Ward: Griff has not settled well at Giants

[LostDoggy]

Ward: Griff has not settled well at Giants

Former Western Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen has struggled to fit in at the GWS Giants and is yet to make anything resembling an impact around the club, says teammate Callan Ward.

The pair was reunited after Griffen decided he needed to abandon the Dogs at the end of last season, three years after Ward also decided money sure beat playing at Footscray.

“He’s been really poor, he is not really enjoying Sydney, he rarely comes to training, and I think he hates all the boys,” said Ward on SEN radio.

“He has been a poor investment for us so far.”

The Giants co-captain admits he knew months before that his ex-teammate was so unhappy in the final months of his time at Whitten Oval and believes he hasn't been able to put that behind him.

“Yeah he told me in August, we all knew he was coming actually, but we had to keep it quiet,” explained Ward.

“I knew he was keen to leave the Bulldogs, and I think he just needed a club where he wouldn't have to do too much, such as speak for himself, I think he’s had that here.”

The playing group is coming to terms with the end of their break for the holidays and hoping to build on their six wins from last season.

“The boys hated going to Noosa and I think we really needed to go to a different country to train, but we keep spending cash on turncoats and losing our top draft picks,” said Ward of the Giants’ pre-Christmas training camp.

“We haven’t spoken about our goals too much, we’re just trying to manage our pay checks, but hopefully we can win enough games to activate the performance clauses in our contracts and collect a healthy bonus.”

[chef]

Love it.

[Hotdog60]

Is Wards Contract up at the end of this year?

I don't think management would pleased with his comments.

[FrediKanoute]

This has to be tongue in cheek. Not even bucket head could be that dumb

[Twodogs]

This has to be tongue in cheek. Not even bucket head could be that dumb

No byline or masthead. Looks like The Onion's work maybe. Definitely satire.

[F'scary]

Ward: Griff has not settled well at Giants

Former Western Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen has struggled to fit in at the GWS Giants and is yet to make anything resembling an impact around the club, says teammate Callan Ward.

The pair was reunited after Griffen decided he needed to abandon the Dogs at the end of last season, three years after Ward also decided money sure beat playing at Footscray.

“He’s been really poor, he is not really enjoying Sydney, he rarely comes to training, and I think he hates all the boys,” said Ward on SEN radio.

“He has been a poor investment for us so far.”

The Giants co-captain admits he knew months before that his ex-teammate was so unhappy in the final months of his time at Whitten Oval and believes he hasn't been able to put that behind him.

“Yeah he told me in August, we all knew he was coming actually, but we had to keep it quiet,” explained Ward.

“I knew he was keen to leave the Bulldogs, and I think he just needed a club where he wouldn't have to do too much, such as speak for himself, I think he’s had that here.”

The playing group is coming to terms with the end of their break for the holidays and hoping to build on their six wins from last season.

“The boys hated going to Noosa and I think we really needed to go to a different country to train, but we keep spending cash on turncoats and losing our top draft picks,” said Ward of the Giants’ pre-Christmas training camp.

“We haven’t spoken about our goals too much, we’re just trying to manage our pay checks, but hopefully we can win enough games to activate the performance clauses in our contracts and collect a healthy bonus.”

And the late news is that McCartney has been hired as senior assistant coach at GWS...

[jeemak]

Great stuff.

[AndrewP6]

Hahaha....the "real" article was Ward speaking to (I think) SEN, and saying pretty much the reverse of this. This is much funnier though.

[LostDoggy]

No byline or masthead. Looks like The Onion's work maybe. Definitely satire.


Hahaha....the "real" article was Ward speaking to (I think) SEN, and saying pretty much the reverse of this. This is much funnier though.

Yeah, I read this article and all I could think of, besides what a d**k Griff is, is that it's such cliched nonsense. I wondered what my fellow WOOF illuminati thought, and when I posted it decided to switch the sentiments around for a chuckle.

I removed the byline so nobody got in the poop for crediting an edited article.

[Twodogs]

Yeah, I read this article and all I could think of, besides what a d**k Griff is, is that it's such cliched nonsense. I wondered what my fellow WOOF illuminati thought, and when I posted it decided to switch the sentiments around for a chuckle.

I removed the byline so nobody got in the poop for crediting an edited article.


Maybe you should submit it to the Onion?

[Remi Moses]

I look forward to such an article on Shaun Higgins
Very funny stuff

[hujsh]

Maybe you should submit it to the Onion?

Is there an Australian Onion?

[LostDoggy]

Is there an Australian Onion?

Cyperus bulbosus is perennial and rhizomatous, with fine grassy foliage and triangular culms. The inflorescence is rarely branched and consists of a cluster of spikes of reddish brown bracts, eventually producing small three-sided seeds.

The small tubers which form on short stolons are a traditional bush tucker food for Australian Aborigines. They are dug up on creek banks when the grass of the onion has dried out. The husk can also be eaten. They are eaten raw or cooked in the hot earth by the fire.

[Daughter of the West]

Is there an Australian Onion?

Inside Sauce (http://insidesauce.com/) is probably the closest AFL wise, or Titus O'Reily.

[Daughter of the West]

By the way, love your work BAS!

[KT31]

Siiiigh! If only it was all true.

[1eyedog]

Stevens to do a Yeates on Griff opening bounce against GWS

[Testekill]

Stevens to do a Yeates on Griff opening bounce against GWS

You're thinking too small. I'm hoping more for Redpath or Minson cleaning him up.

[Flamethrower]

Might be all "beer and skittles" now for Griffen in the wasteland that is the outer western suburbs of Sin City, but wait until mid winter when he pulls the pin due to intense media scrutiny from the work experience kid at the local Penrith newspaper, and the chronic back injury from trying to carry another midfield.

[LostDoggy]

You're thinking too small. I'm hoping more for Redpath or Minson cleaning him up.

The whole team rotating off the bench.

[Remi Moses]

Grain of Salt I know, but Greg Denham commented on sEN that GWS didn't do a medical on Griffin.

[bornadog]

Grain of Salt I know, but Greg Denham commented on sEN that GWS didn't do a medical on Griffin.

Hope they know about his back then and the slipped disc

[Happy Days]

Grain of Salt I know, but Greg Denham commented on sEN that GWS didn't do a medical on Griffin.

So they did do a medical?

[LostDoggy]

Hope they know about his back then and the slipped disc

My cat knows about his back. If I was Leon Cameron, I'd be more concerned with the obvious lack of intestinal fortitude.

[Remi Moses]

So they did do a medical?

Apparently amongst the euphoria and Griffin pig shooting ( or whatever he was doing)
They didn't perform a medical on him.

[LostDoggy]

Apparently amongst the euphoria and Griffin pig shooting ( or whatever he was doing)
They didn't perform a medical on him.

He shot a good six pigs though. So his trigger finger is fine.

[Testekill]

On a related note

Sam McClure @sam_mcclure (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Follow (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Huge concern about Ryan Griffen's back. GWS docs have contacted Bulldogs, seeking advice of how to manage it. Highlights rushed trade deal.

[F'scary]

On a related note

Sam McClure @sam_mcclure (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Follow (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Huge concern about Ryan Griffen's back. GWS docs have contacted Bulldogs, seeking advice of how to manage it. Highlights rushed trade deal.


Wow! If the Grifter is hampered like he was with us in 2014 there will be no doubt as to who got the better of the deal at this stage.

[Greystache]

On a related note

Sam McClure @sam_mcclure (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Follow (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Huge concern about Ryan Griffen's back. GWS docs have contacted Bulldogs, seeking advice of how to manage it. Highlights rushed trade deal.


**restrained snigger**

[Flamethrower]

On a related note

Sam McClure @sam_mcclure (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Follow (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Huge concern about Ryan Griffen's back. GWS docs have contacted Bulldogs, seeking advice of how to manage it. Highlights rushed trade deal.


Don't be surprised if our clash with the Giants at Etihad is Ryan's farewell game when his back forces him into premature retirement.

[Hotdog60]

Conspiracy theory. Did the Bulldogs and Ryan cohort into a deal to get Boyd to the dogs because Ryan knew he was on his last legs and it was a parting gift from a loyal club man.

Ok maybe not...:)

[Twodogs]

No matter how sour the parting it would be a shame if his career is ended by injury like that.

[BulldogBelle]

Did we grind his back into the ground with our reliance on the man?

[BulldogBelle]

On a related note

Sam McClure @sam_mcclure (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Follow (https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure)
Huge concern about Ryan Griffen's back. GWS docs have contacted Bulldogs, seeking advice of how to manage it. Highlights rushed trade deal.


Big news. Put that down as a win for us.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Big news. Put that down as a win for us.

800,000 of our salary cap that we are paying for Griffen to play with GWS and sacrificing trade pick 6, would suggest it could hardly be a win for us.

[Happy Days]

800,000 of our salary cap that we are paying for Griffen to play with GWS and sacrificing trade pick 6, would suggest it could hardly be a win for us.

Yep coz that's all that happened.

[1eyedog]

Conspiracy theory. Did the Bulldogs and Ryan cohort into a deal to get Boyd to the dogs because Ryan knew he was on his last legs and it was a parting gift from a loyal club man.

Ok maybe not...:)

It happened in 1982

[BulldogBelle]

800,000 of our salary cap that we are paying for Griffen to play with GWS and sacrificing trade pick 6, would suggest it could hardly be a win for us.

Disagree with you on that.
We lost a player who has a serious back injury (still speculation on severity) gained a promising young forward.
Yes we handed over pick six and an injured payer but the deal looks even better now.
l don't think salary cap we handed over is an issue, were going to be so far under we had to make it up from somewhere.

[Twodogs]

If it was the salary cap relief that got the deal over the line then it was a stroke of genius.

[Webby]

It happened in 1982

Correct. It actually happened twice in 1982. KT to Dees for $250k and Mocha Dunstan for $150k to North.
I think both went on to play a miserly 40 odd games between them... People remember the KT deal, but the Dunstan one was an absolute corker for us! I'm convinced that those two deals fuelled the very strong 1983 to 1987 seasons. (At least in contrast with the preceding few years!)

... I've always been 100% fine with the Griffen deal and could easily dance around this bonfire, but I do think this McClure story is a beat up. Griffen's got 50-60 odd games left in him.... But who really cares anymore?

[Bulldog4life]

Disagree with you on that.
We lost a player who has a serious back injury (still speculation on severity) gained a promising young forward.
Yes we handed over pick six and an injured payer but the deal looks even better now.
l don't think salary cap we handed over is an issue, were going to be so far under we had to make it up from somewhere.

Exactly.

[Throughandthrough]

I was told by an ex bulldog player about nine months ago, that he believed that Griffins back injury was a bulging disc.

And hopefully there's a performance clause in Griffins contract. And that clause saves US dollars if he misses games

[boydogs]

And that clause saves US dollars if he misses games

Would we be fined for not paying the full salary cap?

[Testekill]

Would we be fined for not paying the full salary cap?

We'd surely get an exception. Unless the AFL are going to be mad about us not playing nicely with their new lovechild.

[Remi Moses]

Sandra Sully with the late news .
Let's hope it's nothing to minor

[jeemak]

Surprise surprise. Rushed deal from an arm of the AFL might go sour due to a lack of foresight and on the spot diligence! Eat it, no sympathy from my perspective.

[chef]

Poor Ryan.

I won't be sad if his career is shortened.

[soupman]

Surely its common practice for clubs to consult players previous employers as much as required if they have a history of injuries. I'd imagine North would have contacted us once or twice about Higgins, and Carlton at the least would have enquired about the histories of Jones and Tutt.

A medical would only show so much (although GWS not bothering with one is a stupid move).

[bornadog]

Poor Ryan.

I won't be sad if his career is shortened.

I felt the same when Nathan Brown broke his leg.

[bornadog]

Surely its common practice for clubs to consult players previous employers as much as required if they have a history of injuries. I'd imagine North would have contacted us once or twice about Higgins, and Carlton at the least would have enquired about the histories of Jones and Tutt.

A medical would only show so much (although GWS not bothering with one is a stupid move).

We once drafted a player (from another club) only to find he had mental issues, which also effected his football. We were not aware of this prior to drafting and only found out after a certain phone call. The player had also not told the club.

[1eyedog]

I felt the same when Nathan Brown broke his leg.

I think they're different propositions. Judas left for the limelight of a bigger club, money and premiership glory while with regard to Ryan all indicators point to someone battling depression.

Judas was all smiles in his maiden speech at Richmond.
Ryan was fighting back tears at his.

[bornadog]

I think they're different propositions. Judas left for the limelight of a bigger club, money and premiership glory while with regard to Ryan all indicators point to someone battling depression.

Judas was all smiles in his maiden speech at Richmond.
Ryan was fighting back tears at his.

I may be different to other supporters, but all the players that left in the last couple of years I purely blame the Football department's inability to manage players. As for Brown, he purely left for the reasons you mentioned and I have no time for him.

[1eyedog]

I may be different to other supporters, but all the players that left in the last couple of years I purely blame the Football department's inability to manage players. As for Brown, he purely left for the reasons you mentioned and I have no time for him.

That's a comment that suggests that players have no say in what they think or do but fair enough. There has to be other reasons outside of how the football department manages players that influences players and the decisions they make about leaving a club.

[GVGjr]

Time to close the thread. There is something wrong when adults are wishing ill of former great players of the club. Just doesn't sit well with me.

Send me a PM if you want me to reconsider.