Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

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  • Axe Man
    Hall of Fame
    • Nov 2008
    • 11183

    Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

    Great news. Will be great to have Dale around for our next crack at the pointy end of the ladder!

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    Dale Morris.jpg

    WESTERN Bulldogs veteran Dale Morris insists there is plenty good footy left in him, revealing he's aiming to play for at least another five years.

    The 31-year-old defender has returned to his brilliant best so far in 2014, restricting the influence of superstar forwards Jack Riewoldt and Josh Kennedy in the first three rounds of the year.

    And there have been no lingering effects of a badly broken leg he sustained late in 2011.

    "The body feels great, better than this time last year," Morris said.

    "I feel like I've got plenty of good footy left in me, how much that is I don't know but I'm hoping five, six, seven years … you never know.

    "But at my age you need to take it one year at a time."

    And his secret for feeling so fresh is simple.

    "I hang around all the young guys and I try to keep young by letting them rub off on me,” Morris said.

    Morris will need every bit of that youthfulness on Saturday afternoon when he lines up against GWS young guns Jeremy Cameron and Jonathon Patton.

    "They are a very, very talented team,” Morris said of the Giants.

    “They have a very potent forward line and their midfield has a heap of talent too."

    The task of containing the twin towers has been made harder in the absence of Jordan Roughead, who has a serious shoulder injury, but Morris has faith in Tom Williams and Tom Young to cover his absence.

    "The last few teams we've come against have had a real tall forward line and we've coped pretty well, so we're expecting the same,” he said

    "There's guys there ready to go, which is great, and that puts pressure on spots and good competition around the club.”

    An unrestricted free agent at season's end, Morris has no intention of finishing his career anywhere but the Whitten Oval.

    "The Dogs gave me a chance to play AFL footy and everything they've done for me and my family over the years has been unbelievable," Morris said.

    “I would love to stay with the Doggies for my whole career and that's the plan, so hopefully it stays that way."
  • Bornadog
    WOOF Clubhouse Leader
    • Jan 2007
    • 66738

    #2
    Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

    Love to have Dale for 5 more years, but reality is it won't happen. When athletes reach a certain age, its all down hill from there.
    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.

    Comment

    • Mantis
      Hall of Fame
      • Apr 2007
      • 15449

      #3
      Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

      Originally posted by bornadog
      Love to have Dale for 5 more years, but reality is it won't happen. When athletes reach a certain age, its all down hill from there.
      Whilst this is generally the norm how do you explain the high level of output from the likes of Brent Harvey & Dustin Fletcher?

      Comment

      • Axe Man
        Hall of Fame
        • Nov 2008
        • 11183

        #4
        Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

        Originally posted by bornadog
        Love to have Dale for 5 more years, but reality is it won't happen. When athletes reach a certain age, its all down hill from there.
        There's always exceptions to the rule: Dustin Fletcher, Brent Harvey, etc. Of course the odds are against him but barring serious injury he can go for a another 2 or 3 years at least I would have thought.

        Comment

        • bulldogtragic
          The List Manager
          • Jan 2007
          • 34289

          #5
          Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

          Cool, Dale for another 5 years. Maybe if he turns swing-man he can be a super sub to ice matches at either end of games come 2017.
          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

          Comment

          • LostDoggy
            WOOF Member
            • Jan 2007
            • 8307

            #6
            Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

            Nooooooooooooo!

            As soon as there is a headline like that, they're goners. Up yours Mr. Davidson.

            Comment

            • The bulldog tragician
              Senior Player
              • Apr 2013
              • 1972

              #7
              Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

              Dale did start AFL quite late..I guess it's not impossible that his body is younger than the norm. I hate the idea of him ever retiring so I want to believe it! He's having a good year so far...
              [url]www.bulldogtragician.com[/url] A blog about being a lifelong fan of the Dogs and our quixotic attempt to replicate 1954. AND WE DID
              Author of [URL="http://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/mighty-west"]"The Mighty West: the Bulldogs journey from daydream believers to premiership heroes[/URL]"
              Twitter @bulldogstragic

              Comment

              • FrediKanoute
                Coaching Staff
                • Aug 2007
                • 3831

                #8
                Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

                Take it one week, one season at a time and keep reviewing. He has a couple of things on his side namely he plays a single position, which is largely a one way position and hence you would think the stress on his body is not the same as asay a midfielder who get s hit from all angles or a forward who has to turn to goal. He also has been pretty lucky with injuries (2011 aside) so I could see him getting a few more years out of his body, 5 may be pushing it though.

                Comment

                • Remi Moses
                  WOOF Member
                  • Jan 2009
                  • 14785

                  #9
                  Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

                  What a beauty Dale is. Although 5 years is a stretch, on current form another two looks likely.
                  In saying that players can fall off the cliff quickly when over 30.

                  Comment

                  • ratsmac
                    Coaching Staff
                    • May 2009
                    • 3975

                    #10
                    Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

                    Good bloke that Dale Morris
                    They've done studies you know, 60% of the time, it works every time!
                    Brian Fantana.

                    Comment

                    • comrade
                      Hall of Fame
                      • Jun 2008
                      • 18033

                      #11
                      Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

                      Only 5? Dale can stay as long as he wants, IMO.
                      Our 1954 premiership players are our heroes, and it has to be said that Charlie was their hero.

                      Comment

                      • LostDoggy
                        WOOF Member
                        • Jan 2007
                        • 8307

                        #12
                        Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

                        Originally posted by comrade
                        Only 5? Dale can stay as long as he wants, IMO.
                        This.

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                        • Go_Dogs
                          Hall of Fame
                          • Jan 2007
                          • 10157

                          #13
                          Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

                          What a great player and team mate Dale is. Would be great to see him play on forever, some of his efforts last week were huge.

                          We're very lucky to have seen him play and will be in the future too, a true inspiration.
                          Have you heard Butters wants to come to the Dogs?

                          Comment

                          • LostDoggy
                            WOOF Member
                            • Jan 2007
                            • 8307

                            #14
                            Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

                            Bastard journos!

                            Comment

                            • Bulldog4life
                              WOOF Member
                              • Oct 2007
                              • 9607

                              #15
                              Re: Veteran Dog wants to play on for five more years

                              According to Mark Stevens Dale is going to be out for long time. Going for scans today. Could be a broken leg. Not sure.

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