https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8Qfke-CQDEAkermanis on Open Mike (30 May 2012)this vid covers it very well, and some other gems worth revisiting.

Interesting interview w.s

He's certainly not a fan of a Bobby Murphy.

Jason Akermanis was 100% right about the Bulldogs

And i always suspected their 'leaders' were selfish and cared only for their individual stats, mainly Brad Johnson and Luke Darcy

but Brad Johnson was the worst. he was their captain and nothing but a goal hungry squib

The 'leadership' culture of those players has been passed down to guys like Griffen, Cooney and co.

Cooney attending the Hawks GF celebrations speaks volumes of his character and leadership qualities. I would have been on the phone to his manager the next day saying I think you need to shop Adam around for a new home because that is not the sort of leadership I expect to be shown to our younger players

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8Qfke-CQDEAkermanis on Open Mike (30 May 2012)this vid covers it very well, and some other gems worth revisiting.

Very interesting, especially the part about the players going on fan forms under a different alius.

I wonder if any Demon players read this site?

Cooney attending the Hawks GF celebrations speaks volumes of his character and leadership qualities. I would have been on the phone to his manager the next day saying I think you need to shop Adam around for a new home because that is not the sort of leadership I expect to be shown to our younger players

Wow!! I didn't hear that.

That is so not cool.

GF celebrations are sacred to those involved...

Wow!! I didn't hear that.

That is so not cool.

GF celebrations are sacred to those involved...

I've heard it being discussed a few times on radio but here is an article where they refer to it

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/adam-cooney-joins-western-bulldogs-exodus-advises-club-hes-open-to-being-traded/story-fni5fazt-1227085586191

I know he and Lake are friends but FFS pick your moment and a shocking look

I've heard it being discussed a few times on radio but here is an article where they refer to it

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/adam-cooney-joins-western-bulldogs-exodus-advises-club-hes-open-to-being-traded/story-fni5fazt-1227085586191

I know he and Lake are friends but FFS pick your moment and a shocking look

Suprised he was even let in!!

The players usually call the shots at most weak clubs. The First Lady of Football is telling us that ~ Coaches exit as player power rises in the AFL.

Does anyone doubt the influence of the players in the decisions that led to the sacking of our last three coaches or that even Paul Roos' position depends on his having their confidence?

I wouldn't be listening to Akermanis' drivel but there's little doubt that McCartney was undermined from within the club by discontented players from the senior group.

Pity really because I thought the combination of experience and youth at the Bulldogs was a good model for improvement and movement up the ladder with the experience and leadership being the one thing we lacked in comparison to the Doggies. Certainly, in both games we played them this year, I thought it was the cool heads among their leaders that helped their younger players and together, this got them across the line in tight finishes.

That theory's now gone down the toilet (and I can go back to blaming the umpires).

We may be seeing an excellerating trend here where longstanding senior players with currency in teams that are a long way off a flag jumping ship en mass. This can only help the better and wealthier clubs to keep topping up their lists.

Griffin and Cooney have been long standing servants but have had little effect in making their clubs contenders in the overall big picture.. So will they be missed? Their perceived value may be countered by the general club instabilty linked towards them. If you want out then start causing trouble, and blame the coach, its just too easy. IMO the Bulldogs have made a huge premature mistake removing McCartney. They have lost players that were not keen in helping out the direction the club was heading in and now also have no coach. Player power is starting to get out of control.

The Aka thing is also generational. He came from the last of those hard as nails coaching styles at Brisbane.

Clarko pulls it off at Hawthorn but that's also because of the age demographic and the hardening up of their culture that occurred due to early success (2008), and how hard they realised they'd have to work to get back there.

Most kids coming in now need a balance of love and pressure. McCartney clearly believed that the senior players deserved a whack to help them grow, but they don't see the kids getting one too and they got put out by it. It's more likely to do with the way it was handled versus the message.

It's pretty ugly now though. Their senior players look very selfish, they've got no coach, and the kids will be crushed without support around them.

It's not us though!