Ryan Griffen wants out to GWS

[Remi Moses]

Damien Barrett is loving this. P!@#k.

Turned him off, and thankfully my app
Keeps cutting off. Plough makes more sense than that peanut

[Axe Man]

Am I the only one pissed off at Griffen? All I keep reading is anger at McCartney and the club but nothing at Griffen? I'm not saying that the rage at the coach and management is misplaced but lets not forget our Captain is walking away. It makes me sick. He could have gone down as a Bulldogs legend, now in my book he will sit next to Nathan Brown in our hall of shame. And don't get me started on him doing us a favour by walking away a year early so we get better compensated. Gee, thanks so much Ryan, you're a top bloke!

He obviously doesn't value the captaincy or the club at all. I wish you nothing but the worst in Western Sydney and hope you contract chronic dandruff.

[LostDoggy]

"A great opportunity for a young key forward that will actually be part of our push for our second premiership in 4-6 years time, to join our club"

Short term pain for long term gain. Chin up Bulldog supporters!

Yep and keep Macca on for the duration of his contract too. Plenty of time to change coaches calmly.

I'm a bit excited as to what could be from here.

[Daughter of the West]

He obviously doesn't value the captaincy or the club at all. I wish you nothing but the worst in Western Sydney and hope you contract chronic dandruff.

With a side serving of recurrent athlete's foot?

Thank you Axe Man for the first laugh I've had since the news broke!

[Topdog]

Am I the only one pissed off at Griffen? All I keep reading is anger at McCartney and the club but nothing at Griffen? I'm not saying that the rage at the coach and management is misplaced but lets not forget our Captain is walking away. It makes me sick. He could have gone down as a Bulldogs legend, now in my book he will sit next to Nathan Brown in our hall of shame. And don't get me started on him doing us a favour by walking away a year early so we get better compensated. Gee, thanks so much Ryan, you're a top bloke!

He obviously doesn't value the captaincy or the club at all. I wish you nothing but the worst in Western Sydney and hope you contract chronic dandruff.

If it were only him I'm sure people would be angry

[The bulldog tragician]

Am I the only one pissed off at Griffen? All I keep reading is anger at McCartney and the club but nothing at Griffen? I'm not saying that the rage at the coach and management is misplaced but lets not forget our Captain is walking away. It makes me sick. He could have gone down as a Bulldogs legend, now in my book he will sit next to Nathan Brown in our hall of shame. And don't get me started on him doing us a favour by walking away a year early so we get better compensated. Gee, thanks so much Ryan, you're a top bloke!

He obviously doesn't value the captaincy or the club at all. I wish you nothing but the worst in Western Sydney and hope you contract chronic dandruff.

That's my first mild chuckle for the day.

I've been in such shock at this news that it hadn't really sunk in that he wants to go to GWS. Not Hawthorn or Sydney, for a flag, but the plastic fantastics. The soul-less acronyms. Footy, 2014-style, really sucks sometimes.

[craigsahibee]

Am I the only one pissed off at Griffen? All I keep reading is anger at McCartney and the club but nothing at Griffen? I'm not saying that the rage at the coach and management is misplaced but lets not forget our Captain is walking away. It makes me sick. He could have gone down as a Bulldogs legend, now in my book he will sit next to Nathan Brown in our hall of shame. And don't get me started on him doing us a favour by walking away a year early so we get better compensated. Gee, thanks so much Ryan, you're a top bloke!

He obviously doesn't value the captaincy or the club at all. I wish you nothing but the worst in Western Sydney and hope you contract chronic dandruff.

A bit harsh to suggest that Ryan doesn't value the club. I posted earlier that I think (hope) he is requesting the trade in order for us to receive value for him now. He understands that he is not going to be a part of our next tilt at a flag, so he is walking now while he is of value.

Mark Stevens has reported that he didn't want to accept the captaincy, and was uncomfortable in the role.

I for one will not lose any respect for Ryan as a result of this. He is and always will be a Bulldogs legend as far as I am concerned.

[LostDoggy]

Sounded like Jack Klompus from Seinfeld..."take the pen"

Haha lmao, great call Sedat..

[1eyedog]

Macca the genius. He's obviously got the support of everyone except the disgruntled players and no player(s) are bigger than the club. Macca is an astute human who understands how to manage and direct - he would have talked to every single one of our young stars about the approach. Geez we'll have some picks up our sleeve this is very exciting. We need to move on Minson and Cooney and really load up. Imagine the quality we'll have that are all under 25 going forward - could be a Golden Age for the club, finally our time in the sun.

Macca the genius - he knows he's going to need as many young A graders as he can get if he is going to pit his wares against GWS and GCS in the next 2-6 years. He's either Napoleon building the Grande Armee or he is Nero fiddling on the roof. There is a fine line between genius and the insane and it is only separated by success. Let's hope it's the former. Go Dogs.

[LostDoggy]

Is it too early to start the thread on our next captain?

[KT31]

Gee what started out as quite an optimistic trade period is quickly tuning into poo.
Don't believe it is quite a fall back to the 'Dark Days' as some posters suggest but at present it does look bleak.
Re Griff leaving, he is not the first Captain to leave we had Dempsey, Jennings's, Kt and Edmond all leave in a row and the club survived then and it will survive now.
If the trade needs to be done, get it done but in our favour.
Lets us take some solace in the Rabbittoes and not take our eyes off the grand prize which has eluded us for over half a century.

[w3design]

Don't buy this didn't want the captaincy crap. He is a grown man, he could've said NO.

[bulldogtragic]

Is it too early to start the thread on our next captain?

Did it already.

[FrediKanoute]

Well waking up to this just means trade week keeps getting worse and worse........

Is it really surprising? You have a Board who brought in a guy to do a refresh, which for one reason and another has turned into a refurbishment, then a rebuild and now a complete demolition. 4 years ago you had guys like Minson, Griffin, Higgins, Cooney, Boyd, Gia, Murphy and Lake be told - we are starting from scratch. The smart one - Lake figures well the club is going to ask me to play out my career teaching kids with no chance of success so 2 years into the deal he ups and leaves - plays in 2 winning GF's. Is it surprising that 2 years later as guys like Minson and Cooney approach their twilight they don't wonder what they hell they are playing for. They wont be part of any long term success; there wont be another premiership tilt. At the rate was are going backwards we will be lucky to play finals in the next 5 years.

Now Higgins, who we have played out of position since Macca arrived, decides to leave, we accommodate. We look to parcel up our Brownlow medallist in a deal which is nothing short of derogatory and if we haven't talked about Minson as tradebait I would be surprised. Griffin must be thinking, we are definitely not going to play finals anytime soon and given most of his peers are going why not chase the bucks.

We as a club have royally f*cked up the rebuild/refresh/demolition. The 1997/98 class were largely still around for the 2007-2010 tilt in ever decreasing numbers, but it meant that they had something to play for - there was a chance of glory. Griffin/Cooney/Minson are the equivalent of Smith/West/Johnno - what hope are we really giving them of a chance at glory on the last day in September? None.

If Griffin wants to go, whilst it pains me, let him go. Extract maximum value and draft well. The club though needs a re=think of philosophy. The current strategy is not working and we are in grave, grave danger of becoming a feeder club.

[jeemak]

Fredi, not a bad post.

Just on the refresh, that was Smorgon talking.