Ray wants to play, but not with Bulldogs

[BulldogBelle]

Moving on....

Ray wants to play, but not with Bulldogs (http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/ray-to-move-on-from-bulldogs/2008/09/25/1222217431818.html)
The Age
Martin Boulton | September 26, 2008

WESTERN Bulldogs midfielder Farren Ray has told the club he wants to be traded after an injury-interrupted season that yielded only 13 games.

Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia said the club would facilitate a trade.

"After meeting with his management Farren has decided to look for another opportunity," Fantasia said.

"We see Farren as a required player, so it is disappointing in some respects, but he's had an indifferent year and we understand why he's going down that track.

"We'll do our best to facilitate a deal that's equitable for both parties."

It was revealed in The Age yesterday that Ray was likely to request a trade.

Ray, who was taken with pick four in the 2003 national draft, has played 75 games for the Bulldogs. He suffered a cracked fibula in this year's pre-season and struggled for consistency during the year.

After missing the last two rounds he returned for the Dogs' qualifying final against Hawthorn, but was left out of the next two finals against Sydney and Geelong.

Ray's manager, Rick Olarenshaw, said the 22-year-old could head home to Western Australia, but was more focused on joining a club where he could get more playing time.

"His first preference is to stay in Melbourne, but he just wants to go where he can play his best football, so if that's Brisbane or Adelaide or Sydney, so be it," he said.

"We've had (other clubs) make inquiries, but we weren't going to make a decision until the Bulldogs' season was out of the way.

"He was concerned about his opportunity (with the Bulldogs), and they were pretty blunt about that on Tuesday in his meeting with the coaches.

"He knew it was going to be hard to find opportunities with the midfield they've got, so we'll look elsewhere for a club that feels they need someone like Farren."

[ledge]

What a confusing article, one minute club says they want to keep him , but next minute says they might not be able to give him a game because of our midfield already.
I dont blame him for asking to be traded, I think all players would ask to be traded in that circumstance.

[aker39]

What a confusing article, one minute club says they want to keep him , but next minute says they might not be able to give him a game because of our midfield already.
I dont blame him for asking to be traded, I think all players would ask to be traded in that circumstance.


Nothing confusing Ledge, just a club trying to talk him up to get the best possible trade.

[ledge]

Good point.

[sobriquet]

Not sure what to think of this one. I don't mind "sting" Ray, but we really have enough small running types to cover the loss. Hopefully we can get a player of value from the trade.

[BulldogBelle]

Not sure what to think of this one. I don't mind "sting" Ray, but we really have enough small running types to cover the loss. Hopefully we can get a player of value from the trade.

Firstly welcome to WOOF sobriquet. :)

Yes, like you I didn't mind Ray either but he wants to move on. Will be interesting to see what we get out of the Ray trade.

[anthj]

At least I'll never have to see a headline involving the words 'Ray Gun' again. I would have liked to have him stay at the club but if he wants to leave then there's no point trying to keep him. ;)

[LostDoggy]

Is it concerning that 2 players in the past 2 years have wanted to leave our club?

[GVGjr]

Is it concerning that 2 players in the past 2 years have wanted to leave our club?

3 players in 2 years isn't it? Power and McMahon last year and now Ray this season.

[LostDoggy]

3 players in 2 years isn't it? Power and McMahon last year and now Ray this season.

Not the best strike rate is it?

And they are all top 15 draft picks to make matters worse.

[Rocket Science]

Any coincidence that the trio in question are all particularly soft, flaky, outside-types?

It's addition by substraction, surely.

The job'll almost be complete once Eagleton's shown the door.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Is it a coincidence that they were all spent time playing seconds?

[MrMahatma]

Any coincidence that the trio in question are all particularly soft, flaky, outside-types?

It's addition by substraction, surely.

The job'll almost be complete once Eagleton's shown the door.
You have to point the finger at the recruiters or the recruiting policy here, surely?

Firstly, too many of the same type
Secondly, too many who haven't come on

In fairness, Ray and McMahon are both 'good' players, just not great, but both are outsider players.

If Ray had McMahon's kicking, that'd be a player.

[Rocket Science]

If Ray had McMahon's kicking, that'd be a player.

...not to mention if he had Judd's explosiveness, Ablett's agility, Hodge's steel, and Black's vision and patience.

Goes without saying that the recruiters incur a fair chunk of responsibility for the degree of imbalance in our list, but they can't be held fully responsible for the level of hunger and application a player does or doesn't demonstrate.

I'd kindly seek clarification as regards the definition of a 'good' player though...while not without his foibles I'd call McMahon generally serviceable...but would be hard pressed according Farren the same compliment I'm afraid...He's borderline AFL material for mine.

[Go_Dogs]

3 players in 2 years isn't it? Power and McMahon last year and now Ray this season.

At the end of the day though, are these blokes who are part of our premiership formula? I dare say they aren't.

[GVGjr]

At the end of the day though, are these blokes who are part of our premiership formula? I dare say they aren't.

I'm not sure I agree. I still ask why we can't get better results from talented players. Power had a solid season withthe Roos, McMahon was better with the Tigers in 2008 than he was with us in 2007 and we never got the best out of Ray.
We either are poor with our drafting or development and if the players kick on elsewhere, it more or less questions how effective the development has been.

[Go_Dogs]

I'm not sure I agree. I still ask why we can't get better results from talented players. Power had a solid season withthe Roos, McMahon was better with the Tigers in 2008 than he was with us in 2007 and we never got the best out of Ray.
We either are poor with our drafting or development and if the players kick on elsewhere, it more or less questions how effective the development has been.

How has McMahon or Power really 'kicked on' though? McMahon played some great football for us over 2005 and 2006. Not sure his 2008 at Richmond was any better than what he gave us, even though he's starting to hit the 'prime' of his career and was about Richmonds only defender whose a 'strong' kicker.

Power just was not going to get a game in our 22, and I'm really struggling to see who he would have replaced this year. The guys we brought in, Callan, Hill, Ward all played good roles and have good upside. All will be aiming to be in that 22 next year. In my view, 25 combined years from these guys is better than 10 combined years from Power and McMahon.

I won't argue that our development could have or should have been better, you're most likely right. Now that we have state of the art facilities perhaps we'll start to see a better strike rate of developing potential into senior player.

[LostDoggy]

I'm not sure I agree. I still ask why we can't get better results from talented players. Power had a solid season withthe Roos, McMahon was better with the Tigers in 2008 than he was with us in 2007 and we never got the best out of Ray.
We either are poor with our drafting or development and if the players kick on elsewhere, it more or less questions how effective the development has been.

The reason that Mc Mahon and Power played more games this year than with us is simply because we have players who are better than them and we can easily live without them. Neither North or Rchmond are in that happy position.

Likewise with Ray, he found it difficult to become a first choice player with us but may well fit into another team.

This is not a poor reflection on the Western Bulldogs. On the contrary, it highlights the quality of our list.

[anthj]

If I recall correctly McMahon didn't want to leave and we ended up getting Callan Ward with pick #19.

[The Coon Dog]

If I recall correctly McMahon didn't want to leave and we ended up getting Callan Ward with pick #19.

He wanted to leave alright!

[bulldogtragic]

He wanted to leave alright!
And pot us on the way out.

[GVGjr]

How has McMahon or Power really 'kicked on' though? McMahon played some great football for us over 2005 and 2006. Not sure his 2008 at Richmond was any better than what he gave us, even though he's starting to hit the 'prime' of his career and was about Richmonds only defender whose a 'strong' kicker.

Power just was not going to get a game in our 22, and I'm really struggling to see who he would have replaced this year. The guys we brought in, Callan, Hill, Ward all played good roles and have good upside. All will be aiming to be in that 22 next year. In my view, 25 combined years from these guys is better than 10 combined years from Power and McMahon.

I won't argue that our development could have or should have been better, you're most likely right. Now that we have state of the art facilities perhaps we'll start to see a better strike rate of developing potential into senior player.

OK, the point I am trying to make is we go out and recruit a player like Tim Callan and yet we never really tried Power in that type of role. The Roos get Power off us and he has a better season that what we could muster from him. The assumption that we wouldn't play him is probably correct but as a team we haven't been innovative with reinventing players that aren't reaching their potential.
Power may not have been able to play that role but we never really tried it either.

I don't want to see us draft guys and wait for them to develop only to trade them on and have solid seasons at other clubs. I think losing Ray and him doing better at another side is a real possibility.

[Scraggers]

The reason that Mc Mahon and Power played more games this year than with us is simply because we have players who are better than them and we can easily live without them. Neither North or Rchmond are in that happy position.

Likewise with Ray, he found it difficult to become a first choice player with us but may well fit into another team.

This is not a poor reflection on the Western Bulldogs. On the contrary, it highlights the quality of our list.

It highlights the quality of our midfielders ... not of our list

[LostDoggy]

It highlights the quality of our midfielders ... not of our list

Nothing to do with mid-fielders. Neither Mc Mahon nor Power were then or are now mid-fielders

[LostDoggy]

OK, the point I am trying to make is we go out and recruit a player like Tim Callan and yet we never really tried Power in that type of role. The Roos get Power off us and he has a better season that what we could muster from him. The assumption that we wouldn't play him is probably correct but as a team we haven't been innovative with reinventing players that aren't reaching their potential.
Power may not have been able to play that role but we never really tried it either.

I don't want to see us draft guys and wait for them to develop only to trade them on and have solid seasons at other clubs. I think losing Ray and him doing better at another side is a real possibility.

Precisely what role are you speaking of? Callan either plays half-back or as a run-with defender, both positions having been occupied by Power.

I also disagree with the comment that we are not innovative in re-inventing players. Tiller, has been goven opportunities all over the ground to find his spot, as has Wight. Murphy after years at half-back finds himself re-invented at CHF. Even Acker was tried down back together with Walsh.

Mc Mahon and Power are simply not the players who are going to take the club to a premiership. The trade for Mc Mahon was a win for us by a long way.

On the other hand I agree with you on Ray. I think he could still be a good player at AFL level. However if he wants to walk there is not much we can do about it. It is interesting that he has stalled at every contract renewal since his arrival suggesting that he may have been a reluctant long term player from day one.

[bulldogtragic]

Precisely what role are you speaking of? Callan either plays half-back or as a run-with defender, both positions having been occupied by Power.

I also disagree with the comment that we are not innovative in re-inventing players. Tiller, has been goven opportunities all over the ground to find his spot, as has Wight. Murphy after years at half-back finds himself re-invented at CHF. Even Acker was tried down back together with Walsh.

Mc Mahon and Power are simply not the players who are going to take the club to a premiership. The trade for Mc Mahon was a win for us by a long way.

On the other hand I agree with you on Ray. I think he could still be a good player at AFL level. However if he wants to walk there is not much we can do about it. It is interesting that he has stalled at every contract renewal since his arrival suggesting that he may have been a reluctant long term player from day one.
On a slightly different view, isn't it funny all of us from the sidelines have been talking about how tight Coons, Griff and Ray are, as they obviously seem to be. But when it's come to the crunch Ray has opted out. I just get confused (for lack of a better word) when you see Hawthorn fringe players calling on their mates to stick together to make history, we're not that far behind and Farren who played 15 games or so is walking. We wanted him, Eade obviously has him in his premiership plans and yet he is walking away, not a great sign.

When you look back Power (a little earlier) Farren, Tim Walsh, Jade Rawlings (pick 6), Street (20), Koops (17 used on Mundy), Wells (3rd rounder) plus Morgan et al.

I know drafting and trading is not a presice science, but you have to just wonder what could have been this year if three top 10 picks worked out, keeping another top 10 pick, and two high second round picks. You could make a really strong case to say we could or should have been where Hawthorn were at 5.30pm last Saturday.

I just hope those god awful two years don't shut the window this time meaning we've got to wait another 10 years for another proper shot.