Doughty NOT contemplating retirement

[jenny61_99]

Couldn't see this anywhere:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/96376/default.aspx


By Katrina Gill 2:29 PM Tue 15 June, 2010
ADELAIDE veteran Michael Doughty says he’s not thinking about retirement and that he will use the next 10 weeks to try and salvage his career at the club.

Doughty went into the season as one of five Crows aged 30 years or older.

That number has dwindled to four following the retirement of Tyson Edwards and will be cut to three when skipper Simon Goodwin hangs up the boots at the end of the season.

Adelaide’s disappointing start to the year has prompted questions over the future of the remaining three over-30s, Doughty, Andrew McLeod and Brett Burton.

McLeod, who is recuperating from knee surgery, is yet to announce his plans for next year, but on Tuesday Doughty echoed Burton’s sentiments in wanting to play on.

“If my form holds up and the club decides they need me for another year I’ll definitely put my hand up. I’m not thinking about retirement or anything at the moment,” Doughty said.

“My future is on the line in the next 10 weeks and as a senior player I’d need to maintain that consistency for the second half of the year, which I think I can do.”

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

It's going to be an interesting last 10 weeks.

When the team goal (finals) is out the window it is very hard for the coaches to get the players to focus on TEAM. It is only natural that the players will concern themselves with their position at the club, their next contract, their performance and their place in the 22.

It can lead to more bitterness over selection than usual, mistrust between players, selfish play, arguments between players... a losing club is never a pleasant place to be.

And what makes it worse is that it is so unfamiliar to us. We've only missed the finals once since 2001 and when we did we lost a coach in the process. We (club and supporters) are not geared up to handle adversity well. Implosion imminent?

 

[King Elvis]

I really think we use him as a tagger, I can't see where else.

In the backlines, defensively, he's definitely solid - but when he gets the ball, he's a massive liability.

I quite like Doughty in general, I just don't know if he's good enough anymore.

If Stevens goes (which he should, I seriously think he's had too many head-knocks, not being silly, he looks half a second behind everybody else), maybe we can hang onto Mick.

 

[relapse]

One good point that either Vader or Stabby raised is we get two spots on our list for veterans and if we dont use they then only become extra spots for rookie listed players.

If Doughty is of use to us we can keep him and put him on the veteran list so he wont actually be taking a spot on our main list and we just have one less rookie listed player.

 

[jenny61_99]

One good point that either Vader or Stabby raised is we get two spots on our list for veterans and if we dont use they then only become extra spots for rookie listed players.

If Doughty is of use to us we can keep him and put him on the veteran list so he wont actually be taking a spot on our main list and we just have one less rookie listed player.

If he can get his form back to some semblance of past years, then this would be the logical thing to do.

 

[noddy]

No criticism of his endeavor only it is now built into his mind set to either go backward or sideways when in possession of the ball.

 

[J-Train]

Thought he was very lucky to survive at the end of last year, but would be encouraged about getting another contract with the other older players either retiring, expected to retire or struggling with form and injury. Wouldn't be surprised if he was still with you guys in 2011.

 

[WALL-e]

Game speed and zones are making it VERY hard if you don't have speed or elite disposal.

 

[Alex99]

Massie, Torney, Clarke and Ken McGregor say hi, sorry Michael Doughty but you time is up. When we have quality senior players around you, you can be a quality player but with developing kids and game plan revolving around develop – you will be a liability.

 

[rooboy]

Don't mind Doughty as a tagger, don't know why we aren't using him in that type of role. He is a good negator and does all the 1%'s probably better than anyone else in the side.

But don't like him off the HBF, no attacking, line breaking, long kicking coming from him at all.

But I can see a spot for him as a tagger only.

 

[madstar]

Thought he was very lucky to survive at the end of last year, but would be encouraged about getting another contract with the other older players either retiring, expected to retire or struggling with form and injury. Wouldn't be surprised if he was still with you guys in 2011.

He had a good year last year and IMO was well worth keeping. Unfortunately has not played up to that standard this year. May be saved by the retirements of most of the other veterans

 

[johnnypanther]

No criticism of his endeavor only it is now built into his mind set to either go backward or sideways when in possession of the ball.

and for those very reasons i believe that he should retire (or be told to retire) at the end of the season.

Given where our list is i think that his experience would be a liability to the younger players' development next year in the sense that his trademark "going backwards/sideways instinctively" has a tendency to spread like a cancer through the team.

Reilly (and sometimes Bock) are others who need to have this trait drummed out of their mindset.

 

[taylor_walker_13]

Mcleod is the only senior required to stay on next year Burton and Doughty are kidding themselves.

 

[Godallblighty]

I was under the impression Doughty saved his position on the list a couple of years back by making the tagging job his (after successfully holding Judd and a couple of other high-profile players). That was, I thought, the reason Shirley was let go. Doughty was seen as being able to do Shirl's job as a tagger and also offered a (little) bit more.

IMO he still has value in that role, provided he has the tank. I'm totally baffled that Reilly (!!!) has been given that job this year. Suggests to me that his stocks are really low and he's been offered it as a chance to add a blue-collar string to his bow.

 

[King Elvis]

No criticism of his endeavor only it is now built into his mind set to either go backward or sideways when in possession of the ball.

It's that mindset which is killing us whenever he gets the ball.

With the zones and gut-running of the good teams these days, almost everytime Doughty gets the ball, he delays forward movement long enough for the other team to get their zone set up and shut us down.

 

[sbenno]

I can't see Doughty continuing next year.

Form, age and precedent are all against him.

 

[Allbetsroff]

I'm NOT contemplating going to the toilet tommorow.

 

[WALL-e]

I'm contemplating going now....but if I do, I'll get distracted on the way and not get back to my desk.

 

[Vader]

It's interesting the way he's worded his responses, particularly this bit:

My future is on the line in the next 10 weeks and as a senior player I’d need to maintain that consistency for the second half of the year, which I think I can do.

It's as if he's been told that he needs to improve significantly if he is to be given another contract. Then again, he's looked down the barrel of the gun several times and managed to survive.

He won't be subjected to the Torney precedent. If he's retained he'll probably be our only player aged 29+, hardly a reason for concern - unlike the period when the Torney rule was in effect. If he's good enough in the 2nd half the year, then he'll get a new contract. If he's not, he'll be delisted. That's the law of the jungle in the AFL.

Given that wording, I'd say there's a 70-80% chance of delisting at the end of the season.

 

[WALL-e]

With the amount of AFL class rookies we have, and what we're looking for this draft....I say he goes.

Depends on trading etc though.

 

[Riggy1]

Doughty, Jacky, Cook, Reilly, Griffin and our 1st round draft pick for Bryce Gibbs?

 

[Campbell's Chunky]

Mcleod is the only senior required to stay on next year Burton and Doughty are kidding themselves.

Agree with this.

 

[WALL-e]

And seeing that the concensis is McLeod will Retire.......Stevo to be the oldest? And he isn't putting forth his best case either.

 

[Coopers]

Personally, I'd rather his position be given to Petrenko from a list management point of view.

That said, form determines selection - if he sorts it out he should stay on the list.

 

[Mismatched]

One good point that either Vader or Stabby raised is we get two spots on our list for veterans and if we dont use they then only become extra spots for rookie listed players.

If Doughty is of use to us we can keep him and put him on the veteran list so he wont actually be taking a spot on our main list and we just have one less rookie listed player.

But half his contract will still contribute to our salary cap, which could as much as 100k less in the salary cap, which with the GC coming in and their Salary concessions, could be kinda handy in keeping a couple youngsters here.

And seeing that the concensis is McLeod will Retire.......Stevo to be the oldest? And he isn't putting forth his best case either.

Not sure this will be too much of an issue, its time we moved on from these older guys anyway. They've had plenty of chance in the Ayres and early Craig years, time to give the ownership of the side to the newer breed of players. Similar to what we did in 97, it might be a bit of a breath of fresh air that pushes us to greater heights.