Bob Murphy tells his young Bulldogs they've earned their place
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The Western Bulldogs are on the cusp of something few saw coming, but the message captain Bob Murphy will give his young teammates is they are ready and good enough to play finals, a challenge he's convinced they're hungry to embrace.
Only six players - Matthew Boyd, Liam Picken, Dale Morris, Easton Wood, Jarrad Grant and Murphy - remain from the Dogs' last September appearance, a preliminary final loss to St Kilda in 2010. Ruckman Will Minson, who last played in the round 15 defeat of Gold Coast, was also in that team.
Yet Murphy hailed the Dogs' wealth of young talent - 10 of last weekend's victorious team are yet to play 50 games - as the energy source behind a run to the finals that has surprised AFL watchers, but which the veteran captain says has franked the suspicion he had during a tumultuous off-season that good times were coming fast.
"The thing I'll be telling guys is they're ready," Murphy said on Wednesday. "The training they've done, the way we play has prepared them for the finals - not it's got them to the doorstep of the finals and now we have to invent something. They're ready, they're good enough, give it your best."
Murphy praised the "spirit" of Luke Beveridge's young team, and said they would not be daunted by occasion or opposition.
"They're ambitious, we're ambitious. But I say 'they' because the energy source does feel like it comes from this younger group, and the older guys - myself being one of those - are trying to be a guiding influence. But really, they're the guys that are firing up the engines.
"They're an ambitious group, and they're not daunted - they're not daunted by where we play, who we play. Like young kids, they just love to play, and that's infectious and it's bringing out the best in some of the older guys too."
Asked if it felt as if he, Boyd and the few other Bulldog veterans were "along for the ride", Murphy joked that the coin toss didn't just take care of itself, noting that he's been on something of a hot streak. "But in a sense, yeah. In another way we're the first line of defence, we're at the front, but there's other ways to look at it as well."
Murphy joined Hawk Matt Spangher in launching the AFL finals pins that will be sold at Woolworths with all proceeds going to Ladder, an initiative founded eight years ago by footballers Mark Bolton, Joel Bowden and Paul Licuria to tackle youth homelessness. Murphy noted that spring in Melbourne was a time of optimism, which he was rapt to be fully embracing via the fourth finals campaign of his 291-game career.
"For Melburnians at the moment who are so excited about finals footy, to show their support for Ladder and fixing the issue of youth homelessness would be good for the soul. When you're a footballer and you're finished, it's a really horrible time. So I can't wait."
Murphy admitted suspecting something good was about to happen had proved misguided at times in his 16-year career, and he can't put his finger on why he's been so joyfully on the money this time. "I'm an optimist in a footy sense, but even over the summer, I felt like it was going to be a pretty special year. I had a sneaking suspicion that we'd surprise a few this year."
The 33-year-old will lead his team in Saturday's final home and away game against Brisbane Lions at the Gabba, and said there would be no Fremantle-like mass resting of players. Casting a week further ahead, he said the Dogs genuinely don't care where they play.
"Honestly, and I think people think you're taking the piss a bit, but I'd honestly be happy to play it at Western Park in Warragul."
Re: Bob Murphy tells his young Bulldogs they've earned their place
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bornadog
Murphy praised the "spirit" of Luke Beveridge's young team, and said they would not be daunted by occasion or opposition.
"They're ambitious, we're ambitious. But I say 'they' because the energy source does feel like it comes from this younger group, and the older guys - myself being one of those - are trying to be a guiding influence. But really, they're the guys that are firing up the engines.
Love this part
Re: Bob Murphy tells his young Bulldogs they've earned their place
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bornadog
"Honestly, and I think people think you're taking the piss a bit, but I'd honestly be happy to play it at Western Park in Warragul."
My home ground! Sorry Bob but we already have a preliminary final booked there for next weekend!
Re: Bob Murphy tells his young Bulldogs they've earned their place
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Axe Man
My home ground! Sorry Bob but we already have a preliminary final booked there for next weekend!
You can be the curtain raiser. :D
Re: Bob Murphy tells his young Bulldogs they've earned their place
How did Matt Spangher get that gig?
