Tom Williams Retires

[stefoid]

Write him up for us, bob.

 

[natedog]

Feel for Tom. At one stage I thought he could have been the second or third string forward we needed.

 

[Clay]

All the best to big Tom. The determination and resilience he showed in his constant rehabilitation was extraordinary.

It wasn't for lack of ability or desire, some guys are just unlucky.

I hope fortune repays Tom in his post AFL life.

 

[King Harold]

The footy gods just not with Big Tommy.
Hope he got something out of his career that leads him on to a fulfilling post footy life.
Thanks for your efforts Tommy.

 

[ivan rassmussen]

All the best big fella, thanks for your contribution to the club.

(Also, well said Clay.)

 

[TempleKelvington]

He gave it his best shot and I always wondered how many times he could get injured before he'd have to call it a day. In the end it was an pretty common injury that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Thanks Biscuits for all the effort, some really great games and of course being a great club man.

 

[Hrovat24]

Feel sorry he couldn't get a run at it and show his ability , saying that though he's time was up good luck mate

 

[TedDougChris]

I hope that you have much better luck post football, than you did during your football career Tom - as you deserve a break now and then

(no, not that kind of break..... the other kind.... you know, the good break....)

 

[Igloo]

Really disappointing news to see first thing in the morning. Tommy has been one of my favourite players over his career, and because of his injuries, one of the truly underrated players in the league. Just couldn't ever catch a break.
All the best, Tom. Hopefully he has more luck outside footy than he did in it.

 

[Kony Abbott]

 

[Mingo]

Such a sad way to go but injuries were always going to get the better of him eventually. Couldn't take a trick. Thanks Tommy and good luck.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

He had the mental strength to get this far and I admired him for that but he can't take a trick with injuries. The decision is for the best.

 

[_Mike_]

Unfortunate for Tom having to pull the pin at this stage but for a very good reason. My only issue is with the timing as he's been heavily dogged by repetitive shoulder injuries over the last 12-18 months.

But anyway whats done is done, best of luck to Tom and thanks for the effort you put in over the years.

 

[cosmicr]

Sorry to see him go, another one of those players that never unlocked their full potential, in his case due to injury.

I have fond memories of him and Lake owning the back line for the years during our finals runs, and that time in Tasmania when he had Franklin's measure all day.

 

[Werewolf]

Unfortunate for Tom, but credit to him for sticking around for so long. Selfless to give up his spot so Roberts and Talia can get more games

Now the response. Round 18 vs Essendon. Sunday twilight. The banner has a picture of Tom on crutches, leg in a cast, one arm in a sling and holding a footy in the other. The Dogs run through it, then smash Essendon and chair Tom off afterwards. Make it happen Football Gods. You owe us one

 

[Testekill]

Had a heart the size of Phar Laps.

 

[scooter600x]

The banner has a picture of Tom on crutches, leg in a cast, one arm in a sling and holding a footy in the other. The Dogs run through it, then smash Essendon and chair Tom off afterwards.

And drop him and he breaks in half...

He could play, he was just fragile as a china cup.

 

[Kennel Master]

Tom was one of my favourite players. I never gave up on him, despite his wretched run with injuries.
I loved his demeanor and attitude, and he seems like a really good bloke.
Even this year when he kicked 3 goals against Melbourne carrying a calf injury, I hoped he was about to string some games together.

I hope he can stay involved in some capacity. Well done Tom.

KM

 

[DexterTan]

And drop him and he breaks in half...

He could play, he was just fragile as a china cup.

That sounds racist!

 

[DexterTan]

What about when he and Crossy jumped in to the water and saved a girl?

 

[Ant_]

What about when he and Crossy jumped in to the water and saved a girl?

Hong Kong bay is pretty disgusting as well, he'd have needed shots after that.

 

[Trent85]

Write him up for us, bob.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...amidst-tears-and-laughter-20140709-zt0yo.html

"Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well." - Jack London.

This game is brutal, both on the body and on the heart. In that regard, no one has walked a more painful football path in my time at the Bulldogs than Tom Williams. The pain he has put his body through has been immense, the anguish in his heart has been at times, hard to watch.

Playing at the highest level moves so fast and the constant pressure leaves little time to smell the roses, but this week my teammates and I paused for a little while to sit and listen to one of our own tell us that he could go no further. Just like a funeral, these times inside a football club are very emotional and you cannot help but reflect on football, on life.

Through countless surgeries on his feet and shoulders and dozens of cruel muscle tears, Tom had hardened himself emotionally, he'd always kept most of the pain to himself. When the time finally came to tell his club that he would retire, the walls came down and the tears flowed out of him like a tide. One of the things Tom said had poignancy in its simplicity: "I'm going to miss coming into this place everyday".

They say every Shakespeare play has a joker and Tom was ours, he composed himself long enough to thank the teammates who'd been with him for the whole journey, but also singled out first-year player Mitch Honeychurch who he claims "helped embezzle $3000 through our World Cup draw". Each of his 85 games may have been hard work, but Tom always got easy laughs from his mates.

When a player gets to the end of his career, I would imagine he asks himself two things. Am I fulfilled? Only Tom could answer that properly. The other question is, what did I leave behind? Tom left a big chunk of his soul at our club. Like Daniel Menzel at Geelong, when players endure such a wretched run of bad luck through injury, their resilience to keep coming back despite the hits, puts them in the hearts of everyone they played alongside.

Every effort to crawl their way out of the darkness and back onto the field has a weight of significance to it. Each lap of the swimming pool may have felt like a wasted, lonely journey, but their courage to keep going inspired those around them. That's what Tom leaves behind. He inspired me.

A few weeks ago The Age's Peter Hanlon asked me to sum up Tom in a single word, after two hours I still couldn't think of a word that captured the happy, manic, complicated man. I tried again this week, but tweaked the question slightly to my favour. If I close my eyes and think of Tom, what do I see? I see Tom laughing. After all he's been through, I think it says a bit.

 

[Pannalstaroz]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...amidst-tears-and-laughter-20140709-zt0yo.html

Awesome article.

 

[TBOW]

Disappointed he didn't make it to 100 games.
When he had a good run at it he was a very good player.

Same here. He deserved to be a 100 game player.

 

[mambavino]

A bloody shame his body kept letting him down. But even though his body didn't allow him to get close, he showed the commitment and dedication of any 200 game player.

He worked bloody hard for our club and in turn our club worked bloody hard for him. That level of commitment is exactly what's required on both sides of the club/player relationship, and I don't think you could ask anything more.

Well done Tommy, you can be proud.