Pick Ups

[Twodogs]

And not forgetting Big Bad Barry.

Allen Jakovich, Bruce Duperouzel.

[Twodogs]

Initially we contracted Aker for three years, and I thought he played well and generally kept his mouth shut. We then decided to give him another year and it all went wrong, on and off the field.

Aker said many things that were true but the AFL community didn't like it eg Players using drugs, homophobia etc. He was a different cat that nobody really liked and spoilt his time with us. I remember the leadership group had a go at him for doing the hand stand after a win. I thought it was childish as it was a bit of fun, but they thought it was too much about Aker. In the end players didn't like him and it was time to retire.

Some highlights in case you forgot how good he was.

My son was in primary school when Aker came to us. He was about seven year and (like most Seven year olds) he was a huge Jason Akermanis fan. Anyway a few weeks before the fallout with Aker at Brisbane we were watching a Brisbane game on Friday night footy and he said to me "why don't the other players like Aker any more?" I said "what do you mean?" and H says "you watch, Aker keeps getting all by himself but the other players won't give it to him" So I watched for a while and he was right. Aker was waving his arms like Brendan Goddard but nobody was interested in giving him the ball.

I owe Aker a debt of gratitude. I took him to training one day and we introduced ourselves. Aker looks down at my boy and says "Listen young man when you say hello to somebody then you look them in the eye. Don't look down, nobody will take you seriously" and ever since then he's looked people in the eye and the words "seriously" and "serious" have taken on a new meaning.

He now divides the world into people who are serious people and worth his time and people who aren't serious and deserve only his contempt (That's OK though, he's 19 and the world is a binary place when you are that age-there are no shades of grey)

[Eastdog]

And not forgetting Big Bad Barry.

Great goal kicker Barry. I wish we had got him earlier (mid 00s). 2009 we had a very potent forward line without a major full forward and in 2010 we still be pretty well up there but Bazza kicked a lot of the goals. He would be very useful in our side today.

Also is a Doggies supporter as well Barry from Broadford in Northern Victoria originally.