Dog fights his demons

[The Coon Dog]

Jon Pierik - The Age - 11 Feb

http://images.theage.com.au/2012/02/10/3016750/art-svCOONEY-420x0.jpg

WHILE a knee injury physically derailed Adam Cooney's 2011 season, the brilliant midfielder has revealed it also contributed to a mental battle that pushed him into a dark place and even left him embarrassed by his on-field form.

Cooney, 26, today steps up his comeback from more knee surgery when he will log about 50 per cent of game time in an interclub match at the Whitten Oval.

It's a significant moment for Cooney, who had his season curtailed after round 18 last year. In pain for the entire year after knee surgery last summer, he managed just 13 matches and, for the most part, was a shadow of the man who won the 2008 Brownlow Medal.

Article in full... (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/western-bulldogs/dog-fights-his-demons-20120210-1sma1.html)

[Desipura]

Quiet sad that we may never see Cooney at his best, hope we manage him well enough from here until the end of his career and that he can still show us his explosive best at stages during a game.

[bornadog]

When he is on song we can beat anyone. Last years Carlton match showed the impact he has on the team.

[Mantis]

When he is on song we can beat anyone. Last years Carlton match showed the impact he has on the team.

Really?

When in the last 3 years has Cooney impacted a game against a top 4 team?

[bornadog]

Really?

When in the last 3 years has Cooney impacted a game against a top 4 team?


2008 - Wins against and BOG - 2 x Saints, Hawks in Tassie,

2009 - Wins agaisnt -Hawks 32 disposals, Geelong 29 disposals

2010 - We didn't beat a top 4 side - Lost to Saints by 3 points after we threw it away, Cooney 36 disposals, loss to Pies by 10 points, Cooney 28 disposals.

2011 a write off for him but great form against a hot Carlton.

I think your memory is short, the guy is a super star and one of only a couple of A graders we have.

[Greystache]

2008 - Wins against and BOG - 2 x Saints, Hawks in Tassie,

2009 - Wins agaisnt -Hawks 32 disposals, Geelong 29 disposals

2010 - We didn't beat a top 4 side - Lost to Saints by 3 points after we threw it away, Cooney 36 disposals, loss to Pies by 10 points, Cooney 28 disposals.

2011 a write off for him but great form against a hot Carlton.

I think your memory is short, the guy is a super star and one of only a couple of A graders we have.

Not doubting Cooney's quality, but Hawthorn didn't make the 8 in 2009, and in 2008 we played St Kilda in rounds 3 & 11 when they were 8th and 10th respectively and going like busted's.

We only won 2 games between 2008 and 2011 against teams that were actually in the top 4 at the time. Cooney was as guilty as anyone else for failing to step up against the good teams.

[Mantis]

2008 - Wins against and BOG - 2 x Saints, Hawks in Tassie,

2009 - Wins agaisnt -Hawks 32 disposals, Geelong 29 disposals

2010 - We didn't beat a top 4 side - Lost to Saints by 3 points after we threw it away, Cooney 36 disposals, loss to Pies by 10 points, Cooney 28 disposals.

2011 a write off for him but great form against a hot Carlton.

I think your memory is short, the guy is a super star and one of only a couple of A graders we have.

Year 2008 is more than 3 years ago.

And the point was that even when Cooney played well against the good teams I can't remember him being a game breaker.. although he was crucial against Geelong at the end of the 2009 season, but played injured and was poor in the following finals series.

Anyway the days of Cooney being a game breaker week in & week out seem to be gone.

[Bulldog4life]

Year 2008 is more than 3 years ago.

And the point was that even when Cooney played well against the good teams I can't remember him being a game breaker.. although he was crucial against Geelong at the end of the 2009 season, but played injured and was poor in the following finals series.

Anyway the days of Cooney being a game breaker week in & week out seem to be gone.

According to Coons the coach doesn't expect him to be a game breaker week in & week out either.

[bornadog]

Not doubting Cooney's quality, but Hawthorn didn't make the 8 in 2009, and in 2008 we played St Kilda in rounds 3 & 11 when they were 8th and 10th respectively and going like busted's.


Yes sorry my mistake, it was Collingwood who finished 4th. We lost to Collingwood by a point - Cooney 31 disposals, We then beat them in round 22 and Cooney another lazy 31 disposals.

Can't agree about the Saints. They finished top 4 and therefore were the top 4 team of that year. You can't go by the ladder positions in every round to see who is top 4 at that stage. Makes no sense - that means teams like Richmond are top four in the early rounds?


We only won 2 games between 2008 and 2011 against teams that were actually in the top 4 at the time. Cooney was as guilty as anyone else for failing to step up against the good teams.

Again can't agree, the above stats prove you wrong. I know your talking about finals only - In the 2009 finals series, Cooney, 28, 31 and 26 disposals. 2010 - he didn't play a final and 2008 is when he did the knee cap.


Year 2008 is more than 3 years ago.

And the point was that even when Cooney played well against the good teams I can't remember him being a game breaker.. although he was crucial against Geelong at the end of the 2009 season, but played injured and was poor in the following finals series..

I picked 2008 because you said three years but really, we can't take the whole season of 2011 as we know he played with a bung knee.

I have shown you that he has played well against the top four teams of those years. You said when was the last time he impacted a game against a top four team. Well I have shown he played well in at least 5 games in 2009 and 2010, plus three in 2008 and when his knee was ok against Carlton last year.



Anyway the days of Cooney being a game breaker week in & week out seem to be gone.

Week in week out - this will be difficult with his knee problems. But when he is on song, watch out:D

[Greystache]

Yes sorry my mistake, it was Collingwood who finished 4th. We lost to Collingwood by a point - Cooney 31 disposals, We then beat them in round 22 and Cooney another lazy 31 disposals.

Can't agree about the Saints. They finished top 4 and therefore were the top 4 team of that year. You can't go by the ladder positions in every round to see who is top 4 at that stage. Makes no sense - that means teams like Richmond are top four in the early rounds?

The Saints had a new coach in 2008 and started really poorly, they won only 5 games up to round 13 before powering home winning 8 of their last 10 (including beating Essendon in round 22 by over 100 to steal 4th spot). They really struggled early while trying to master their forward press, we beat them twice at that point and haven't beaten them since.

[Mantis]

According to Coons the coach doesn't expect him to be a game breaker week in & week out either.

That's fine, but to beat good teams you need your star players playing well.... And Coons is (was) one such player.