Season over for Scott West

[Templeton31]

Bugger.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24237943-19742,00.html

EXCLUSIVE SCOTT West's bid to play again for the Western Bulldogs this year is over. The seven-time best and fairest winner pulled up sore after training last Wednesday and did not play in the VFL at the weekend.

After discussions with the club, the Dogs legend decided to abandon his much-publicised race to get up for the finals.

West has not played since a knee stress fracture sidelined him in Round 6.

It remains unclear if 33-year-old West, out of contract at the end of this season, will play again next year.

[ledge]

No rocket science there, pardon the pun.

[hujsh]

really sad:(

[bulldogtragic]

Tough call, but I think he should opt to retire.

I hate myself for saying that.

[Dancin' Douggy]

I think he should play on. A good long rest over summer.
He's such a smart player he can play on IMO.

[Dancin' Douggy]

Tough call, but I think he should opt to retire.

I hate myself for saying that.

Just change your mind and stop hating yourself.
You'll feel better straight away.

[LostDoggy]

He must be in a lot of pain as he has no problems getting the ball.
Not sure he can make it back.

[LostDoggy]

I hope that I am wrong, but I dont think that we will be seeing him play again. It seems hard to beleive that he may not play again.:(

[1eyedog]

I reckon he'll have another crack, he'll want to especially if we do well this finals series.

[The Coon Dog]

Being out of contract makes it tougher. How long would the club give him? Eventually that knee will fix good and proper but how long will it take?

Not overly, he's not taking up space on the list. If he retired we couldn't replace him next year anyway as he's on the veterans list & Eagleton is next in line & is 12 months away.

[The Coon Dog]

But doesn't that mean that overall we would be a player short and therefore would have to fill the gap somewhere else?
No, the opposite infact.

For every veteran you get one less rookie. Teams with no veterans can have 6 rookies. We have Johnno & Westy & only 4 rookies.

If Westy retired it would mean we could have 5 rookies.

[ledge]

Dont need a rookie for midfield with Ward and Higgins coming good.

[hujsh]

Dont need a rookie for midfield with Ward and Higgins coming good.

Never hurts to have one more Ledge. Can't just count on the ones we've got

[Dancin' Douggy]

I'd rather have West, even if it's a gamble, than an extra rookie, which is always a gamble anyway.

[strebla]

I don't believe we need 5 rookies in that senario play on Scotty I wouldnot mind even if he only played 60 percent of our matches

[ledge]

Trying to keep emotion out of this and i loved Westy as much as any other supporter but this is how I see it.
At the start of the year Eade said he would start playing West off the bench to make the younger players not rely on him.
As it turned out he got injured and those younger players have got us to 2nd or 3rd on the ladder.
His age and this injury are against him, as well as the way our midfield have done this year, our midfield will only get better where his football will only slow down.

We have to move forward now and give all responsibillity to the midfield we have.
I see West as a great opportunity and of better use as a one on one midfield teacher.

Retire him now so we have a full pre season of him fully focused on teaching our midfield and not worrying about his own game.

[SonofScray]

Pretty sure it's the end of the road for Westy in terms of his playing career. An absolute tragedy for him I'd imagine, to be struck down in this fashion when I am certain he still had a bit to give and he'd be pretty certain he still has a bit to give. Just a painful scenario all around. Guys like Grant, Darcy etc had a good run until they eventually wore their bodies out. It was a slow process and they were able to prolong their careers through a bit of injury management and good luck. Westy hasn't ever been particularly injury prone to my knowledge, a very hardy indivudual and to cop one serious injury out of nowhere is just incredible.

The man is an absolute warrior and it'd be hell for him right now. Hopefully he has plenty of good people around him and can look past this bad patch and acknowledge what a terrific career he has had so far and what he has achieved in his time. I'll be hoping that its not the end for him because he deserves so much better but regardless of what happens, everyone should get behind him as a legend of the Club and let him know how much he is respected, loved and admired for the tireless efforts he has out in over the years.

[Bulldog Revolution]

It really all depends on his body

If he can get himself right we will never again ask him to be the main man in the midfield but he can still be a very valuable piece, even if he does not play every game.

If he doesn't play they should get him into the coaching set up

[Rocket Science]

Am undecided as to whether another year is the wisest thing for either party...but I do know I'd like to avoid another Hawkins-to-Fitzroy episode.

[Topdog]

Rocket Eade said this morning on SEN that they haven't thought about it for next year yet. Will sit down at the end of the year to decide on the rest of his career.

[bulldogtragic]

The question has to be:

Will he be a risk in taking up a spot and permitted he is fit is the contribution to them team going to be more important than blooding Ward, Hill, Grant, Stack, O'Keefe, Wood and getting them game time to take an extra step up in experience and performance.

My answer is no to being a risk of being on the list but as cold as it sounds i think 22 games in Ward next year not 10 will be a big difference going forward allowing Hill more games, introducing Grant and allowing Stack, Wood and others being blooded and seeing what they've got.

I love emotion in the game but at the end of the day, that's gone and its a business. I think the best long term strategy is sending Westy off in style. Giving him a major accolade at the club such as an 'immortal' or similar and a coaching role with young midfielders.

[Bulldogs_6]

Unfortunately I think this setback could spell the end of his career also :(

[hujsh]

Am undecided as to whether another year is the wisest thing for either party...but I do know I'd like to avoid another Hawkins-to-Fitzroy episode.

i wouldn't know how to act towards Westy if that happened. I might even cheer for him