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OldSchool
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Borgsta said:
I'll have to do a copy and paste because I cant get the other link to work.
This is the best artcle of the group. Did anyone else hear Wheeler talk about Chris Grant. It was sensational stuff and I know MMM replayed it.
Eade: Best yet to come
By KEN PIESSE
24apr05
WESTERN Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade is hoping last night's win against Adelaide to celebrate Chris Grant's 300th game will re-ignite their season after a stuttering start.
Congratulating 300-gamer Grant on a wonderful career, Eade said the former captain's inspiration was a major factor in the club's finest hour of the season. Enthused by his team's come-from-the-clouds second half, which downed much-fancied Adelaide, Eade said his young team was on an "educational curve" and fans must be prepared for the best and the worst in the immediate months.
"Chris is an icon of the club and the western suburbs, and it was fitting that we could win the match and get our season rolling again," he said.
Eade had Grant's first coach, Terry Wheeler, address the team only minutes before last night's match with Collingwood's Mick Malthouse, involved in Grant's recruiting, being unavailable.
Eade said there were "no dramas" with Malthouse's non-appearance and Grant, himself, was chuffed that so many of his family, friends and mates from hometown Daylesford had made the trip to Docklands.
"It would be good to have more of these milestone matches," Grant said.
"We won on my 150th, drew for my 200th and won on my 250th."
Admitting that nerves and the crowd expectation had affected his performance early last night, when he missed two set shots from within 45m, Grant said he was proud to see so many unsung players, including first-gamer Dale Morris, from Werribee, playing important roles.
"I'm just rapt for the youngsters and for us, too, as we have a chance now, next Sunday, to be three and three after the first six (games)," he said.
Teammate and fellow veteran Scott West, who had a spectacular 17 possessions in the third quarter, said the Bulldogs had a very talented list – one of their best since they last played finals and, if anything, the young players didn't know how good they could be.
After 32-year-old Grant's stellar contributions over the past 16 years, West said: "Chris is a modern-day Ted Whitten for everybody at the Western Bulldogs, not only the players, but the fans as well.
"He's not only a champion on the field, he's also a champion bloke off it."
The efforts of debutant Morris, against the glamorous Andrew McLeod, were little short of sensational.
Eade admitted last night that he had never heard of the kid until he arrived at the Whitten Oval and was immediately taken by his blistering pace and passion.
Adelaide coach Neil Craig's took full responsibility for West's blistering third quarter, saying he had been out-coached.
He admitted his defenders were also confused by the Bulldogs' constant rotations.
"When you can't win your share of the ball a whole range of issues bubble up," Craig said.
"It was our worst quarter for the whole year including the Wizard Cup."
He knew the Bulldogs would be primed and, despite their poor record at Telstra Dome, they had made a habit of winning the important milestone games.
"It's not a setback for us," he said.
"Winning is not a straight line."
He said ruckman-forward Luke Darcy had been simply outstanding, especially in the last half; young Ben Rutten learned valuable lessons on how the champion players in the AFL position themselves when it counted.
Young midfielder Robert Shirley was a last-minute withdrawal from Adelaide's team with a calf injury.
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- #4
OldSchool said:
Yeah i hear it on the way home, bout the only thing i did hear, think i stayed inside the ground to long, spewing i missed big will.
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