High praise for Hunter

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https://resources.westernbulldogs.co...952&height=592

As his return to the field draws closer, Bulldogs midfielder Lachie Hunter has drawn praise from his skipper, Marcus Bontempelli.


Hunter has one game remaining on his Club imposed four-match suspension following an incident in April, and will be available for selection in Round 6.


The 25-year-old has impressed his team-mates with his work ethic and willingness to impart his knowledge on the young Bulldogs squad since it returned to the training track last month.


“He’s made a really good, concerted effort. You can tell how hard he’s working to try and earn the trust that he’s lost back,” Bontempelli told RSN’s The Breakfast Club on Tuesday.


“That’s obviously a really encouraging sign for Lachie, us as leaders and the football club, to see that he wants to repay the faith.


“He’s continuing to work, not just from a football perspective, but with his off-field leadership as well, to try and help and support every player on the list and especially the leadership group.


“There are some really encouraging signs for Lachie and he needs to continue to do that and let his actions do the talking.”

Be good to have him back in the team next week.

Geez it doesn't take much does it.

Looking forward to Lachie getting back amongst it.

Looking forward to seeing Lachie back out there.

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Originally Posted by Happy Days

Geez it doesn't take much does it.

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The headline is damn right embarrassing - this shouldn't even be an article.

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Originally Posted by azabob

The headline is damn right embarrassing - this shouldn't even be an article.

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Why not. He is doing some great things on field. So, he made a mistake after having a blue with his fiance, we can't chastise him for the rest of his life.

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Originally Posted by Happy Days

Geez it doesn't take much does it.

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It’s ok in the AFL, as long as you clear the bar for being a “Top Bloke” all is forgiven.

Gotta say
Must be a few up for sainthood on here .
He f***** up majorily, but aren’t we allowed some form of redemption?

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Originally Posted by Remi Moses

Gotta say
Must be a few up for sainthood on here .
He f***** up majorily, but aren’t we allowed some form of redemption?

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I have no problem with Lachie coming back and making amends but footballers in general get to gain absolution with the slightest of efforts.

Fair point , but on the flip side they get scrutinized more than the regular joe when they muck up .
There are some repeat offenders who’ve been given absolution also ( hello Wayne Carey )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y57CUU03zLk

Hopefully a good sign that Lachie will remain with the team in Queensland.

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Western Bulldogs premiership star Lachie Hunter will remain at the club’s Gold Coast hub as he takes a break from playing to work through some personal issues stemming from his turbulent 2020.

Hunter completed Wednesday’s main training session at Surfers Paradise Football Club and is set to remain involved with the Bulldogs despite stepping out of the team for Thursday night’s match against Gold Coast.

The Bulldogs will blood their fifth debutant in eight games with Callum Porter selected while Billy Gowers also returns at the expense of Hunter and Bailey Dale (ankle).

“Western Bulldogs midfielder Lachie Hunter is currently unavailable for selection due to personal reasons,” the Dogs said in a statement.

“The club will continue to strongly support Lachie as he works through some personal challenges, with his health and well-being to be the priority focus.”

If Hunter jetted home to Melbourne it would be difficult for him to return until late in the home-and-away season due to quarantine regulations.

Upon returning to Queensland Hunter would have to serve another 14 days in a transition hub before linking back up with the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs are likely to vacate the Mercure Resort for RACV Royal Pines next week.

Hunter relinquished the vice-captaincy in April after crashing into four parked cars while under the influence of alcohol.

He was also fined by police for breaching the COVID-19 lockdown laws.

Hunter was on his way to teammate Billy Gowers’ house in South Yarra when he crashed, and after leaving his contact details he sought a lift with teenager Bailey Smith, who was also fined for breaching lockdown.

Smith was staying at his girlfriend’s place at the time and in a freak coincidence some of the damaged cars belonged to her parents.

Hunter was left with the expensive repair bill for the cars and was also fined $5000 by the club.

Hunter, 25, has raised $5500 for the Alfred Hospital’s road accident trauma program through a Dry July fundraiser this month.

The Bulldogs have since shielded Hunter from the media.

He has recorded two videos for the club website instead of submitting to an interview and last week spoke passionately about his desire to return to the leadership group.

“It hurt a lot (losing the vice-captaincy), and it still does. Even running out on the weekend I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it once or twice,” Hunter said.

“I’d love to get back there. That can only come over time and it’s going to take a fair bit of time to build back that trust from the coaches, the players, the board (and) the fans.

“Whether that’s next year, whether that’s in a few years … it might not ever come, and that’s fine as well. But I’ll be doing everything I can to get there.”

The Bulldogs have never faced the Suns at Metricon Stadium under coach Luke Beveridge.

Gold Coast named an unchanged side for its first ever game in primetime.

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Originally Posted by Jeanette54

There was a report in the papers, some days ago, which might go a way to explain Lachie's absence.

There were no names mentioned, so, no pack drill. I am just hoping it was not related to Lachie.

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What does this mean?

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Originally Posted by Jeanette54

There was a report in the papers, some days ago, which might go a way to explain Lachie's absence.

There were no names mentioned, so, no pack drill. I am just hoping it was not related to Lachie.

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What about this:

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BEVO - “We’ll keep monitoring how he’s going. We’ve just got to look after him,” he said.“He’ll come back into the side. I can’t tell you when, but he’ll be okay.”
Beveridge suggested Hunter may have been drained from working hard to find his way back into the senior squad.
“Lachie‘s had a bit to deal with and used up a lot of energy in finding his way back,” Beveridge said.
“He had to have an extra month off than what everyone did during the hiatus. He just needed a spell this week.”

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Does that sound like he will be back next week?

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Originally Posted by bornadog

Does that sound like he will be back next week?

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I hope so, he is such a consistent, valuable contributor to the team. I wish him well for his return. Both to the team and the leadership group.

I hope he is OK.

It's clearly a little sensitive so I won't speculate, but I do want to get other peoples perspective on this type of scenario, ie Club sends someone away / grants leave, due to personal issues.

What's the trend for players who do this coming back and playing good footy? My gut feeling is that it is skewed towards careers fizzling out. Which is fine if the person is safe and well. But just from a footy and fan perspective, I want Hunter to be safe, well and playing at a high level for as long as possible.

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Originally Posted by SonofScray

I hope he is OK.

It's clearly a little sensitive so I won't speculate, but I do want to get other peoples perspective on this type of scenario, ie Club sends someone away / grants leave, due to personal issues.

What's the trend for players who do this coming back and playing good footy? My gut feeling is that it is skewed towards careers fizzling out. Which is fine if the person is safe and well. But just from a footy and fan perspective, I want Hunter to be safe, well and playing at a high level for as long as possible.

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I guess there are a lot of people who need support from time to time and footy players are no different to that. The one good thing about being in a football club is that the players will receive more support than many others in society
I think he has a genuine hunger for football and being around his mates so a transition back will hopefully be an easy one for him

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Originally Posted by SonofScray

I hope he is OK.

It's clearly a little sensitive so I won't speculate, but I do want to get other peoples perspective on this type of scenario, ie Club sends someone away / grants leave, due to personal issues.

What's the trend for players who do this coming back and playing good footy? My gut feeling is that it is skewed towards careers fizzling out. Which is fine if the person is safe and well. But just from a footy and fan perspective, I want Hunter to be safe, well and playing at a high level for as long as possible.

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The difference with the Hunter scenario is he is still in the hub (from what I know). Hopefully this means he can come back and play good footy.

Normally a player will not go to the footy club at all.

It was discussed on Footy Classified last night that all may not be well between Hunter and the club and he could be up for trade at the end of the year.

Apparently he was fit to play last week but the club over ruled saying he wasn't available but he then insisted on playing in the scratch match.

He said, she said, they said... its a rumor and innuendo but now its out there.

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Originally Posted by azabob

It was discussed on Footy Classified last night that all may not be well between Hunter and the club and he could be up for trade at the end of the year.

Apparently he was fit to play last week but the club over ruled saying he wasn't available but he then insisted on playing in the scratch match.

He said, she said, they said... its a rumor and innuendo but now its out there.

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That doesn't sound good, hope it's not true.

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Originally Posted by azabob

It was discussed on Footy Classified last night that all may not be well between Hunter and the club and he could be up for trade at the end of the year.

Apparently he was fit to play last week but the club over ruled saying he wasn't available but he then insisted on playing in the scratch match.

He said, she said, they said... its a rumor and innuendo but now its out there.

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Crikey hopefully that's not the case. He's a popular member of the playing group not sure that would affect team morale in a positive sense. Did they have anything concrete or as you mention smoke and mirrors behind the shadows?

You have to wonder how accurate this speculation is? On the surface it looks like they worked out the club held him back by a week and Lachie wasn't happy about it and that sounds reasonable to me but it's a long bow to suggest he wants out.
I would suggest this is creative journalism.

Lachie is a very popular player within the club as evident by his promotion to the leadership group so I will back him to work through any challenges if there is any.

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Originally Posted by Grantysghost

Crikey hopefully that's not the case. He's a popular member of the playing group not sure that would affect team morale in a positive sense. Did they have anything concrete or as you mention smoke and mirrors behind the shadows?

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Nothing too concrete, although Brisbane was named, but they denied it and said if he was to leave it would likely be to another Melbourne club.

It's footy classified, 90% is made up based off 1 correct piece of information.

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Originally Posted by Topdog

It's footy classified, 90% is made up based off 1 correct piece of information.

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This is why I mentioned ion another thread about hating the media. they can make a mountain out of a mole hill and next thiung you know clubs can come banging on his door. Trade Radio also now memntioning it.

Lachie has a contract till 2024, if he doesn't want to be at the club, fair enough (I find that hard to believe), then two first round picks please.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

This is why I mentioned ion another thread about hating the media. they can make a mountain out of a mole hill and next thiung you know clubs can come banging on his door. Trade Radio also now memntioning it.

Lachie has a contract till 2024, if he doesn't want to be at the club, fair enough (I find that hard to believe), then two first round picks please.

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Wait, Trade Radio is on?

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Originally Posted by azabob

Wait, Trade Radio is on?

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Tweeting. No doubt Barrett.

Of course all the media now onto it with articles on Foxfooty, SEN etc all from what Carro said.

No one checks the sources anymore, or even talks to the club.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

Of course all the media now onto it with articles on Foxfooty, SEN etc all from what Carro said.

No one checks the sources anymore, or even talks to the club.

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The echo chamber ignites. They're all in on it together and know the game.
I don't trust the player agents in these scenarios.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

Of course all the media now onto it with articles on Foxfooty, SEN etc all from what Carro said.

No one checks the sources anymore, or even talks to the club.

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Unfortunately it is the media in general not just sports media.

I know there is probably nothing, or little to it but I would be very disappointed in Lachie if there was any truth to this.

He owes the club and his teammates after his right royal screw up earlier this year. I can't imagine the club has been anything less that fully supportive of him. Once he put his hand up and said he wasn't right to play it is the coaches and match committee that get to decide when he returns, not Lachie.

SEN reporting this morning that Mark is upset with the way Lachie has been treated since the incident. Not happy that the club refused to play him last week. Also said the issue with Lachie and Mark is Bevo and not the playing group.

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Originally Posted by 1eyedog

SEN reporting this morning that Mark is upset with the way Lachie has been treated since the incident. Not happy that the club refused to play him last week. Also said the issue with Lachie and Mark is Bevo and not the playing group.

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If true I'm 100% on Bevo's side here. Lachie needs to realise that with the challenges he's experiencing this year he's not a walk up start to be played. From memory Mark was also critical of the club not playing Lachie more in his second season with us.

I'm confident that will get sorted out but Lachie might need to cool his jets at the moment

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Originally Posted by GVGjr

If true I'm 100% on Bevo's side here. Lachie needs to realise that with the challenges he's experiencing this year he's not a walk up start to be played. From memory Mark was also critical of the club not playing Lachie more in his second season with us.

I'm confident that will get sorted out but Lachie might need to cool his jets at the moment

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the old parent meddling trick

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Originally Posted by bornadog

the old parent meddling trick

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So much easier for parents and agents to muddy the waters and define a narrative than it is for an organisation to refute it. Team selection will be interesting !
I recall the club were critical that Lachie called his agent prior to calling the club.
Edit : He's with Paul Connors. Stringer's agent.

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Originally Posted by Grantysghost

So much easier for parents and agents to muddy the waters and define a narrative than it is for an organisation to refute it. Team selection will be interesting !
I recall the club were critical that Lachie called his agent prior to calling the club.

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Lachie brought it all upon himself, and I am really pissed off he wasn't available for the last three tough matches. I don't know what his issues are, and respect that, but I can still be pissed off.

Seems pretty weird. He was out of the game due to 'personal issues' and yet his family seem to be leaking to the media that despite being ready to go, Bevo held him back.

The whole thing has been weird.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

Lachie brought it all upon himself, and I am really pissed off he wasn't available for the last three tough matches. I don't know what his issues are, and respect that, but I can still be pissed off.

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Yes I certainly think he needs all the support he requires with his personal circumstances, but when it comes to selection I'm happy for him to have to wait for a start considering his actions and subsequent legal issues.
Having said that he should be a walk up start, so not sure what's happened there, but it's not his choice to make.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

the old parent meddling trick

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I mean but who is saying this? I just heard a snippet it could have been Ugle-Hagan's so-called relative calling in again lighting fires. Who knows!

I don't think there is anything in it at all and reckon the club will make a statement if untrue.

As if Lachie needs this at the moment if it's not true. You'd think journos would have learnt their lesson re. the Tom Boyd depression saga and retirement.