Great Article about Tom Boyd as 18 yo number 1 draft prospect

[josie]

http://www.theage.com.au/interactive/2013/fiveseasons/Boyd.html

I know this is an old artlcle, just came across it on BF.

Perhaps some of you, like me, never read it in Tom's draft year.

Thought it was a damn good read and some great short clips embedded in it.

After reading it I felt more confident Tom Boyd will be AOK for us and fulfill most if not all of his potential.

He has a very level head on his shoulders (nothwithstanding recent incident with Zaine). Many of us who are impatient with his progress forget he is still so young, perhaps because he is so very big. Having watched a lot of his VFL games I see continual improvement and at this early stage that's what we should expect. I also think a breakout game will come pretty soon.

[bulldogtragic]

Thanks Josie. Like a couple on here who like watching TAC Footy (& champs), I got to see him and followed him really closely. He's a pure breed from the top shelf, and his numbers were outstanding in every sense. People forget Kevin Sheedy, as GWS coach, was selling the rights to Tom Boyd to the entire AFL competition for most of the season that how exciting he was as a prospect. I still do not doubt for even a second that he will work hard enough to reach his bloody enormous potential. I don't mind him pinch hitting in the ruck to get some experience, but he's a boba fide gun KPF and I hope in time he's staying there all game and getting good delivery. He's already got a rising star nomination last year and has shown glimpses despite poor delivery, poor umpiring against him and playing on stronger, older & #1 defenders each week. Our people shouldn't fall into the narratives of lazy journos, the real story here is we got our hands on a 203cm & 100+kg Key Position Power Forward who was a number one draft pick (by the length of the Flemington straight). Anyone whose expectations on him that are based against the history of development of young KPFs because of a number on a contract show an ignorance beyond belief.

Imagine buying the best house from a builder that money can buy, on a seven month contract. Then after pouring the slab a month or so after the contract started, a bunch of ignorant dickhead lazy journos have a go at you for spending all this money on a house and that you can't even live inside the concrete slab for all the money you've invested so far in this alleged house. Your natural response would be 'of course I can't live inside the concrete slab, it's not a finished house yet. It's just the foundation you *!*!*!*!ing tool. It's a 7 month build, do you not understand the first thing about this? The start involves getting the foundation laid, then the frame is built & strengthened, and then the fittings get added to complete this best house. So by the end it will be a great house, and you sirs are *!*!*!*!wits for basing your opinions of the occupancy & liveability of a house on only the mere foundations alone without acknowledging there's more to come with 80% of the contract to run. Oh, and yeah, it won best new house in Australia 2013'.

That's what all these tools are doing. Yelling at each other that a concrete slab is not a house, not the 2013 best house in Australia, and acknowledging there's 80% of the contract build and much more construction still to happen because big houses don't get completed overnight. It's inane and non-sensical and it's happening week after week, and the industry can't see how dumb they are. Frankly, our club should be far more aggressive in defending and supporting Tom in the press.

[Twodogs]

KB and Jon Ralph gave their considered opinion on how well Tom is going at the moment. They spent 20 minutes talking about his forward play (actually they spent 18 minutes talking about his contract and two minutes about his football) and finished with suggesting that Tom could spend some time in the ruck and add another string to his bow.

[comrade]

KB and Jon Ralph gave their considered opinion on how well Tom is going at the moment. They spent 20 minutes talking about his forward play (actually they spent 18 minutes talking about his contract and two minutes about his football) and finished with suggesting that Tom could spend some time in the ruck and add another string to his bow.

I'd be surprised if Ralph saw him play this year and so had any evidence to support his opinions.

[bornadog]

KB and Jon Ralph gave their considered opinion on how well Tom is going at the moment. They spent 20 minutes talking about his forward play (actually they spent 18 minutes talking about his contract and two minutes about his football) and finished with suggesting that Tom could spend some time in the ruck and add another string to his bow.

I listened to two minutes and turned it off

[SonofScray]

KB and Jon Ralph gave their considered opinion on how well Tom is going at the moment. They spent 20 minutes talking about his forward play (actually they spent 18 minutes talking about his contract and two minutes about his football) and finished with suggesting that Tom could spend some time in the ruck and add another string to his bow.

This exposes some of the foundations of why the media are so heavily pursuing Boyd and jerking off over the prospect of him failing. They have been able to get away with pre-written stories about "Dogs need a key forward" etc and giving us cursory treatment in discussions like they just had on the radio, for many, many years.

That has shifted significantly with our upswing in form, plethora of talent and recruitment of a genuine KPF prospect. The status quo is in jeopardy. These malakas might actually have to do some real work for a change when it comes to us. There a lot of people in footy who for all the patronising around us being everyone's 2nd team, would rather we stay in our place. They can go and get stuffed.

[Flamethrower]

Great article about Tom. And Gia too in what was expected to be his last season.

I remember the commentary about the Giants possibly trading away the number 1 pick that year, and read a lot about Tom including watching a few Ranges games as he was identified as the best prospect in the draft a long way out. I was convinced that if the Giants were serious about trading the number 1 pick, we should do whatever it took to get it (including trading some of our better/more popular players like Griffen or Cooney). It was our best chance to get a genuine power forward for generations.

As it turned out we got Tom a year later (for Griff and the cursed pick 6 - apart from Jack Macrae, Chad Wingard and maybe Gary Rohan, every pick 6 has been a flop). By not trading up to the first pick in the 2013 draft we kept pick 4 in that draft - and turned that pick into a player not on many team's radar - Marcus Bontempelli.

[Mofra]

As it turned out we got Tom a year later (for Griff and the cursed pick 6 - apart from Jack Macrae, Chad Wingard and maybe Gary Rohan, every pick 6 has been a flop). By not trading up to the first pick in the 2013 draft we kept pick 4 in that draft - and turned that pick into a player not on many team's radar - Marcus Bontempelli.
Even better - Bontempelli was tipped as a vague chance for top 10 but as time wore on he firmed to a late top ten chance. Collingwood traded up to pick 6 expecting to get him and were shocked when we took him.

I remember most were pretty keen on Sharenberg and Aish who had played well at SANFL level and there was a bit of a shock we took the Bont early. I thought it was a huge risk at the time especially considering he didn't really bloom until late in the season.

[bornadog]

Even better - Bontempelli was tipped as a vague chance for top 10 but as time wore on he firmed to a late top ten chance. Collingwood traded up to pick 6 expecting to get him and were shocked when we took him.

I remember most were pretty keen on Sharenberg and Aish who had played well at SANFL level and there was a bit of a shock we took the Bont early. I thought it was a huge risk at the time especially considering he didn't really bloom until late in the season.

Yeah, I was hoping we picked Sharenberg at the time.

[ledge]

Scharenburg was a worry due to foot injuries I think it was .. As it turns out he seems to be constantly injured now and his career can't get any stability going.

[Bullies]

Mark Jackson as much as he is a nob actually had a point about the press and their persistance to target certain players and how they can ruin careers. They are gunning for Tom. He just needs to hang in there not listen to this Herald Sun crap and play a few good games. Would love nothing better than to see him clunk a few. He needs time but unfortunately the press are not going to give him any.

[LostDoggy]

My concern with all this media bullying crap directed at Tom is that it might take it's toll on him and force him to quit football altogether.

[bulldogtragic]

You wanted a decent performance:

Tom Boyd - Most Disposals 18, Most Kicks 10, Most Handblls 8, Most Hitouts 17 (With 3.0 goals, 4 marks) - Vs Geelong, Round 19, 2016

[lemmon]

My concern with all this media bullying crap directed at Tom is that it might take it's toll on him and force him to quit football altogether.

It will only get quieter with games like tonight. He's played two decent games in three weeks back. He's building

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Great game by Boyd, proud of him. Next year will be interesting.

[Mantis]

Great game by Boyd, proud of him. Next year will be interesting.

What about the year after that.. and year after that... And the year after that. ;)

Good signs.

[Bulldog4life]

Once Tom learns the leading patterns too he will be so hard to stop. That takes time. Hopefully that is on top of Gia's agenda.

[Eastdog]

I liked his game last night. Tom will only get better.

[The bulldog tragician]

Did anyone see the vicious little snipe from Francis Leach on twitter (now deleted). Along the lines, the first time T Boyd marked the ball "the search party can now be called off." It was so devastatingly witty too - not.

[bulldogtragic]

Did anyone see the vicious little snipe from Francis Leach on twitter (now deleted). Along the lines, the first time T Boyd marked the ball "the search party can now be called off." It was so devastatingly witty too - not.

Leach, as in a small blood sucking organism that clings onto anything to survive and a thing that everyone hates.

This needs a whacking from the club. The more garbage paid media folk like this say, the more it breeds others to do it. Time to return serious fire for our kid.

[Ghost Dog]

Half these blokes probably don't watch games. They just jump on the stat sheets.
Keep in mind too, he's playing in a team that has an average 65 games of experience.
As our kids get better so will the delivery and his opportunities.

[Bulldog4life]

Did anyone see the vicious little snipe from Francis Leach on twitter (now deleted). Along the lines, the first time T Boyd marked the ball "the search party can now be called off." It was so devastatingly witty too - not.

My cousin who is a mad keen doggy supporter and has had a few things to do with Leach tweeted him a reply that has now got him banned from Leach's account. Leach doesn't get on with the people he works with and only The Ox from SEN would work with him there. A grub.

[GVGjr]

Did anyone see the vicious little snipe from Francis Leach on twitter (now deleted). Along the lines, the first time T Boyd marked the ball "the search party can now be called off." It was so devastatingly witty too - not.

I sure did, Leach by name, leech by nature. He also mentioned something about cry me a river about us getting more injured players from last night. He's gone from being a credible journo to someone who now fires off cheap quips in effort to somehow remain relevant. He's coughed his own standards over recent years and has been a huge sell out.

He's just another in a long line of journo's who now think funny lines are more entertaining than the call of the game.

[Bulldog4life]

I sure did, Leach by name, leech by nature. He also mentioned something about cry me a river about us getting more injured players from last night. He's gone from being a credible journo to someone who now fires off cheap quips in effort to somehow remain relevant. He's coughed his own standards over recent years and has been a huge sell out.

He's just another in a long line of journo's who now think funny lines are more entertaining than the call of the game.

He has left his sarcastic tweet of Libba up still...

I hope Libba hasn't done his ankle.

Will require two days of national mourning.

A sad little man is Leach

[jeemak]

What station is he on these days?

This is his web page, it has a contact section some might find handy:

http://www.francisleach.com/#francis-leach

[bulldogtragic]

I sure did, Leach by name, leech by nature. He also mentioned something about cry me a river about us getting more injured players from last night. He's gone from being a credible journo to someone who now fires off cheap quips in effort to somehow remain relevant. He's coughed his own standards over recent years and has been a huge sell out.

He's just another in a long line of journo's who now think funny lines are more entertaining than the call of the game.

Maybe someone can point out his lines aren't even close to being funny.

[GVGjr]

What station is he on these days?

This is his web page, it has a contact section some might find handy:

http://www.francisleach.com/#francis-leach

Former journo Francis Leach is now back at SEN for the 3rd time I think.
He's moved journo to journeyman up and down the dial

[GVGjr]

Maybe someone can point out his lines aren't even close to being funny.

He's a double threat, both insecure and arrogant. He wouldn't listen

[jeemak]

Former journo Francis Leach is now back at SEN for the 3rd time I think.
He's moved journo to journeyman up and down the dial

We should boycott him.

[Remi Moses]

Pathetic from a bloke who should know better.
Imagine if one of our fans in the media like Mark Stevens or Sam Landsberger had have tweeted that about a Stkilda player ?

[Remi Moses]

We should boycott him.

Like about 99.9% of the Melbourne population

[bornadog]

Former journo Francis Leach is now back at SEN for the 3rd time I think.
He's moved journo to journeyman up and down the dial

His wife is also horrible and use to be on 774 (Lyn Haultain )

I never listen to Ox and him, because I hate them both.

[GVGjr]

We should boycott him.

Most people don't have the stomach to do a good old fashioned boycott. :)

[jeemak]

Most people don't have the stomach to do a good old fashioned boycott. :)

I can't believe folks have the stomach to listen to SEN and Leach anyway!

[GVGjr]

I can't believe folks have the stomach to listen to SEN and Leach anyway!

I like the Ox but have really struggled with Leach. About 3 weeks ago I stopped listening to them. I miss the Ox but not so Leach

[jeemak]

I like the Ox but have really struggled with Leach. About 3 weeks ago I stopped listening to them. I miss the Ox but not so Leach

I used to be able to have periods of listening to SEN at various times of the day, but with excess exposure I could actually feel the intelligence oozing out of my ears. Given the realisation it was detrimental to my health I swore off it.

[azabob]

I find RSN 927 much better listening in the morning. Much better and more balanced than SEN breakfast team.

[hujsh]

I used to be able to have periods of listening to SEN at various times of the day, but with excess exposure I could actually feel the intelligence oozing out of my ears. Given the realisation it was detrimental to my health I swore off it.

The adds alone used to make my brain numb

[LostDoggy]

I find RSN 927 much better listening in the morning. Much better and more balanced than SEN breakfast team.

Great call Aza.
Couldn't stand Mick Maguane as a player but his measured,articulate and analytical comments are more then the whole SEN roster could come up with in a year.

[bornadog]

There is a new Sports station, but I think it is digital only, EON

http://eonsports.com.au/

[azabob]

Great call Aza.
Couldn't stand Mick Maguane as a player but his measured,articulate and analytical comments are more then the whole SEN roster could come up with in a year.

Agree. Wonder why he still isnt in the AFL system?

[jeemak]

Agree. Wonder why he still isnt in the AFL system?

Because he drinks more piss than I do?

I do have a funny Mick story, however (or two or three, but one's enough for now). Hanging Rock races 2004, the man was standing around in a circle of four or five on a 38 degree day, with each and every one of them wearing a set of jeans, black t-shirts and bomber jackets.

With cans of pre-mix in their hands I've never seen a troupe given a larger wide birth until they left town.

I've also heard a story about betting scams in Stawell for the gift, but that's nothing I can substantiate so I'll stop there....

[azabob]

Fair answers J-Man. Maybe you can tell a story a week but mention no names?

[jeemak]

We've digressed enough I think Az!

[jeemak]

No mention of Tom on ch7 Game Day this morning.

Can't help but think if he was held goalless and had no impact the segment would have been dedicated to his massive contract, but instead, having had his best game for the club it was quiet on the western front.

[bulldogtragic]

No mention of Tom on ch7 Game Day this morning.

Can't help but think if he was held goalless and had no impact the segment would have been dedicated to his massive contract, but instead, having had his best game for the club it was quiet on the western front.

Yep, garbage. The footy media obviously don't believe in any balance or saying that perhaps he deserves any credit for delivering a really good game. Wait for his next quiet game though...

[lemmon]

No mention of Tom on ch7 Game Day this morning.

Can't help but think if he was held goalless and had no impact the segment would have been dedicated to his massive contract, but instead, having had his best game for the club it was quiet on the western front.

On Channel 9's Sunday Footy Show, Matt Lloyd called him our best player on the night and the shining light for us out of the game...I wouldn't go that far but kudos

[ledge]

He was right about the shining light , if your going to take a positive out of the game and single out a player it was him.

[comrade]

No mention of Tom on ch7 Game Day this morning.

Can't help but think if he was held goalless and had no impact the segment would have been dedicated to his massive contract, but instead, having had his best game for the club it was quiet on the western front.

No news is good news when it comes to Tom.

The entire footy industry is praying he busts.

[ledge]

No news is good news when it comes to Tom.

The entire footy industry is praying he busts.

I actually think it's just a couple of scorned media personalities who write it up and the sheep follow,
But you listen to most reporters and others who have played the game wil tell you he is going to be big.
The write up on him taking a pay cut wasn't to do with not being good enough it was more about what they thought was keeping other players at the club not his ability.
All proved wrong mind you when PG pointed out we are using previous years salary cap.

[Mofra]

He was right about the shining light , if your going to take a positive out of the game and single out a player it was him.
I only saw glimpses of the game but Boyd had a virtual break-out game from what I saw - I was very happy with Zaine Cordy as well.

[hujsh]

Cordy and Boyd were the real bright lights. May they continue to shine through many premierships.