Goodbye and good riddance Ben Graham

[tayls]

Well Ben has decided to leave, cant say im disappointed, it was the sort of thing i would have expected from him. He is turning his back on a club that has stuck by him thru thick and thin, when he was the worst captain we ever had they stuck by him. We dont need him to win a flag, it will be a good chance for someone else to step up into the side. At least playing as a punter in the NFL he wont have to get hit, he'll like that. At least the frustration of watching him play sometimes will now be gone and we wont hear all the dumb fans say as soon as he gets the ball "kick it long Benny", cant say i'll miss that. Good luck over there Ben i hope you do well, you can watch from afar as the Cats enter a period of glory that you will miss out on, and believe me when we win a flag and you are not a part of it you will rue this decision to leave. But fear not Cat fans you will see next year that we dont really need Ben Graham to win a flag. Good by and good riddance Ben.

 

[JUBJUB]

Crikey,I thought Richmond fans were good moaners.

 

[answerman]

Crikey,I thought Richmond fans were good moaners.

Oooohhhhhh, Jub, I really don't want to know about what you've been getting up to.

 

[tayls]

i dont think that is moaning at all, it is just an opinion, what am i moaning about? i think it was quite a positive and constructive comment.

 

[worthogs]

Well Ben has decided to leave, cant say im disappointed, it was the sort of thing i would have expected from him. He is turning his back on a club that has stuck by him thru thick and thin, when he was the worst captain we ever had they stuck by him. We dont need him to win a flag, it will be a good chance for someone else to step up into the side. At least playing as a punter in the NFL he wont have to get hit, he'll like that. At least the frustration of watching him play sometimes will now be gone and we wont hear all the dumb fans say as soon as he gets the ball "kick it long Benny", cant say i'll miss that. Good luck over there Ben i hope you do well, you can watch from afar as the Cats enter a period of glory that you will miss out on, and believe me when we win a flag and you are not a part of it you will rue this decision to leave. But fear not Cat fans you will see next year that we dont really need Ben Graham to win a flag. Good by and good riddance Ben.

So who is going to be your new target in 2005 now Graham is gone??/ Perhaps they can re draft Mensch to please the supporter base. I miss the Bargearse banner.

 

[Blackjack5]

i dont think that is moaning at all, it is just an opinion, what am i moaning about? i think it was quite a positive and constructive comment.

Your kidding...right?

You say that GFC stuck with Ben Graham through thick and thin??

Wrong.

It was Ben Graham that stayed with the cats through a number of rough years; at a time when any team would have loved to have had Benny playing as their fullback. This was a period of time (the 'post-Ayres recovery years" as I like to call them) when there seemed to be nothing going for GFC, huge financial problems, a list with seemingly little potential and a coach who at that time was unproven as a senior coach and who supporters had little faith in.

I'm as dissapointed as the next guy about Benny leaving, but I dont think he should be remembered as a villian. He is doing what is best for his family and for himself. Family must come before football.

There will be a massive hole to fill at CHF in 2005, all we can do is to hope that either Lonergan or McCarthy are able to stand up and take on the role as a senior KPP.

 

[iameviljez]

Agreed. Graham was a natural defender.
Anyway... look, imagine if he did his knee playing footy. His NFL career would be shot to pieces and I think that was always his dream.
We'll miss him no doubt but then we have the options of Kingsley, Playfair, McCarthy, Lonergan, Mackie, etc to trial out... Graham was 30 years old, mind!

 

[JUBJUB]

Oooohhhhhh, Jub, I really don't want to know about what you've been getting up to.

Wash your mouth out !

 

[angrytiger]

the potiential to earn 1 million ayear, the potiential to set up his family for life why would he not go. Good luck benny do it for aussies everywhere.

 

[tayls]

Why would he not go! so he can stay here to play in a premiership with his mates.

 

[flagfor05]

i dont think that is moaning at all, it is just an opinion, what am i moaning about? i think it was quite a positive and constructive comment.

Positive and constructive? You are a genuine **********head! We should be saying good riddance to you to go off this board. I can't believe you would say this about Graham, Have you been oblivious to the way he's played for Geelong this year and for his 12 years. If you have, the pull out some tapes and watch them. IDIOT!

 

[skywalk750]

Angret, Regret ect are wasted emotions. He has left, nothing we can do. He provided over 200 games of service to our club, lets leave it at that. He has chosen what is best for him and his family and lets hope things work out well for him.

Lets look at our own backyard now instead of getting sidetracked and work on another youngster taking up the reins and becoming a good key forward!

 

[F/D]

Benny Graham was one of the best full backs in my time and never got any recognition for it. Good luck Benny and I wish you and your family well.

 

[tayls]

Hey flagfor05 if you knew anything about football you would realise that Ben Graham was one the most overpaid players in the AFL for what he delivered. Just refer to comments in the Addy this morning from ex teammate Tim McGrath who said the same thing and he would know more than you. If you watched Graham you would see that his reluctance to present himself to a contest on so many occasions was why he was not that good, you dont have to take 12 marks a game to be a good centre half forward, you just have to keep presenting yourself as a target something he didnt do well. As for Ben as a full back well thats another story, he was ok but really is it that hard a position all you do is stand next to your opponent, at least Scarlett creates. Id be happy to look at the tapes with you just to show you exactly how well he played. Its clowns like you that think they know a lot about football but dont, have you played the game at all or are you just a watcher who thinks they know what they are talking about.

 

[lowbo]

As for Ben as a full back well thats another story, he was ok but really is it that hard a position all you do is stand next to your opponent, at least Scarlett creates.

Very simple. Cant understand how Gehrig, Lloyd, Hall, Neitz, Richo, Fevola etc kicked their way to the top 10 goalkickers list. Full backs only have to defend 1 guy for the entire game, and not lapse in concentration for a few minutes & conceded 3-4 goals. Never mind that to restrict the FFs listed above to under 2 goals a game is decent return, cos its so simple. and never mind that ben graham was close to being all-australian full back a few yrs back, bceause its such an easy job there should be more contenders.

 

[tayls]

Do you know what you are talking about lowbo. On or two good seasons dont make a player, have you ever played at full back, i have not a hard position, if you get a bag kicked on you you blame the midfield for not putting pressure on, if you do well its coz the midfield gave away no easy kicks and put pressure on their opposition, its all in the delivery alot of the time.

 

[Dakota]

Wash your mouth out !

Gross, it even has little bits of vomit stuck on its teeth when it smiles!

 

[swampdog]

Well Ben has decided to leave, cant say im disappointed, it was the sort of thing i would have expected from him. He is turning his back on a club that has stuck by him thru thick and thin, when he was the worst captain we ever had they stuck by him. We dont need him to win a flag, it will be a good chance for someone else to step up into the side. At least playing as a punter in the NFL he wont have to get hit, he'll like that. At least the frustration of watching him play sometimes will now be gone and we wont hear all the dumb fans say as soon as he gets the ball "kick it long Benny", cant say i'll miss that. Good luck over there Ben i hope you do well, you can watch from afar as the Cats enter a period of glory that you will miss out on, and believe me when we win a flag and you are not a part of it you will rue this decision to leave. But fear not Cat fans you will see next year that we dont really need Ben Graham to win a flag. Good by and good riddance Ben.

Mate you are a F$%#ING TOOL, Ben was a great player for our club.

 

[JUBJUB]

As for Ben as a full back well thats another story, he was ok but really is it that hard a position all you do is stand next to your opponent, at least Scarlett creates. Id be happy to look at the tapes with you just to show you exactly how well he played. Its clowns like you that think they know a lot about football but dont, have you played the game at all or are you just a watcher who thinks they know what they are talking about.

This is one of the biggest loads of bulltish I've ever read on Bigfooty.

 

[Blackjack5]

Hey flagfor05 if you knew anything about football you would realise that Ben Graham was one the most overpaid players in the AFL for what he delivered ...

...As for Ben as a full back well thats another story, he was ok but really is it that hard a position all you do is stand next to your opponent, at least Scarlett creates. Id be happy to look at the tapes with you just to show you exactly how well he played. Its clowns like you that think they know a lot about football but dont, have you played the game at all or are you just a watcher who thinks they know what they are talking about.

This is absolute crap.

Ben Graham's earlier years as a backman were years whereby Ben Graham almost single handedly saved Geelong from being the laughing stock of the football world. His runs off half-back and pin point accuracy from 60 metres away spotting a running player through the mid-field were outstanding. He was certainly the best fullback in the competition for at least 2 years.

all you do is stand next to your opponent You talk about having played the game etc, but it appears as though you have little idea of what playing full back requires. It is a lot more than simply 'standing next to your opponent'.

clowns like you that think they know a lot about football but dont

Mate, from this post I would say that you fall into this category.

 

[Funky Colin]

Guys (and tayls),

I don't follow Geelong, but as a keen follower of footy, always thought Ben Graham to be an honest, quality person who was a very, very good footballer. I agree with most of the comments made by the posters here.

Tayls - pull your lip up over your forehead son because you're getting a caning at the moment, and it won't get any better. Oh, and for the record, I've played over 15 seasons of top grade VAFA football, mainly in the backline, and firmly believe Graham was a very good defender, and worked hard when asked to play out of his natural position as a forward target.

Show him more respect, and accept that his decision was influenced by the need to set up the next 10 years of his sporting life/career.

Ben Graham - very good career, and well done.

 

[goaldrush1977]

Tayls calm down.

There's no need to be so angry over Ben Graham's decision to leave.

 

[tayls]

Gee i must agree i am copping it. well sorry for having an opinion, remember it is just that, doesn't mean i am right and all you are wrong, maybe i am not as forgiving as some people, i expect someone on a wage such as what Ben Graham was on to have done a lot more. It's good to see everyone stick up for him, i must not have been standing near you in the outer when Ben was playing.
Black Jack i didnt say that all you do at full back is stand next to your opponent, if you could read i said how Scarlett runs and creates as well.
As for you JubJub you think this is a load of bulltish well im sorry that i dont accept mediocrity on the football field, especially form a captain.
Sorry funky but the amount of times i saw Ben fail to work hard at CHF was many. At times he just refused to present when he should. I just dont rate him as high as others do.
As for credentials i have played over 10 years of football at senior level so i believe i do know what i am talking about.
It been entertaing though having a verbal joust with everyone, just remember we all have opinions which are not right or wrong, debate suc has this is what makes the world turn, and its a bit of fun.
Thank you all for your opinions.

 

[goaldrush1977]

Gee i must agree i am copping it. well sorry for having an opinion, remember it is just that, doesn't mean i am right and all you are wrong, maybe i am not as forgiving as some people, i expect someone on a wage such as what Ben Graham was on to have done a lot more. It's good to see everyone stick up for him, i must not have been standing near you in the outer when Ben was playing.
Black Jack i didnt say that all you do at full back is stand next to your opponent, if you could read i said how Scarlett runs and creates as well.
As for you JubJub you think this is a load of bulltish well im sorry that i dont accept mediocrity on the football field, especially form a captain.
Sorry funky but the amount of times i saw Ben fail to work hard at CHF was many. At times he just refused to present when he should. I just dont rate him as high as others do.
As for credentials i have played over 10 years of football at senior level so i believe i do know what i am talking about.
It been entertaing though having a verbal joust with everyone, just remember we all have opinions which are not right or wrong, debate suc has this is what makes the world turn, and its a bit of fun.
Thank you all for your opinions.

You just have to learn not to take it so damn seriously.

 

[johnnymac]

geez mate you must not have seen many full backs. How old are you ?

And as for previous posts suggesting mackie lonergan and mccarthy can play half forward you are dreaming.
Also a good center half should be able to take 12 marks a game, not just present themselves (what is presenting anyway , dropping marks??). I have never heard of a good center half who just presents himself, however i have heard of riewolt, carey, brown, tredrea who can take "12 marks" week in week out.