GVGjr
03-04-2007, 05:35 AM
Tiger boss bites back (http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/tiger-boss-bites-back/2007/04/02/1175366160434.html)
RICHMOND president Gary March yesterday launched a blistering attack on Western Bulldogs counterpart David Smorgon, condemning the Dogs as a charity case unable to win a premiership or make a profit in the past 50 years.
In a fiery defence of star Nathan Brown and coach Terry Wallace — both former Bulldogs — March savaged Smorgon.
"I was very very disappointed with what David said … it was such a personal and unprovoked attack on one of our players," March said.
"I think David should concentrate on getting his own house in order before having a crack at us: they haven't won a premiership for over 50 years and haven't made a profit in about the same time. I can't remember the last time they made a profit and they are having a crack at us and our players, I just won't cop that."
The war of words erupted after Smorgon declared on Sunday, before the match against Geelong, that his club was better off without All-Australian Brown, who he claimed had been a greedy, self-absorbed character who left to chase money.
Smorgon also ridiculed a column written by Wallace that praised the Bulldogs list, suggesting the Bulldog players had laughed at it and Wallace should "move on".
March said he was astonished by Smorgon's comments and was at a loss to understand what had inspired him. "David might say his club is better off without Nathan Brown, I can say our club is infinitely better off with Nathan Brown," March said.
"We made Nathan Brown a vice-captain of the club because of his exemplary behaviour and example to our younger players and his work in the community is a key part of that. I really do not understand where David was coming from in attacking Nathan or Terry.
"We are not going to stand by and let our players be attacked by another club president. It is not the position of a club president to be attacking opposition players — leave that to coaches and players to talk about opposition teams. If David wants to have a go at someone, have a go at me but leave our players alone.
"We didn't come out and have a go at Ryan Griffen when he had a go at our players, we let it go — he is a young player — but David should know better. It is time he got his own house in order."
Griffen last year attracted criticism for observing that Richmond had given up after half-time in its loss to the Dogs.
"As a club, we have been very supportive of the Bulldogs and the help they have been given by the AFL. But unlike them, we have not gone to the AFL in our history with our hand out," March said.
"We have got ourselves back up on our feet by ourselves, we made a million dollars last year and we will make another million this year. And we believe we are heading in the right direction on the field."
Richmond received $250,000 from the AFL's special distribution fund last year — the Bulldogs received $1.7 million — but March said this related to stadium deals and was not a charity payment.
The weekend's eruption is the latest in a spiteful history, which includes the nasty off-the-ball incident between Tony Liberatore and Matthew Knights and put then Richmond captain Wayne Campbell in an awkward position with regard to the players' code of silence on incriminating an opponent at the tribunal. (Campbell is now employed at Whitten Oval as a specialist coach.)
That tension was heightened at the end of 2003, when Brown quit to join Richmond, while Wallace sensationally left the Bulldogs a week before the end of the 2002 season.
RICHMOND president Gary March yesterday launched a blistering attack on Western Bulldogs counterpart David Smorgon, condemning the Dogs as a charity case unable to win a premiership or make a profit in the past 50 years.
In a fiery defence of star Nathan Brown and coach Terry Wallace — both former Bulldogs — March savaged Smorgon.
"I was very very disappointed with what David said … it was such a personal and unprovoked attack on one of our players," March said.
"I think David should concentrate on getting his own house in order before having a crack at us: they haven't won a premiership for over 50 years and haven't made a profit in about the same time. I can't remember the last time they made a profit and they are having a crack at us and our players, I just won't cop that."
The war of words erupted after Smorgon declared on Sunday, before the match against Geelong, that his club was better off without All-Australian Brown, who he claimed had been a greedy, self-absorbed character who left to chase money.
Smorgon also ridiculed a column written by Wallace that praised the Bulldogs list, suggesting the Bulldog players had laughed at it and Wallace should "move on".
March said he was astonished by Smorgon's comments and was at a loss to understand what had inspired him. "David might say his club is better off without Nathan Brown, I can say our club is infinitely better off with Nathan Brown," March said.
"We made Nathan Brown a vice-captain of the club because of his exemplary behaviour and example to our younger players and his work in the community is a key part of that. I really do not understand where David was coming from in attacking Nathan or Terry.
"We are not going to stand by and let our players be attacked by another club president. It is not the position of a club president to be attacking opposition players — leave that to coaches and players to talk about opposition teams. If David wants to have a go at someone, have a go at me but leave our players alone.
"We didn't come out and have a go at Ryan Griffen when he had a go at our players, we let it go — he is a young player — but David should know better. It is time he got his own house in order."
Griffen last year attracted criticism for observing that Richmond had given up after half-time in its loss to the Dogs.
"As a club, we have been very supportive of the Bulldogs and the help they have been given by the AFL. But unlike them, we have not gone to the AFL in our history with our hand out," March said.
"We have got ourselves back up on our feet by ourselves, we made a million dollars last year and we will make another million this year. And we believe we are heading in the right direction on the field."
Richmond received $250,000 from the AFL's special distribution fund last year — the Bulldogs received $1.7 million — but March said this related to stadium deals and was not a charity payment.
The weekend's eruption is the latest in a spiteful history, which includes the nasty off-the-ball incident between Tony Liberatore and Matthew Knights and put then Richmond captain Wayne Campbell in an awkward position with regard to the players' code of silence on incriminating an opponent at the tribunal. (Campbell is now employed at Whitten Oval as a specialist coach.)
That tension was heightened at the end of 2003, when Brown quit to join Richmond, while Wallace sensationally left the Bulldogs a week before the end of the 2002 season.