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Bulldog4life
30-10-2014, 02:54 PM
Some words of wisdom from Dougie.



WESTERN Bulldogs legend Doug Hawkins hopes former Bendigo Pioneer Jake Stringer can win a spot in the club’s midfield as early as next season.

Hawkins, who was in Bendigo for Wednesday’s Cup race meeting, said he was a huge rap for the 20 year-old.

Selected by the Bulldogs with the fifth pick in the 2012 national draft, Stringer has booted 38 goals in 28 matches, mainly as a power forward.

But with the club losing its captain Ryan Griffen to Greater Western Sydney and Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney to Essendon during the trade period, Hawkins believed a spot could open up for the former Bendigo Pioneers star alongside fellow youngsters Tom Liberatore, Jackson Macrae, Marcus Bontempelli and Mitch Wallis.

“I think he can play more than just a forward,” Hawkins said.

“He has the ability if he gets a little bit more endurance into his body, he can play a bit of on-ball.

“That doesn’t mean it will happen, but I think he can.”

Hawkins, who played 329 games for the Bulldogs between 1978 and 1994 and 21 in his only season with Fitzroy in 1995, said the club was at a tough point in time following the loss of its two most experienced midfielders and the resignation of coach Brendan McCartney earlier this month.

He said the new coach would be the most important appointment since the club changed from its original name of Footscray ahead of the 1997 season.


It is understood St Kilda director of coaching Luke Beveridge has emerged as the frontrunner for the vacant position ahead of former Carlton coach Brett Ratten and current Bulldogs assistant coach Brett Montgomery.

Hawkins said his preferred choice until a few days ago was former Fremantle coach Mark Harvey.

A favourite son and triple premiership player at Essendon, Harvey this week returned to the Bombers as a senior assistant to embattled coach James Hird.

Hawkins said he was disappointed former Bulldogs champion midfielder Scott West would be overlooked for the vacancy after the seven-time best and fairest winner confirmed his interest in the position.

“I am led to believe that from (Tuesday) night he’s been told he won’t get an interview, which I think is a bit disappointing,” he said.

“For one, he’s coached on his own – he coached Werribee to two preliminary finals – and his football record speaks for itself.

“If anyone from the Bulldogs was going to get an opportunity I thought it might have been West.”

Hawkins branded the club’s decision to trade for Greater Western Sydney key forward Tom Boyd as a “monster risk”.

The 19 year-old, who played nine games and kicked eight goals in his debut season with the Giants, lands at Whitten Oval on a seven-year deal understood to be worth an average of $1 million a season.

“I know that we are squealing out for a tall forward, but that’s a lot of money,” Hawkins said.

“I personally don’t agree with the money – again I say we needed a forward – but not for $7 million please, give me a break.

“What that does is put pressure back on the Bontempellis, the Stringers, the Macraes, Liberatore when they come out of contract.

“We all might be mates, but guess what, it’s a business.

“They would be saying ‘hang on if this guy’s on million and I win the best and fairest’- like Liberatore might go back-to-back - he might jump from $400,000 to $800,000.

“It could cause a few problems.”

Hawkins said he could only think of two players during his playing days – Geelong great Gary Ablett Senior and North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey – who could command the type of money afforded Boyd.

“It’s frightening to think what sort of money they might be on now days,” he said

http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/2661282/midfield-role-beckons-for-bulldog-stringer/?cs=81

Bulldog Joe
30-10-2014, 03:54 PM
Wisdom and Doug Hawkins

Aren't they mutually exclusive terms?

bornadog
30-10-2014, 04:15 PM
Gee Doug, best to not comment on matters about the club. Luv use but.

Mofra
30-10-2014, 04:16 PM
Dougie's not quite the buffoon he was portrayed as being in the early Footy Show days - still has a good football brain

bornadog
30-10-2014, 04:18 PM
Dougie's not quite the buffoon he was portrayed as being in the early Footy Show days - still has a good football brain

Trouble is articulating it.

GVGjr
30-10-2014, 04:26 PM
Dougie's not quite the buffoon he was portrayed as being in the early Footy Show days - still has a good football brain

They wrecked his career in the media by making fun of everything he said and an error he made. It's was often bullying 101.
He should have put his foot down early on rather then laughing it off.

I love Dougie but he has become something of a rent-a-quote for the media of late on things like coaching appointments or performances and typically his responses follow a common theme of 'bringing back the band'.

The games a lot more professional now and Doug needs to read the play better. He could certainly help some of our younger guys.

Remi Moses
31-10-2014, 01:51 AM
Brad Hardie's our Neil Harvey, but I think Dougie's been reading a little to much Robbo or the other dimwits who report on the game.

Webby
31-10-2014, 06:28 AM
Few things here:

1. Doug played with two blokes on the list. Footy with West and club cricket with Mark Harvey going back 30 years. They are western suburbs boys and mates of his. He's a loyal bloke, our Doug.. His comments were more about who he knows rather than what they know! (Although I personally think Harvey's not a bad coach)

2. Doug's not articulate, but that doesn't mean he's dumb. However does allow himself to be exploited as a rent-a-quote

3. Of course the Boyd deal puts contract pressure on us. That is common sense. I wouldn't whack Doug for that observation alone

4. Stringer playing a bit more through midfield is a natural progression - no harm or real insight in that observation

5. Doug's sound byte, as with many of his sound bytes, was, on balance, more harmful than helpful

6. Many ex-players do indeed love the club, but there's always a natural hint of the business, the realist & the resentment in the mix. This is why they never quite love the club as much as a lifelong supporter does. Every ex-player, by definition, has taken from the club. Yes, they've given, but they've certainly taken rewards.

This is why the comment that I often hear from Doug: "No one loves the club more than me" is, for me, taken with a grain of salt. In my opinion, the people who love the club the most are supporters-cum- volunteers who have done nothing but give to the place. Often for very little recognition, adulation etc.

Then there's someone like Charlie Sutton - who was a player and a coach for 20-odd years, but a supporter-cum-volunteer for 50 plus. For me, he's on a different plane to Doug and quite a few of Doug's modern contemporaries.

Doug is resentful of the club on one hand - he never got a flag, could've left, blah blah blah. Which is true. However, he also openly admits that he drank too much and probably wasn't as committed to getting the most out of his ability as he could've been. That, for me, is quite the contradiction and a indictment on a bloke who was one of the most talented footballers I've seen.

Doug was my idol as a kid. I'm not sure he's ever quite grasped just how loved and influential he was. Had he hung around the place and really contributed post his playing days, he could have been an uber-icon of the club. He could've been "Mr Footscray." However, as it is, he's just let his image become that of yet another washed up, slightly disgruntled ex-player.

Bit harsh, I know. Doug does do quite a bit around the west and is a man of the people etc. My comments are simply based on his relationship with the club itself. I hope it becomes more positive in future.

I'd prefer Doug's narrative to be "Yeah, the club's made mistakes and could've done better, but you know what? So have I. I'm the personification of the club and maybe even the western suburbs. We're trying to do better and I think we can."

That'd be far better that the "You know love the place, but they're f**kin idiots, aren't they!?" Message he's portrayed for 20 years.

The bulldog tragician
31-10-2014, 09:04 AM
Beautifully put Webby.

KT31
31-10-2014, 02:50 PM
Could never have said that as well as you have Webby, well done.

F'scary
31-10-2014, 03:21 PM
Yeah, let's play Stringer in the midfield. And Boyd in the ruck. And up forward we can play...oh wait...

Ghost Dog
31-10-2014, 04:18 PM
Anything Doug Hawkins says, we usually end up doing the opposite.

PedroArvy
31-10-2014, 06:49 PM
I agree with Doug. The Boyd deal is too risky. The obvious repercussions through the playing group will damage us further in years to come. Its a desperate attempt by a board looking to give hope to the fans.

Remi Moses
31-10-2014, 07:23 PM
I agree with Doug. The Boyd deal is too risky. The obvious repercussions through the playing group will damage us further in years to come. Its a desperate attempt by a board looking to give hope to the fans.

Pretty certain the club would have done the sums in regards to future " repurcussions".
Nobody knows the nuances of the contract ( front loaded would be my guess)
Thing is when young blokes are immersed in a decent environment and are on the way up they generally stay.
Hope to the fans will be all about winning games, and if Boyd looks like being the comps dominant forward the on field off field bonuses will be endless.

boydogs
31-10-2014, 08:18 PM
I agree with Doug. The Boyd deal is too risky. The obvious repercussions through the playing group will damage us further in years to come. Its a desperate attempt by a board looking to give hope to the fans.

There were 41 players in the AFL on $700k or more in 2013. If Boyd is on $800k after 2016 we should be fine

LostDoggy
31-10-2014, 10:47 PM
There were 46 players in the AFL on $700k or more in 2013. If Boyd is on $800k after 2016 we should be fine

That surprises me. Is there a list of earning somewhere, I'd be interested in having a look?

Thank Boydogs.

boydogs
01-11-2014, 01:18 AM
That surprises me. Is there a list of earning somewhere, I'd be interested in having a look?

Thank Boydogs.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-players-laughing-all-the-way-to-the-bank-average-salary-now-265179/story-fni5f22o-1226834339957

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-02-21/1million-boys-down-to-five

Webby
01-11-2014, 07:41 AM
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-players-laughing-all-the-way-to-the-bank-average-salary-now-265179/story-fni5f22o-1226834339957

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-02-21/1million-boys-down-to-five

Typical of the Hun, the journo has misinterpreted his own data. There were 22 players earning over $700k and a further 41 in the $600-$700k bracket. Yet he's tied himself into a knot and ended up writing that 41 earn more than $700k.

In any case, some of our guys will be slightly front ended in 2014, then Boyd will get monster money in 2016, before coming down to about $800k from 2017 onwards. That will leave plenty of room for retention of guns.

1eyedog
01-11-2014, 09:17 AM
I agree with Doug. The Boyd deal is too risky. The obvious repercussions through the playing group will damage us further in years to come. Its a desperate attempt by a board looking to give hope to the fans.

I actually think it's a high risk strategy to playing in a grand final. The Boyd deal to me indicated that the club has had enough of selling hope. It said to me we're sick of playing in losing Prelims what can be the difference? So we went and got it.

GVGjr
01-11-2014, 09:31 AM
I agree with Doug. The Boyd deal is too risky. The obvious repercussions through the playing group will damage us further in years to come. Its a desperate attempt by a board looking to give hope to the fans.

I don't quite see the risks the same way you and the Hawk do. If it causes other players to look elsewhere for a bigger pay cheque then I guess they were very likely to do that anyway. Most very good players can find a home somewhere else for bigger money.
I'm hoping our guys take an approach similar to the likes of Jimmy Bartel who no doubt would have received better offers through his distinguished career but decided to stay with one club. Closer to home Chris Grant did the same.

If we can offer players the chance to earn very good contracts and provide them with the pathway to finals football then money won't be the primary focus for the players with the best intentions and those who see the bigger picture.

We all know we paid overs but I think most would agree we just couldn't keep doing the same thing we have for year after year and expect a massive improvement.

LostDoggy
01-11-2014, 09:53 AM
It's not risky at all. The Economics of Boyd, external to the salary cap have to be taken into account.

- We have any number of marketable players now with point of difference. Dal and his marketability utilised by the club towards young members. Bontempelli and his clean-cut, modern footballer prototype angle, Stringer with his raw talent, country laid back attitude. Now there's the KP forward. Young, built like Mars, when he begins his progression to becoming a household name due to his exploits the club will reap the rewards in the sponsorship and membership department.
- Players will want to come to the club the play with him, and the other boys

The salary cap is not a ball around our ankle. It must be managed going forward, but I have full faith that an Excel spreadsheet has been utilised and the formulas are correct.