- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Although shocked like most in the football world with Ryan Griffen wanting out of the Western Bulldogs, I thought that the Dogs had no choice but to trade him to the Greater Western Sydney Giants.
Griffen would get his club of choice, and the Dogs would have to make sure they were very well compensated.
With Adam Cooney also set to be on the move, as well as other senior players, Brendan McCartney had the chance to completely build his own team from this young list. Just like Geelong did between 2000 and 2006, when he was an assistant before they won the first of three flags in 2007.
The Bulldogs, since then, seem to have bowed to player-group pressure. Although they didn’t sack Brendan McCartney, they have stated he has resigned.
Obviously the man they call Macca started to doubt himself when Griffen, the skipper in 2014, requested a trade despite being happy to work with the coach. The pair had a meeting late last month to try and resolve some issues Griffen said existed between McCartney, himself and the rest of the playing group.
Like the Adelaide situation that claimed Brenton Sanderson, and Gold Coast’s plight which saw Guy McKenna lose his job, the players are dictating who they want to coach them, and if they’re not happy they are making their intentions known. This forces clubs to make a stand against the coach.
One day we might not even need boards or administrators to appoint coaches, it could just be left to the players.
But it is a serious concern that the players are either demanding change or requesting a move to another club, putting obvious pressure on boards. It’s the coach or them.
Brendan McCartney has always come across as a decent and friendly person, with a wonderful passion for the game. He teaches players, particularly young ones, about it but he never played AFL. The Geelong Football League was his highest standard of play and although the game has changed so much, that issue has always been an impediment in his senior AFL coaching career.
I can see responses to this column saying Neil Craig never played AFL, but he was a star in the SANFL and Footscray tried to recruit him.
There was also some criticism about McCartney’s tactical nous. Mind you, many coaches have also been criticised for that, but 20 wins in 66 games isn’t a great strike rate.
It will be fascinating who see who the Bulldogs turn to as senior coach.
Mark Thompson is still without a job, he has the potential to be an excellent fit.
There’s a touch of Rodney Eade in 2005, when he replaced Peter Rohde. The Bulldogs didn’t win often under Rohde, but he did put games into a number of young talented players in Adam Cooney, Daniel Cross, Ryan Hargrave and Daniel Giansiracusa, who were all stars for Eade when they made three preliminary finals in a row.
Bomber would have some of the best young talent in the land at his disposal, which happened when he took over Geelong.
The other question in this sorry tale is will the Dogs try and talk Ryan Griffen around and get him to stay. It seems that the horse has bolted there, but the club maintains he’s still contracted.
Brisbane went through this last year, losing five players who were first and second-round draft picks in 2011 and 2012, but seemed to replace them seamlessly under first-year coach Justin Leppitsch.
The Bulldogs have been trying to improve their reputation and professionalism, but that’s taken a hit. If they can move quickly and snare Bomber Thompson, they will get plenty of brownie points.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.