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How Cooney and Griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
Former Western Bulldogs star Adam Cooney has revealed he never wanted to leave the club, but the circumstances surrounding him and coach Brendan McCartney left him with no choice
Cooney had a falling out with McCartney during the 2014 season, and was forced to plead with him in order to remain on the Bulldogs' list beyond that year The 2008 Brownlow Medallist says he approached club president Peter Gordon regarding the issues between the playing group and McCartney, but the conversation ultimately fell on deaf ears.
Gordon’s decision to back McCartney led to the departure of both Cooney (to Essendon) and club captain Ryan Griffen (to Greater Western Sydney).
“I had a meeting with Peter Gordon after that (meeting with McCartney) and Ryan Griffen was in a similar boat,” Cooney told This is Your Sporting Life for Tobin Brothers - celebrating lives.
“I had a meeting with Gordon and laid it all out on the table about the young players, how the senior group were feeling and how I didn’t think (McCartney) was the right man for the job going forward.
“I was at the Brownlow on the Monday night, I talked to him for about half-an-hour, told him everything that was happening at the club and about how everyone was feeling.
“He said: 'ok - look - thanks for telling me, it’s great that you’ve told me this, I want to follow it up, I’ll give you a call and then we’ll go over it'.
“I didn’t hear back from Gordon and I thought at that stage – wow – I’ve fallen on my sword here.
“I rang my manager and said: 'look, this is the situation, obviously my time at the Dogs has finished up'.
"Ryan Griffen was in the same boat, he had a meeting with the board at that stage and explained everything that was happening at the football club.
“He heard back from the football club and they said that they’re going to back (Brendan McCartney) in to be the coach going forward.
“Griffen said: 'well, it looks like I’m going to have to leave as well'."
“The club backed Brendan McCartney – which is fine – but that forced me out and it forced Ryan Griffen out.”
Cooney indicated he never wanted to leave the Western Bulldogs and planned on finishing his career at the Whitten Oval.
“I get a lot of abuse from Western Bulldogs supporters because they thought I wasn’t loyal to the football club and that I walked out on the club when things were really tough,” Cooney added.
“If they wanted to back him in – that’s fine – but we had to leave after that. I didn’t want to leave, I played at the club for 11 years and I wanted to finish my career as a Western Bulldogs player.
“What I did was try and help the group out, which I thought was the best thing going forward, they backed in the coach, but that was the end of my career at the Western Bulldogs.
“They didn’t back me in after what I said, so I had to leave, they did the same thing with Ryan Griffen and he had to leave.
“We didn’t want to leave, it was the situation and the circumstance that we tried our best.
“It seems like I’m having a massive crack at Brendan McCartney, but he just wasn’t the right man for the group.”
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Last edited by bornadog; 07-08-2018 at 11:35 AM.
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
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Post Thanks / Like - 1 Thanks, 0 Likes
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
I would say it's a very one sided version of events............
Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 1 Likes
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
If it is bs then I'd love to hear what the club reply to this is.
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
![Quote](images/primus/blue/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
If it is bs then I'd love to hear what the club reply to this is.
Why would the club reply?
Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
![Quote](images/primus/blue/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
jeemak
Why would the club reply?
They wouldn't. I'd love to hear their side though.
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
At least Cooney got the chance to win a wooden spoon before finishing, something we'd deprived him of in his 11 years with us. He also got the opportunity to be hated by a second group of supporters, because make no mistake despite what he makes out, the Essendon supporters hated him!
Western Bulldogs: We exist to win premierships
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
I listened to the interview and he was very erratic. Throughout the interview he confirmed he was unprofessional especially during the early years.
Nothing he said made me feel like he was hard done by.
Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
![Quote](images/primus/blue/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
GVGjr
I listened to the interview and he was very erratic. Throughout the interview he confirmed he was unprofessional especially during the early years.
Nothing he said made me feel like he was hard done by.
While I agree we can't just let Bmac off with no examination. He was not perfect by any measure.
They say Burt Lancaster has one, but I don't believe them.
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 2 Likes
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
![Quote](images/primus/blue/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
GVGjr
I listened to the interview and he was very erratic. Throughout the interview he confirmed he was unprofessional especially during the early years.
Nothing he said made me feel like he was hard done by.
Agree. Heard it too. Kept repeating himself which can be a sign of please believe me.
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
![Quote](images/primus/blue/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
GVGjr
I listened to the interview and he was very erratic. Throughout the interview he confirmed he was unprofessional especially during the early years.
Nothing he said made me feel like he was hard done by.
Absolutely they did. I've many Essendon fans as close friends and I was enjoying their constant meltdowns. My reply was always "but you have those spongy floors at Essendon fields he should be better"......
He's burnt the dogs bridge so he has to hang on to the scraps of his Bombers career and massage it to be worthwhile. Agree this story is how it happened through his eyes. His best mate leaving and getting a premiership (Lake) certainly would've been part of his desire to move I think.
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
![Quote](images/primus/blue/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
Twodogs
While I agree we can't just let Bmac off with no examination. He was not perfect by any measure.
Don't you mean Gordon? He was the one backing the coach until the captain left.
Bmac's definitely copped enough of a kicking over time.
Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
![Quote](images/primus/blue/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
Twodogs
While I agree we can't just let Bmac off with no examination. He was not perfect by any measure.
And he paid a high price for not being a better communicator with the playing group.
Other got away with it, not B-Mac
Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"
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Re: How cooney and griffen were forced from the western bulldogs
![Quote](images/primus/blue/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
jeemak
Don't you mean Gordon? He was the one backing the coach until the captain left.
Bmac's definitely copped enough of a kicking over time.
My understanding is:
Griffen informed his the club of his decision to leave after he went to Gordon and after B-Mac resigned.
He may have threatened it but followed through even after the decision went his way.
Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"
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