Acker's interview

[hujsh]

From the club website

http://westernbulldogs.com.au/tabid/4112/News/NewsArticle/Default.aspx?newsId=54336

He sounds better prepared for this season, mentally and physically. Interesting that he thinks about what to do during "beyond football" every day. As long as he focuses on the job at present and doesn't focus on future ambitions too early, although aspiring to be a coach shouldn't harm him. He has also highlighted how we should be better for the lack of players with interrupted pre-seasons and has pretty much written off the the loss Grant, Darce, Monty, and Robbins saying that we have a better list this year. Nothing he says about them i don't agree with, yet it feel a bit edgy. Your thoughts.

[borgy]

Good to hear he's got confidence in his body again. Something he didnt have last year and he can only be better from it.

[GVGjr]

Akermanis plans for coaching transition (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22940383%255E20322,00.html)

MAVERICK Bulldog Jason Akermanis has already started plotting for life as a coach as he enters the twilight of his playing career.

The triple premiership midfielder has revealed he wants to coach at an AFL club and thinks about his future after football "every day".

"I think I'll be involved in football. I think I'll go and coach," Akermanis said.

"I'd love to coach my own side in the VFL and be an assistant coach at an AFL club, that's the ideal way.

"(I'd like to) have my own team and learn the ropes, but not in the spotlight, so to speak, and then just take it from there."

The 30-year-old former Lion, entering his second season at Whitten Oval, said he was confident he had the attributes to make a good coach.

He said he had already started to build on his skills, helping out with the tackling drills at the Bulldogs.

"I'm really confident I could do a good job, here and now, even this far out," he told westernbulldogs.com.au.

"I'm learning all of the time and the more chances I get to present -- whether it's helping out in meetings or tackling -- I really want to do that, so I can get those skills that you're going to need.

"Talking in front of a group is not that easy, but the more you do it, the better it is."

After battling hamstring problems in his first season at the Dogs, Akermanis was confident he could make a bigger impact on the field in 2008.

He said he felt fitter and healthier after adding 10kg to his frame since last year.

"I look back and think, 'Where did I go wrong?' I went wrong because I had been training since August (2006) and I was too light," Akermanis said.

"I fell for the old 'trying too hard'. Every session I was trying to impress. I just got too sick and I was unhealthy. Last year I was 75kg and now I'm 85kg. I'm feeling much healthier. My hammies feel great and my body feels great. I just know it's going to be a better year."

Akermanis made a realistic assessment of the Bulldogs' hopes for next season, admitting the side was an unlikely premiership contender.

"I think our expectations should be to play in the top eight," he said. "Let's be realistic; I don't think we're flag contenders, but I think we can be good enough to play in the top eight or top six, and if things go your way, you don't know what can happen."

He rated the Dogs' 2008 list as stronger than this year, saying the club could cover the losses of the retired Chris Grant, Luke Darcy, Brett Montgomery and Matthew Robbins.

"I think it's a much better list because it's another year down the track and there is a bunch of games into the kids," Akermanis said.

"The experience we lost is not a great drama, for lots of reasons. Chris Grant obviously didn't really contribute much last year due to injury, unfortunately, and Luke Darcy was a bit the same. 'Monty', of course, was out after the first round and he would've been OK this year, but we can cover those types of players easier."

[Griffen#16]

The Dogs are sure getting a good run in the Adelaide papers. We're often the only non-SA team that gets a run, and we've had just about every article of late.

[Dogs 24/7]

The Dogs are sure getting a good run in the Adelaide papers. We're often the only non-SA team that gets a run, and we've had just about every article of late.

What are the links? Im starved for news reports and will read anything on the Doggies at the moment. :)

[Charmdog]

This bloke has achieved it all he's very keen to pass on the knowledge to the other Dogs players. Heart of gold he has.