Ryan Griffen talks about his switch from Western Bulldogs to GWS

[LostDoggy]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/ryan-griffen-talks-about-his-switch-from-western-bulldogs-to-greater-western-sydney-20150212-13de8u.html

Selfish git. I counted 62 instances of “I”, “me”, etc.

Go and get stuffed Griff. Hope you're happy because you shat on a lot of people for that happiness.

[bornadog]

Still doesn't answer the reason why he left. Why was he unhappy in the first place?

I hate the way it all turned out and I for one don't give a rats about it. I am happy we have Boyd.

[soupman]

That is a terribly written article. Really clunky.

That first quote is atrocious: "I didn't stop thinking about certain stuff, especially last year, and that was affecting, like relationships because I wasn't there - I was thinking about other stuff."

[BornInDroopSt'54]

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Ryan Griffen talks about his switch from Western Bulldogs to Greater Western Sydney

Jake Niall
Published: February 12, 2015 - 8:38PM

Ryan Griffen was unhappy in his final year with the Western Bulldogs. He had lost the enjoyment of "all parts" of playing football. The captaincy he had reluctantly accepted for 2014 was an unwelcome burden, and when he went home, he couldn't stop thinking about "certain stuff". Unhappiness at work was seeping into the rest of his life.

"I didn't stop thinking about certain stuff, especially last year, and that was affecting, like relationships because I wasn't there - I was thinking about other stuff."

Griffen's mother was concerned. "She came up through the year and said I've changed, my personality's changed, you're not happy, what's wrong, you're not your normal self. Because your mother knows."

Ultimately, Griffen's mother, and especially eldest brother Travis, would be influential in encouraging him to leave the Dogs - setting off a sequence of drastic events that included the trading of Griffen and Tom Boyd.

Griffen's request for a trade also was immediately followed by the sacking of Brendan McCartney as coach - an event that Griffen views as completely separate from his decision. "It's not a good feeling and you know I wasn't sitting there with a smile on my face," Griffen said of McCartney's axing in October.

"I was distraught and that was a horrible time in my life, that whole process. But I still feel they were separate issues. I don't feel that it was just me leaving, that's the reason why Macca had to go."

He would not have reversed his decision had he known McCartney was to go, he said. "I wasn't going to change my mind, whether Macca was there or not. I just got to a point in my career where I felt I needed to have a change."

Several weeks before his request for a trade detonated, Griffen was contacted by Leon Cameron, the coach of the Giants, who had coached Griffen in Cameron's years as an assistant under Rodney Eade. Cameron listened to Griffen's woes, but neither coach nor player then thought Griffen would end his Dog days and make the Giant leap north.

"Leon contacted me probably six weeks out, just to see how I was, how I was travelling. That's all that discussion was," said Griffen. To the question of whether a move to Greater Western Sydney was considered, he added: "No he didn't think it was possible. I told him it wasn't possible then. I was like 'no, I'm going to stick it out."'

But Griffen did not stay the course, even as the Dogs tried to talk him into remaining. Happiness came first. On a return from a post-season trip to Italy with his girlfriend Jasmine - and following conversations with family - he made what he refers to, throughout our interview, as "the decision."

Griffen doesn't blame the captaincy entirely for The Decision, but suggested that his captain's attempts to make everyone happy - team mates clearly included - didn't help his own wellbeing.

"There was me trying to make everyone happy, and that's probably what brought me down. I was trying to make everyone sort of happy, happy medium."

Had he not left, Griffen believes would have retired later this year. "I needed to be refreshed. I was at a point where I wasn't enjoying footy and I wasn't enjoying going to training, I wasn't enjoying life outside, which was affecting things outside the club as well. I needed a change. I felt that getting out of Melbourne and getting up here - I have a great relationship with Leon ... to completely have a fresh start, I thought that would give me a spark to sort of finish my career in the right way. Otherwise, I was willing to walk away from the game.

"I think I probably would have played another year - obviously I had another year in my contract - seen that out and if I wasn't enjoying it, there was no point going on."

The re-booted Ryan Griffen of 2015 wore a dark T-shirt, designer Sydney stubble and a noticeable North shore suntan. He was relaxed and comfortable in the Giants' board room, overlooking a pristine oval, having completed "90-95 percent of pre-season" and feeling "no issues" with the back that had been such a problem in his Annus Horribilis of 2014. Still 28, he has a four year contract and hopes they will "go all the way" in that period.

Griffen is sharing a house with ex-Lion defender Joel Patfull at Tamarama, while Jasmine completes her architecture degree in Melbourne - she plans to move up in November. Griffen "loves the beach" and has been attempting to surf. It is interesting that these prized GWS recruits are living on the coast, in "greater" rather than "western" Sydney. The weather, said Griffen, "suits me a lot better and I actually do feel a lot more relaxed up here than I did in Melbourne."

He eschewed a role in GWS's leadership group, which was announced on the morning we meet. Griffen said he did not consider any club besides the Giants, due to his relationship with Cameron and his desire to refresh completely. He did not consider a move back to his home state of South Australia. "Adelaide's probably more of a bubble."

"They didn't really have to make a pitch because I made a decision that I needed a change and I wanted to come up here ... I looked at the list." Griffen went north, in his words, "to find the love of the game again."

Griffen's famed reserve wasn't evident in our interview, except when he deployed the euphemism of "certain things" from 2014.

He acknowledged that he had taken player concerns (from Bulldogs' president Peter Gordon's version, many of these were clearly about McCartney) - to the club admininstration at season's end.

"There were player concerns and I as captain I felt that I needed to have discussions with the president and certain other people and those discussions took place. And I guess that probably put more pressure on me as a captain and that ... I felt I had to do that for the playing group."

Talks with players led to conversations with the doomed McCartney. "Yeah, we had discussions ... But look even if he pleaded for me to stay, it wasn't just him, it was certain things in my life that needed to change and I had already made decision, so I was ready to have a fresh start and I couldn't be more happier here."

Griffen recognises - and flatly rejects - the perception that his relationship with the coach prompted The Decision. "They're wrong ... There were so many other issues than Macca. A lot of people think it was the coach and we had this shocking relationship, but with Macca he taught me so many good things, I had so many good years under Macca. He taught me a lot of things along the way.

"It wasn't just Macca. It was the environment, it was just me - I don't know I just got to a point where I wasn't enjoying training, I was worrying about a lot of other things with the captaincy as well that were bringing me down." Despite Griffen's attempts, he and McCartney haven't spoken since the tumult of post-season ended. "I think there will be a time where we will have chat. We'll definitely talk again." Once he'd quit, pending a trade, Griffen's most difficult call was the one he made to his replacement as skipper, Robert Murphy. "

That was the toughest phone call I've ever had to make, to Robert, one of the toughest, because I had so much respect for Rob and he loves that footy club ... but he's so level headed."

Griffen also understands and accepts that he will be booed by Dogs fans, yet asked for understanding. "I just want them to probably know there were certain reasons ... Life is too short to be unhappy, and that's the only reason why I've made the decision."

Griffen says he is rapt that the Dogs, for so long bereft of a power forward, have received one as a result of his exit, as the 2013 number one pick, Boyd, heads the other direction on the Hume Highway and takes up that monstrous seven year deal. "I want the Bulldogs to succeed. I was there for 10 years. I have a soft spot for them, I love the club. So for them to get what they wanted, I was very happy and I'm hoping that Boydy can become the player that they want.

"And I feel that he can, because he's an absolute monster and that's what they needed, so I feel good that they got the player that they need."

The death of Griffen's father from cancer about five years ago was another factor that influenced The Decision. "I think that makes you look at life quite differently ... if you've lost someone close to you in your life, you sort of, you know how quickly it can be taken away from you. So there's no point going through your life feeling like shit."

This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/ryan-griffen-talks-about-his-switch-from-western-bulldogs-to-greater-western-sydney-20150212-13de8u.html

[whythelongface]

That is a terribly written article. Really clunky.

"[/I]

It is very poorly written. It makes Griffen come across as a knob. It certainly doesn't leave one feeling with confidence that he was the right choice as captain.

I would like to think that I have some empathy for Griffen as he sounds like he was in a dark place last year, but I am not sure that i do.

[FrediKanoute]

Next......what "stuff"? Ryan, grow some balls. Yes "stuff" happens, but leaders deal with "stuff" so that it doesn't become an issue. I don't feel sorry for you and I will refer to you as a Judas C*nt, because ultimately that is what you are. I will boo you when you play against the doggies and personally I don't care if you have a soft spot for the team - I have an intense love for my football team that goes well beyond your soft spot and whilst I never had the opportunity to be as close to the team as you have, I know that I would never have treated the club the way you have.

Yes thanks to you we have Tom Boyd - possibly the messiah when it comes to a power forward - but don't try to tell me that you had the Doggies benefit foremost in your mind. That its worked out as well as it has is as much to do with the efforts of true bulldogs people as anything else.

Finally - if you think fan hate dies after a couple of years go have a chat to Sol Campbell..........he is still persona non gratia

[hujsh]

I just feel, like, things are affecting stuff and personally, like, my mind just wasn't there and the relationships were, like, all around the place and, especially last year, it seemed that things were stuff but, like more stuff than normal and that was really there but not here, but that was totally something else and it seemed as though the movement of things was affecting the flow of relationships when I wasn't there but I was and stuff.

[Greystache]

You'd get more coherent storytelling on Facebook

[Remi Moses]

Is Ryan Gripyon 12 years old?
Other stuff? Relationship stuff ? More stuff?
I didn't want to be captain. So why take the job in the first place?
One thing is certain Griphyon'smoral compass is stuffed

[Remi Moses]

You'd get more coherent storytelling on Facebook

He sounds like a 10 year old on BF.
Jack Nail has had a bee in his Bonet with this deal from the start .
What a fluff piece of drivel

[jeemak]

Jesus, I never thought Reehan was a bright spark but by the same token I didn't think he was the guy boxes of hammers hung shit on.

So it wasn't only Macca (who he wants to hang five with later), the club's great, so who is it then?

Here's a tip, it's you Ryan. You accepted the captaincy and you wilted. Be honest and say there were elements of the club you couldn't handle in the role as captain, which you weren't able to deal with then, and you're obviously still not able to deal with now. Get away from the microphone, it didn't suit you when you captained us, it sure as shit doesn't suit you now. If you're gonig to pretend things are normal get back in your hidie hold and don't come out again.

[chef]

Poor Ryan. Time to man up mate.

[chef]

What a sook.

Will go down as the worst captain in the history of the VFL/AFL

[LostDoggy]

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Besides my pure anger and hatred, which despite my best efforts at control are running rampant, I just don't see the point of “speaking out” or “coming clean” and then not saying anything at all. He mentions “certain things”. Ryan, you'll go down in history as our worst captain, maybe one of footys worst captains, and you'll be hated for a long time: so if you have something to say, muck to rake, then grow some balls and rake it.

Round 9 can't come quick enough.

[westdog54]

The more Ryan and GWS try to make this whole sorry mess sound ok, the worse it will get.

He had ample opportunity, throught the year, to come out and say "This captaincy thing is not right for me, I will stand down at years end." Or "things aren't great at the moment, right now I can't see myself staying at the club next year if things continue." But no, he waited until the second half of trade week, and dropped the club in the shit.

No sympathy Ryan. Not now, not ever.

[Hotdog60]

Ryan who?????

[LostDoggy]

Get over it people. As much as we love the Dogs there are more important things in life than football. I quit my job a few years back as I hated it and I was lauded as being brave.

[WBFC4FFC]

The whole situation and Griff was neatly summed-up in the last word of the article: "sh1t"!

[Jeanette54]

Ok, I agree. The article is poorly written and on the surface of it, is a fluff piece. However I am appalled at some of the comments I see written on this forum.

We all knew Ryan was a country boy who loved the simple pleasures of life, and we loved him for that.

Time and time again he was our on field hero in good times and bad. Ryan Griffin was probably our best finals player of modern times.

This article leads me to believe that he took his role seriously, and it ultimately led to depression.

I, for one, wish him well with GWS; and will not forget or deride his contribution to this club

My question is why was there no support mechanism when he was struggling with the captain's role? Where were the club "leaders" we hear so much about, who should have helped shoulder some of the burden?

In the final analysis we threw him in at the deep end, and when he couldn't swim there was no one there to help keep him afloat.

[bulldogtragic]

I refuse to read the article. I will assume there is some lame BS attempt to cover his actions that will just annoy me. Griffen may be the trophy, but Boyd is the prize. So whatever.

[Mofra]

Meh.
Just another opposition player.

I won't care what he does until he mimics Terry Wallace and openly supports us.

[KT31]

I was going to post a major rant, but I'm quite clearly not over this selfish flog and thought better of it.

Griffynoutthedoor is going to make some poor kid a great Dad when he walks out because it all to hard.

While I admit sports clubs can be a hostile environment and hard on a person, lets not make this into something its not, you got Hundreds of thousands of dollars to pass a ball to a bloke in your team colours and keep team spirits high, maybe you should do some charity work and see some real world issues #$%@head!!!

[Remi Moses]

So when was he " forced" into the job?
The difference between him and the rest of us plebs, is that for one kids don't worship the average joe.
Secondly there isn't 30,000 members following the average person.I sympathise with someone who loses their job, but it doesn't compare .

[Remi Moses]

If Ryan's suffering depression he shouldn't be playing football

[Daughter of the West]

I started reading it, got annoyed, skimmed and got to the end.

Mate, either you explain the whole problem and process or you don't. End of story. This trying to look like a good guy at the end of it all is just making you look like a dumb knob.

I appreciate the time, effort and guts that Gryph put into the club, but I will never appreciate the way he left it. I wish him no ill in the future, but that doesn't mean I have to like what happened AND the manner that it occurred.

[G-Mo77]

Wanker!

10 years service is forgotten and very few supporters will remember them fondly with your gutless actions. I wish Griphin nothing but misery in his horrible new colors.

[always right]

I have some empathy for the predicament he found himself in. I can't however forgive him for the way he handled the situation in the end, the shit he dropped the club in, and how he disappeared off the radar leaving the club in disarray.

[Sedat]

I have some empathy for the predicament he found himself in. I can't however forgive him for the way he handled the situation in the end, the shit he dropped the club in, and how he disappeared off the radar leaving the club in disarray.
For whatever reasons, Griffen was a deeply unhappy player last year and wanted out - much better to allow this to happen now when his currency will never be higher. He is a star and will play several top shelf games at GWS, but his departure has given us a better chance for premiership glory in 4-6 years time.

During our off-season we also shed additional senior players who weren't 100% committed to the club going forward, and we also replaced an underperforming coach and his horrible, unwachable and unsuccessful game plan. We will tread water, maybe even go backwards this year and possibly next. But the Griffen/Cooney/Higgins era ship sailed a few years ago and the BMac ship never left the docks - a new era beckons and it has already started.

[LostDoggy]

I don't like that Griff is now in Sydney playing for the Giants but I can understand why he did it and bear him no ill will. Wouldn't all of you denigrators do the same if you were unhappy in your employment and had the opportunity to go elsewhere?

[hujsh]

My more serious response to this (I mean I had to make fun of that explanation) is that for whatever reason he doesn't want to explain his real reasoning behind leaving the club. Maybe it's because his motivations weren't sympathetic but for all we know there's something else that has happened behind the scenes that neither Ryan nor anyone involved (if anyone was involved) is comfortable talking about.

Without knowing the full story I won't lambast him or call him a traitor as we did pretty well on the deal in my opinion. All the goodwill he built up at the club is gone now but I don't love or hate him more than the average opposition player.

[Remi Moses]

I don't like that Griff is now in Sydney playing for the Giants but I can understand why he did it and bear him no ill will. Wouldn't all of you denigrators do the same if you were unhappy in your employment and had the opportunity to go elsewhere?

I take your point, but the lines are continually blurred when comparing a civilian to a highly paid adored Sporting figure.
Majority of sportsmen are a completely different beast to the average 9 to 5 worker.
I agree with Sedat that it's going to be a blessing in disguise eventually.

[soupman]

For me my anger is not so much directed towards the decision, but to the way he conducted himself throughout that horrible period.

I am happy to concede that he likely had a good reason, and that he has every right to do what he thinks is best for his health and happiness.

However I would expect that a man of his quality would sit down with the club in mid-September, and have a discussion with them why he has decided to leave and the reasons for this decision, as well as serving his 2 weeks notice as such to give the club time to absorb and plan for his departure.

What I am unhappy about is that he has left the decision so late that we were almost a week into trade week with less than a week remaining before he decided to bother telling anyone. And then he basically blackmailed the club into trading him to his preferred destination, threatening to retire if we didn't. Oh yeah, and he couldn't even do this himself. His manager had to do it, and Griffen, freshly back in the country just ran away as far as he could looking forward to returning a few days later when everyone else had done all the hard work for him.

The manner in which he did it showed no respect to the club he "loves", or the people involved with that club, both from an off field, on field and supporting perspective.

Yes he may have done us a favour as we got to trade him when his value is high and get Tom Boyd from the deal, but I don't like reading how he is happy we did well out of the trade, because to me that says he feels like he is relieved of his guilt and might even feel like he helped us achieve something. Which is bullshit because any benefits we got from him leaving were in spite of his decision and the manner he conducted himself in.

He can get stuffed.

[bornadog]

For me my anger is not so much directed towards the decision, but to the way he conducted himself throughout that horrible period.

I am happy to concede that he likely had a good reason, and that he has every right to do what he thinks is best for his health and happiness.

However I would expect that a man of his quality would sit down with the club in mid-September, and have a discussion with them why he has decided to leave and the reasons for this decision, as well as serving his 2 weeks notice as such to give the club time to absorb and plan for his departure.

What I am unhappy about is that he has left the decision so late that we were almost a week into trade week with less than a week remaining before he decided to bother telling anyone. And then he basically blackmailed the club into trading him to his preferred destination, threatening to retire if we didn't. Oh yeah, and he couldn't even do this himself. His manager had to do it, and Griffen, freshly back in the country just ran away as far as he could looking forward to returning a few days later when everyone else had done all the hard work for him.

The manner in which he did it showed no respect to the club he "loves", or the people involved with that club, both from an off field, on field and supporting perspective.

Yes he may have done us a favour as we got to trade him when his value is high and get Tom Boyd from the deal, but I don't like reading how he is happy we did well out of the trade, because to me that says he feels like he is relieved of his guilt and might even feel like he helped us achieve something. Which is bullshit because any benefits we got from him leaving were in spite of his decision and the manner he conducted himself in.

He can get stuffed.

At the end of the Season he went to Peter Gordon and told him his issues. Peter told him the club would address all those issues. He then went on a holiday and probably did some more thinking and decided he couldn't see how things would change so he he decided to leave.

That is pretty much it without knowing what his issues were. We are all hurt because we know what a fantastic player he has been for the club, and we are all pissed off with what happened and with him leaving.

In my opinion the footy department should have addressed things earlier and perhaps he would still be at the club, but then again maybe it would have been the same outcome.

[josie]

Great posts by Sedat, Daughter of the West and Soupaman.

I'd like to think Dogs Supporter's will not boo him. Rather we should turn our backs whenever he touches the ball. Just like he turned his back on us.

I'm guessing he was suffering depression and that likely he still is. I'll always remember he was a wonderful player for us. However those memories will always be tainted by the manner he left. If Boyd had not wanted to join us we would likely have been right royally stuffed.

I think this sentence from the article says a lot - he actually proves himself self deluding or at worst deceitful in five sentences. The first two contradicting the last three.

"Leon contacted me probably six weeks out, just to see how I was, how I was travelling. That's all that discussion was," said Griffen. To the question of whether a move to Greater Western Sydney was considered, he added: "No he didn't think it was possible. I told him it wasn't possible then. I was like 'no, I'm going to stick it out."'

Four final rants - The last club I ever want to see win a premiership in my lifetime is GWS, I do hope Griffen recovers from his mental demons, and lastly I hope he and Jasmine have lots of lovely children including some young lads who will one day play for us as well as their Dad did.

[G-Mo77]

I don't like that Griff is now in Sydney playing for the Giants but I can understand why he did it and bear him no ill will. Wouldn't all of you denigrators do the same if you were unhappy in your employment and had the opportunity to go elsewhere?

It's not even comparable to a normal everyday job. When i go to work i don't get fans applauding me when i arrive and when I leave. I don't have the joy of victory or disappointment of defeat. I don't understand why it can be compared, the only similarity is we all get paid in the end.

[GVGjr]

I have some empathy for the predicament he found himself in. I can't however forgive him for the way he handled the situation in the end, the shit he dropped the club in, and how he disappeared off the radar leaving the club in disarray.

I'm probably close to this view, I don't believe we have the facts on why he wasn't able to cope with things well last year.

I can recall the Scott West speech from a few season ago and it explained a lot about him and the struggles he faced and while I'm not comparing Griffen's condition last season to what West faced I also can't bring myself to go in all boots and all at him.

[hujsh]

It's not even comparable to a normal everyday job. When i go to work i don't get fans applauding me when i arrive and when I leave. I don't have the joy of victory or disappointment of defeat. I don't understand why it can be compared, the only similarity is we all get paid in the end.

There also aren't many jobs that people would love to do for no money, that also pays you in one year more than most people would make in half a decade

[always right]

Before we managed to extricate Boyd out of GWS I was genuinely fearful for our club's future. With all that happened it was very possible that up to 5000 members may have walked in dismay......we may never have recovered. In that respect what Griffen did was indefensible.....particularly as he would have known the impact his decision would have.

Not sure I will be booing him but the whole stadium will hear me any time he loses a contest to one of our players. And I would be more than a little delighted to see Liam Picken make his life miserable by picking him up at the start of play. Wouldn't mind the new pin up boy Jakey Stringer dish out some tough love either.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Life's too short to be filled with hate. Don't let the mob mentality take over.

[LostDoggy]

Life's too short to be filled with hate. Don't let the mob mentality take over.

Lead the mob instead! Quick, son, hand me ma pitchfork!

[SonofScray]

I am not upset with Griffen for leaving, hell, I actually suggested we should trade him halfway through season. It was an aggressive call at the time to try get ahead of the curve and in a US sports style move, off load high end talent to either secure a key prospect or buy back into the draft. So I didn't show Griff much loyalty and can never really have expected it from him.

HOWEVER!

He lied to our Club. We bent over backwards to support him and accommodate his position and he squibbed it. Is he a prick of a bloke? Probably not. Did he behave incredibly cowardly? In my opinion, yes. For that, he will be booed and heckled until he cries himself off the field. Everything in life comes at a cost. For Ryan, his behaviour around the move has cost him our love and respect.

It'll swing in our favour with Boyd. I'm certain of it. But that silver lining was our Club making good, moreso than any heroic sacrifice by Griffen like some people I spoken to are clinging on to.

[Maddog37]

Of course the fact he knew his back was on the way out and GWS offered him a long term deal on big money had no bearing at all on his decision.......

[KT31]

Life's too short to be filled with hate. Don't let the mob mentality take over.

So you are ok with Essendon, Collins and Oakley ?

[jeemak]

Having had a couple of days to reflect on my previous post in this thread, and some of the other contributions towards the Griffen situation I've had a moderate change in my views on him and his behaviour.

I'm surprised that anyone - from the information provided - can diagnose depression over the internet. However, I'm prepared to leave the door open to him suffering from the illness, which can of course point to some of the reasons why he was unhappy during a year in which he had serious physical impediments affecting his performance on top of the added responsibility of leading the club as captain (and the added pressures associated with that), and other factors within the club he has vaguely touched on since his departure.

If I was an expert in the field perhaps I would be able to say that his underhanded behaviour is a typical response to such pressures and the resulting illness. Unfortunately I'm not, so I have to rely on my experiences which tell me deceit and avoidance of issues is a trait shared by the mentally fit and those otherwise, when they know they have not held themselves to the level of integrity expected of them (by themselves, and by others), and the level of integrity displayed by them previously.

Anyway, you're not going to get any further negative rantings about this particular player from me. Having re-read 1984 this past fortnight I've found a lovely word to use for him and think about him. He's now an Unperson for the remainder of his football career as far as I'm concerned.

His contribution to our club over ten years shouldn't be underestimated, nor should the manner in which he left.

Apologies for the late night posting, I'm buzzed up from a 12 hour flight/transit with delays and can't sleep.

[SonofScray]

I don't like that Griff is now in Sydney playing for the Giants but I can understand why he did it and bear him no ill will. Wouldn't all of you denigrators do the same if you were unhappy in your employment and had the opportunity to go elsewhere?

Just for what its worth, no. When I was faced with a desperately unhappy workplace driven by an unethical and incompetent boss, I had an opportunity to go to another agency and take a pay rise in the process. I had recently started a program which I loved working in and felt I was doing excellent work with the community, so I went through appropriate channels for feedback and sought a resolution. During the 6 months the behaviors in my workplace were occurring and investigations etc were taking place, there were days I was physically ill from the stress. I stuck it out because I said I would and I had openly expressed my desire to see the program succeed. The organisation made some changes and we got through it, eventually some staff including the boss left, I was able to stick it out and reap the benefits of doing so.

So no, I wouldn't do the same as Griff and haven't. I have no issues with holding him account to a standard I set for myself and expect from organisations I am associated with.