Who's the best-paid Dog?

[bornadog]

November 17, 2014 - 10:19PM
Caroline Wilson

L (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/whos-the-bestpaid-dog-20141117-11olob.html)ink


The Western Bulldogs' former captain, Ryan Griffen, will remain the highest-paid player at the Whitten Oval next season despite walking out on the club post-season.


It has emerged that the Bulldogs will cover a staggering $800,000 of Griffen's 2015 pay packet as part of the extraordinary exit agreement reached with Greater Western Sydney, where Griffen requested to go.


Desperate to sign the apparently unavailable Tom Boyd from GWS, the club not only traded away its first draft pick to snare the promising young forward on a massive seven-year deal, but also agreed to cover $900,000 of Griffen's four-year Giants contract.


Griffen began training with his new club on Monday after providing the shock of the trade period when he announced he wanted out of the Bulldogs. The club subsequently sacked coach Brendan McCartney and, under trade deadline pressure, went after Boyd.


The Bulldogs remain one of the AFL's most heavily subsidised clubs under the equalisation policy, meaning the competition will indirectly cover Griffen's pay packet.


The 27-year-old joined the Giants under a front-loaded deal because under league rules the Bulldogs could not cover 100 per cent of Griffen's contract. He will earn close to $1million next season and about $1.5million over 2016, '17 and '18.


Western Bulldogs chief executive Simon Garlick would not comment on the Griffen deal when contacted on Monday. He said the deal was subject to a confidentiality agreement.


However, members of the AFL executive were surprised that the financially struggling club had agreed to cover so much of the Griffen contract.


The deal was overseen by club chairman Peter Gordon, a generous Bulldogs benefactor, at a time of deep crisis for the club.


A further $100,000 will be paid to Griffen by the Bulldogs in 2017, his third season with the Giants.


The Griffen money was front-loaded by the Bulldogs, who needed to clear space in their total player payments for Boyd in 2016. As a second-year player he will earn about $200,000 next year and then an estimated total of $6million over the subsequent six years. That record remuneration for a player of his experience has also raised eyebrows among the managers of some of Boyd's talented young teammates.

[bulldogtragic]

Unlike

[bulldogtragic]

Are GWS paying Boyd?

[LostDoggy]

Wow, even the senior football writer of the age doesn't understand the concept of the minimum salary cap spend.

Shit story with references to unsubstantiated AFL executives and player managers. This is nearly bad enough to contact media watch over.

[LostDoggy]

I for one am delighted that the vast majority of our compo to GWS will be paid next year. Means it won't be a burden to us when we actually need the space to re-sign "Boyd's talented young teammates"!

[bulldogtragic]

I for one am delighted that the vast majority of our compo to GWS will be paid next year. Means it won't be a burden to us when we actually need the space to re-sign "Boyd's talented young teammates"!

That's the silver lining for sure. Another option would've been to not pay for RG and use the cash to front load to another player.

[LostDoggy]

That's the silver lining for sure. Another option would've been to not pay for RG and use the cash to front load to another player.

Was part of the deal to get the man we wanted. Would've also been nice to not give up pick 6.

Stick firm Doggies, this is no time for buyers remorse!

[Greystache]

Almost a football story, I'm shocked. Obviously there's gaps in the knowledge given the Age's Head Football writer doesn't watch football, but for a novice this is a reasonable first effort.

[Remi Moses]

Just wow .
Earth to Caroline Wilson, Cooney, Higgins , jones And Griffen gone = shit loads of salary cap space .
Heavily subsidised by the AFL.
So does that mean we shouldn't pay the full amount or even 95% of the cap?
Know your place Dogs should be the headline

[Remi Moses]

I for one am delighted that the vast majority of our compo to GWS will be paid next year. Means it won't be a burden to us when we actually need the space to re-sign "Boyd's talented young teammates"!

Great move . Can someone tell Caro we'll have enough cash to pay Bonts Stringer and the like.

[jeemak]

Jesus Christ.

I've always said Wilson is good as long as she's not writing about your club as she's usually on the money when she does. But this is bullshit of the highest order.

We wouldn't get to 95% without paying Griffen, but that doesn't have any relevance to subsidy anyway. What a *!*!*!*!ing disgraceful portrayal of our club's actions.

[Ghost Dog]

Tokyo Rose takes a break from caning the evil evil Bombers.
Now she is after the heavily subsidized Bulldogs, fritting away good money on footballers.
I say each club pool their funds to make an offer of another kind. Pay you to stop writing!

[Remi Moses]

The Age I know have had staff cuts , but someone tell Caro Griffens 28 not 27.
Also according to the article Griffens on over a mil until 2018!
No wonder he wanted to go there!

[G-Mo77]

Are GWS paying Boyd?

To my knowledge they are in 2015 and hen comes off their books in 2016.

Pretty ordinary article. As a few have said we have to pay 95% of the cap somehow and we pay the same salaries as the big clubs. We can manage to rub enough coins together to get there. It's a continuous perception even from a media person that the lowly Bulldogs can't affords to keep talent. I'd expect to hear that rubbish from some clown in the bar on game day.

[GVGjr]

If all this is true then we should have been able to secure a 2nd round pick off GWS as part of the Griffen trade.

[LostDoggy]

If all this is true then we should have been able to secure a 2nd round pick off GWS as part of the Griffen trade.

Tend to agree but what's done is done. Whilst GWS were chastised for their hard nosed "under no circumstances" stance on Boyd which was inevitably reneged. They certainly positioned themselves for us to throw the sink at them.

They got a great deal......but we got TOM BOYD!!!

[chef]

Pick 6, Griffen and a mil for Boyd, the boy better be able to pay.

The more I look at it the more it seems we were royally taken to the cleaners, well played by the Giants(and Pickering).

[chef]

Wow, even the senior football writer of the age doesn't understand the concept of the minimum salary cap spend.

We should have been using that money to entice a decent player, not paying some prick who shafted us.

[Go_Dogs]

I tend to agree with the general thrust of the article, which is we've hitched ourselves to Tom Boyd in a big way and it better pay off.

I thought at the time we'd overpaid, or not got enough back, and this reinforces that view.

As far as the TPP surely we've run our estimates and forecasts, an are comfortable we'll be able to have enough to pay our players market rate.

[FrediKanoute]

Hard to know what to make of this. GWS have gotten a good deal from us, but we have gotten Boyd, for essentially 1year of griffin.

Whether we have overpaid won't be clear until much much much later. Griffin could win a brown low and Boyd could blow a knee. Or griffins back could pack it in and Boyd win the Coleman and the doggies a flag. Way too early to be calling this one.

[LostDoggy]

Looks like Caro forgot her HRT pills yesterday. What tripe.

[chef]

Whats tripe about it?

[bornadog]

If all this is true then we should have been able to secure a 2nd round pick off GWS as part of the Griffen trade.

They were my thoughts that we overpaid.

Boyd better work out or we have really stuffed up.

[LostDoggy]

Whats tripe about it?



The Bulldogs remain one of the AFL's most heavily subsidised clubs under the equalisation policy, meaning the competition will indirectly cover Griffen's pay packet.

The 27-year-old joined the Giants under a front-loaded deal because under league rules the Bulldogs could not cover 100 per cent of Griffen's contract. He will earn close to $1million next season and about $1.5million over 2016, '17 and '18

However, members of the AFL executive were surprised that the financially struggling club had agreed to cover so much of the Griffen contract.

The deal was overseen by club chairman Peter Gordon, a generous Bulldogs benefactor, at a time of deep crisis for the club.

That record remuneration for a player of his experience has also raised eyebrows among the managers of some of Boyd's talented young teammates.
Never let the facts, research, naming names, or emotive drawn conclusions get in the way of real journalism eh?

Griffen is 28, will basically be best part of 29 by the 2015 season. Who had raised eyebrows amongst the players, who from the AFL executive raised their eyebrows? 95% of the SC needs to be paid – financial struggle and the salary cap have little effect on each other. Using the fact Gordon has tipped in money previously as an emotive direction. Subsidisation under the equalisation policy and the indirect covering of Griffens contact – really? It’s TPP’s.

[chef]

They were my thoughts that we overpaid.

Boyd better work out or we have really stuffed up.

if this goes pear shaped its going to screw us for nearly a decade.

[chef]

Never let the facts, research, naming names, or emotive drawn conclusions get in the way of real journalism eh?

Griffen is 28, will basically be best part of 29 by the 2015 season. Who had raised eyebrows amongst the players, who from the AFL executive raised their eyebrows? 95% of the SC needs to be paid – financial struggle and the salary cap have little effect on each other. Using the fact Gordon has tipped in money previously as an emotive direction. Subsidisation under the equalisation policy and the indirect covering of Griffens contact – really? It’s TPP’s.

Fair enough, I dont see it as tripe myself.

[hujsh]

We should have been using that money to entice a decent player, not paying some prick who shafted us.

What do we offer in exchange for this player? Is there any player we would pay $800,000 for that we could trade for without a 1st round pick? We aren't in a position where we should be recruiting older players so they'd also have to be young or in their prime making it even harder to trade.

Sorry but I don't see any real practicality in this statement.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

What do we offer in exchange for this player? Is there any player we would pay $800,000 for that we could trade for without a 1st round pick? We aren't in a position where we should be recruiting older players so they'd also have to be young or in their prime making it even harder to trade.

Sorry but I don't see any real practicality in this statement.

not only that but said player would only have gotten 800k for 1 year....

[chef]

That 800k could have helped convince a Greenwood type player to choose us (wouldn't have cost a first rounder) and a Membury to get ro us in the PSD or that sort of thing
But I guess im not that pracital and just burning the 800k because we have to is a better idea.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

look its a huge risk but for mine the biggest concern is losing our other young talent. Bonts and Macrae will have a lot of money thrown at them so we are at greater risk of losing them with the money we are paying Boyd. This is where we need the guys to really bond and want to play together for a flag. In saying that the deal might not look like that much in 5 yrs time. Look for Cameron and other GWS guys to be offered similar deals next year. Im not fussed with losing pick 6, paying out Griff or not receiving a late second rounder. Firstly pick 6 in this years draft is wide open. Outside of the top 3, the next 10 could be a guess. And we were looking at Wright who looks like he could be slipping outside the top 10 anyway! Paying out Griff is only short-term and wont affect us at all considering how little of the salary cap we would have spent. 2nd rounder as part of the deal? Really think its neither here nor there. They didnt have that pick to give anyway. Lets not lose the opportunity to get Boyd because we really wanted pick 21 or something!

[bulldogsthru&thru]

That 800k could have helped convince a Greenwood type player to choose us (wouldn't have cost a first rounder) and a Membury to get ro us in the PSD or that sort of thing
But I guess im not that pracital and just burning the 800k because we have to is a better idea.

and what happens to our salary cap in 2016 and 2017 with Greenwood on our list? We cant convince him to come over for 800k in one year. We would have to keep paying him similar salary for future years putting even further strain on keeping our playing group together.
In any case we offered Greenwood more than anyone else and he turned us down anyway

[chef]

and what happens to our salary cap in 2016 and 2017 with Greenwood on our list? We cant convince him to come over for 800k in one year. We would have to keep paying him similar salary for future years putting even further strain on keeping our playing group together.
In any case we offered Greenwood more than anyone else and he turned us down anyway
You could always front load a contract.

Im not saying it to be Greenwood, but there would be plenty of options.

If this scares you how do you feel about paying a 20 year old a million bucks a season?

[wimberga]

Some good debate going on here.

I'm definitely in the camp of doing what it took to get Boyd. Saying we overpaid is simply calling it too early.

I agree there could be salary pressures but ultimately I think that the players who just chase coin are pretty few in number and if we can build a strong culture ala geelong, hawthorn, st kilda etc, we will be able to keep this group together.

[Happy Days]

I view Griffen as a free hit, because he walked out and his position was totally untenable. He was going anyway, with 99% certainty to GWS, and we got the best possible deal for him. So it's more like 6 and salary considerations for Boyd.

Paying his salary is also fine for the reasons outlined. I've seen Membery and Greenwood mentioned, but $800k for 2 players with one good season of ~10 between them is not efficient spending. The future salary cap insurance is, however.

I think we can all agree this is the balls to the wall sort of stuff the club has never done. I'm pretty happy with it.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

You could always front load a contract.

Im not saying it to be Greenwood, but there would be plenty of options.

If this scares you how do you feel about paying a 20 year old a million bucks a season?
im not sure too many players (of the type we need) would be willing to come to us with 800k front-loaded then scraps for the other years

I think its a bold move by the club but am happy they did it. Being risk-adverse hasn't really gotten us far. Id much rather pay 1mil to one of the best forward prospects in the history of the game than pay 600-800k for a Greenwood type player. For a club thats been crying out for a tall forward (and a marquee player) we have finally put our balls on the line. It will make or break us but at least we wont die wondering. Im just happy we didnt take the safe, low-risk option again. This high risk deal makes sense to us and the time was right to take it on

[Bulldog Joe]

if this goes pear shaped its going to screw us for nearly a decade.

I am sorry (and not directed at you specifically chef), but we have made a bold move.

If it works out we will consider this the best thing that the club has EVER done.

Too often we see people everywhere, who back away from a bold undertaking because something might go wrong.

Success comes from being on the edge.
Real success comes from bold moves on the basis that something might go right.

[chef]

I am sorry (and not directed at you specifically chef), but we have made a bold move.

If it works out we will consider this the best thing that the club has EVER done.

Too often we see people everywhere, who back away from a bold undertaking because something might go wrong.

Success comes from being on the edge.
Real success comes from bold moves on the basis that something might go right.
Im not saying it isn't bold, ballsy or whatever we want to call it, it's probs the biggest gamble financially of a player in the history of the AFL.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Im not saying it isn't bold, ballsy or whatever we want to call it, it's probs the biggest gamble financially of a player in the history of the AFL.

why not make history? Someone was going to do it eventually. Lets not be the followers anymore. And this type of deal will be done again at seasons end 2015 for Jeremy Cameron (if he leaves)

[chef]

why not make history? Someone was going to do it eventually. Lets not be the followers anymore. And this type of deal will be done again at seasons end 2015 for Jeremy Cameron (if he leaves)

I've never said I dont want him, just that we way over paid and we could have used that extra $$$ to strengthen elsewhere.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I've never said I dont want him, just that we way over paid and we could have used that extra $$$ to strengthen elsewhere.

Yes but if we want him we have to pay for him. You're not gonna get the best forward prospect of the game for market value.

[Sedat]

if this goes pear shaped its going to screw us for nearly a decade.
We had Griffen at his prime playing elite football (and Cooney and Higgins) and we finished no higher than 15th in the last 3 seasons. What exactly are we risking?

[chef]

We had Griffen at his prime playing elite football (and Cooney and Higgins) and we finished no higher than 15th in the last 3 seasons. What exactly are we risking?
A million dollar hole in the salary cap each season.

[Sedat]

A million dollar hole in the salary cap each season.
Are you talking about Boyd's salary? We would have paid that much and then some to retain all of Griffen, Cooney and Higgins and still finished around 14th at best.

We have a bloke on our list now who is the standout player of his age group, has another 12+ years left in the game and addresses a glaring hole on our list. If he continues to develop and improve from his elite U18 level he will actually end up being a bargain for us.

Cameron's next contract will make Boyd's look like chicken feed.

[chef]

Yes but if we want him we have to pay for him. You're not gonna get the best forward prospect of the game for market value.
Agree, but IMO we paid way to much.

I hope like hell im wrong.

[jeemak]

Well if we weren't able to finish last, draft and develop our own top end talent KPF then that's unfortunately what it costs to secure one from elsewhere.

I'm more concerned about our mid tier players being lured elsewhere for 25% pay increases than I am about losing the guys touted as being in the top bracket in years to come.

[chef]

Are you talking about Boyd's salary? We would have paid that much and then some to retain all of Griffen, Cooney and Higgins and still finished around 14th at best.

We have a bloke on our list now who is the standout player of his age group, has another 12+ years left in the game and addresses a glaring hole on our list. If he continues to develop and improve from his elite U18 level he will actually end up being a bargain for us.

Cameron's next contract will make Boyd's look like chicken feed.

I guess I just worry about what happens if he doesn't come on as expected or ends up another Gumbleton.

[Sedat]

I guess I just worry about what happens if he doesn't come on as expected or ends up another Gumbleton.
Then we are rooted. But at least we died trying.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Then we are rooted. But at least we died trying.

Exactly.

We haven't played in a GF for over 50 years - what's the worst that can happen? We lose player(s) and don't make a Grand Final? That's been happening for years already anyway.

[whythelongface]

Exactly.

We haven't played in a GF for over 50 years - what's the worst that can happen? We lose player(s) and don't make a Grand Final? That's been happening for years already anyway.

Too right. I don't have an issue with the trade. Sure we probably paid overs considering we lost our captain and best player, but at the end of the day he was going to leave and we had to make the most of the situation.

[Remi Moses]

What should get spoken about is Griffen getting 1.5 when he is 32 !
No wonder he wanted the " quiet life"
What's the relevance of our clubs finances and the salary cap?
Club starts trending up, players tend to stay . I would have liked another pick coming our way, but the deal is done .
The story's been done to death to be honest.

[Remi Moses]

I guess I just worry about what happens if he doesn't come on as expected or ends up another Gumbleton.

Gee chef talk about killjoy :rolleyes:

[Webby]

We did overpay for Boyd. No debate there. However:

Overpaying on the day and making a poor investment are two separate things.
Secondly, the club were caught on the back foot. It's not like they had a year to scheme and manouvre.

On balance, I'll take it and try to focus on the abundant upside, because I remember sulking after Rd 22, thinking how unfair it was that GWS had a prodigy like Boyd. He has everything and could be anything. It might've been a fluke, but he's a great, great kid.

It'll just be interesting to gauge how good the careers of the eventual picks 4 & 6 will be... Because that's the real opportunity cost. Griffen's wages in 2015 are irrelevant for me. Paying his wages next year is just common sense. The alternative would be overpaying mediocre blokes to make up the required 95% like Melbourne have in recent years.

[chef]

Gee chef talk about killjoy :rolleyes: Just being realistic mate, I dont mean to burst anyone's bubble.

[Maddog37]

I view it that we are giving GWS some of the money that the league give us. I also believe Boyd will help sell the club via membership etc which will offset some of the costs.

[boydogs]

Also according to the article Griffens on over a mil until 2018!

I read it as $1.5m over 3 years, or $500k per year after next year

[wimberga]

I read it as $1.5m over 3 years, or $500k per year after next year

Thats how I read it too.

[boydogs]

We didn't overpay. Overpaying would have been winning the bidding war against St Kilda and Carlton next year who would have been more than happy to do the deal we did.

We got exclusive access to Boyd through being the only ones with the trade bait both players & picks and the salary cap room to do the deal once Tom Boyd was on the market.

The deal done if Boyd waited until the end of 2015 to leave would have left this one for dead. A Key Forward, number 1 draft pick, best player in TAC Cup history does not grow on trees.

Franklin got $10m over 9 years if he plays until age 36. If he retires at 33, that's $1.7m per year for the last years of his career, not his prime.

[Remi Moses]

Good post webby . The whole pick 4 was media speculation though.
They held the trump card of Griffen threatening to quit on the spot , and I'd imagine they would have offered pick 7( the jakschpick)

[Remi Moses]

We didn't overpay. Overpaying would have been winning the bidding war against St Kilda and Carlton next year who would have been more than happy to do the deal we did.

We got exclusive access to Boyd through being the only ones with the trade bait both players & picks and the salary cap room to do the deal once Tom Boyd was on the market.

The deal done if Boyd waited until the end of 2015 to leave would have left this one for dead. A Key Forward, number 1 draft pick, best player in TAC Cup history does not grow on trees.

Franklin got $10m over 9 years if he plays until age 36. If he retires at 33, that's $1.7m per year for the last years of his career, not his prime.

Wait until Cameron comes on the market!!
It would have been a feeding frenzy in 12 months time.

[Remi Moses]

I view it that we are giving GWS some of the money that the league give us. I also believe Boyd will help sell the club via membership etc which will offset some of the costs.

That's what doesn't get reported . If Tom becomes an a-grade power forward the exposure, the marketing and merchandise aspect will be astronomical for the club .Thats a little to glass half full for the likes of Pierik, Nail , Caro and Robbo to consider.

[LostDoggy]

Wait until Cameron comes on the market!!
It would have been a feeding frenzy in 12 months time.

It's going to be difficult, but i think we can manage him aswell.

[Greystache]

Agree, but IMO we paid way to much.

I hope like hell im wrong.

Maybe some of our supporters are so wired to us throwing out a token late pick for a nothing tall on the fringes at another club, who'll never offer us anything but is cheap, that any trade for an actual talent seems like too big a risk.

When I think about how much we've wasted over the past 2 decades on "cheap" long shots we could have rebuilt Whitten Oval.

[chef]

Maybe some of our supporters are so wired to us throwing out a token late pick for a nothing tall on the fringes at another club, who'll never offer us anything but is cheap, that any trade for an actual talent seems like too big a risk.

When I think about how much we've wasted over the past 2 decades on "cheap" long shots we could have rebuilt Whitten Oval.

Or maybe that's not it at all.

[Remi Moses]

Maybe some of our supporters are so wired to us throwing out a token late pick for a nothing tall on the fringes at another club, who'll never offer us anything but is cheap, that any trade for an actual talent seems like too big a risk.

When I think about how much we've wasted over the past 2 decades on "cheap" long shots we could have rebuilt Whitten Oval.
Exactly,and the same supporters are the ones shouting from the roof tops when we recruit another fringe failure forward.

[LostDoggy]

Some people see the trade as desperate and so many never believed we could not only pull something like this off but that someone like Tom Boyd would ever want to come to the Western Bulldogs so the haters are plentiful. We made people look silly so they will line up hoping it and we fail.

Personally I think it's courageous what we have done, we have pulled of 'the great gws robbery'. I don't care what the cost we now have somebody we can build a side around. We are not going to build a side like 08 and 09 then try and find the missing piece, we have him now and we didn't stumble across him we went and got him.

We mustn't hold our breath and hope it works out, let the haters hold theirs that it doesn't. Back Tom Boyd and the rest of the boys to grow and become the force we dream about. Let this new breed of Bulldog have the sharpest of teeth.

For Who Dares Wins.

[Remi Moses]

I read it as $1.5m over 3 years, or $500k per year after next year

She's saying about 1.5 mil. Key word being about .
I think she's having a bit of a stab in the dark

[Twodogs]

She's saying about 1.5 mil. Key word being about .
I think she's having a bit of a stab in the dark

I wondered how many assumptions were being treated as fact.

[chef]

Exactly,and the same supporters are the ones shouting from the roof tops when we recruit another fringe failure forward.

Is anyone here saying thst?

[chef]

I wondered how many assumptions were being treated as fact.

Its been one of those summers, a lot of assumptions about Macca/Monty/Griffin/Boyd are been treated like facts.

[Bulldog Joe]

Just being realistic mate, I dont mean to burst anyone's bubble.

A realist is a pessimist to an optimist, but an optimist has a happier outlook on life.

[chef]

A realist is a pessimist to an optimist, but an optimist has a happier outlook on life.

Thats true, im optimistic about most things in life but when it comes to the Dogs I try not to get to far in front of myself. I guess 35 years of close calls have done that to me.

[FrediKanoute]

Whilst the 1m we are paying is a lot, what it says to me is that we have room in our salary cap to do 2 things next year:

1) lock in some younger guys coming out of contract that we want to keep; and
2) raid GWS or GCS or any other club again for key talent.

That puts us in a good position, especially if we finish bottom 3 next season (which I suspect we will).

[F'scary]

We didn't overpay. Overpaying would have been winning the bidding war against St Kilda and Carlton next year who would have been more than happy to do the deal we did.

We got exclusive access to Boyd through being the only ones with the trade bait both players & picks and the salary cap room to do the deal once Tom Boyd was on the market.

The deal done if Boyd waited until the end of 2015 to leave would have left this one for dead. A Key Forward, number 1 draft pick, best player in TAC Cup history does not grow on trees.

Franklin got $10m over 9 years if he plays until age 36. If he retires at 33, that's $1.7m per year for the last years of his career, not his prime.

Also, we had to put up enough $$$ carrot to get Boyd via his manager to say that he didn't want to remain at GWS. That was a massive blow to them and instrumental in getting him to the Kennel.

[Flamethrower]

Memo to the chief football writer of The Age.......

"She who writes about this story last, thinks the slowest".

The other mob wrote about this weeks ago.

The closest the story came to reporting the facts is when it calls the former captain a "dog".

[G-Mo77]

Thats true, im optimistic about most things in life but when it comes to the Dogs I try not to get to far in front of myself. I guess 35 years of close calls have done that to me.

Can completely understand mate. Last time I got ahead of myself was at half time of the 97 Prelim finals. It still burns 17 years later!

[KT31]

Can completely understand mate. Last time I got ahead of myself was at half time of the 97 Prelim finals. It still burns 17 years later!

Your not on your own there Chef, mind you I have been precautious about getting ahead with the Dogs since '85.

[Hotdog60]

Am I complacent, I'm just going with the flow. I'll get excited when all the cogs are in motion and we are moving forward.

By the way I believe we will be knocking on the eight next year if all the key components stay healthy. All the young core from a couple of seasons ago are at that 50 game or more mark. We have cut a lot of players that were handy but not pushing us forward and with a new coach things tend to happen.

[Remi Moses]

Is anyone here saying thst?

Plenty on here and the football world have been talking about our shoddy key forward recruiting.
Been a cavalcade of failure

[boydogs]

Chef, Greenwood & Membrey aren't going to fill the hole Jones left at FF. If Boyd wasn't worth it, what's the alternative?

[LostDoggy]

WE DID SOMETHING DIFFERENT from every other baron non premiership preseason year ( 60 BLOODY YEARS !!! PEOPLE) and decided enough was enough.Applaud the footy staff for having the internal fortitude to go after T-BOYD and say to the rest of the footy community that we've had enough of going through the same meek preseaon after preseason.This time WE THE WESTERN BULLDOGS will changethe landscape be the unapolagetic aggressors and attempt to give our long suffering club ,members and supporters the ultimate in PREMIERSHIP GLORY!!!! :cool:

[LostDoggy]

I guess I just worry about what happens if he doesn't come on as expected or ends up another Gumbleton.

So what's the worst that can happen?
We go through another 5 to 10 years without holding the cup aloft?
At least we can say we tried something different from the previous 60 years of failure to try to change that.

[chef]

Chef, Greenwood & Membrey aren't going to fill the hole Jones left at FF. If Boyd wasn't worth it, what's the alternative?

I've never said I didn't want Boyd.

I explained this and what annoyed me about the trade a couple of times already in this thread.

[mighty_west]

And if we win Premierships down the track by bringing in the best power forward from last years draft, who cares!

[PedroArvy]

Paying 1 million for one unproven palyer is not going to win us the premiership. If Buddy came to us it obviously wouldn't help us win the premiership as it didn't with the Swans and he is a proven player and the Swans are loaded with talent. One player is not nearly enough. Instead you need a good culture for a start which we obviously don't have. The resignation of Griffen, allowing Macca to go and many senior players leaving shows there is something deeply rotten at the core of this club. I have no idea exactly what it is but there is something strange about what's happening with the Dogs.

[LostDoggy]

Paying 1 million for one unproven palyer is not going to win us the premiership. If Buddy came to us it obviously wouldn't help us win the premiership as it didn't with the Swans and he is a proven player and the Swans are loaded with talent. One player is not nearly enough. Instead you need a good culture for a start which we obviously don't have. The resignation of Griffen, allowing Macca to go and many senior players leaving shows there is something deeply rotten at the core of this club. I have no idea exactly what it is but there is something strange about what's happening with the Dogs.

It's obvious we don't have it, yet you don't know what it is?

What should we do Pedro? How can we get a good culture?

[whythelongface]

Paying 1 million for one unproven palyer is not going to win us the premiership. If Buddy came to us it obviously wouldn't help us win the premiership as it didn't with the Swans and he is a proven player and the Swans are loaded with talent. One player is not nearly enough. Instead you need a good culture for a start which we obviously don't have. The resignation of Griffen, allowing Macca to go and many senior players leaving shows there is something deeply rotten at the core of this club. I have no idea exactly what it is but there is something strange about what's happening with the Dogs.

Pedro fair enough you make a comment and respect your right to do but you say that there is something deeply rotten at the club but you have no idea exactly what it is. You make your assumption based on the Griffen and some senior players leaving and Macca resigning - can you let us know what you think is deeply rotten at the core of this club then? Is it the administration? or the President? or the assistants? or the general culture? or the senior players that are left? or is it the younger guys?

If there is something deeply rotten at the core of the club how did we attract the no. 1 draft to the club for 7 years? Yes money plays a part but surely is not the sole attraction. There must have been other selling points such as a list that is potentially premiership material; a core group of players; maybe a strong culture amongst those players remaining.

[Ghost Dog]

The resignation of Griffen, allowing Macca to go and many senior players leaving shows there is something deeply rotten at the core of this club. I have no idea exactly what it is but there is something strange about what's happening with the Dogs.

Claim really, passing itself off as fact.

[Remi Moses]

Paying 1 million for one unproven palyer is not going to win us the premiership. If Buddy came to us it obviously wouldn't help us win the premiership as it didn't with the Swans and he is a proven player and the Swans are loaded with talent. One player is not nearly enough. Instead you need a good culture for a start which we obviously don't have. The resignation of Griffen, allowing Macca to go and many senior players leaving shows there is something deeply rotten at the core of this club. I have no idea exactly what it is but there is something strange about what's happening with the Dogs.

What does it say about the " leadership" and not to mention character when you inform someone of the standing of Chris Grant that everything is okay and 2 days later you leave?
Would have thought maybe the " bad culture" was shown the door, but like yourself I'd be making assumptions with no base.

[Remi Moses]

Tom Boyd if he lives up to the promise not only sells hope, but he will also help our clubs merchandise, interest and all that comes with it.
Lance Franklin is in his first year, so it's just a little premature to draw any form of conclusion on his Swans career premiership wise.
( Apparently he ruined their culture at the start of the year)

[Ghost Dog]

Boyd is not going to get us a premiership. But it's one piece of the puzzle.

[LostDoggy]

Or maybe that's not it at all.
Good point.

Your not on your own there Chef, mind you I have been precautious about getting ahead with the Dogs since '85.
Nah, I'm the opposite. $@!? It and go for broke.


What does it say about the " leadership" and not to mention character when you inform someone of the standing of Chris Grant that everything is okay and 2 days later you leave?
Would have thought maybe the " bad culture" was shown the door, but like yourself I'd be making assumptions with no base.

Says to me the rotten was part of the trade.

[westdog54]

Boyd is not going to get us a premiership. But it's one piece of the puzzle.

Love the speech by Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday.
It's all about inches. We do everything we can to assemble the best list we can. Inch by Inch.

Boyd by himself, yep, you're probably right.

Boyd alongside Roughead, Libba, Wallis, Dalhaus, Smith, Stringer, Macrae, Hrovat, Hunter, Bontempelli, Honeychurch, Crameri... different story.

Whether people want to see it or not we've been building a premiership side for 4 or so years. Boyd is just another piece.

[azabob]

Great, another headline in the small paper giving the dogs and Boyd a backhander comparing Boyds contract and Hawkins new deal.