Unfinished Business, Bob to play on (from WBFC)

[bulldogtragic]

Unfinished business, Bob to play on
westernbulldogs.com.au
7 June 2016 4:30 PM


After taking some time to consider his future, Western Bulldogs Captain Bob Murphy says he has “unfinished business” and will play on for an 18th AFL season in 2017.

Murphy yesterday signed a contract to extend a career that has produced so much, including 295 games, two All-Australian nods including one as captain, AFLPA best captain award and three international rules series.

List Manager Jason McCartney said Murphy’s influence was immeasurable and that his signature was a major boost for the Club.

“The decision to offer Bob another contract was an easy one because of just how much he brings holistically to this place,” McCartney said.

“He is such an important figure here, both from a leadership perspective but what he also offers as a player.”

“It was welcome news for everyone at the Club.”

The 33-year-old made the decision after spending some time away and cited his desire to give more to the Club that drafted him with pick 13 in the 1999 AFL Draft.

“I’ve still got the passion to play and obviously, there’s unfinished business for this team and our Club,” Murphy said.

“To have your Club in your corner, saying that they really want you to play again can’t be underestimated.”

“I feel like I can get back to playing good footy, and I still feel like I’ve got something to offer. I miss it, I miss playing with those boys.”

[bulldogtragic]

Interview with Bob here:

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-06-07/bob-to-play-on?camefrom=EMCL_1130791_43351036

[cinder]

Fantastic news. So relieved and pleased to hear this. Bring it on, can't wait for his return.

[jeemak]

News of the day! Awesome.

[bornadog]

Never in doubt :D

[The Pie Man]

Did not see that coming - excellent news!! Thank-you Bob, let's hope it's a few more years yet

[LostDoggy]

Fantastic news.
Do not underestimate what this announcement from Murpf can do for this group for the rest of the year and beyond.

[bulldogtragic]

If Bob does something like this, then every single damn fan should buy a membership this year (if you can afford it).

[Twodogs]

I can still remember him slotting that goal against Carlton in his first game. It was a money shot deep in the last quarter to get us within a kick as we over ran them at Optus. Bob stood up that day, has stood up in every game he has played since and will stand up again next year.

I'm rapt he's playing again. Thes world is a better place when Bob Murphy has the ball.

[LostDoggy]

This thread needs a I bloody love it button. Such great news, can't stop smiling

[LostDoggy]

So please, my minimum required is that he gets to 300.

If he can play in a winning grand final then I will accept that too!

[Murphy'sLore]

So Jarvis will get his big tub of Lego after all.

Fantastic news. I can't stop smiling.

[merantau]

Wonderful news. Must have been that 4 page letter I sent him! Seriously, how good is this news? Whole club gets a big lift out of this.

[Webby]

I love the way Bob Murphy represents our club. He's cool, he's articulate, likeable, has a great sense of humour and is well respected.

A good family man. A welcoming and inclusive leader and a great example. It's been a privilege to have him as the face of our club. Oh, and he can play a bit, too!

Great to still have you, Bob! You make us all proud.

[josie]

Wonderful news. Must have been that 4 page letter I sent him! Seriously, how good is this news? Whole club gets a big lift out of this.

Good on you writing to him Merantu. Takes effort to write a letter in today's hectic world and Bob would have appreciated it for sure. My heart raced when I read the email and then calmed down when I realised he was playing on. He is a legend even if he never puts on the jumper again. I was thinking the longer he takes to make a decision the more likely he was going to retire, so I'm overjoyed with this news. Now 2017 is like Xmas - Bob and Crammers are beaut presents for dogs fans. No excuses for fence sitters, as BT noted, join up now!!

[Rocket Science]

http://i.imgur.com/zsrkW0J.png

http://i.imgur.com/fSjxG7Z.png

[The Doctor]

My kids have driven me completely mad today. ABSOLUTELY BONKERS.

Now I've heard this news I've given them a hug, Cracked a Dad joke, opened a bottle of wine, and now sitting at the computer with the same smug face my kids give me when being lectured!

Happy Days!

[1eyedog]

He always was playing on... Great to hear.

[Ghost Dog]

He always was playing on... Great to hear.

Agreed. Heck if we can handle Tom Williams, Clay Smith and all the other wounded warriors, surely we can give Bob another go.

[Ghost Dog]

He's our best player. We simply need him.

[F'scary]

Hurrah!!!:)

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

I've been in tears can't believe how emotional this decision has made me

[ratsmac]

Absolute cracking news!

Thank you Bob Murphy for putting yourself through another rehab and pre season. You have made a lot of Bulldog supporters very very happy, especially this one ��

[Eastdog]

Excellent news. Bob looked very happy on the weekend. Will be great seeing him go around again. #Operation300

It has also been great sensing the rise in Bulldog supporters around lately. We are coming!

[AndrewP6]

What great news to read! Surely this will get those last 1000-odd Lost Dogs to sign up and kick us up to 40k members. Get on board, people!

[KT31]

Great news and very happy.
If any player deserves a a fairy-tail ending to their career, its our Bobbie.

[G-Mo77]

Guys like JJ and Biggs will be looking for new homes now. Murph was keeping guys like them out of the team. :cool:

There are times I've thought he wouldn't and times I thought he would play on. I'm glad it's settled and just rapt he's coming back for another season with us. Murphy and Crameri back in 2017 on top of what we have. Nice!

[AndrewP6]

2017 - Bob, Stringer, Bont, Libba, Jack Mac, Suckers, Big Red, Boyd Jr, Moz, Dicko, Grizz... yes please!! And that's not to mention a host of others.

[EasternWest]

Love it, Rocket Science.

[Remi Moses]

It's a good call with the position the club's in .
AFL 360 was very funny tonight, with Murph saying Peter Gordon left a horses head in his bed .
Great viewing

[Twodogs]

I'll wait for Al. You dont have to wade through all the non bulldog stuff with Als. Or pay.

[theride2016]

Fantastic news, I can't wait to see him back.

[whythelongface]

Awesome news. He is just such a legend for this club. Good to see him all smiles on AFL360 last night.

[Ghost Dog]

Now, as majorly or lesserly successful as his comeback may be in the end, everyone now walks with a spring in their step. It's great knowing he will play again or try to because we've all watched him go from skinny kid to skinny old guy, through the hard times. We all want to see him carried from the field on the shoulders of his mates, not in the arms of medical staff.

[Ozza]

Bob was pretty unequivocal about wanting to be captain next year.

[bulldogtragic]

Bob was pretty unequivocal about wanting to be captain next year.

Bob for me has a golden ticket for the captaincy and generally to do what he wants. As the reigning All Australian captain (AAC) and God, he can be Captain-Assist Coach-Deputy List Manager-Co President-Spiritual Coordinator (AC DLM CP SC) If he wants it, I'm sure Malcolm Turnbull can force through an emergency Order of Australia (OAM) and make one last Knight for easy votes and VU can give him an honourary doctorate and honourary professorship in Sports Management as thanks for him coming back too (If Clive Palmer can get them, Bob can too). Fitting reward for him putting himself & his family through 12 months of rehab at 34yo. This has made me so happy, beyond normal footy happy. I would've been shattered if he said no. Thanks to the boys for a few great wins in the last few weeks to keep Bob inspired to be part of it.

(Professor Doctor Captain Sir Robert Murphy OAM AAC AC DLM CP SC)

[Throughandthrough]

<<<<<<<Happy Dance>>>>>>

[Twodogs]

<<<<<<<Happy Dance>>>>>>



Yep. One of those ones where you spin around until your head starts to hurt!

[bornadog]

I'll wait for Al. You dont have to wade through all the non bulldog stuff with Als. Or pay.

Here you go:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy0Bdq2Hg8c

[merantau]

What a great interview. Thanks for posting.

[Bulldog4life]

Guys like JJ and Biggs will be looking for new homes now. Murph was keeping guys like them out of the team. :cool:

There are times I've thought he wouldn't and times I thought he would play on. I'm glad it's settled and just rapt he's coming back for another season with us. Murphy and Crameri back in 2017 on top of what we have. Nice!

As Teddy would say on behalf of Bobby "up yours Brian".:D

[always right]

Bob was pretty unequivocal about wanting to be captain next year.

That was just so refreshing. I expected something along the lines of..."I'm sure the club and I will sit down at the end of this season and chat about what's best for the team"

He knows he is the leader of this club and he wants the job. He couldn't have been more adamant...I loved it.

Like everyone else I'm delighted he's playing on in 2017. Have to say I had my doubts in recent weeks. Our backline has coped magnificently in his absence (with a lot of help from team mates further up the field) and I started to think that Bob would come to the conclusion that the team no longer needed him as much as they have in the past.

Murphy and Crameri back next season and another pre-season under the belt of Tom Boyd....things are really looking up for next year.....and we're right in the thick of it this year. Just waiting for JJ's return.

[bulldogtragic]

"I love captaining this club".

We love you captaining this club.

[EasternWest]

"I love captaining this club".

We love you captaining this club.

As much as I appreciated how much Griffen bled for our club on the field, looking back on Murphy's captaincy it seems like lunacy that he didn't get the nod after Boyd.

We love Bob for who he is and the way he plays, but we love him even more because he was the figurehead that led us out of that shit storm. I probably want a premiership for him more than me now, and that's saying something.

[bulldogtragic]

As much as I appreciated how much Griffen bled for our club on the field, looking back on Murphy's captaincy it seems like lunacy that he didn't get the nod after Boyd.

We love Bob for who he is and the way he plays, but we love him even more because he was the figurehead that led us out of that shit storm. I probably want a premiership for him more than me now, and that's saying something.

Couldn't agree more. I think a few years back I started a thread about unlucky non-captains and from memory Gia & Bob scored the most votes. Some clubs have polarising figures to AFL fans who are their best player or leader (Selwood, Riewoldt etc) and some clubs have nothing specials (Swallow etc). But it's great for our club to have a captain who is respected by pretty much everyone as much as he inspires love from us. He could do pretty much what he likes after footy, but I hope the club finds him a job (player welfare, development, media whatever) so he's around for many more years as all the lads walk taller when he's around.

[Daughter of the West]

Goddamn it, it's just wonderful! Thank you Bob for putting it all on the line again so that we, mere spectators, can watch your agility and grace on the wide green pitch once more. And may you then bow out gracefully as you see fit with 300 games (and a premiership) under your illustrious belt.

[LostDoggy]

Interesting that Bob has been listed as TBA on the injury list on the website

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/injury-news

[bulldogtragic]

Interesting that Bob has been listed as TBA on the injury list on the website

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/injury-news

Yep. He had lars on the knee and will be back like Libba Snr was in 16 weeks. Just in time for finals.

[Eastdog]

Bob on now on Fox Footy from last year.