the spirit Crossy played
I can't think of two many blokes delisted at 30 who came in and were amongst another teams best players for 2 years

I'll never forget him going back with the flight in the last
Quarter against essendon last year an getting smashed for the good of his team

 

[CM Sean]

Sucks that he got that dreaded tap on the shoulder. His interview was hard to watch. He really didn't want to give it up just yet. So emotionally shattered! - all the best Crossy. Thanks for giving your heart and soul to this footy club for the entire duration of your time here. I can only hope you accept the next role and stay at the club. Class act, all the way!

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

I can't understand it, and have emailed the club detailing as much.

Still shattered.

He's done mate - the signs have been there for half a season.

He would have played half a year or more at Casey next year - is that how you want him to finish?

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

I've settled down slightly after my initial melt when I saw he wasn't offered a contract. I can understand the decision the club made, but still WHY THE **** ARE TERLICH AND MATT JONES CONTRACTED WTF

The beauty of hindsight - they were given 2 year deals after finishing 2nd and 3rd in the BnF remember?

 

[Topkent]

The beauty of hindsight - they were given 2 year deals after finishing 2nd and 3rd in the BnF remember?

They were given 2 years deals last year though were they not? That was under Neeld that Terlich and Jones went ok

 

[ponsdale]

Cant we clone it? Seems like such a waste only one player having it.

Put our Tom Lynch/Harry Labum/Daweshey money into a cloning program.

No need to clone it - it's of sufficient size that we can just cut it into several pieces and each piece would still be bigger than the hearts of many listed players.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Better for the club to do this than to string him along as a depth player all of next year playing half of his games at Casey. I'm sure there was some discussion with Crossy on the matter too, as there would have been when the Bulldogs delisted him (i.e. If you stay at the Dogs you'll end up behind our kids, so we're happy to delist you and let you walk to your club of choice).

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

They were given 2 years deals last year though were they not? That was under Neeld that Terlich and Jones went ok

Hmm. Yeah, maybe you're right.

I reckon Roos has had his eye on delisting Terlich (again) since he got here though... doubt it was his call.

 

[schmuttt]

Hmm. Yeah, maybe you're right.

I reckon Roos has had his eye on delisting Terlich (again) since he got here though... doubt it was his call.

This is pretty clear. Terlich hasn't come close to playing a senior game this year, there is no possible reason not to pay him out (He'd be on * all anyway).

 

[Topkent]

whoever said we were grabbing Jed Adcock, reckon you might be onto something here

 

[Cannon82]

Should've given Cross another year. Not devastated he's gone, but I think it would have been fine to keep him on as a squad player. Sounds like he was disappointed not to get another contract, and although he had a dip in form a month or so ago, he's still a best 22 player and would be a handy player to have around if we happen to have a spate of injuries.

I don't think he was finished - not quick or silky skilled, but he didn't have any injuries and will finish the year as one of our better players. Didn't have to play all 22 games next year - nothing wrong with notching up 10 or 12 and transitioning a Stretch, ANB, Harmes, etc into his role. One more year wouldn't have killed us, particularly if we clear out a lot of the depth spuds who add little to our side and aren't going to flower into AFL players.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Shame hes a game short of 250.

Underrated player. Fearless in close and clean to feed it out made him a great inside mid. Always enjoyed a handball no matter where. Dead set legend and ripping bloke. Glad he got a few years at the Dees.