No kennel room for an old Dog
THE Western Bulldogs want Matthew Boyd to retire.
The club wants you to believe the former captain is injured. He’s not so incapacitated that he can’t play.
If it was a final this weekend, Boyd would be picked. But this is Round 10, and he’s on the sidelines.
According to the official injury list from the Western Bulldogs, he has a shoulder injury and he’ll be out for another 1-2 weeks with a potential return after the bye.
Now I’m not someone to argue with Gary Zimmerman, but it seems the cotton wool around Boyd is too much.
It’s my understanding that he was not going to be offered another contract midway through last year, but after a stunning turn of form, selection in the All-Australian team for the third time and a coveted premiership medal, the club decided to put a one-year deal on the table.
Like all AFL clubs, list management isn’t only a conversation had once the season is over. The Bulldogs are moving forward with planning their next flag and need to invest development into fresh legs.
All clubs have to make tough calls on stalwarts, rarely is the player going to be happy with the tap on the shoulder and his locker cleaned out for a newbie. But it happens every year.
At Geelong the tough decision was made at the end of 2016 with Jimmy Bartel.
There’s no doubt Bartel wanted to play out his contract, but there was no way the club could guarantee he wouldn’t see the sun set on his glorious career while playing in the senior side.
It was a frank discussion, but the decision was the right one. It’s enabled young players such as James Parsons, Brandon Parfitt, Nakia Cockatoo and Mark O’Connor to further develop on the big stage.
Hawthorn managed player exits differently in 2016 with club greats Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis being traded.
Mitchell is only 37 days older than Boyd, so his former club let him going knowing that he’d be picked up.
I doubt many clubs would have been knocking on the door of Boyd at the end of last year.
Hindsight is wonderful, we say that often, but I wonder if Boyd should have thanked his lucky stars that he reached the top of the mountain and stepped back from footy.
I’m sure now he’s tasted September glory he wants it again, but clubs have to work out the best situation for everyone concerned.
The time has come for tough decisions. Boyd will be the first one to fall. After 289 games, he might make it to 300, but probably only if the club goes deep into the finals.
I’m a fan of coach Luke Beveridge and what he and his coaching team achieved last year with the Doggies
I’m also a fan of Boyd. He’s won three best-and-fairest awards, captained the club for three years and been chosen in the AFL All-Australian team three times.
They’re remarkable achievements, and he should be proud, but what the fans don’t like seeing is a player of his calibre fading out in the magoos.
Supporters want the truth about their heroes.
If the club wants to farewell Matty Boyd, then it needs to do it properly. He’s a club great, he needs to be treated as such.