Brisbane bound – How will Aker be received?

[BulldogBelle]

Next week is ‘the game’ that has been talked about since Aker became a Bulldog, what sort of reception do you think he will receive from his former club and supporters?

No doubt the press will ham up the interviews and Channel 10 and it's promo with Aker in it will be shown repeatedly. We all know he will cop the boos ala Tarrant on Friday night playing for the first time against his old club Collingwood.

Thoughts?

[Go_Dogs]

I think Brisbane will try and be a bit physical with him early, but that will probably work to our advantage (as long as Aker doesn't get hurt). I don't think there'd be too much malice on the field, the supporters will be pretty hostile though.

[bornadog]

The main thing will be how will he play? Tarrant played well with 27 plus posessions even thou he didn't kick any goals.

[firstdogonthemoon]

I think it is interesting that Jason has completely avoided any serious controversy over this year.

All of those plonkers who were convinced he would ruin our profile - and there are still folks out there insisting he is unliked and unwanted at the club. The only issue with jason at the moment is that he hasnt set the world on fire - but not many have so far.

My plan is for us to win the game, Aker to do a bit of a farewell run round.

There will also need to be one or two of the following:

Large Brisbane defender squashes Aker a bit.
Aker kicks mind boggling goal.
Aker gets friendly pats at the end from former team mates.
Tim Watson says something unutterably stupid (even though it is showing on channel 10 this is still quite likely).

[Twodogs]

Tim Watson says something unutterably stupid (even though it is showing on channel 10 this is still quite likely).



I'd volunteer to go around to Tim's place, watch it with him and report back. But it would involve going around to Tim's place and watching it with him

[Dry Rot]

I'd volunteer to go around to Tim's place, watch it with him and report back. But it would involve going around to Tim's place and watching it with him

I suspect that you would report back that he spent a great deal of the game confused, with his back to the TV but still willing to offer comments to anyone who would listen.

I suspect that you'd also report that the rest of his family were permanently wearing iPods so they don't have to listen to the tool.

[Twodogs]

I suspect that you would report back that he spent a great deal of the game confused, with his back to the TV but still willing to offer comments to anyone who would listen.

I suspect that you'd also report that the rest of his family were permanently wearing iPods so they don't have to listen to the tool.



One of the reasons I dont want to do it is my iPod is broken.




Watson once had a ping at me on the radio for something I'd written on bigfooty.

[BulldogBelle]

I think Brisbane will try and be a bit physical with him early, but that will probably work to our advantage (as long as Aker doesn't get hurt). I don't think there'd be too much malice on the field, the supporters will be pretty hostile though.

I tend to think the same, he definitely won't get a great reception. He will be doing his best to put in a great game for sure. This game might kickstart him into some very good form.

[Dry Rot]

I tend to think the same, he definitely won't get a great reception. He will be doing his best to put in a great game for sure. This game might kickstart him into some very good form.

If he doesn't play well this week, then he's really a shadow of his former self.

[LostDoggy]

I hope he doesn't have a lapse in concentration and make a slick handpass to Black et al.

[4GIVME]

he will get booed like crazy you would think. i just hope we win so he can do the handstand to really piss them off.

[bornadog]

I have been thinking about Aka this week and trying to assess what type of person he is. Basically Aka had a tough upbringing and not a great family life with his mother struggling to make ends meet. This has molded him into what he is today. He is a likeable person but he has a slight personality disorder that then makes us feel he is very different, and people find hard to understand. The culture of footy clubs would be hard for some one like Aka to fit into the macho thing. Lee Matthews would have found it hard to deal with him, but while they were winning and he was playing well, Lee just ignored him and allowed him some freedom, but as soon as the team started to lose, Lee didn't know how to handle Aka.

I think Aka is the type of person that just wants every one to like him but he goes about it the wrong way. I believe the move away from Brisbane, a club he loved, has really hurt him personally. The players and the club were his family and suddenly he found himself on the outer, which he contributed to and understands.

He came to the Whitten oval, nervous, anxious and trying to prove himself, not only on the field but particularly off the field. He knew with all the publicity the players were going to be a bit apprehensive about him and not knowing what to expect. He has slowly fitted into the club and hopefully the players have embraced him.

On the field, he has had problems getting used to his ageing body, his hammy, etc but I still feel there is a mental thing that is in the back of his mind and i.e. he really wants to do well and is very conscious about it. So much so, that he is not relaxing on the field and he is trying too hard but it’s working against him.

All I can say is Aka has nothing to prove, he has a brownlow, he has three premierships, all Australian, best and fairest etc. He doesn't have to go out and worry about setting the world on fire, we know he is not going to be playing the way he did as a brownlow medalist, all he has to do is the team thing. Aka needs to relax, follow the coaches instructions and just play footy and with his natural skills and football brain, he will more than adequately contribute to the team.

By Doctor Bornadog;)

[BulldogBelle]

Great summation there Dr Bornadog, yes Aker has had it tough growing up. If you get the chance read his book it really delves into his young life going onto adulthood. I think it was mentioned somewhere that he has only recently met his father.

Apart from that he has had a stellar career with Bris and now we are lucky enough to have him in our team. It has taken awhile but I feel he is starting to understand the Bulldog way and settling in.

It will be a hostile night for him on Saturday and he knows that was going to happen, I personally think this week he will be going all out to prove to Bris that you can't keep Aker down. I really hope that happens this week.

Good Luck Aker.