Oppo Camp Non Giants AFL discussion

[Colonial]

Noticed we didnt have a place to discuss all things footy, that isnt Giants related.

To kick it off.

How does every think the Bombers will go in 2017 after their year in the wilderness?

I think they will start very strong and then fade as the year goes on.
Finishing anywhwere between 9th and 14th

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[Bokonon_]

Genuinely not sure. I'm no enemy of the club, but there was one grand final in my youth I wouldn't have minded a game ending Mummy special on Salmon. Damn he was hard to stop on his day, at least Rory wont have to change clubs to get some time in the ruck.
I think the pain of the last few years will drive them to exceed expectations. I just dont know what their list is capable of.
I'm going to say around the margins of the 8.

 

[Bogan Juniors]

They have a good early draw so may get off to a good start but I do expect them to fade towards the end. predict to finish around 12 -14

 

[Gigantic]

I think they'll just miss out, finish maybe around 10th.

 

[Danny88]

I have them missing the 8- I just think they will struggle to leapfrog growing teams around the 8-10 mark like Melba and the saints

 

[kulak]

Don't really like the shout-out to Eddie in the thread title.

 

[kulak]

Bombers have some good young kids and a few nice senior players coming back. Should be fighting around the outside of the finals and will be better in 2018.

Thoughts on the Crows? After 18 years of meh I am thoroughly conditioned to expect failure... :-/

 

[Colonial]

Don't really like the shout-out to Eddie in the thread title.

Fair nuff have wiped it.

 

[Colonial]

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-...ppeared-hours-after-crash/8091074?pfmredir=sm

Off season officially starts with the 1st player indiscretion.

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[Bokonon_]

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-...ppeared-hours-after-crash/8091074?pfmredir=sm

Off season officially starts with the 1st player indiscretion.

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Ummmmm
Naaaah
Have had my fill of poking sticks at Puffers this weekend, and not many would see it on our board.

 

[Colonial]

Ummmmm
Naaaah
Have had my fill of poking sticks at Puffers this weekend, and not many would see it on our board.

Geez mate i set that one up for you to belt outta the park.

Id say we have 1 or 2 lurkers [emoji6]

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[Bogan Juniors]

Whereabouts unknown for several hours. Sounds like avoiding drug testing to me. Reckon a suspension and possible loss of draft picks for bringing the game into disrepute ..........sounds about right.

 

[Determinant]

Noticed we didnt have a place to discuss all things footy, that isnt Giants related.

To kick it off.

How does every think the Bombers will go in 2017 after their year in the wilderness?

I think they will start very strong and then fade as the year goes on.
Finishing anywhwere between 9th and 14th

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Sneaky pick for the 8 for me, sitting in the 7th to 10th range

 

[Bokonon_]

Geez mate i set that one up for you to belt outta the park.

Id say we have 1 or 2 lurkers [emoji6]

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Fair enough
Must have been on the good stuff.
Just dont get what was wrong with the parked cars on his side of the road. Maybe they just weren't pissing him off enough?

 

[Orange Agent]

I like how he smashed into Monfries car and then just pissed off.

 

[Bogan Juniors]

Is it just me or does Monfries name appear more regularly than it should.

 

[Determinant]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...t/news-story/bc45fff40b9248ddd35c294228c8d8df

I read it through twice, still think he is a dickhead and we are well shot of him

 

[coniglio_number1]

Hit the paywall. Got a brief summary?

 

[Determinant]

Hit the paywall. Got a brief summary?

AS strange as it may sound, Tom Boyd is thankful for it now.

He’s not talking about the premiership medal that came earlier than expected, or the game-defining goal he kicked with only five minutes of play left in the Grand Final, or even his highly-rated performance that had some suggesting he was stiff in the Norm Smith Medal voting.

He’s referring to the cacophony of criticism that has followed him ever since he signed a speculative $6 million seven-year-deal with Western Bulldogs in late 2014.

GREAT SIGNING: BULLDOGS LOCK AWAY PREMIERSHIP FORWARD

FRESH LOOK: SHUFFLE TO KEEP DOGS’ COACHES ON TOES

That external heat was more searing this year than it had been in his first year at the club. The source of it was his modest pre-finals form, an off-field altercation with teammate Zaine Cordy in June that saw the Bulldogs impose a suspension on him, and as the headline fodder focused on him, calls from Cameron Mooney and others for him to consider taking a pay cut.

“Perhaps it wouldn’t have turned out anywhere near like it did if that sort of thing (the criticism) didn’t happen,” a reflective Boyd suggested.


Tom Boyd his game changing goal on Grand Final day. Picture: Getty Images
As Luke Darcy might have pondered ... Say that again?

Is Boyd partly crediting the criticism for the turnaround in his on-field fortunes? In a sense, he is, saying facing those obstacles made him more resilient to everything else he had to encounter.

“Looking back, the main thing I took out of the situation was that it was an extremely humbling experience not only playing in a successful team, but also having to learn from mistakes that I have made,” he said.

“All I was thinking about throughout the back end of the year was to try and help make the team better. From that aspect, I think it was a turning point in my mindset.

“In terms of learning from it, and sort of owning the situation, it was a great moment for me.

“It was less to do with any specific incident; it was more to do with myself as a person, and maturing into a man and a footballer. I hadn’t even turned 21 until the middle of the year.

“I learnt as much as I ever have last year, and that was evident with a lot of the guys throughout the year and the way they displayed resilience and their ability to deal with adversity.”

At no stage did Boyd feel compelled to bite back at the critics, or use the premiership podium to yell “You were wrong” as Port Adelaide’s Mark Williams famously did back in 2004.

That’s never been his style. He lets his football do the talking, and in the last two weeks of the AFL season, his performances were every bit as audible as the crowd noise in both games.

There was his stand-alone ruck role against Greater Western Sydney’s Shane Mumford, after Jordan Roughead was benched with an eye injury, and then his Grand Final heroics when he kicked three goals, took six contested marks and came of age on the biggest stage.

None of the critics called him to say they were wrong ... he doesn’t expect them to, and says that’s the furthest thing from his mind.


Tom Boyd celebrates with his premiership medal. Picture: Getty Images
He’s a premiership player and well regarded internally at the Bulldogs, and that’s all that matters.

The only thing that he found frustrating was when people questioned his character, particularly after the incident with Cordy midyear.

“The hardest thing for me to reconcile with was all the questions about my character that people were throwing out there,” he said. “A lot of people knew they weren’t true.

“It is their prerogative what they want to report. But ultimately I had a good record in the way my parents have brought me up to be polite and humble. I try sort of envisage that at every turn.

“The only thing you can do is turn to your family and your friends and the footy club in general, and really sort of internalise your inner circle. You have to try to put everything that is happening around you into context and understand the perspective other people have without letting it get you down.”

Given what Boyd has been through in his three seasons of AFL football — the journey the one-time No.1 draft pick has had from Eastern Ranges to Greater Western Sydney and onto the Western Bulldogs — it is easy to forget he is still 21 for another eight months, and has played only 38 AFL games.

Whatever he does in the future will never alter his importance in helping the Bulldogs break a 62-year premiership drought, particularly one of the clutch moments of the match.

It came at the 21-minute-mark of the last term as he pounced on a ball that had spilt from Dale Morris’ big tackle on Lance Franklin. Boyd didn’t hear the whistle signalling a free kick, pounced and then pounded a long goal from well outside 50m to give his team a 15-point lead.


Tom Boyd in the middle of the circle after his first win with the Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Klein
“I didn’t find out until Mad Monday that it was actually holding the ball (free kick to Morris),” Boyd laughed. “I had no idea, as it was so loud out there.

“At the time I looked up and there was an open goal square. People have asked me if I was surprised that it went through. I was surprised that it bounced vertically, as I kicked it that hard, I thought it was going go straight through, making me wait and adding to the suspense.

“It was the highlight of my career and I was happy I could put a goal through in a game when it was necessary and really needed.”

Liam Picken ran to him seconds after the goal, to tell him to stay focused.

“I spoke to Picko about it after the game, and he said ‘Look, we had just worked too hard and come too far to let anything slip’,” Boyd said. “That was just the attitude we showed all day.”

The fact Boyd got to end a year that had so many highs and a few lows celebrating a premiership with his family made everything worthwhile.

“Mum and Dad ride the emotions of footy like I do, but they take everything more personally,” he said. “That’s the nature of parenthood. They have been a terrific support network for forever and a day, and I was so happy that I could pinch a few moments of real bliss and enjoyment after the Grand Final.”

Now he has his sights on more success, mindful that nothing is ever certain, and it will take even more hard work to make it happen again.


Dale Morris and Tom Boyd with the premiership cup. Picture: Getty Images

Tom Boyd and Toby McLean celebrate. Picture: Getty Images
The addition of Travis Cloke and the return of Stewart Crameri in attack only strengthens the Dogs’ forward line, and Boyd is looking forward to working with both.

“I had some big steps forward in my development, playing that ruck-forward role and really sharing a strong partnership with ‘Roughy’,” Boyd said.

PAY FIGHT: PLAYERS TO GILL: SHOW US SOME RESPECT

OVER-UNDER: CAN YOUR CLUB MEET EXPECTATIONS IN 2017?

“That’s the place where I feel most comfortable and that’s probably where I can add the most value for the team.”

Boyd knows he has set a new benchmark of performance, and realises the critics will be back for more if he can’t deliver on that.

But that just makes him “super excited” and hungrier to tackle the challenges undoubtedly ahead.

 

[Bokonon_]

Yeah
Stand by for Bulldogs trolling any negativity about Boyd, like moths to a flame. Only dumber and more obnoxious. Hope admin offer still holds

 

[Colonial]

AS strange as it may sound, Tom Boyd is thankful for it now.

He’s not talking about the premiership medal that came earlier than expected, or the game-defining goal he kicked with only five minutes of play left in the Grand Final, or even his highly-rated performance that had some suggesting he was stiff in the Norm Smith Medal voting.

He’s referring to the cacophony of criticism that has followed him ever since he signed a speculative $6 million seven-year-deal with Western Bulldogs in late 2014.

GREAT SIGNING: BULLDOGS LOCK AWAY PREMIERSHIP FORWARD

FRESH LOOK: SHUFFLE TO KEEP DOGS’ COACHES ON TOES

That external heat was more searing this year than it had been in his first year at the club. The source of it was his modest pre-finals form, an off-field altercation with teammate Zaine Cordy in June that saw the Bulldogs impose a suspension on him, and as the headline fodder focused on him, calls from Cameron Mooney and others for him to consider taking a pay cut.

“Perhaps it wouldn’t have turned out anywhere near like it did if that sort of thing (the criticism) didn’t happen,” a reflective Boyd suggested.


Tom Boyd his game changing goal on Grand Final day. Picture: Getty Images
As Luke Darcy might have pondered ... Say that again?

Is Boyd partly crediting the criticism for the turnaround in his on-field fortunes? In a sense, he is, saying facing those obstacles made him more resilient to everything else he had to encounter.

“Looking back, the main thing I took out of the situation was that it was an extremely humbling experience not only playing in a successful team, but also having to learn from mistakes that I have made,” he said.

“All I was thinking about throughout the back end of the year was to try and help make the team better. From that aspect, I think it was a turning point in my mindset.

“In terms of learning from it, and sort of owning the situation, it was a great moment for me.

“It was less to do with any specific incident; it was more to do with myself as a person, and maturing into a man and a footballer. I hadn’t even turned 21 until the middle of the year.

“I learnt as much as I ever have last year, and that was evident with a lot of the guys throughout the year and the way they displayed resilience and their ability to deal with adversity.”

At no stage did Boyd feel compelled to bite back at the critics, or use the premiership podium to yell “You were wrong” as Port Adelaide’s Mark Williams famously did back in 2004.

That’s never been his style. He lets his football do the talking, and in the last two weeks of the AFL season, his performances were every bit as audible as the crowd noise in both games.

There was his stand-alone ruck role against Greater Western Sydney’s Shane Mumford, after Jordan Roughead was benched with an eye injury, and then his Grand Final heroics when he kicked three goals, took six contested marks and came of age on the biggest stage.

None of the critics called him to say they were wrong ... he doesn’t expect them to, and says that’s the furthest thing from his mind.


Tom Boyd celebrates with his premiership medal. Picture: Getty Images
He’s a premiership player and well regarded internally at the Bulldogs, and that’s all that matters.

The only thing that he found frustrating was when people questioned his character, particularly after the incident with Cordy midyear.

“The hardest thing for me to reconcile with was all the questions about my character that people were throwing out there,” he said. “A lot of people knew they weren’t true.

“It is their prerogative what they want to report. But ultimately I had a good record in the way my parents have brought me up to be polite and humble. I try sort of envisage that at every turn.

“The only thing you can do is turn to your family and your friends and the footy club in general, and really sort of internalise your inner circle. You have to try to put everything that is happening around you into context and understand the perspective other people have without letting it get you down.”

Given what Boyd has been through in his three seasons of AFL football — the journey the one-time No.1 draft pick has had from Eastern Ranges to Greater Western Sydney and onto the Western Bulldogs — it is easy to forget he is still 21 for another eight months, and has played only 38 AFL games.

Whatever he does in the future will never alter his importance in helping the Bulldogs break a 62-year premiership drought, particularly one of the clutch moments of the match.

It came at the 21-minute-mark of the last term as he pounced on a ball that had spilt from Dale Morris’ big tackle on Lance Franklin. Boyd didn’t hear the whistle signalling a free kick, pounced and then pounded a long goal from well outside 50m to give his team a 15-point lead.


Tom Boyd in the middle of the circle after his first win with the Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Klein
“I didn’t find out until Mad Monday that it was actually holding the ball (free kick to Morris),” Boyd laughed. “I had no idea, as it was so loud out there.

“At the time I looked up and there was an open goal square. People have asked me if I was surprised that it went through. I was surprised that it bounced vertically, as I kicked it that hard, I thought it was going go straight through, making me wait and adding to the suspense.

“It was the highlight of my career and I was happy I could put a goal through in a game when it was necessary and really needed.”

Liam Picken ran to him seconds after the goal, to tell him to stay focused.

“I spoke to Picko about it after the game, and he said ‘Look, we had just worked too hard and come too far to let anything slip’,” Boyd said. “That was just the attitude we showed all day.”

The fact Boyd got to end a year that had so many highs and a few lows celebrating a premiership with his family made everything worthwhile.

“Mum and Dad ride the emotions of footy like I do, but they take everything more personally,” he said. “That’s the nature of parenthood. They have been a terrific support network for forever and a day, and I was so happy that I could pinch a few moments of real bliss and enjoyment after the Grand Final.”

Now he has his sights on more success, mindful that nothing is ever certain, and it will take even more hard work to make it happen again.


Dale Morris and Tom Boyd with the premiership cup. Picture: Getty Images

Tom Boyd and Toby McLean celebrate. Picture: Getty Images
The addition of Travis Cloke and the return of Stewart Crameri in attack only strengthens the Dogs’ forward line, and Boyd is looking forward to working with both.

“I had some big steps forward in my development, playing that ruck-forward role and really sharing a strong partnership with ‘Roughy’,” Boyd said.

PAY FIGHT: PLAYERS TO GILL: SHOW US SOME RESPECT

OVER-UNDER: CAN YOUR CLUB MEET EXPECTATIONS IN 2017?

“That’s the place where I feel most comfortable and that’s probably where I can add the most value for the team.”

Boyd knows he has set a new benchmark of performance, and realises the critics will be back for more if he can’t deliver on that.

But that just makes him “super excited” and hungrier to tackle the challenges undoubtedly ahead.

What a mummas boy tosser

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[Orange Agent]

He comes across as being so full of himself.

 

[Giant Heart]

Yeah, I dunno guys... I just don't think that Tom is that bad. Some of his behaviour has at points been questionable, but I don't find him as repugnant as the general consensus here. He seems almost ingratiating, which in a way can be floggish, but I do think he's trying to put the past behind him and move on.

We'll see how he behaves now that he's a premiership player. It will be interesting to see if Tom can remain grounded and not let his successful month derail what will, in all likelihood, be another decade of playing at the highest level.

 

[Bokonon_]

Yeah, I dunno guys... I just don't think that Tom is that bad. Some of his behaviour has at points been questionable, but I don't find him as repugnant as the general consensus here. He seems almost ingratiating, which in a way can be floggish, but I do think he's trying to put the past behind him and move on.

We'll see how he behaves now that he's a premiership player. It will be interesting to see if Tom can remain grounded and not let his successful month derail what will, in all likelihood, be another decade of playing at the highest level.

We're just a bit over being harassed by Bulldogs supporters on the topic I think. Although some are pissed at how he left. Objectively I think your right.

 

[Determinant]

Yeah, I dunno guys... I just don't think that Tom is that bad. Some of his behaviour has at points been questionable, but I don't find him as repugnant as the general consensus here. He seems almost ingratiating, which in a way can be floggish, but I do think he's trying to put the past behind him and move on.

We'll see how he behaves now that he's a premiership player. It will be interesting to see if Tom can remain grounded and not let his successful month derail what will, in all likelihood, be another decade of playing at the highest level.

I'm prepared to back in the opinion of our playing group, they spent a lot more time with him than I, and he is the only player we've ever had where open disdain at the least was expressed..