Oppo Camp Non-Essendon Thread X

[pepsi]

Trade week just adds to the list of things that are turning me off the afl.

I feel absolutely shithouse for the dogs and their fans. I thought Griffen was one of the lifebloods of their team, I just can't fathom him wanting to go to gws.

 

[Some Idiot]

Does Griff really strike you as captaincy material?

I think you'll find it was given to him as a bit of emotional blackmail in the first place.

No doubt it took a lot of convincing. I think the only reason he took it was because Boydy wanted him too in the end. Wouldn't do it just for the coaches and didn't really want it.
There's a lot of broken bulldogs supporters right now.

 

[Doss]

No doubt it took a lot of convincing. I think the only reason he took it was because Boydy wanted him too in the end. Wouldn't do it just for the coaches and didn't really want it.
There's a lot of broken bulldogs supporters right now.

Understandable. We'd be similarly shattered if Jobe left like this.

Griffen doesn't seem to have covered himself in glory in the manner in which he's leaving, either.

 

[Some Idiot]

Understandable. We'd be similarly shattered if Jobe left like this.

Griffen doesn't seem to have covered himself in glory in the manner in which he's leaving, either.

I read somewhere he said he'd rather not play then play at the dogs. He's just seriously done with the club. We have problems.

 

[Doss]

I read somewhere he said he'd rather not play then play at the dogs. He's just seriously done with the club. We have problems.

A shame too, because I really like Macca from his time at Essendon.

But that's not a good sign if he's saying that.

 

[DapperDon]

What is it that McCartney is doing that is causing such turmoil?

Is it as simple as gameplan problems or is he an evil overlord none ever expected him to be?

 

[Doss]

What is it that McCartney is doing that is causing such turmoil?

Is it as simple as gameplan problems or is he an evil overlord none ever expected him to be?

This genuinely baffles me too. Some Idiot might be able to answer that better.

It's hard to imagine the latter being the case. But then, I suppose you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

 

[Some Idiot]

This genuinely baffles me too. Some Idiot might be able to answer that better.

It's hard to imagine the latter being the case. But then, I suppose you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

I tried to rationalise Griff leaving and the best I could come with was this

1. He sees a bloke he's looked up to for years, possible the most courageous and hard working player in the club's history phased out. (Crossy)
2. He sees young players being mismanaged and called mentally weak (Tutt, Jones).
3. He has the captaincy forced upon him despite not really wanting it.
4. He sees his good mate and bloke he's looked up to for years given a one year deal at minimum wage. (Boyd)
5. Himself and Will Minson come under criticism for not being able to carry the club like last year, despite both players struggling with injury and playing through pain for the club.

 

[Doss]

I tried to rationalise Griff leaving and the best I could come with was this

1. He sees a bloke he's looked up to for years, possible the most courageous and hard working player in the club's history phased out. (Crossy)
2. He sees young players being mismanaged and called mentally weak (Tutt, Jones).
3. He has the captaincy forced upon him despite not really wanting it.
4. He sees his good mate and bloke he's looked up to for years given a one year deal at minimum wage. (Boyd)
5. Himself and Will Minson come under criticism for not being able to carry the club like last year, despite both players struggling with injury and playing through pain for the club.

I suppose when you look at that in progression and its entirety, it sounds quite feasible.

I found the lack of game time given to Michael Talia this year quite baffling, personally.

Anyway- look it's a shocking blow in the shorter term for Footscray, no doubt. But, with the younger talent you have, it might well give you a chance to take another tack and look ahead in the longer term.

But losing a mid of his calibre is a huge loss no matter which way you spin it.

 

[DapperDon]

It certainly hurts and is a moral blow, but it really does give the Dogs a chance to build for the future.

The worst part is the leadership that is leaving Whitten Oval, if Cooney leaves along with Minson then who captains? Not really something they'd want to lump on the young stars they have this early in their careers.

 

[Some Idiot]

It certainly hurts and is a moral blow, but it really does give the Dogs a chance to build for the future.

The worst part is the leadership that is leaving Whitten Oval, if Cooney leaves along with Minson then who captains? Not really something they'd want to lump on the young stars they have this early in their careers.

I think we'd have to roll back to Boyd or give it to Murphy/Morris, the cupboard feels really bare all of a sudden

 

[Lord Nicholson]

The worst part is the leadership that is leaving Whitten Oval, if Cooney leaves along with Minson then who captains? Not really something they'd want to lump on the young stars they have this early in their careers.

One could argue that losing Cooney, Griffin and Minson as "leaders" isn't all that mortal a blow. Losing them as players, absolutely, but as leaders, perhaps not.

The club could do without the people who were trying to tell Jason Akermanis how he could win a 4th premiership, is all I'm saying.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

sorry to yaco it mods

I think we'd have to roll back to Boyd or give it to Murphy/Morris, the cupboard feels really bare all of a sudden

Is Dahlhaus not an option?

 

[Zach Package]

A shame too, because I really like Macca from his time at Essendon.

But that's not a good sign if he's saying that.

Macca's a lovely bloke and a great teacher. Don't think that many AFL assistant coaches would be happy to indulge some 20 year old pinhead like myself with a couple of lengthy chats at VFL games. That being said I really struggle to rate him in the coaching department, and seemingly his issues stretch further than that as well.

You never want to side with the player when he basically issues an ultimatum, but something's not completely right about Macca at the dogs

 

[DapperDon]

I think we'd have to roll back to Boyd or give it to Murphy/Morris, the cupboard feels really bare all of a sudden

It's a shit point in time, but one that you could look back and say "this is where it all began".

I still remember the uproar when Hawks traded Croad, obviously not the same calibre player, but a move that changed the makings of the club. This could very well be that moment.

 

[Some Idiot]

sorry to yaco it mods



Is Dahlhaus not an option?

Don't think he's the leadership type at this stage, hard working but has some immaturity in his personality.
Wallis and Roughead are probably the pick of the leaders among those that are young but not too young.

 

[Doss]

I think we'd have to roll back to Boyd or give it to Murphy/Morris, the cupboard feels really bare all of a sudden

Libba still has a black mark against his name because of that 2012 incident, I suppose?

I thought of Wallis but is he secure enough in the side?

 

[Some Idiot]

Libba still has a black mark against his name because of that 2012 incident, I suppose?

I thought of Wallis but is he secure enough in the side?

He's also a reserved type that doesn't like the spotlight, and look what happened when we made one of those captain (Griffen for those playing at home)

 

[Doss]

He's also a reserved type that doesn't like the spotlight, and look what happened when we made one of those captain (Griffen for those playing at home)

Yeah, fair call.

Dale Morris wouldn't be a bad option as a stop gap. Neither would Boyd or Murphy.

Of other senior players, no possibility of Picken?

 

[Some Idiot]

Yeah, fair call.

Dale Morris wouldn't be a bad option as a stop gap. Neither would Boyd or Murphy.

Of other senior players, no possibility of Picken?

Possibly Picken, he wouldn't be used to the off field stuff but could probably handle it.

 

[BrunoV]

It's a shit point in time, but one that you could look back and say "this is where it all began".

I still remember the uproar when Hawks traded Croad, obviously not the same calibre player, but a move that changed the makings of the club. This could very well be that moment.

Yeah, it really made the club. Not that I would blame the trade in any way but they then went through a coach or two and plummeted all the way down the ladder and totally rebuilt the side.

Totally new administration came in and changed the direction of the club about 3 years after they traded Croad.

There is then also the reality that Croad was about 3/10 the player Griffen is and had an abundance of off field problems.

 

[BrunoV]

I tried to rationalise Griff leaving and the best I could come with was this

1. He sees a bloke he's looked up to for years, possible the most courageous and hard working player in the club's history phased out. (Crossy)
2. He sees young players being mismanaged and called mentally weak (Tutt, Jones).
3. He has the captaincy forced upon him despite not really wanting it.
4. He sees his good mate and bloke he's looked up to for years given a one year deal at minimum wage. (Boyd)
5. Himself and Will Minson come under criticism for not being able to carry the club like last year, despite both players struggling with injury and playing through pain for the club.

I find it harder and harder to believe the obvious story that it presented to the public these days and I suppose that just puts it all into context.

This is a kid who stuck by the Dogs for the formative years of his career while his old man was dying. He's not leaving because of the money or because he is a campaigner.

 

[DapperDon]

Yeah, it really made the club. Not that I would blame the trade in any way but they then went through a coach or two and plummeted all the way down the ladder and totally rebuilt the side.

Totally new administration came in and changed the direction of the club about 3 years after they traded Croad.

There is then also the reality that Croad was about 3/10 the player Griffen is and had an abundance of off field problems.

Or you know. The club learned that trading isn't a big scary thing that only exists to move on Ricky Dyson and 3rd rounders.

Croad at the time was a gun tall in his youth. Clubs never trade them willingly. Ian Dicker was at Hawks then so the board was in great hands. Coaching was poor but Dicker was their backbone.

Not saying it happened overnight but this moment changed Hawks to what we see today.

 

[BrunoV]

You're missing the point. They've only ever traded expendable players.

Croad was not good and struggled at Freo before coming back to play in defence.

They then hid the mental and emotional issues of Thompson and Hay and reamed North in the process (though Thompson went on to become a pretty good contributor).

Look at what Port is insulting us with for Ryder at the moment. He's about as good as Croad, Thompson and Hay put together and they can't come up with more than pick 17.

Hawthorn were ahead of the times as far as using the draft to rebuild a side but that era is gone because clubs now overvalue their picks and Hawthorn was only trading to get massive overs for players it knew had problems.

What do you want us to give up to get two first round picks in a climate when we can't get more than 1 for Ryder with any decent player being off the table?

 

[Nifft]

sorry to yaco it mods

2 in a row... amateur!