Western Bulldogs skipper Robert Murphy remains unsure if he will ever play again

[bornadog]

link (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-western-bulldogs-skipper-robert-murphy-remains-unsure-if-he-will-ever-play-again-20160429-gohw7l.html)

http://i.imgur.com/qex7Zfv.png

Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy admits he remains unsure if he will ever play again but is gradually feeling "more optimistic" about the prospect.

The champion defender's season was cruelly cut short in the dying seconds of the Dogs' round-three encounter with Hawthorn when he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
Murphy immediately knew that his season was over after hearing "that sweet little pop sound."

But whether or not that game against the Hawks will end up being the last of his stellar career remains to be seen.
"I'm not game enough to kind of get too far down the track at the moment," the reigning All-Australian captain told Fox FM on Friday.
"I've decided to take off just little bites at the moment.
"I'm riding the emotional wave a little bit, as was expected, but I think I'm winning the war."

Murphy admitted he considered undergoing LARS surgery but decided to have a traditional reconstruction as that was the more responsible choice.

The 33-year-old likened himself to the "spinning rainbow wheel of death" that is displayed on Apple computers when they stall in the moments after injuring his knee.
"I didn't have enough gigabytes to process the whole thing," Murphy joked.
"It was pretty instant ... it was a pretty crappy moment."

Murphy conceded he would "ache" if the Bulldogs played in a grand final this year without him, but ultimately would be rapt for the team.
"If things worked out and it got to the end of the year and things were going well, of course there would be a bit of an ache there to not to be out there with the boys," he said.

"Some people are footy junkies and I'm a Bulldogs junkie so as long as we get there."
The two-time All-Australian will probably return to the club on Monday in a mentoring capacity.
"I'll get back into the club and try and help out as much as possible and just try and get into routine," he said.
"The idea of disappearing is not something that sits too well with me."

[Mantis]

He's a good man is our Bob.

[bulldogtragic]

Selfishly, I'd like to see his flag with other 300 gamers at Etihad. I hope he goes on.

[Twodogs]

He certainly is. I'd be devastated if that remains the last thing we see Bob do on a footy field but I would understand.


Bob Murphy does not have to explain his actions to anyone.

[Bulldog Revolution]

He's a good man is our Bob.

Here, here Mantis - for whatever we haven't had, we've had a lot of good senior players over the past 20 years who were good players, and great people - Wynd, Wallis, Grant, West, Smith, Johnson, Croft, Darcy, Crossy, Gia, MBoyd, Morris, Murphy etc

[bornadog]

Here, here Mantis - for whatever we haven't had, we've had a lot of good senior players over the past 20 years who were good players, and great people - Wynd, Wallis, Grant, West, Smith, Johnson, Croft, Darcy, Crossy, Gia, MBoyd, Morris, Murphy etc

Just shows how great the culture is at the club.

[Daughter of the West]

Selfishly, I'd like to see his flag with other 300 gamers at Etihad. I hope he goes on.

For me, and my own selfish viewing, agreed.

However, for Bob, I only hope that he is at peace with whatever decision he makes. And that we win the flag for him this year

#doitforbob

[1eyedog]

I think once he immerses himself back into the club the lure to go on will become to great.

[Murphy'sLore]

Oh god I hope so!

Btw did you see Wayne Carey's column today: "there SEEMS to be a lot of love in the football world for Robert Murphy..." Or words to that effect...
As if he couldn't share or understand that love whatsoever. Flog.

I've never used that word before. It feels good.

[hujsh]

Oh god I hope so!

Btw did you see Wayne Carey's column today: "there SEEMS to be a lot of love in the football world for Robert Murphy..." Or words to that effect...
As if he couldn't share or understand that love whatsoever. Flog.

I've never used that word before. It feels good.

So you've never talked about Wayne Carey before then I take it?

[Murphy'sLore]

So you've never talked about Wayne Carey before then I take it?

Strange, I don't think I have!

[Bulldog4life]

Strange, I don't think I have!

And here I am thinking he was a ladies man too.:eek:

[Murphy'sLore]

*shudder* No thanks... Rather stick a fork in my eye

[LostDoggy]

Another article, has some of the same quotes so wont post it in a separate thread:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/western-bulldogs/western-bulldogs-to-make-bob-murphy-a-deal-he-cant-refuse-to-play-next-year/news-story/e846772b9933098b984cb778315c4c61

Western Bulldogs to make Bob Murphy on offer he can’t refuse to play next year

WESTERN Bulldogs president Peter Gordon says he will make reluctant defender Robert Murphy an offer he can’t refuse to play on next year.

Murphy, 34 in June, said on Friday he wasn’t sure if he would return to football as he recovers from an ACL rupture earlier in the year.

He said he was growing more optimistic but clearly is considering whether he can come back from a second full reconstruction.

“I’m not game enough to kind of get too far down the track at the moment,’’ Murphy said of his impending decision.

“I’ve decided to take off just little bites at the moment. I’m riding the emotional wave a little bit, as was expected, but I think I am winning the war.”

Gordon said he was happy for Murphy to take his time but was adamant he had to return.
He said the Dogs would offer All-Australian captain Murphy, likely on a deal well above $500,000, another lucrative contract.

“Our philosophy is that we want to make it as difficult as possible for Bob to say no,’’ he said.

“We will offer him as fair a contract as we can, commensurate with our other obligations and let him know the decision is his.

“From our point of view, we want him back, we would love him back.

“There are guys running around like Dustin Fletcher and Brent Harvey who have played three or four good years after they have turned 33 and we can’t see any reason why he can’t be one of them.

“I hope that’s a decision he makes and I hope it’s a decision he comes to.”
The Dogs have given Murphy his time discussing contracts, content that he and his management will come to them when they want to discuss another deal.

Gordon told the ABC Murphy had been in at the Dogs quickly after his knee reco making strong contributions to the club’s leadership.

Murphy said he knew immediately after injuring his knee he was facing another ACL reconstruction.

He knows he will “ache” if the Dogs win the flag this year without him but is confident of their progress.

“If things worked out and it got to the end of the year and things were going well, of course there would be a bit of an ache there to not be out there with the boys.

“Some people are footy junkies and I’m a Bulldogs junkie so as long as we get there.”

Murphy will quickly ease into a media role when he finishes his football career but has never expressed a desire to become an assistant coach.

[azabob]

Not sure offering him 500K to stay sits well with me. Not sure money will be a motivating factor for Bob.

[soupman]

I think there is a big difference between what the paper is saying Gordon has said and what he has actually said.

The actual quote is:

“Our philosophy is that we want to make it as difficult as possible for Bob to say no,’’

“We will offer him as fair a contract as we can, commensurate with our other obligations and let him know the decision is his.

“From our point of view, we want him back, we would love him back.

This basically says we will offer him decent terms that give him no reason not to continue, without going overboard.

Meanwhile the paper is going with "make an offer to good to refuse" including a guess as to his current salary and a declaration based on nothing that we will be matching that. This doesn't come close to reflecting the true meaning of Gordon's quotes, and borders on clickbait.

I wouldn't be concerned that we will offer to much at all, and it will be JMac doing the offering anyway and he has proven himself to be good at his job. Pretty unnecessarily sensationalist article really.

[Remi Moses]

Offering a 34 year old off two knee recos something in the vicinity of 500 would be List management insanity .

[Ghost Dog]

Best player on our list. Objections?

[bornadog]

Best player on our list. Objections?

Yep who cares what he is paid, or any player is I certainly don't.

[LostDoggy]

Not sure offering him 500K to stay sits well with me. Not sure money will be a motivating factor for Bob.

Not sure we should be mentioning numbers in the media (if PG did actually give a figure). We want him to come back but offer him what's right with consideration to the total list. Murph wouldn't be about the money anyway, he will either play on or he wont, not sure ~100K$ either way will make the difference but it would sure influence a younger fringe player.

[Testekill]

Offering a 34 year old off two knee recos something in the vicinity of 500 would be List management insanity .

Veterans list would help mitigate that.

[Throughandthrough]

Not sure offering him 500K to stay sits well with me. Not sure money will be a motivating factor for Bob.

I'm not sure the President talking money and list management sits well with me.

[bulldogtragic]

Veterans list would help mitigate that.

The veterans list got scrapped didn't it?