Dogs skipper unlikely to make trip west

[Scraggers]

Dogs skipper unlikely to make trip west

Western Bulldogs' loss could be West Coast's gain.

Dogs skipper Ryan Griffen is unlikely to make the trip west for Sunday's season opener after failing to train with the club today.

Griffen hadn't been able to play in any of the club's pre-season matches and the likelihood of spending four hours on the plane to make the clash was likely to dissuade the selectors from adding him to the travelling party.

However, veteran Robert Murphy, whose pre-season was interrupted by an elbow injury, was expected to line up against the Eagles.

Reported in the West Australian today LINK (http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/22034482/dogs-skipper-unlikely-to-make-trip-west/)

[1eyedog]

So there is no report that he won't play - just that he didn't train for a game that won't be played for another 5 days. It will be disappointing if he doesn't play and will seriously affect our chances of being competitive.

[LostDoggy]

It is hard to see him lining up this weekend. If there's any doubt about his back there's no point risking him in Round 1, it's a long season and if he doesn't play I'll look forward to see who steps up in his absence.

[LostDoggy]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-03-18/griffen-very-very-close

"Griffen, who has been dealing with tightness in his back, was restricted to walking laps at training on Tuesday morning."

[bulldogtragic]

Good opportunity for other to stand up, first up.

[DragzLS1]

Dont risk him if hes not up to it then why play him at 50%

Happy to leave Boyd, COoney, Libba, Wallis, Macrae and Stevens in teh guts

[1eyedog]

Seems to me that very, very close is much better than 50%. I'll back him in no pun intended.

[Greystache]

Seems to me that very, very close is much better than 50%. I'll back him in no pun intended.

Something tells me he's 0% chance of playing this week.

[Go_Dogs]

Something tells me he's 0% chance of playing this week.

I agree, won't be playing this week for mine.

I'd really like to know the extent of his back complaint. Seems like it's more serious than just some tightness as was reported.

[w3design]

It is the first game of the season. If there is any doubt at all about the state of his back, why would you subject him to 8 hours stuck in cramped airline seats. Much as I hope he is right to go, anything less than 100%, and it is not worth the risk, he is too valuable a commodity.

[bulldogtragic]

Bob is skipper for his 250th then?

Nice reward for him.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I agree, won't be playing this week for mine.

I'd really like to know the extent of his back complaint. Seems like it's more serious than just some tightness as was reported.

Agreed.

He's had about 5 or so weeks off now hasn't he? Not good.

[Mantis]

Siting in a plane for 4hrs ain't much fun.. It's made worse when you have a dodgy back.

Not worth the risk.

[doggies ftw]

None of us know if its worth the risk or not unless we know the extent of his injury, agreed if its not right well don't play him but if he is right then he has to play because we need him, and if he does play then I trust the club who knows what he is doing.

[LostDoggy]

Bob is skipper for his 250th then?

Nice reward for him.

That's the silver lining I had in mind. We are still building this team, no need to risk Griffen. Make it easy for the umps to give Libba the 3 pts...

[LostDoggy]

We're still a red hot go without him.

[bornadog]

From: http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2014-03-18/griffen-close-for-season-opener

WESTERN Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen is close to playing, although he faces a race against time to be fit for Sunday's season opener against West Coast, coach Brendan McCartney says.
Griffen, who has been dealing with tightness in his back, was restricted to walking laps at training on Tuesday morning.

McCartney said Griffen would have the opportunity to prove his fitness this week.
"Ryan's fitness is gaining daily momentum. He's doing more and more training, and more importantly he's recovering from that training and he's very, very close to playing," McCartney said at the Whitten Oval on Tuesday morning.

When asked to put a percentage on Griffen's chances of leading the team out onto Patersons Stadium against the Eagles, McCartney was tight-lipped, saying only, "He's very, very close to playing."

Griffen did not play in any of the Bulldogs' NAB Challenge hit-outs, nor did he participate in the club's practice match against Carlton or last Thursday night's intra-club match.

Veteran defender Robert Murphy, who has recovered from an elbow injury, will mark his return by playing his 250th game for the Bulldogs.
Murphy managed to avoid surgery that would have forced him to miss the start of the season.

"He's just a great man to have in your club. He's just a brilliant person to coach and if you're a young player in the club, then you're quite blessed to have people of his calibre around you to learn from and want to emulate," McCartney said.
"We're thrilled to bits that he's made it back and dodged a bit of a bullet with the injury, so it'll be nice to have him out there."
One of those young players who can count Murphy as a mentor is second-year midfielder Jack Macrae, and McCartney said he was ready to take the next step.

Macrae, 19, averaged 29 disposals during the Bulldogs' two NAB Challenge games against St Kilda and Fremantle.
"He is (ready to take step up), but he's still a young boy. He's just learning to cement his position as a winger and he spends a little bit of time around the ball," McCartney said.

"He's a high talent with still lots to work on and he's making really good progressions."
McCartney expects the Eagles to pose a tough challenge for his young side.
"They (the Eagles) were on track in the middle of last year, but I think it got lost that they had so many injuries," he said.
"They've clearly ticked all the boxes in the pre-season and they'll be hard work, but we're really looking forward to getting on a plane and going to play a good game of footy."

[jeemak]

I guess we don't know why Griff was just walking laps on Tuesday. Perhaps it was a result of needing to loosen up after closed off work nobody saw in which he worked hard enough to put himself forward for a game.

The sensible side in me says that's bullshit, and he should just stand around at home and watch the game on Sunday, doing a lot of stretching and some fartlek training at half time.

He shouldn't play, and I don't think he will.