Thank You Rocket

[Axe Man]

Rodney Eade says viral, vulgar audio isn’t him

Famously-volatile footy coach Rodney Eade denies he’s the culprit in an expletive-laden piece of audio that's gone viral on the internet.

Rodney Eade once described Will Minson as the “dumbest smart bloke” in the AFL, but insists he’s not behind the blast the former Western Bulldogs ruckman cops in a viral piece of audio recently posted online.

Eade, a former Hawthorn and Brisbane player, transitioned into coaching in the 1990s and became famous for his sprays at Sydney, the Bulldogs and Gold Coast.

Popular Facebook page “Nuffies on AFL Pages” has shared expletive-laden audio of what they claimed to be Eade going bananas in the coaches box during a game between the Bulldogs and St Kilda in 2009.

The 76-second clip, which has been viewed more than 250,000 times, was posted with an image of Eade talking to Minson and also features a voice which sounds distinctly like then-Bulldogs assistant Leon Cameron.

“F*** you Will! F***ing run Will!” the angry voice begins.

“Rocket Rocket Rocket, we can’t think, come on mate,” the calming voice responds.

“You f***ing big f***ing spastic,” the voice continues, as a fist is heard thumping a desk.

“F***ing get him off! Get Minson off!”

“Rocket Rocket Rocket, we can’t hear.”

“F*** you, you big s***head. F*** him.”

But Eade told news.com.au he’s been “stitched up” and that the voice in the video was “too high pitched” to be his.

“It’s not me, someone’s done an overlay,” Eade told news.com.au on Wednesday morning.

News.com.au has contacted the page to seek clarification. Supporters have almost universally reacted with the assumption it’s Eade and even attempted to pinpoint the game as the 2009 preliminary final.

“I’m in tears. Every Doggie supporter should listen to this after the weekend to cheer us all up!” one posted.

“Let the fans listen to this instead of sideline commentary,” another wrote.

“This is the insight Channel 7 should be giving fans instead of interviewing players boundary side.”

EADE’S FAMOUS ‘PUMPKIN’ SPRAY

Eade had a reputation for giving players the hair dryer treatment and former charge Nathan Brown recently recounted a blow-up at former Swans ruckman Stefan Carey during a grand final.

“There was one spray that he gave one of the Sydney players, Stefan Carey, in a grand final,” Brown said.

“It was halftime of a grand final and he (Eade) said to Stefan Carey, ‘I bet you were feeling pretty good today, it’s grand final day, you probably got up, had your breakfast, feeling good about yourself, how good I’m playing in a grand final today’.

“‘You drove to the ground, you got ready’ and then he (Eade) just unleashed. He goes, ‘At what stage did you decide to take your head off your shoulders and replace it with a f***ing pumpkin?’”

But while Eade was known for putting players in their place, he was calculated with his bakes to get the most out of his troops.

“I asked him (Eade) about spraying players and he said, ‘There were certain players I was able to spray’,” Brown said.

“He goes Brian Lake … and Will Minson. He knew he could spray those two blokes and they would respond to it.”

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I had a go, but all of Hahn, Eagleton, Aker, Minson and Jason Blake played in all 3 of our games against the Saints that year. Minson probably made critical errors in all of them anyway so it might be a bridge too far.

I think i read a comment somewhere lined it up as Round 17 2009 as the likely game.

I hope it was a very isolated incident, because that's 'plonker at the bar barracking' not coaching.
Completely out of control and maybe that explains why Rocket ultimately fell short.

***Interesting Rocket has refuted the claim.
Thank goodness.

[bornadog]

Haha, someone has had some fun at Rocket's expense.

[Grantysghost]

Why would they record that?

[angelopetraglia]

Leon Cameron's voice sounds spot on too.

It's difficult to accept that it happened. However, it's equally difficult to believe that someone has taken considerable effort of creating a small snippet from a coaches box that happened 10 years ago with multiple accurate voices and background noise just for some cheap laughs.

[Rocket Science]

There’s some comfort in learning coaching the Dogs has much the same effect as barracking for them.

[bornadog]

Why would they record that?

Exactly what I said.

[bornadog]

Leon Cameron's voice sounds spot on too.

It's difficult to accept that it happened. However, it's equally difficult to believe that someone has taken considerable effort of creating a small snippet from a coaches box that happened 10 years ago with multiple accurate voices and background noise just for some cheap laughs.

Cheap laughs, 250,000 views - wow

[Twodogs]

I still find it incredibly hard to believe it was Rocket but if true to refer to someone as a spastic is the poorest of form especially from someone coaching a professional team and given their people management training. It's also disappointing that someone in the box didn't have a crack at pulling him into line him for saying that.
I'd question if he would he have had the courage to say that directly to a players face.
To think people get highly offended by comments about racism or sexual orientation and demand people are suspended in the AFL for it but somehow choose to look past the content and find humour in that sort of outburst just doesn't add up with me.
Yeah it's funny listening to someone losing their shit but the actual content of those comments isn't acceptable.
If true, it's not Rockets finest hour

Yep I completely agree. If it is Rocket and I am relieved to see that he has come out and said it wasn't then it is unbelievably disappointing. Especially the spastic comment, but that is one thing that makes me think it isn't him. I've had quite a few interactions and spent a bit of time with him and he has never struck me as the type to use a word like that in a pejorative manner. Sure he swears and Fs and blinds and says a few things that aren't exactly politically correct but he's not the cruel type, he'd be more likely to walk over and say hello to somebody with a disability than point and laugh or call them names.

He's more inclusive than exclusive if that makes sense.

[Twodogs]

Leon Cameron's voice sounds spot on too.

It's difficult to accept that it happened. However, it's equally difficult to believe that someone has taken considerable effort of creating a small snippet from a coaches box that happened 10 years ago with multiple accurate voices and background noise just for some cheap laughs.

Clickbait.

[Ozza]

I still find it incredibly hard to believe it was Rocket but if true to refer to someone as a spastic is the poorest of form especially from someone coaching a professional team and given their people management training. It's also disappointing that someone in the box didn't have a crack at pulling him into line him for saying that.
I'd question if he would he have had the courage to say that directly to a players face.
To think people get highly offended by comments about racism or sexual orientation and demand people are suspended in the AFL for it but somehow choose to look past the content and find humour in that sort of outburst just doesn't add up with me.
Yeah it's funny listening to someone losing their shit but the actual content of those comments isn't acceptable.
If true, it's not Rockets finest hour

My best mate spent years in the St.Kilda box - and I can assure you that although a more 'controlled' delivery, Ross Lyon uses the same language, and it was well known that Rocket was like that in the box - but would generally compose himself before addressing the players.

[angelopetraglia]

If it is a fabricated piece of audio ... it was good enough to fool Luke Darcy (six minute audio from his breakfast show this morning)

Darcy "This is 100% Rocket"

https://omny.fm/shows/hot-breakfast/...de-will-minson

[Ozza]

I agree.

Nobody ever things their voice sounds like them on a recording!

[GVGjr]

Yep I completely agree. If it is Rocket and I am relieved to see that he has come out and said it wasn't then it is unbelievably disappointing. Especially the spastic comment, but that is one thing that makes me think it isn't him. I've had quite a few interactions and spent a bit of time with him and he has never struck me as the type to use a word like that in a pejorative manner. Sure he swears and Fs and blinds and says a few things that aren't exactly politically correct but he's not the cruel type, he'd be more likely to walk over and say hello to somebody with a disability than point and laugh or call them names.

He's more inclusive than exclusive if that makes sense.

His word is good enough for me.

[bornadog]

I agree.

Nobody ever things their voice sounds like them on a recording!

Why would anyone record a coach on game day in the box?

Rocket said it wasn't him, I believe him.