Dale Morris wants to play for ‘as long as I can’, provided Western Bulldogs have a role for him

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In his 12th season on the Western Bulldogs’ list, the veteran defender finished runner-up in the club's best and fairest award.
It was an accolade that came just weeks after he played a starring role in the Bulldogs’ drought-breaking premiership.

And now Morris has revealed to Fox Sports that he has no plans to hang up the boots at the end of the season.
“I’ll go on for as long as they want me,” Morris said.
Morris is one of a trio of 34-year-olds down back for the Dogs that are all out of contract at the end of the season.
While the playing futures of Bob Murphy and Matthew Boyd remain uncertain, Morris said at this stage he had the motivation to play on beyond 2017.

“As long as there’s a role to play and I’m doing my bit, I’ll go as long as I can,” he said.
The evergreen defender’s declaration comes after one of his finest games in Bulldogs colours: A superb defensive performance against Sydney in last year’s Grand Final.
His chase and tackle on Lance Franklin, which led to Tom Boyd slotting the match-winning goal in the final term, was among the more inspirational moments of the match.

http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/3...a564638950fd24Western Bulldogs’ Dale Morris stopped Sydney's Lance Franklin late in the Grand Final, resulting in the match-winning Tom Boyd goal. Picture: George Salpigtidis

“I’ve watched the Grand Final once ... that moment was one of those moments in the Grand Final, but there were plenty of them,” Morris said.

The pride in Morris’ voice when talking about ‘that tackle’ can’t be conveyed through the written word, but mowing down Franklin was undoubtedly one of his career highlights.

“Everyone had their moment, it was a special day,” he said.
The defender’s performance was all the more impressive given he played with two broken vertebrae in his back — an issue, he says, has been resolved.
Morris has experienced amazing longevity in the Bulldogs’ defence, playing most of his 230 games alongside Murphy.

The Bulldogs skipper missed out on a premiership medallion last year, but Morris said Murphy was on track to complete a triumphant return from an ACL injury.
“He’s come back and done everything he can for his knee,” Morris said.
“He looks really good in the back half out there with myself. It looks like he hasn’t lost a step, which is great for him and his confidence, especially coming back from that sort of injury.
“Just getting him back into the team after such a significant injury is big for us.”

There was some discussion about the possibility of Murphy handing the captaincy reins to Easton Wood or even Marcus Bontempelli, but Morris said there was never any doubt Murphy would lead the Dogs in 2017.
“That decision was ultimately going to come down to him,” Morris said.

http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/8...a90821dbbad06cWestern Bulldogs defender Dale Morris could play on beyond 2017. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“There was a lot that he needed to manage, but it’s something he prides himself on and he does such a good job at it.”

Premiership hangovers beyond the fortnight after the grand final are generally cliché — and that’s certainly the case at Whitten Oval.
“There’s been no sense of complacency at all from the group,” Morris said.
“It’s something, especially early days, we were wary of, but everyone’s taken it in their stride and been very professional.”

The Dogs kick-off their pre-season campaign on February 18 against Melbourne.

Then he's playing forever! If he can play finals really well with a broken leg, and last finals series with a broken back. Then there's nothing that can stop him from playing other than personal desire (not an issue) or delisting (he's still our best defender). I look forward to him smashing Boomer's record and being the first player to play 500 games! :D

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Originally Posted by bulldogtragic

Then he's playing forever! If he can play finals really well with a broken leg, and last finals series with a broken back. Then there's nothing that can stop him from playing other than personal desire (not an issue) or delisting (he's still our best defender). I look forward to him smashing Boomer's record and being the first player to play 500 games! :D

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I really hope you're right because there will never be another Dale Morris. I can't think of a more consistent quality better defender play for us than Dale has produced week after week over his entire career.

Was he playing VFL seconds when he was rookied?

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Originally Posted by Twodogs

I really hope you're right because there will never be another Dale Morris. I can't think of a more consistent quality better defender play for us than Dale has produced week after week over his entire career.

Was he playing VFL seconds when he was rookied?

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Not sure if it was seconds. I know Boyd was playing reserves at Frankston VFL.

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Originally Posted by bulldogtragic

Not sure if it was seconds. I know Boyd was playing reserves at Frankston VFL.

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He was playing at Werribee in the seniors.

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Originally Posted by bulldogtragic

Not sure if it was seconds. I know Boyd was playing reserves at Frankston VFL.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

He was playing at Werribee in the seniors.

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BT is right. I was thinking of Keithy.

He did start his AFL journey a few years later than most so that could help his longevity.
That and a freakish ability to play through pain and injury. He's basically the black knight from a Monty Python sketch.

I'd normally be of the belief that a player like Morris should give it away at the end of the season but he's a guy that just proves people wrong so I think you wait until the end of the season before making that assessment.

He's not the most talented of players but he is as good as anyone preparing for a game and getting the most out of his ability and then some. Those two telling contests against Franklin late in the GF when it really counted highlights that it's often the little things that can change your fortunes in a game and that Morris is very much a required player this season.

I admire him and the way he goes about it.

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Originally Posted by GVGjr

I'd normally be of the belief that a player like Morris should give it away at the end of the season but he's a guy that just proves people wrong so I think you wait until the end of the season before making that assessment.

He's not the most talented of players but he is as good as anyone preparing for a game and getting the most out of his ability and then some. Those two telling contests against Franklin late in the GF when it really counted highlights that it's often the little things that can change your fortunes in a game and that Morris is very much a required player this season.

I admire him and the way he goes about it.

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I thought he should give it away after his first training session and he's been proving me wrong ever since. I'm wouldn't be game to call time on his career.;)

As mofra alluded, I think he's late start has been beneficial in a long career.
Plus how he prepares

Still one of our best handful of players.

I said previously in the thread regarding his new one year deal - that its a good thing I'm not the list manager, otherwise I'd have given him a 5 year deal.

Legend.

He's a bit like Bruce Doull was for Carlton. Intimidating, impossible to beat in a one on one contest, organises the backline around him-just a competitive beast.

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Originally Posted by Twodogs

He's a bit like Bruce Doull was for Carlton. Intimidating, impossible to beat in a one on one contest, organises the backline around him-just a competitive beast.

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I like the comparison but was Doull intimidating?
I think he was more unassuming and opposition players probably underestimated him.

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Originally Posted by GVGjr

I like the comparison but was Doull intimidating?
I think he was more unassuming and opposition players probably underestimated him.

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If you were silly enough to pull his headband off he cut up pretty rough. He used to chase blokes around. Pinhead Loveless was the only one i saw get away with it.