Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

[Mantis]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

Not on here he hasn't been. This site has all but deified Eade!

When you say management I took it that you were referring to the club's management?

From my position it seems that Eade has been the fall guy for what seems is an awfully big mess at the club at present.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

I imagine that most of Fantasia's best achievements cannot be publicly disclosed. Think about his role and whether we eally want everything he is responsible for completely disclosed. Fantasia is on a hiding to nothing and has become the Eagleton of the management (ie the whipping boy.)

But most of us aren't making assumptions out of thin air though -- we have at least some insider knowledge (a little credit here!)

Furthermore, if it was just us disgruntled supporters it's one thing, but plenty of other people in the industry talk, and the wraps on Fantasia are NOT complimentary. From all accounts, Cal would have happily signed a contract early last year when the buzz was all on Harbrow (like Wood did this year, I guess at least we learnt our lesson, albeit two years too late).

From my perspective, I don't understand how Mulligan and DJ can be given 3 year contracts on potential, but we don't try to tie up a future leader of the club to a long-term deal as early as we could have (ie. early last year)? As a club during contract negotiations, just as during trade week and draft time, we always seem to be caught by surprise or have to be reactive -- what sort of planning and risk management do we have in place?

It's also interesting that those that were most in favour of Rocket leaving because he 'didn't meet his KPIs' (a fair enough assessment) seem on the other hand to be easily pleased by our football department's record, which has certainly been dismal for the past couple of years.

[Bornadog]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

I was at the Frankston v Williamstown game on Sunday and Matty Boyd and Ward were walking around with each other all day....Who knows, maybe just a smoke screen.

Not a smoke screen. Ward has been a big supporter of the guys down at Willi and gets down to games as often as he can.

[LongWait]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

When you say management I took it that you were referring to the club's management?

From my position it seems that Eade has been the fall guy for what seems is an awfully big mess at the club at present.

I don't think that the club is in a big mess at all. I think that our list is a problem because we invested in mature and tried and true players in the hope that they would lead us to the long awaited flag. That didn't and now can't happen - so we need a modest rebuild to replace most of the veterans and build a good core of 22 to 28 year old players who will lead us to the success we've all craved.

The Board's decision that we should appoint a different coach after 7 years is absolutely reasonable in my opinion but is not reasonable in the opinion of many on here.

[GVGjr]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

Not a smoke screen. Ward has been a big supporter of the guys down at Willi and gets down to games as often as he can.

I meant it was interesting to see Boydy and Ward walking around together if Boydy already knows of Wards decision. Wasn't questioning Wards support of Willi.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

The Board's decision that we should appoint a different coach after 7 years is absolutely reasonable in my opinion but is not reasonable in the opinion of many on here.

Yet keeping the same president after approx 15 years (still without his goal) is ok, the football manager after 3? year with no results is ok, and the recruiting managers failure to get the best available is ok too.

[GVGjr]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

I am completely gutted. Agree he should not play this week. It would be a complete farce.
It's a hollow feeling right now. I just hope we threw EVERYTHING at him. I felt so disappointed when Boyd was OTC and said he hadn't talked to Ward about his decision as 'it's private'. these guys go to war together each week, put bodies on line for each other, and his captain hasn't delivered a heartfelt plea to him? Would this happen at other clubs? Does it reflect our defeatist, second best attitude to our existence in this comp?
I didn't feel before today that I could boo Cal or wish him ill but I am much more shattered than I expected. I guess I still harbored romantic notions that he was different. Footy sucks today.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

I'm not in a position to really comment on anything that may or may not happen at the footy club. When it all boils down, I'm just a member who loves the game and who's disappointed that one of his favourite players won't be wearing the red, white and blue anymore. I just hope that we are compensated appropriately for this loss. It's so hard for clubs like ours to gain momentum in the current AFL environment. I also think that when a few things happen simultaneously, it's easy to think that the world is crumbling around us. Lets try and keep the glass half full (easier said than done I know!)

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

The new Nathan Brown.

It's funny that if we got tier 1 compo i don't think i would be as upset.

For tier 2 its a kick in the balls.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

I'll tell you what will be the glass half full...

TWO F***ING FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

I'll tell you what will be the glass half full...

TWO F***ING FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS.

Lets hope so Lantern. I've spent the last couple of years teasing my Richmond mates about how we got Cal for Jordie McMahon.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

Lets hope so Lantern. I've spent the last couple of years teasing my Richmond mates about how we got Cal for Jordie McMahon.

You know what? Despite getting shafted, we're still ahead on the deal. Even if we only end up with Band 2 we're still ahead on the deal (since Cal actually played for us the last couple of years, we're actually still getting a first round pick and Jordy stopped playing for Richmond a long time ago). Heck, we could get Band 5 and we would still be ahead.

That's how f-up that trade was for Richmond!

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

You know what? Despite getting shafted, we're still ahead on the deal. Even if we only end up with Band 2 we're still ahead on the deal (since we're actually still getting a first round pick and Jordy's no longer playing AFL).

That's how f-up that trade was for Richmond!

So can we use our compensation picks in next year's draft?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

We can use them in any draft for the next 5 years i think. I hope we dont blow them this year like we did with Harbrow's picks.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Callan Ward jumps Bulldogs ship to join GWS

We can use them in any draft for the next 5 years i think. I hope we dont blow them this year like we did with Harbrow's picks.

Ok that's good to know. The word seems to be that next year will be a good draft so hopefully we can pick wisley. Do we have to use a certain amount of picks each draft or can we choose to upgrade rookies to the senior list?