Robert Murphy - new Western Bulldogs captain

[Super Hans]

Happy for murph - seems a good bloke. However it's a bit of an indictment on the club that a 22 year old bloke (Liberatore - going by reports of other bulldog supporters, not my opinion) is next in line. Seems a little too similar to the Jack Trengove situation at the Dees.

I'd say most bulldogs people (on our board atleast) are saying it won't be Libba. Stringer and Hrovat seem to be the two young guys with leadership written all over them.

 

[Northworth]

sound choice
kind of a holding pattern to give the younger brigade the chance to establish their leadership credentials

 

[Mukesh]

Word around the traps is that Murphy may not be the same guy you get on camera.

You are gonna have to do better than that sort of unsubstantiated crap...

 

[Mukesh]

I will just leave. Was only backing up a poster who claimed it. I hope you guys go well with Murphy as your interim leader.

Oh...the old 'its on the internet so it must be true' defence... take a walk..

 

[Righteo]

Seems the natural choice for next season at least but who do Dogs fans like in 2016 and beyond? Dahlhaus to me looks like he has all the qualities you want, really struck me how often he would will something to happen when the Dogs were in trouble (which was quite a lot) last year and he's pretty clean too. Huge dearth of quality in the 24-29 age bracket for the Dogs though so most of the likely names are either too old or too young.

 

[reg_lower91]

The dogs were in a premiership window 5 years ago, so they lack players in that 24-30 year age gap. The 3 best from that age range left - Harbrow, Ward, Griffen.

Indictment kind of implies the dogs have done something wrong to have no leadership in that age group. Maybe that's fair.

Doesn't necessarily mean those higher up at the Doggies have done something wrong. It probably more says that, over the past few years, there's something they're not doing right. List management, personnel appointments, general environment, etc.

I was fully supportive when you got Boyd across. However I'm now inclined to think that it might come back to hurt you guys if you could have otherwise used that money to get two good players in that 23-28 age bracket (I.e. Two Goddard types). Thats purely hypothetical, however there's no point signing a bloke who's 20yo when there's a clear hole in the list for that 23-28 age group for both playing ability and leadership.

 

[Testekill]

I was fully supportive when you got Boyd across. However I'm now inclined to think that it might come back to hurt you guys if you could have otherwise used that money to get two good players in that 23-28 age bracket (I.e. Two Goddard types). Thats purely hypothetical, however there's no point signing a bloke who's 20yo when there's a clear hole in the list for that 23-28 age group for both playing ability and leadership.

So who should we have recruited then? Who were feasibly on the table that we could bring in while we were obviously imploding? You'd get a Melbourne situation from a couple of years ago where you'd only get guys that were either never that good or whose best was clearly behind them.

I mean holy shit, it's one thing to say that we should get more experience and talent then another thing to actually get it when we look like a weak target and would have to pay way overs to secure anyone. Let's say that we wanted a player of Goddards quality, we'd have to part with a Stringer/Macrae/Wallis for a club to want to trade them and even then they'd have to want to come to us.

 

[reg_lower91]

So who should we have recruited then? Who were feasibly on the table that we could bring in while we were obviously imploding? You'd get a Melbourne situation from a couple of years ago where you'd only get guys that were either never that good or whose best was clearly behind them.

I mean holy shit, it's one thing to say that we should get more experience and talent then another thing to actually get it when we look like a weak target and would have to pay way overs to secure anyone. Let's say that we wanted a player of Goddards quality, we'd have to part with a Stringer/Macrae/Wallis for a club to want to trade them and even then they'd have to want to come to us.

I did say it was purely hypothetical...

 

[Schauermann]

Good choice by the club there's no point following what MFC did and appoint a captain that's not ready.

Melbourne also failed in giving it to someone older in Green.

Still like Murphy as captain. Not sure the dogs have someone Griffin's age (which probably was perfect) to give it to...

 

[blitzer]

I think most people are acknowledge its best to have players around 26-30 range as captain (maybe 24/25+ for very talented players) if you were just judging purely on age. The Bulldogs have a lack of players and leaders in the ideal bracket. So they might be in a position where after Murphy they need to give it to someone just for a year or two to hold down the role until their long term prospect is ready.

The decision itself to make Murphy captain is fine given the lack of viable alternatives but yeah its symptomatic of a lack of quality players in the 25-30 age group. But Bulldogs have a number of talented young players that they will be confident in being able to fill that leadership void in a few years so its not too bad.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Always liked Murphy as a player. Seems like a top bloke off the field too.

 

[MaddAdam]

Because maybe Liberatore isn't ready to take on the captaincy at 22 years of age? or probably won't ever be a sole captain.

Could work wonders like it did for Wayne Carey.

Or could work bad wonders like for Jack Trengove.

 

[MaddAdam]

Calling bullshit. Prove it or get the **** out

Everyone I know who has met him says he's a rare case where the public persona is pretty much the private guy.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Bobby should be a good leader for the puppys.

 

[TigerTime3]

Well deserved.

As a neutral, I think this is a great appointment. Well done dogs.

 

[Super Hans]

Seems the natural choice for next season at least but who do Dogs fans like in 2016 and beyond? Dahlhaus to me looks like he has all the qualities you want, really struck me how often he would will something to happen when the Dogs were in trouble (which was quite a lot) last year and he's pretty clean too. Huge dearth of quality in the 24-29 age bracket for the Dogs though so most of the likely names are either too old or too young.

Hrovat and Stringer are the two that are always mentioned. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't Hrovat.

Libba and Dahl are two who probably wouldn't want it. Not very media friendly guys, more lead by example types.

 

[Scotland]

Could work wonders like it did for Wayne Carey.

Or could work bad wonders like for Jack Trengove.

Carey was a reasonably accomplished player when he took over the North captaincy. Four years in the system and the better part of 3 full seasons behind him. Was pretty good in 1992. 5th in the Brownlow good.

Trengove went into 2012 as a 20 year old 37 gamer. He was OK in his first two years, but not Chris Judd/Ollie Wiines 'holy shit this kid is amazing' good.

 

[captain cotch 9]

Surley he will be captain in 2016 as well.
Get another 40 games into a young player and let them prove a bit more before giving them the responsibility and pressure of being captain.

 

[MarkT2]

Should be more of this. Respected club stalwart, still best 22 and with leadership qualities.
Clubs are too keen to appoint long term captains. This give the Dogs a year or so to groom someone to take over and test the bona fides of one or two they might have on the radar.

 

[Scotland]

Melbourne also failed in giving it to someone older in Green.

Melbourne failed in turfing Junior McDonald, appointing Green then demoting him a year later.

I think the next WB captain will be Macrae, Stringer or Wallis. I base that on nothing other than watching a few of their games.

You never know, Murphy might hang around for another two years and they'll give the job to Tom Boyd.

 

[Firebat]

I would have thought Matty Boyd or Cross. Dogs are a weird bunch

 

[doggies ftw]

Murphs definitely the right choice for now, and he looks like the type of player who could definitely stick around to 34 or so IMO. If he can hold the role until the end of 2016 we will have quite a lot of options to take over. In recent years leadership skills and character has been a huge factor in our drafting and we will see the benefits of that in a few years I reckon. Next in line would probably be Roughy or Wallis, even Koby Stevens if he could cement a spot in the side oozes leadership, agree that Libba and Dahl probably wouldn't want it and are maybe a bit shy for the media side of things but they're highly respected by their peers and will probably be apart of the leadership group, then younger again you've got Bonts, Hrovat, Stringer, Boyd who are all known to be great leaders but obviously not ready.

So while we dont' have too many options now we will have plenty in a few years.

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

I would have thought Matty Boyd or Cross. Dogs are a weird bunch

LOL. You want to us to give it to someone who'll be in the VFL all year or someone no longer at the club.

 

[ManOfClay]

I would have thought Matty Boyd or Cross. Dogs are a weird bunch

Haha as has been pointed out, Daniel Cross played for Melbourne in 2014. Boyd is ideally not best 22, unlike Murphy

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

LOL. You want to us to give it to someone who'll be in the VFL all year or someone no longer at the club.

Matty Boyd will not be in the VFL .. was never gonna captain after already having done it ... agreed though that Cross would be a controversial choice though