Daniel Cross - Fast becoming my favourite Bulldog of all time

[westdog54]

Ok, a clarification here. In my 29 years on this planet Chris Grant has been the best I've seen, followed closely by Doug Hawkins.

But I love blokes who live, breathe and eat football and live only for the club. I love blokes who seemingly lack football ability but are willing to work uncompromisingly hard to make the best out of themselves. I love blokes who are so manic about the way they train, prepare and recover that stories about them become running jokes.

Daniel Cross personifies the above.

Right throughout his career he's done whatever it takes to be an elite footballer. We often year about his deficiencies. He's slow and he's not a great kick. Quite frankly that's the only thing keeping him from being regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of the modern era. He's incredible overhead, works incredibly hard, wins the unwinnable ball and his decision making is brilliant.

Add to that manic professionalism that he puts to work off the track and you have a truly great role model for young footballers.

And then, above all that, to see him openly emotional purely because he's been told he can't play again that day/this year... well, how can you not love him.

Football is his life. Our club is his life, and we're better for it.

[LostDoggy]

Ok, a clarification here. In my 29 years on this planet Chris Grant has been the best I've seen, followed closely by Doug Hawkins.

But I love blokes who live, breathe and eat football and live only for the club. I love blokes who seemingly lack football ability but are willing to work uncompromisingly hard to make the best out of themselves. I love blokes who are so manic about the way they train, prepare and recover that stories about them become running jokes.

Daniel Cross personifies the above.

Right throughout his career he's done whatever it takes to be an elite footballer. We often year about his deficiencies. He's slow and he's not a great kick. Quite frankly that's the only thing keeping him from being regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of the modern era. He's incredible overhead, works incredibly hard, wins the unwinnable ball and his decision making is brilliant.

Add to that manic professionalism that he puts to work off the track and you have a truly great role model for young footballers.

And then, above all that, to see him openly emotional purely because he's been told he can't play again that day/this year... well, how can you not love him.

Football is his life. Our club is his life, and we're better for it.

Love the man. Has a ticker bigger than Phar Lap's.

[cinder]

I agree. I've met him at a couple of Bulldog functions and he's always been polite, approachable & friendly.

Upsetting to see him suffering yesterday but it warms my heart to see a player so shattered to be unable to play when we are so far out of form.

[bornadog]

Well said Westdog54, couldn't agree more, a great player.

[Mofra]

Great thread

[Grantysghost]

Good post totally agree. A great gauge of my respect and liking for the man was the fact I felt crook watching him grimace in pain, kind of took it personally. Thats a spot reserved for just a few. Not real happy with Mr Wilkes, thought it was a very poorly executed tackle to say the least.

[BulldogBelle]

After the great man Chris Grant - Daniel Cross has been my favourite player I just love watching him play.

He just never gives up trying no matter what is thrown his way to see the distress and pain he was experiencing on the bench it really got to me. Speedy recovery to him.

[Pickenitup]

I was sitting behind the bench and was shattered to see how much pain Crossy was in.
nearly bought a tear to my eye.

[w3design]

It was heart wrenching to see Daniel in such pain and distress. I agree with so much that folks have said here. He is a true Bulldog hero.
I have watched and supported this team for more decades than I care to admit to, and have seen so many true Bulldog champions play. I have admired them all over the years.
But I have been a absolute admirer of Daniel as a real great among the bulldogs, and have frequently admitted that he is my favourite Bulldog player of the modern era.
There may be some with more skills, [ though his kicking is far better, through sheer hard work, than many give him credit for], but there damn well aren't any with more heart or courage.

Good luck to you Daniel, and you will no doubt tackle your recovery with all the courage and dedication you show in all you do in and for the club.
May that be rewarded with a speedy and full recovery, as I for one am hoping to see you completely recovered, and back to your inspirational best ASAP.

[chef]

A great leader and a great example for our younger players to follow. One of my favourites.

[LostDoggy]

... Speedy recovery to him.
And you know he will do absolutely everything within his power to get the recovery done right.

[AndrewP6]

Agree with the Cross sentiments here. Hard as nails, a Bulldog through and through. All the best to him in his recovery.

[Remi Moses]

Very unfortunate incident. Great guy by all accounts and nice family as well.

[angelopetraglia]

Great guy. Gives 100% every week. Probably the most courageous Bulldog player in my time. He puts his body on the line in every contest.

[bornadog]

Great guy. Gives 100% every week. Probably the most courageous Bulldog player in my time. He puts his body on the line in every contest.

Between Libba (senior) and Cross, hard to split them

[Eastdog]

Great guy. Gives 100% every week. Probably the most courageous Bulldog player in my time. He puts his body on the line in every contest.

Agree. Never gives up and is a fighter.

[Scraggers]

Not having a go at Cross (love him ... Wish all our players played with his courage); but as he sat on the bench, head in hands, tears flowing down his cheeks, I wondered if that was it for him ... I wondered if he had been given a timeline (for want of a better word) by the coach, and that 2012 would be his last.

Just how I felt at the time... Hope it's not the case !!

[Chicago1]

Well, it seems I'm not the only one who transferred favoritism from Chris Grant after his retirement to Daniel Cross. He is a remarkably hard working player who goes over the line when it comes to giving his best for the club. And I completely agree with the sentiments offered about him being a friendly bloke. After every training session that I had attended during my last three visits, I talked to him and it seemed from the very first time like I had known him for years. At the final training that I attended last year, he called me over to say that he was happy I was able to stop by since he wanted to say goodbye. It might not seem like much, but he made this old guy feel like a million bucks.

I have an old Bulldogs calendar on my wall from 2010 that I have permanently open to December with Crossy's pic on top. The bottom part I just change every month with the monthly section from another calendar. I don't know who my favoritism will transfer to when Crossy's day comes, but he will have huge footy boots to fill.

I'm just hoping that the injury he sustained over the weekend has not ended his career and that if I fly out to Melbourne at the start of next season I'll see him out on Whitten Oval at training, hard at it, as usual.

[Hotdog60]

Not having a go at Cross (love him ... Wish all our players played with his courage); but as he sat on the bench, head in hands, tears flowing down his cheeks, I wondered if that was it for him ... I wondered if he had been given a timeline (for want of a better word) by the coach, and that 2012 would be his last.

Just how I felt at the time... Hope it's not the case !!

This thought crossed my mind also.

[Sockeye Salmon]

You're all bandwagoners

[DragzLS1]

Love Cross always have! even when some were knocking him.. Never say die attitude hopefully rubs off on a few of the others.. I know it has to Picken ;) Great role model for the younger guys and hope Cross gets 1 more season under his belt :) The younger guys need him!

[always right]

In the early years I openly declared he wouldn't make it. Now he is probably my favorite bulldogs player. I have no doubt he'll be back next season. He is the fabric of our club and there is no-one more inspiring.

[westdog54]

Thought this was a great read on the AFL Website.

Mr Invincible (https://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/143266/default.aspx)

Loved this bit:


Boyd recalled Cross defying medical opinion twice in the latter part of 2009.

After soldiering on through much of the season with fragments of floating bone causing enormous pain in his right ankle, Cross was forced to undergo late-season exploratory surgery, which revealed he would need a reconstruction at season's end.

Told his season might have been over, Cross cried (just as he did after realising the extent of his injury on Sunday) and then resorted to desperate measures. Overnight, he would hook up his ankle to an expensive ice-compression machine (which he'd bought on an overseas holiday), relegating his ever-supportive wife Sam to the couch.

It worked - he missed just two games before resuming where he left off in the finals.

That season, Cross still managed to finished runner-up in the Dogs' best and fairest to Boyd, who marveled at the time that his mate had "played with no ligaments in both ankles".


Poor Sam has the patience of a Saint. He owes her big time on retirement.

The man is an absolute freak, just won't take no for an answer.

[AndrewP6]

Just avoiding work...er, I mean, doing some research, and came across an interesting article on some Bulldog debutantes of a different era. Messrs Cross, Lake (Harris), Power, Saunders, Birss, Hargrave and McGuinness (Kieran) all debuted in season 2002.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/23/1030052975024.html

[westdog54]

In the early years I openly declared he wouldn't make it. Now he is probably my favorite bulldogs player. I have no doubt he'll be back next season. He is the fabric of our club and there is no-one more inspiring.

The first time I saw Crossy play was against West Coast in 2003 in Round 1 (Rawlings, Koops and Street all played their first game for the club, *shudder*). He was assigned to tag Ben Cousins in the last quarter. I think there might have been one centre bounce that Michael Gardiner didn't palm down to him on the move for clearance.

Needless to say I wasn't convinced either.:D

[Maddog37]

After all of his ankle problems he is doing well to run at all.