Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

[Bornadog]

We are calling all Bulldogs fans located in the South and East of Melbourne! The Legends & Young Guns are locked in! Lindsay Gilbee, Marcus Bontempelli, Mitch Honeychurch, Matt Fuller, Sam Darley, Shannon Grant, Simon Dalrymple and Rick Kennedy will be in attendance. The night promises to be a highlight on the calendar of any die-hard supporter. Kevin Hillier will be hosting the function and it will also offer every guest the opportunity to take home some unique prizes in the raffle. The Western Bulldogs merchandise stall will also be in attendance and will have the latest official Western Bulldogs apparel and gifts on offer. Tickets are $70 which includes a delicious three-course meal. To reserve your spot, contact Gwen today on 9802 6779. Kids are welcome, the cost is $30 per head for a kids meal/drinks, it also includes a Western Bulldogs Showbag. Bookings close on Monday, 30th June and details of the event are as follows: When: Thursday, 3rd July Time: 7pm for 7.30pm start Where: Mulgrave Country Club, Wheelers Hill Address: Cnr Wellington & Jells Roads, Wheelers Hill I look forward to seeing you there. Go Dogs! Linda Murray Western Bulldogs Supporter Group Coordinator

[Bornadog]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Bump

Anyone going?

[GVGjr]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Bump

Anyone going?

You going BAD?

[Bornadog]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

You going BAD?

I am actually overseas right now for 6 weeks. I will miss many games but will keep in touch along the way.

[always right]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

I'll be there with my daughter.

[Cyberdoggie]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

$70 a little pricey isn't it?

[Eastdog]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Didn't go to this but for any woofers that did was it a good night. We're there lots in attendance? What was discussed?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Went to the dinner last night and was very impressed by it all. Players there were Bontempelli (not surprisingly the fan favourite), Honeychurch, Fuller and Darley. From the club that attended were Garlick, Shannon Grant, Dayrymple and Graham Lowe. And the two legends were Rick Kennedy and Lindsay Gilbee.

They set it up as a question and answer type of thing with Kevin Hillier asking the questions. First up were Dayrymple and Grant:

- Dayrymple said his draft philosophy is best available player over what we need and referenced hawthorn picking Mitch Thorpe over Joel Selwood as to why
- said trading is were we focus on need and draft is for getting talent
- said he was only working part time at the club up until 2009
- was asked about what he does during this time of the year and he said he had just finished at the under 18s championship and is now focussing on the under 16s. Also said they were preparing for player interviews in which he said they do about 70 home interviews leading up to the draft
- also talked about our father son prospects. Said there are two groups, twelve to fifteen year olds and the the ones above fifteen. In the younger group are names like Kellet, Oliver liberatore (who apparently has a very nice kick and is basically a mini Tom), Riley West, Jacob Smith. They are currently doing a kicking clinic at the club.

Next panel were the young guns:
- were asked what team they followed as kids. Bontempelli went for Richmond, Fuller followed Port Adelaide and both Honeychurch and Darley were essendon. Darley said his favourite player was James Hird which got a few groans from the crowd.
- they were asked what the hardest part of football was. They all pretty much said is was getting consistency and realising development is a long term thing. They also said adjusting to the AFL lifestyle was difficult
- told us what they like do do outside of football. Honeychurch surfs, Fuller plays golf, Darley follows the NBA and Bontempelli ( as well as Fuller and Honeychurch) are doing an AFL approved course on play well being, how to handle their money and other subjects along those lines.
-they were asked their nicknames at the club. Honeychurch is the Honey Badger ( started by Big Will), Darley is Darls, Fuller is Pepsi after that kid in home alone who drinks too much Pepsi and wets the bed who's name is Fuller. And according to Honeychurch all the kids at the Dahlhaus clubhouse clinic on Monday were calling Bontempelli, Bontempsmelly.

Last panel was Rick Kennedy and Lindsay Gilbee:
-Rick told some stories about the good old days and some of the fights he got into
- also said that he's trying to implement a grandfather-grandson rule as his daughter is married and pregnant to Trent Cotchin
- I found Lindsay Gilbee the most interesting on the night, said a few things that I wasnt aware of
- he said that he was going to quit in 2003 if it hadn't been for Rohan Smith. He said he was sick of not getting a game under Rhode when other players who he thought didn't deserve them were.
- he said Eade did an amazing job under limited resources and he still keeps in touch with him regularly
- said when Eade got to the club he asked the players to divide themselves into seniors and reserves. 90% went to the reserves side including Gilbee and Daniel Cross. It was then that Eade realised he had a lot of work to do in making these guys believe they were good enough
- said the best players he ever played with were Johno and Cross, Kennedy said his was Hawkins

We also had Darley (who most defiantly fits Macca's good person criteria) on our table for the whole night so we asked him a few of our own questions:
- said that when he first got to GWS none of the public knew what Aussie rules was. Over the three years that he was there he said it has improved but it still has a long way to go.
- GWS players were told at the start to stand their crowd and to not let themselves get pushed around by the bigger and older clubs.
- thinks Callan Ward is a great bloke and terrific captain, he also said that callan was told by the club to go as he would never get such an opportunity again
-thinks Jeremy Cameron is lazy and relies on his talent alone
-said that Freo have the most feral supporters
- is good friends with Cordy who thinks Zaine is going to be quite the player.
- does most of his work with Rohan Smith and teams up with Murphy during training. Also said that Murphy often reviews his stats and footage with him

Was a very good night and I would highly recommend everyone to go next year if they can

[LostDoggy]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Great stuff Pickle.

Peter Rhode - Geez.

[Cyberdoggie]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Thanks Pickle,

Some really good insights there.


Definitely agree with you on Gilbee, I listened to him once on JYB (Jesalenko You Beauty segment on SEN with Mark Doran I think it was) a while back where they go into an in depth chat for about an hour and I don't think I've ever heard a more calculated and honest footballer speak. Lindsay usually has a good pause before replying and has a think about what he says, and doesn't spew out all the cliche' generic rubbish. He's direct and honest and I still can't figure out today why he wasn't more of a leader during his time at the dogs. Maybe he kept to himself a bit, I'm not sure.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Went to the dinner last night and was very impressed by it all. Players there were Bontempelli (not surprisingly the fan favourite), Honeychurch, Fuller and Darley. From the club that attended were Garlick, Shannon Grant, Dayrymple and Graham Lowe. And the two legends were Rick Kennedy and Lindsay Gilbee.

Thanks for the great read Pickle.

[Eastdog]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Thanks Pickle. Sounds like a great event for Bulldogs fans out in the east like myself.

[boydogs]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Thanks Pickle

[whythelongface]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Awesome read Pickle. Thank you.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Legends and Young Guns Dinner - July 3rd

Great report, many thanks.