Opinion Stringer theory. NO ESSENDON SUPPORTERS.

[yebiga]

You are putting words in my mouth. I was simply pointing out to MD that it's a tad hypocritical to criticise the club for doing 'nothing' (despite the movements of Cloke, Hrovat, Stevens) and then when they do something a year later (Trengove, Crozier, possibly Stringer) still hang shit on them. I'm happy to PM you my thoughts on what went wrong, the Stringer thread is not the place for it...

Happy to receive and discuss

 

[Sharkey66]

I cannot fathom how if these bullying rumors are true, the perpertrators seemingly had no club imposed sanctions such as a suspension. If i were toyd i would be filthy having received one himself for an indescretion.

 

[hoianbulldog]

I cannot fathom how if these bullying rumors are true, the perpertrators seemingly had no club imposed sanctions such as a suspension. If i were toyd i would be filthy having received one himself for an indescretion.

Good post. Possibly there is little fact in the rumours.

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

This is the part of the Stringer saga that doesn't sit right with me either. Why did Stringer play every available game in the seniors this year? I'm struggling to think of a justification that sits comfortably with me.

IMO Jake would have been dropped had he played that way over the whole season. What saved him was when he was on the verge of being dropped he was getting injured and when he returned they gave him some leeway as he was returning from injury.
Think back to the Carlton game it was a must win for us and Bevo said before the game Jake would spend more time in the midfield but he did his hammy in the first quarter.
My read on that was we were sending him there to see if that would spark him and if it didn’t he could well have been dropped.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[ivan rassmussen]

Paywall

Mods, am I allowed to do this...?

Here you go DR:

Jake Stringer opens up on family, friends and football to Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson
MARK ROBINSON, Herald Sun
July 15, 2016 6:30pm


THE Package. The Parcel. The Envelope. And the Postie.

Western Bulldogs young gun Jake Stringer opens up the family home to chief football writer Mark Robinson, who discovers a down-to-earth, dedicated partner and father of two girls — who plays a bit of scintillating footy on the side.

Mark Robinson: So, Arlo is baby No.2. Three if you count Jason Johannisen.

Jake Stringer: Yes, JJ is No.3. Nah, he’s like a father to them. He’s been there from the get-go. He doesn’t have family down here and our little family has welcomed him in.

MR: How did you get so close with Johannisen.

JS: He hurt his shoulder when Jeremy Cameron crunched him and two week later I did my ankle and missed the rest of the year. We were in rehab together. We weren’t really mates before and then spent the next eight weeks together. Now we’re best mates — me, him and Lachie Hunter.

MR: You’re 22. Has it been a challenge to have two kids so young?

JS: I don’t think it has been. The support I’ve had through Abby (wife), but also the likes of JJ and Chloe (neighbour), has been good.

MR: Affected your footy in any way?

JS: No. With Milla, I think it made me grow up quicker. I was 20 and I think having kids is the best thing that’s happened to me. I suppose you’re not worrying about “you” any more. I don’t think I needed to grow up, but it just gave me something different. The love you have for your kids is nothing like I’ve experienced.

Jake Stringer and daughters Arlo. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
MR: Describe your footy this season.

JS: It’s been a good learning curve because they’ve put me in the midfield. I haven’t really played deep forward that much, where as last year I played majority deep forward. It’s been good to expand my game.

MR: OK, it’s the first final, where do you think you will start?

JS: Probably high half-forward. But I will play deep forward at times. I did last weekend and had an impact.

MR: People spoke glowingly of you last year. Some had you a top-10 player and there was the comparison with Gary Ablett Sr. Do you get caught up in the glow?

JS: Not with two little kids. When I get home I’m just dad. Out there, apparently I’m “The Package” (laughing). All the boys know I’m laid back and still a country boy.

MR: You’d be jealous, wouldn’t you, not being the biggest name out of Maryborough anymore?

JS: Delly (NBA player Matthew Dellavedova) is a great story. I spent my first 11 years at Maryborough. I grew up with Delly. I went to school with his sisters Jana and Ingrid. Our dads played basketball together for 30 years. I’ve never seen anyone work harder at any sport than what Delly did when he was younger. And he’s getting the rewards. I think it’s four years, $50 million, $38 million guaranteed.

MR: People have this perception you’re a rock star on and off the field. True?

JS: I’m more focused on my kids and my family. It’s family and family and then footy in that order. Footy is a dream and a job, but these people are my life.

MR: How do you react when the other young tearaways come in from the weekend and tell tales of adventure? Do you feel distanced from them?

JS: Definitely not distanced. They like to keep me filled in with everything (laughing).

Matthew Dellavedova with LeBron James at the NBA Trophy. Picture: Instagram
MR: Never feel like you’re missing out on anything?

JS: Not at all. Abby lets me go to the pub with them, but with two kids it’s hard to get away. She does a wonderful job in letting me still interact with the boys and have a few beers. I don’t go out, but I’m not the person wanting to go out. I’d rather go on a Sunday for a couple of hours at a pub, have three or four pots and go home. JJ and Lachie come round a fair bit. Milla is obsessed with Lachie at the moment.

MR: You had a lean patch this year and people were accusing you of having a bighead. Were you aware of that?

JS: You hear it because the boys give you s--- about it non-stop. It was just that I was trying to grow my game. It’s about what’s good in two years. Is it me playing in the midfield or is it me playing deep forward? I think it’s being able to go up the ground. I know I’ve got the capabilities deep forward to kick goals, so it’s about growing my game. It’s not just me, it’s everyone at the club trying to grow their game.

MR: What’s the ceiling on you, Jake?

JS: There’s no ceiling.

MR: And that’s not arrogance.

JS: No. Why put a ceiling on anything? It sounds arrogant, but it’s just me as a human. I don’t want people to look back in 10 years and say he was a good forward. I want them to say he was good all-round footballer.

MR: Are you a footy nerd? Do you know football history?

JS: No. I’d know more NBA history. Obviously, I know all the greats who have played in the AFL, but I’m probably more a general sports nerd — like ice hockey, NFL, NBA, European soccer. Me and JJ are Arsenal. I will sit and watch footy on a Friday night, but I’m not sitting there sussing out who I might play on, whether they’re playing us next week. I watched Rampe on Friday night and I thought he’s playing well, but I didn’t sit here thinking he could’ve done this better or that better as others do.

MR: Do you want to achieve greatness individually?

JS: Not individually. As a collective 100 per cent. That’s purely because of the relationships I have at the club. I don’t want to go through it by myself and look back and say, “Gee I had a good career”. I want to look back and say, “We all had a good career, a great 10-15 years together”.

Jake Stringer with wife Abby Gilmore and daughters Milla and Arlo. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
MR: Don’t take offence, but footballers are prone to say the party line. Why should we believe you?

JS: Because if you were here every night and see JJ and Lachie come over, it would be selfish of me to only want individual success. A lot of people would watch me and say that’s bulls---, but the people who know me well will know exactly what that means.

MR: It’s amazing to compare the perception of Jake Stringer the footballer to who you actually are as a person.

JS: It really is. They are a long way apart.

MR: Who’s your favourite sportsman?

JS: LeBron James. I already thought he was greatness before the finals and then to come back from 3-1 down is ridiculous.

MR: People would say you have a bit of LeBron in you?

JS: He’s someone who I try to base my football on because he can do everything. You watch him on the court, he lifts everyone.

MR: He’s a solid talker on the court. Are you the same?

JS: I’m not too bad. Our team is even if you ask who is the most vocal. There’s three or four who take control of the midfield. Jack Macrae is one of them. Even the growth in Lachie on a wing, he’s one taking control. There’s Libba. Mitch Wallis is very vocal. Bonty. The care they have for each other is great.

MR: Everyone was drooling over you as a footballer and then along came Marcus Bontempelli. It was kind of like, yep, Stringer’s good, but how good is this kid Bontempelli?

JS: He’s star. But there’s a lot of people who help us. Libra and Jack Macrae are doing some pretty hard stuff inside to help Bont and I have five other forwards who help me every week. People do get carried away by me and Marcus, but me and Marcus aren’t anything without the rest of them.

Jake Stringer and Matthew Boyd celebrate a goal. Picture: George Salpigtidis
MR: He seems level headed and it makes me wonder if there’s any player at the Dogs not level headed?

JS: I don’t think so, you’d get pulled into line pretty quick if you weren’t. Easton Wood, and Bob (Murphy), Dale Morris and Boydy (Matthew Boyd) would step in. If I was to nominate someone who was the most important player to our team, Dale Morris is No.1. He does not lose.

MR: Do you envisage wanting to be captain.

JS: It’s not something I’m aspiring to be, I’m aspiring to be the best teammate, the best dad, the best partner, I’ve got enough on my plate.

MR: What do you do that other 22-year-olds do? Eat rubbish food?

JS: Of course.

MR: Are you a drinker?

JS: Not heavily. But if we’re going to the pub with the boys, 100 per cent I’ll be tipping a couple back. But that’s rare.

MR: Who are your favourite players in the AFL?

JS: Out of the Bulldogs? Because I’ll give you my favourite Bulldogs ...

MR: OK, Dogs first.

JS: JJ and Lachie because they kick me the ball all the time, Dale Morris because he’s a star, Clay Smith and Bonty and Libba are in there as well. I’ve given you six.

Jake Stringer and Lachie Hunter celebrate a Bulldogs goal.
MR: Outside the Dogs?

JS: I love watching Nat Fyfe playing when he’s playing. I used to watch a lot of Matthew Pavlich because I was always intrigued how he played forward, back and midfield really well.

MR: Come on Jake, you won’t be playing defence.

JS: (Laughing) No way, I’ll be staying away from that.

MR: If you follow American sports, you’ll know those sportspeople always say they can win the whole thing. Would you be so bold to say the same? Are you allowed to talk like that?

JS: We don’t talk about it like that.

MR: That’s crazy because you think you can win the flag, but you’re not allowed to say you think you can win the flag.

JS: It is ridiculous. But if you were Joe Blow and asked me, I’d say, “Why would I be playing footy if I didn’t think we’re going to win it”. Seriously, what’s the point running out every weekend if you don’t think you can win the premiership?

MR: So, if your next door neighbour asked you, what would say?

JS: Abdul? He’s a Muslim, he’s a ripper bloke, and if he asked me, I’d say 100 per cent we’re winning it (laughing).

Jake Stringer with daughter Arlo. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
ABBY GILMORE

MR: So, he’s not Jake the rock star?

Abbie: No, he’s not, not at home anyway. He can’t really be with a demanding two-year-old and a demanding six-week-old. They grounded him, but I don’t think he was in the clouds anyway. When I heard him say before that they helped him grow up, I actually disagreed with him. How we are now is how we’ve always been and having our kids was a choice. We are the not the typical 22-year-olds who go out; we are a bit grandma/grandpa, but still like to have fun with our close friends.

MR: Where do you meet?

Abby: We went to school together, we met when we were 12 at CCB in Bendigo.

MR: So it was a choice to have the kids?

Abby: I had two miscarriages before I had Milla. We knew we wanted kids young and I think with football, which can be so depressing, it’s such a rollercoaster, having the kids levelled it all out and made it less boring. Jake comes home to kids rather than comes home and analyses footy.

MR: You’re pretty open with your thoughts.

Abby: One in four women miscarriage, it’s something that people hide and are scared to talk about. I want to change that. I struggled with it because I kept it quiet for so long. I talk about it on my Instagram and preach young motherhood and make it a positive thing rather than people screwing their nose up, thinking it must have been a mistake, when it wasn’t a mistake. We just wanted kids and it’s the best thing we could’ve done.

MR: What about the rock star commentary surrounding Jake? And then there’s the criticism ...

Abby: He doesn’t look at any of the crap and I’m a sucker and I look at the comments people make. I’ve always said I’ll never get used to it, I’ll never be OK with seeing people bash him.

Making memories with Dad pic.twitter.com/WkaYvRvMCH

— Abby Gilmore (@abby_gilmore) April 3, 2016
MR: Generally, it’s positive?

Abby: Like you said, he had a bit of flat patch and that’s when he got bashed the most and that was when I was online looking. I shouldn’t do it. You have to have a tough skin and we do. He definitely does.

MR: As a father and partner, surely he can’t be perfect.

Abby: No, he’s not perfect — sorry Jake. There’s times when it gets a bit much for him, he’s quiet and a bit into himself and if anything Jake needs to be able to express himself more. It is a stressful job and talking about it when it gets tough can help make it easier. That’s probably something he struggled with. He nails fatherhood, they (the girls) are pretty much obsessed with him.

MR: What’s the one thing people say about your boy that you know is not true?

Abby: It’s pretty obvious, people think he has this arrogance about him. They way he carries himself, it might seem he is, but he’s not. I think there’s a difference between confidence and arrogance and Jake is definitely confident and so he should be, and I love that, and I hope that’s what the kids grow up to be like.

MR: You have a nickname for him?

Abby: I don’t really. He’s just dad.

MR: Ever call him The Package?

Abby: We do sometimes just to get up his goat a little bit. BT made it up and it’s pretty funny really. Now, it’s carried down to Milla “The Parcel”, which Lachie made up and we’ve got “The Envelope” in Arlo and I’m apparently “The Postie”, because I delivered the children.

 

[Senor Ed]

Mods, am I allowed to do this...?

Here you go DR:

Jake Stringer opens up on family, friends and football to Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson
MARK ROBINSON, Herald Sun
July 15, 2016 6:30pm


THE Package. The Parcel. The Envelope. And the Postie.

Western Bulldogs young gun Jake Stringer opens up the family home to chief football writer Mark Robinson, who discovers a down-to-earth, dedicated partner and father of two girls — who plays a bit of scintillating footy on the side.

Mark Robinson: So, Arlo is baby No.2. Three if you count Jason Johannisen.

Jake Stringer: Yes, JJ is No.3. Nah, he’s like a father to them. He’s been there from the get-go. He doesn’t have family down here and our little family has welcomed him in.

MR: How did you get so close with Johannisen.

JS: He hurt his shoulder when Jeremy Cameron crunched him and two week later I did my ankle and missed the rest of the year. We were in rehab together. We weren’t really mates before and then spent the next eight weeks together. Now we’re best mates — me, him and Lachie Hunter.

MR: You’re 22. Has it been a challenge to have two kids so young?

JS: I don’t think it has been. The support I’ve had through Abby (wife), but also the likes of JJ and Chloe (neighbour), has been good.

MR: Affected your footy in any way?

JS: No. With Milla, I think it made me grow up quicker. I was 20 and I think having kids is the best thing that’s happened to me. I suppose you’re not worrying about “you” any more. I don’t think I needed to grow up, but it just gave me something different. The love you have for your kids is nothing like I’ve experienced.

Jake Stringer and daughters Arlo. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
MR: Describe your footy this season.

JS: It’s been a good learning curve because they’ve put me in the midfield. I haven’t really played deep forward that much, where as last year I played majority deep forward. It’s been good to expand my game.

MR: OK, it’s the first final, where do you think you will start?

JS: Probably high half-forward. But I will play deep forward at times. I did last weekend and had an impact.

MR: People spoke glowingly of you last year. Some had you a top-10 player and there was the comparison with Gary Ablett Sr. Do you get caught up in the glow?

JS: Not with two little kids. When I get home I’m just dad. Out there, apparently I’m “The Package” (laughing). All the boys know I’m laid back and still a country boy.

MR: You’d be jealous, wouldn’t you, not being the biggest name out of Maryborough anymore?

JS: Delly (NBA player Matthew Dellavedova) is a great story. I spent my first 11 years at Maryborough. I grew up with Delly. I went to school with his sisters Jana and Ingrid. Our dads played basketball together for 30 years. I’ve never seen anyone work harder at any sport than what Delly did when he was younger. And he’s getting the rewards. I think it’s four years, $50 million, $38 million guaranteed.

MR: People have this perception you’re a rock star on and off the field. True?

JS: I’m more focused on my kids and my family. It’s family and family and then footy in that order. Footy is a dream and a job, but these people are my life.

MR: How do you react when the other young tearaways come in from the weekend and tell tales of adventure? Do you feel distanced from them?

JS: Definitely not distanced. They like to keep me filled in with everything (laughing).

Matthew Dellavedova with LeBron James at the NBA Trophy. Picture: Instagram
MR: Never feel like you’re missing out on anything?

JS: Not at all. Abby lets me go to the pub with them, but with two kids it’s hard to get away. She does a wonderful job in letting me still interact with the boys and have a few beers. I don’t go out, but I’m not the person wanting to go out. I’d rather go on a Sunday for a couple of hours at a pub, have three or four pots and go home. JJ and Lachie come round a fair bit. Milla is obsessed with Lachie at the moment.

MR: You had a lean patch this year and people were accusing you of having a bighead. Were you aware of that?

JS: You hear it because the boys give you s--- about it non-stop. It was just that I was trying to grow my game. It’s about what’s good in two years. Is it me playing in the midfield or is it me playing deep forward? I think it’s being able to go up the ground. I know I’ve got the capabilities deep forward to kick goals, so it’s about growing my game. It’s not just me, it’s everyone at the club trying to grow their game.

MR: What’s the ceiling on you, Jake?

JS: There’s no ceiling.

MR: And that’s not arrogance.

JS: No. Why put a ceiling on anything? It sounds arrogant, but it’s just me as a human. I don’t want people to look back in 10 years and say he was a good forward. I want them to say he was good all-round footballer.

MR: Are you a footy nerd? Do you know football history?

JS: No. I’d know more NBA history. Obviously, I know all the greats who have played in the AFL, but I’m probably more a general sports nerd — like ice hockey, NFL, NBA, European soccer. Me and JJ are Arsenal. I will sit and watch footy on a Friday night, but I’m not sitting there sussing out who I might play on, whether they’re playing us next week. I watched Rampe on Friday night and I thought he’s playing well, but I didn’t sit here thinking he could’ve done this better or that better as others do.

MR: Do you want to achieve greatness individually?

JS: Not individually. As a collective 100 per cent. That’s purely because of the relationships I have at the club. I don’t want to go through it by myself and look back and say, “Gee I had a good career”. I want to look back and say, “We all had a good career, a great 10-15 years together”.

Jake Stringer with wife Abby Gilmore and daughters Milla and Arlo. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
MR: Don’t take offence, but footballers are prone to say the party line. Why should we believe you?

JS: Because if you were here every night and see JJ and Lachie come over, it would be selfish of me to only want individual success. A lot of people would watch me and say that’s bulls---, but the people who know me well will know exactly what that means.

MR: It’s amazing to compare the perception of Jake Stringer the footballer to who you actually are as a person.

JS: It really is. They are a long way apart.

MR: Who’s your favourite sportsman?

JS: LeBron James. I already thought he was greatness before the finals and then to come back from 3-1 down is ridiculous.

MR: People would say you have a bit of LeBron in you?

JS: He’s someone who I try to base my football on because he can do everything. You watch him on the court, he lifts everyone.

MR: He’s a solid talker on the court. Are you the same?

JS: I’m not too bad. Our team is even if you ask who is the most vocal. There’s three or four who take control of the midfield. Jack Macrae is one of them. Even the growth in Lachie on a wing, he’s one taking control. There’s Libba. Mitch Wallis is very vocal. Bonty. The care they have for each other is great.

MR: Everyone was drooling over you as a footballer and then along came Marcus Bontempelli. It was kind of like, yep, Stringer’s good, but how good is this kid Bontempelli?

JS: He’s star. But there’s a lot of people who help us. Libra and Jack Macrae are doing some pretty hard stuff inside to help Bont and I have five other forwards who help me every week. People do get carried away by me and Marcus, but me and Marcus aren’t anything without the rest of them.

Jake Stringer and Matthew Boyd celebrate a goal. Picture: George Salpigtidis
MR: He seems level headed and it makes me wonder if there’s any player at the Dogs not level headed?

JS: I don’t think so, you’d get pulled into line pretty quick if you weren’t. Easton Wood, and Bob (Murphy), Dale Morris and Boydy (Matthew Boyd) would step in. If I was to nominate someone who was the most important player to our team, Dale Morris is No.1. He does not lose.

MR: Do you envisage wanting to be captain.

JS: It’s not something I’m aspiring to be, I’m aspiring to be the best teammate, the best dad, the best partner, I’ve got enough on my plate.

MR: What do you do that other 22-year-olds do? Eat rubbish food?

JS: Of course.

MR: Are you a drinker?

JS: Not heavily. But if we’re going to the pub with the boys, 100 per cent I’ll be tipping a couple back. But that’s rare.

MR: Who are your favourite players in the AFL?

JS: Out of the Bulldogs? Because I’ll give you my favourite Bulldogs ...

MR: OK, Dogs first.

JS: JJ and Lachie because they kick me the ball all the time, Dale Morris because he’s a star, Clay Smith and Bonty and Libba are in there as well. I’ve given you six.

Jake Stringer and Lachie Hunter celebrate a Bulldogs goal.
MR: Outside the Dogs?

JS: I love watching Nat Fyfe playing when he’s playing. I used to watch a lot of Matthew Pavlich because I was always intrigued how he played forward, back and midfield really well.

MR: Come on Jake, you won’t be playing defence.

JS: (Laughing) No way, I’ll be staying away from that.

MR: If you follow American sports, you’ll know those sportspeople always say they can win the whole thing. Would you be so bold to say the same? Are you allowed to talk like that?

JS: We don’t talk about it like that.

MR: That’s crazy because you think you can win the flag, but you’re not allowed to say you think you can win the flag.

JS: It is ridiculous. But if you were Joe Blow and asked me, I’d say, “Why would I be playing footy if I didn’t think we’re going to win it”. Seriously, what’s the point running out every weekend if you don’t think you can win the premiership?

MR: So, if your next door neighbour asked you, what would say?

JS: Abdul? He’s a Muslim, he’s a ripper bloke, and if he asked me, I’d say 100 per cent we’re winning it (laughing).

Jake Stringer with daughter Arlo. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
ABBY GILMORE

MR: So, he’s not Jake the rock star?

Abbie: No, he’s not, not at home anyway. He can’t really be with a demanding two-year-old and a demanding six-week-old. They grounded him, but I don’t think he was in the clouds anyway. When I heard him say before that they helped him grow up, I actually disagreed with him. How we are now is how we’ve always been and having our kids was a choice. We are the not the typical 22-year-olds who go out; we are a bit grandma/grandpa, but still like to have fun with our close friends.

MR: Where do you meet?

Abby: We went to school together, we met when we were 12 at CCB in Bendigo.

MR: So it was a choice to have the kids?

Abby: I had two miscarriages before I had Milla. We knew we wanted kids young and I think with football, which can be so depressing, it’s such a rollercoaster, having the kids levelled it all out and made it less boring. Jake comes home to kids rather than comes home and analyses footy.

MR: You’re pretty open with your thoughts.

Abby: One in four women miscarriage, it’s something that people hide and are scared to talk about. I want to change that. I struggled with it because I kept it quiet for so long. I talk about it on my Instagram and preach young motherhood and make it a positive thing rather than people screwing their nose up, thinking it must have been a mistake, when it wasn’t a mistake. We just wanted kids and it’s the best thing we could’ve done.

MR: What about the rock star commentary surrounding Jake? And then there’s the criticism ...

Abby: He doesn’t look at any of the crap and I’m a sucker and I look at the comments people make. I’ve always said I’ll never get used to it, I’ll never be OK with seeing people bash him.

Making memories with Dad pic.twitter.com/WkaYvRvMCH

— Abby Gilmore (@abby_gilmore) April 3, 2016
MR: Generally, it’s positive?

Abby: Like you said, he had a bit of flat patch and that’s when he got bashed the most and that was when I was online looking. I shouldn’t do it. You have to have a tough skin and we do. He definitely does.

MR: As a father and partner, surely he can’t be perfect.

Abby: No, he’s not perfect — sorry Jake. There’s times when it gets a bit much for him, he’s quiet and a bit into himself and if anything Jake needs to be able to express himself more. It is a stressful job and talking about it when it gets tough can help make it easier. That’s probably something he struggled with. He nails fatherhood, they (the girls) are pretty much obsessed with him.

MR: What’s the one thing people say about your boy that you know is not true?

Abby: It’s pretty obvious, people think he has this arrogance about him. They way he carries himself, it might seem he is, but he’s not. I think there’s a difference between confidence and arrogance and Jake is definitely confident and so he should be, and I love that, and I hope that’s what the kids grow up to be like.

MR: You have a nickname for him?

Abby: I don’t really. He’s just dad.

MR: Ever call him The Package?

Abby: We do sometimes just to get up his goat a little bit. BT made it up and it’s pretty funny really. Now, it’s carried down to Milla “The Parcel”, which Lachie made up and we’ve got “The Envelope” in Arlo and I’m apparently “The Postie”, because I delivered the children.

FATHER. OF. THE. YEAR

 

[Yesterday Dog]

FATHER. OF. THE. YEAR

With the way he juices his pickle, that 17 year old had better grab some tests

 

[Werewolf]

Paywall

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

One of the more annoying things during this trade debacle is the media trying to convince us that he isn’t worth a first rounder and this is what his value is worth, but you know as soon as this trade gets done they’ll be raving about what a steal this was for Essendon.

And then, in the fullness of time, they will get to know Jake...
Karma comes around

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

And guess who's on holidays with Stringer right now?

A lot of BS is circulated around here and some of it does end up being true. But I cannot fathom that Jake is being made an example and shipped off because he is bullying someone. If there are multiple players involved and only one suffers consequences then that sets a terrible double standard whether one is the ring leader or not. It also reflects poorly on our culture if we can't rectify that situation. These guys are adults not school children. If Jake and the others weren't absolutely crucified for his actions including suspension if it's this serious then what the hell were we doing all year?

Don't assume it's only ONE reason. Apart from interplayer relations, there's unprofessional attitude to training and rehab, some truly terrible on-field performances when he's expected to produce so much more and be an on-field leader, and probably most importantly, the influence of his various behaviours on teammates, especially the younger ones. All of those, and maybe others would add up to the decision to trade him. Other clubs have done their research, otherwise why aren't they falling over each other to sign him?

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Mate, you were savage on the club for resting on their laurels last trade period. You felt we were too passive and we would go backwards this year. Now we did go backwards but the cause of the slide has been debated enough already and i wont go into it here.

This year we seemed to have identified the most disruptive and least professional footballer on our list and despite his obvious talent are moving him on for the betterment of the group as a whole. In addition we have brought in two highly professional athletes whose previous supporters have nothing but admiration for. We are doing something to rectify what happened this year, a rabble of a club would be doing nothing and allowing Jake's behaviour to continue.

You can't have it both ways bud, you canned us for doing nothing and are now slagging us for doing something. I'm starting to think that perhaps you are just fond of sticking the boot in...

I'm shocked to be sitting here

 

[yebiga]

So that dick Connors also manages jack watts? Can we get him deregistered?

He seems to think his job is basically to devalue his clients. In every picture he looks like his been on the piss all night.

Some one tell me - what is his value? Why is he the only buffoon parading fathers in front of the media?

This goose is an embarrassment to the league.

Does he really think Melbourne and the Bulldogs are malicious? How has he helped either Jake or jack?

Does it enter his puny drug ****ed mind that maybe just maybe it would help if he pushed back a little and offered players who are a little off track the bigger picture - some wisdom - some direction.

Absolute scum

 

[compact72]

So that dick Connors also manages jack watts? Can we get him deregistered?

He seems to think his job is basically to devalue his clients. In every picture he looks like his been on the piss all night.

Some one tell me - what is his value? Why is he the only buffoon parading fathers in front of the media?

This goose is an embarrassment to the league.

Does he really think Melbourne and the Bulldogs are malicious? How has he helped either Jake or jack?

Does it enter his puny drug ****** mind that maybe just maybe it would help if he pushed back a little and offered players who are a little off track the bigger picture - some wisdom - some direction.

Absolute scum

lol, it's a managers job to get their client to their preferred club. They'll do whatever it takes, they don't want to lose the client and look like a fool

Stop taking it personally, it's their job

 

[King Harold]

Boy are they having fun on the Bombers board.
They just can't believe what they are hearing .

 

[Dry Rot]

Mods, am I allowed to do this...?

Here you go DR:

Jake Stringer opens up on family, friends and football to Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson
MARK ROBINSON, Herald Sun
July 15, 2016 6:30pm


THE Package. The Parcel. The Envelope. And the Postie.

Western Bulldogs young gun Jake Stringer opens up the family home to chief football writer Mark Robinson, who discovers a down-to-earth, dedicated partner and father of two girls — who plays a bit of scintillating footy on the side.

Mark Robinson: So, Arlo is baby No.2. Three if you count Jason Johannisen.

Jake Stringer: Yes, JJ is No.3. Nah, he’s like a father to them. He’s been there from the get-go. He doesn’t have family down here and our little family has welcomed him in.

MR: How did you get so close with Johannisen.

JS: He hurt his shoulder when Jeremy Cameron crunched him and two week later I did my ankle and missed the rest of the year. We were in rehab together. We weren’t really mates before and then spent the next eight weeks together. Now we’re best mates — me, him and Lachie Hunter.

MR: You’re 22. Has it been a challenge to have two kids so young?

JS: I don’t think it has been. The support I’ve had through Abby (wife), but also the likes of JJ and Chloe (neighbour), has been good.

MR: Affected your footy in any way?

JS: No. With Milla, I think it made me grow up quicker. I was 20 and I think having kids is the best thing that’s happened to me. I suppose you’re not worrying about “you” any more. I don’t think I needed to grow up, but it just gave me something different. The love you have for your kids is nothing like I’ve experienced.

Jake Stringer and daughters Arlo. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
MR: Describe your footy this season.

JS: It’s been a good learning curve because they’ve put me in the midfield. I haven’t really played deep forward that much, where as last year I played majority deep forward. It’s been good to expand my game.

MR: OK, it’s the first final, where do you think you will start?

JS: Probably high half-forward. But I will play deep forward at times. I did last weekend and had an impact.

MR: People spoke glowingly of you last year. Some had you a top-10 player and there was the comparison with Gary Ablett Sr. Do you get caught up in the glow?

JS: Not with two little kids. When I get home I’m just dad. Out there, apparently I’m “The Package” (laughing). All the boys know I’m laid back and still a country boy.

MR: You’d be jealous, wouldn’t you, not being the biggest name out of Maryborough anymore?

JS: Delly (NBA player Matthew Dellavedova) is a great story. I spent my first 11 years at Maryborough. I grew up with Delly. I went to school with his sisters Jana and Ingrid. Our dads played basketball together for 30 years. I’ve never seen anyone work harder at any sport than what Delly did when he was younger. And he’s getting the rewards. I think it’s four years, $50 million, $38 million guaranteed.

MR: People have this perception you’re a rock star on and off the field. True?

JS: I’m more focused on my kids and my family. It’s family and family and then footy in that order. Footy is a dream and a job, but these people are my life.

MR: How do you react when the other young tearaways come in from the weekend and tell tales of adventure? Do you feel distanced from them?

JS: Definitely not distanced. They like to keep me filled in with everything (laughing).

Matthew Dellavedova with LeBron James at the NBA Trophy. Picture: Instagram
MR: Never feel like you’re missing out on anything?

JS: Not at all. Abby lets me go to the pub with them, but with two kids it’s hard to get away. She does a wonderful job in letting me still interact with the boys and have a few beers. I don’t go out, but I’m not the person wanting to go out. I’d rather go on a Sunday for a couple of hours at a pub, have three or four pots and go home. JJ and Lachie come round a fair bit. Milla is obsessed with Lachie at the moment.

MR: You had a lean patch this year and people were accusing you of having a bighead. Were you aware of that?

JS: You hear it because the boys give you s--- about it non-stop. It was just that I was trying to grow my game. It’s about what’s good in two years. Is it me playing in the midfield or is it me playing deep forward? I think it’s being able to go up the ground. I know I’ve got the capabilities deep forward to kick goals, so it’s about growing my game. It’s not just me, it’s everyone at the club trying to grow their game.

MR: What’s the ceiling on you, Jake?

JS: There’s no ceiling.

MR: And that’s not arrogance.

JS: No. Why put a ceiling on anything? It sounds arrogant, but it’s just me as a human. I don’t want people to look back in 10 years and say he was a good forward. I want them to say he was good all-round footballer.

MR: Are you a footy nerd? Do you know football history?

JS: No. I’d know more NBA history. Obviously, I know all the greats who have played in the AFL, but I’m probably more a general sports nerd — like ice hockey, NFL, NBA, European soccer. Me and JJ are Arsenal. I will sit and watch footy on a Friday night, but I’m not sitting there sussing out who I might play on, whether they’re playing us next week. I watched Rampe on Friday night and I thought he’s playing well, but I didn’t sit here thinking he could’ve done this better or that better as others do.

MR: Do you want to achieve greatness individually?

JS: Not individually. As a collective 100 per cent. That’s purely because of the relationships I have at the club. I don’t want to go through it by myself and look back and say, “Gee I had a good career”. I want to look back and say, “We all had a good career, a great 10-15 years together”.

Jake Stringer with wife Abby Gilmore and daughters Milla and Arlo. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
MR: Don’t take offence, but footballers are prone to say the party line. Why should we believe you?

JS: Because if you were here every night and see JJ and Lachie come over, it would be selfish of me to only want individual success. A lot of people would watch me and say that’s bulls---, but the people who know me well will know exactly what that means.

MR: It’s amazing to compare the perception of Jake Stringer the footballer to who you actually are as a person.

JS: It really is. They are a long way apart.

MR: Who’s your favourite sportsman?

JS: LeBron James. I already thought he was greatness before the finals and then to come back from 3-1 down is ridiculous.

MR: People would say you have a bit of LeBron in you?

JS: He’s someone who I try to base my football on because he can do everything. You watch him on the court, he lifts everyone.

MR: He’s a solid talker on the court. Are you the same?

JS: I’m not too bad. Our team is even if you ask who is the most vocal. There’s three or four who take control of the midfield. Jack Macrae is one of them. Even the growth in Lachie on a wing, he’s one taking control. There’s Libba. Mitch Wallis is very vocal. Bonty. The care they have for each other is great.

MR: Everyone was drooling over you as a footballer and then along came Marcus Bontempelli. It was kind of like, yep, Stringer’s good, but how good is this kid Bontempelli?

JS: He’s star. But there’s a lot of people who help us. Libra and Jack Macrae are doing some pretty hard stuff inside to help Bont and I have five other forwards who help me every week. People do get carried away by me and Marcus, but me and Marcus aren’t anything without the rest of them.

Jake Stringer and Matthew Boyd celebrate a goal. Picture: George Salpigtidis
MR: He seems level headed and it makes me wonder if there’s any player at the Dogs not level headed?

JS: I don’t think so, you’d get pulled into line pretty quick if you weren’t. Easton Wood, and Bob (Murphy), Dale Morris and Boydy (Matthew Boyd) would step in. If I was to nominate someone who was the most important player to our team, Dale Morris is No.1. He does not lose.

MR: Do you envisage wanting to be captain.

JS: It’s not something I’m aspiring to be, I’m aspiring to be the best teammate, the best dad, the best partner, I’ve got enough on my plate.

MR: What do you do that other 22-year-olds do? Eat rubbish food?

JS: Of course.

MR: Are you a drinker?

JS: Not heavily. But if we’re going to the pub with the boys, 100 per cent I’ll be tipping a couple back. But that’s rare.

MR: Who are your favourite players in the AFL?

JS: Out of the Bulldogs? Because I’ll give you my favourite Bulldogs ...

MR: OK, Dogs first.

JS: JJ and Lachie because they kick me the ball all the time, Dale Morris because he’s a star, Clay Smith and Bonty and Libba are in there as well. I’ve given you six.

Jake Stringer and Lachie Hunter celebrate a Bulldogs goal.
MR: Outside the Dogs?

JS: I love watching Nat Fyfe playing when he’s playing. I used to watch a lot of Matthew Pavlich because I was always intrigued how he played forward, back and midfield really well.

MR: Come on Jake, you won’t be playing defence.

JS: (Laughing) No way, I’ll be staying away from that.

MR: If you follow American sports, you’ll know those sportspeople always say they can win the whole thing. Would you be so bold to say the same? Are you allowed to talk like that?

JS: We don’t talk about it like that.

MR: That’s crazy because you think you can win the flag, but you’re not allowed to say you think you can win the flag.

JS: It is ridiculous. But if you were Joe Blow and asked me, I’d say, “Why would I be playing footy if I didn’t think we’re going to win it”. Seriously, what’s the point running out every weekend if you don’t think you can win the premiership?

MR: So, if your next door neighbour asked you, what would say?

JS: Abdul? He’s a Muslim, he’s a ripper bloke, and if he asked me, I’d say 100 per cent we’re winning it (laughing).

Jake Stringer with daughter Arlo. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
ABBY GILMORE

MR: So, he’s not Jake the rock star?

Abbie: No, he’s not, not at home anyway. He can’t really be with a demanding two-year-old and a demanding six-week-old. They grounded him, but I don’t think he was in the clouds anyway. When I heard him say before that they helped him grow up, I actually disagreed with him. How we are now is how we’ve always been and having our kids was a choice. We are the not the typical 22-year-olds who go out; we are a bit grandma/grandpa, but still like to have fun with our close friends.

MR: Where do you meet?

Abby: We went to school together, we met when we were 12 at CCB in Bendigo.

MR: So it was a choice to have the kids?

Abby: I had two miscarriages before I had Milla. We knew we wanted kids young and I think with football, which can be so depressing, it’s such a rollercoaster, having the kids levelled it all out and made it less boring. Jake comes home to kids rather than comes home and analyses footy.

MR: You’re pretty open with your thoughts.

Abby: One in four women miscarriage, it’s something that people hide and are scared to talk about. I want to change that. I struggled with it because I kept it quiet for so long. I talk about it on my Instagram and preach young motherhood and make it a positive thing rather than people screwing their nose up, thinking it must have been a mistake, when it wasn’t a mistake. We just wanted kids and it’s the best thing we could’ve done.

MR: What about the rock star commentary surrounding Jake? And then there’s the criticism ...

Abby: He doesn’t look at any of the crap and I’m a sucker and I look at the comments people make. I’ve always said I’ll never get used to it, I’ll never be OK with seeing people bash him.

Making memories with Dad pic.twitter.com/WkaYvRvMCH

— Abby Gilmore (@abby_gilmore) April 3, 2016
MR: Generally, it’s positive?

Abby: Like you said, he had a bit of flat patch and that’s when he got bashed the most and that was when I was online looking. I shouldn’t do it. You have to have a tough skin and we do. He definitely does.

MR: As a father and partner, surely he can’t be perfect.

Abby: No, he’s not perfect — sorry Jake. There’s times when it gets a bit much for him, he’s quiet and a bit into himself and if anything Jake needs to be able to express himself more. It is a stressful job and talking about it when it gets tough can help make it easier. That’s probably something he struggled with. He nails fatherhood, they (the girls) are pretty much obsessed with him.

MR: What’s the one thing people say about your boy that you know is not true?

Abby: It’s pretty obvious, people think he has this arrogance about him. They way he carries himself, it might seem he is, but he’s not. I think there’s a difference between confidence and arrogance and Jake is definitely confident and so he should be, and I love that, and I hope that’s what the kids grow up to be like.

MR: You have a nickname for him?

Abby: I don’t really. He’s just dad.

MR: Ever call him The Package?

Abby: We do sometimes just to get up his goat a little bit. BT made it up and it’s pretty funny really. Now, it’s carried down to Milla “The Parcel”, which Lachie made up and we’ve got “The Envelope” in Arlo and I’m apparently “The Postie”, because I delivered the children.

Thanks IR

Taking that July 2016 on face value NB Abby's comments, it seems things have gone down hill in a big way for Jake in a bit over a year.

 

[fronkalicious]

This is the part of the Stringer saga that doesn't sit right with me either. Why did Stringer play every available game in the seniors this year? I'm struggling to think of a justification that sits comfortably with me.

2 things:

1. How would his trade value look right now if he'd played VFL for the second half of the year?

2. Jake could well have gone even further off the rails and pushed harder to influence others if he was rotting in the VFL.

I firmly believe Beveridge knew the season was cooked midway through, and that he wanted stringer gone. From that point until now has been a difficult balancing act to:

1. Take a stand to send a message to the playing group and
2. Get at least an OK return on him as an asset.

 

[Jean Claude Vas Deferens]

Dodo made sure that they were the only suitors.

How could he possibly influence the thoughts of any other club? Nothing to do with him.

We played a role in that ourselves early on.

 

[Mutt]

2 things:

1. How would his trade value look right now if he'd played VFL for the second half of the year?

2. Jake could well have gone even further off the rails and pushed harder to influence others if he was rotting in the VFL.

I firmly believe Beveridge knew the season was cooked midway through, and that he wanted stringer gone. From that point until now has been a difficult balancing act to:

1. Take a stand to send a message to the playing group and
2. Get at least an OK return on him as an asset.

That doesn't pass the sniff test to me Fronk. I don't want us playing guys in the seniors when they don't deserve it - that's not the way to improve the culture of the group.

 

[Dog 36]

How could he possibly influence the thoughts of any other club? Nothing to do with him.

We played a role in that ourselves early on.

I was coming from the angle he made sure he had Connors and others in the media on side running with a script that would assist in getting sole rights to Jake

 

[fronkalicious]

That doesn't pass the sniff test to me Fronk. I don't want us playing guys in the seniors when they don't deserve it - that's not the way to improve the culture of the group.

Neither do I, but I can guarantee that we wouldn't be looking at the trade assets we are now if he'd been banished. That doesn't make it right, but I suspect that was at least part of the thinking.

Really tough one for the club in so many ways.

 

[yebiga]

lol, it's a managers job to get their client to their preferred club. They'll do whatever it takes, they don't want to lose the client and look like a fool

Stop taking it personally, it's their job

Hang on a second, your responsible for the players contract negotiation, his career and giving him financial advise. How do you achieve that?

Part of obtaining any job or contract is scrubbing up your resume' and making yourself or the applicant look great.
How has Conniving Connors helped Jake obtain the best contract? How is he is acting in the Jake's best interests?

Initially Connors was in step with the club to explore options - then he went feral to criticize the club and do Essendon's dirty work in devaluing Jake.
What changed? Perhaps, it was Jake but Jake has never appeared decisive on this. Something tells me it was not Jake but Connors who has this small Hollywood view of his role in all this.

We have all seen high profile player movements before. The Franklin and Ablett moves for example - none of them were anything like this.
Connors went full gorilla tactics on this one - Dad's, mental health! Why? The whole thing stinks. No doubt our club has been sloppy but he has been obscene.

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

Boy are they having fun on the Bombers board.
They just can't believe what they are hearing .

Well when you have been shit for so long you have to take joy out of faux victories!

 

[dogsbody]

2 things:

..I firmly believe Beveridge knew the season was cooked midway through...

Finals were on the cards until the second last week, we were always thereabouts. All it would have taken was a soul searching session among the team before mid August. Beveridge would have been hoping for either a sneak in or a revival of fellowship.

All this is speculation, none of us really know anything.

 

[yebiga]

2 things:

1. How would his trade value look right now if he'd played VFL for the second half of the year?

2. Jake could well have gone even further off the rails and pushed harder to influence others if he was rotting in the VFL.

I firmly believe Beveridge knew the season was cooked midway through, and that he wanted stringer gone. From that point until now has been a difficult balancing act to:

1. Take a stand to send a message to the playing group and
2. Get at least an OK return on him as an asset.

With all due respect, your making excuses for the club.

Jake plays in the Reserves is fined or suspended does not devalue him at all. It puts the spotlight on him to improve.
It gets other clubs sniffing around. Conniving Connors has discussions with clubs behind the scenes not this full public orchestrated campaign.

And Jake then responds with either getting his shite together or he asks for a trade - it is a completely different vibe. To suggest otherwise is club spin.
Some footballers don't understand talking - but they all understand being dropped.

I agree that Bev became frustrated after the WC and Geelong losses and after by the time we went up for the Sydney game - Bev had already lost his marbles. He and the team stopped believing in the game plan and Bev let it drift.

To suggest this was all Jake is crazy. The rumblings were more about Liber, Dahl and Smith more than Jake. It was Liber who was dropped. I think Biggs was dropped too. Smith was dropped.

If Bev wanted to move on Stringer from mid-season, why did he wait until the 3rd post season meeting with Jake for the matter to be raised? It makes no sense.

What we have is a frustrated coach, who lost the composure he had 12 months ago. Jake is a simple kid, nothing he has done is unique or unforgivable.
Moreover, the public humiliation he has received is not so much from our club as it is Abby's expose to the media. There would be quite a few players and partners who would be feeling that this is not fair on Jake.

 

[Mofra]

And Jake then responds with either getting his shite together or he asks for a trade - it is a completely different vibe. To suggest otherwise is club spin.
Some footballers don't understand talking - but they all understand being dropped.

Does Jake? He was dropped last year and his form wasn't much better (if at all) after he came back into the side.

I'm not arguing that we've handled the situation perfectly but by all accounts he was the focus of a lot of coaching staff attention this year.