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  1. #1
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    Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    WESTERN Bulldogs legend Chris Grant has urged Jason Akermanis to play on and repay the club.
    Grant declared Akermanis was still capable of playing a role in the Dogs' tilt for a premiership - as long as his mind was right.

    "I think he owes it not only to himself, but his football club, to give himself every opportunity to help the club win the flag," Grant said.

    "They (Bulldogs) are almost the only team in the competition that went out on a limb to actually get him.

    "They've given him some sort of self-respect and respect back in the system so he should (play on)."

    The comments from Grant, a former skipper and revered figure at the club, came as Akermanis was last night weighing up his future.

    Akermanis yesterday copped an ultimatum by the Dogs to choose between football and the media and a decision will be made by noon today

    Grant said Akermanis's breach of trust after his Herald Sun column on homosexuality was extremely serious, but made it clear the 33-year-old would be no help to the Dogs if he retired.

    "He should be in the frame of mind of thinking 'How can I help this footy club?'," Grant said.

    "He should be thinking: 'This is not the best two weeks I've ever had at this club, but I reckon at the end of the day I need to give something back here'."

    It is believed Akermanis will serve a two-week suspension if he decides to continue to put his media commitments to the side for the rest of the year.

    Grant said the club had to be tough on Akermanis, who made misleading comments after his controversial May 20 Herald Sun column.

    "You just can't do that - and it wouldn't matter if it was Robert Murphy or Jason Akermanis," Grant said. "If that's occurred, he cops his right whack.

    "They (the club) have a right to be angry about that and draw a line in the sand as to what's acceptable."

    Akermanis has been hampered by a nerve problem in his hamstring, but Grant - a part-time marking coach and mentor at the Bulldogs - has no doubt he can get his body right with rest.

    Grant said the only issue for the 33-year-old would be his mind.

    "There's the old argument that if you're thinking about retirement, you're retired," Grant said.

    "If he's thinking about that, then he's gone anyway.

    "If he's thinking the world is against him and it's best to retire, then he has to retire - you can't ever get that out of your mind.

    "Aker needs to make an honest assessment of what he reckons his body and mind is able to do - at the end of the day he's got to be in the frame of mind to do it."

    Grant said Akermanis would benefit from taking a long-term view and aiming to be in peak physical shape at Round 22, heading into the finals.

    "If he looks at the season as a marathon and he needs to just be there by the 42km mark, I reckon he's got the ability to be able to do that," Grant said.

    "If he takes the frame of mind, 'I'm in poor form because my body's broken down a bit and I'm going to give myself every opportunity to be in as good a nick as I can by Round 22 to make an impact', I reckon he can do that."

    Grant said Akermanis had been more than worth the effort over his 3 1/2 years.

    "Up until this year, he's earned every game he's got - and plus," Grant said.

    Grant said every serious finals challenger needed a list of 25 to 30 players capable of having an impact, and Akermanis was an "outstanding" option.

    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...-1225873757270
    The curse is dead.

  2. #2
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    Heard the great man on radio late in the afternoon yesterday, and he spoke very well. I think he is giving Aker great advice and I hope that commonsense will prevail in this situation - I don't think Aker should retire just yet. I think he still has a great deal to offer on the field, once he gets his body right. I just hope his head is right!

  3. #3
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    I hate when former club greats come out and give their opinion on matters that are going on behind closed doors at the club.

    Chris while having a role in the media with the ABC is also down the club in a mentoring role and shouldn't be seen to be discussing club matters in this way.

    These sorts of articles look tacky and they aren't something I wouldn't expect from Chris.

  4. #4
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    I didn't see this article in the HS, but 774 radio rang Chris yesterday and asked for his opinion. He was very clear in what I heard that he wasn't privy to what had taken place at the club, but was just expressing his opinion. Why is that a problem - everyone else has an opinion on this?

  5. #5
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    Quote Originally Posted by Magic Griffen View Post
    I didn't see this article in the HS, but 774 radio rang Chris yesterday and asked for his opinion. He was very clear in what I heard that he wasn't privy to what had taken place at the club, but was just expressing his opinion. Why is that a problem - everyone else has an opinion on this?
    Because he is a former player of the I don't like it when former players commentate on these types of matters.

    The whole issue is a big mess.... It should have been knocked on the head quickly rather than allowed to fester for this amount of time. The media are all over it because they need to discuss something and this issue is the flavour of the week.

    We (the club) handled ourselves well last week with the Barry Hall issue, but have turned the full 180 degrees with regards to this weeks Aker issue.

  6. #6
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    I don't agree with everything that Caro says, but she made a point on Footy Classified last night that I agree with 100%.

    The club needed to make a decision, not leave it up to Aker to make a decision.
    For those who were always the underdogs and wore it as a badge of honour.

  7. #7
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    I was thinking about this last night.
    If we give him an ultimatum and he decides to walk, we run the risk of Aker further destabilising the club from the outside. He could go open slather through the media without any restrictions. This would truly kill any hopes of being there on the last day in September
    Its best we give him a spell, have the final handover in all his future articles and get him fit and firing come September.

  8. #8
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    On triple M this morning they said he had to choose between football and the media??? I wonder how correct this is and what the outcome will be

  9. #9
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    Quote Originally Posted by Desipura View Post
    I was thinking about this last night.
    If we give him an ultimatum and he decides to walk, we run the risk of Aker further destabilising the club from the outside. He could go open slather through the media without any restrictions. This would truly kill any hopes of being there on the last day in SeptemberIts best we give him a spell, have the final handover in all his future articles and get him fit and firing come September.
    Or it could galvanise the group.
    The curse is dead.

  10. #10
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    Quote Originally Posted by chef View Post
    Or it could galvanise the group.
    Having our hearts ripped out by St.Kilda in the PF last year should have already achieved that.

  11. #11
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    Quote Originally Posted by Mantis View Post
    Having our hearts ripped out by St.Kilda in the PF last year should have already achieved that.
    You would think so, but it hasn't. Maybe a few home truths from someone on the inside might help. We are running out of time to get our heads right.
    The curse is dead.

  12. #12
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomdog View Post
    On triple M this morning they said he had to choose between football and the media??? I wonder how correct this is and what the outcome will be
    KB said this morning that he had spoken to a very reliable source and that Aker will be allowed to continue his media commitments, but under a very tight reign and being on his last chance.
    For those who were always the underdogs and wore it as a badge of honour.

  13. #13
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    Quote Originally Posted by aker39 View Post
    I don't agree with everything that Caro says, but she made a point on Footy Classified last night that I agree with 100%.

    The club needed to make a decision, not leave it up to Aker to make a decision.
    The club did make a decision. They gave Aker a set of alternatives and told him to make a decision based on that - in effect there is little decision if he wants to keep playing. The relationship between Aker and the club has been very positive, however the media want to spin it; he's been good for us, and we've been good for him

    Clearly Caro has been keen to jump all over this and doesn't like Aker, and perhaps doesn't mind sinking the boots into the dogs.

  14. #14
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    I always cringe when any former player makes comments about his clubs current situation, at the end of the day I understand Grant is employed to have an opinion and this is currently the topic of conversation, he has been now retired for two years and only has a minor part-time mentoring role down at the club so even though his comments made sense I would have preferred him to make them behind closed doors.

  15. #15
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    Re: Jason Akermanis owes Western Bulldogs, legend Chris Grant

    Quote Originally Posted by Mantis View Post
    Having our hearts ripped out by St.Kilda in the PF last year should have already achieved that.
    Maybe we are galvanised...but we just aren't good enough?
    What should I tell her? She's going to ask.

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