Veteran Bulldog Bob Murphy will stay at Whitten Oval for the 2015 season despite writing in his column for The Age onThursday that the large contingent of young players in the team for last Saturday's victory over Gold Coast in Cairns meant that in a sense ''this is not my team any more''.
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Murphy, 32, signed a one-year contract with the Western Bulldogs, ensuring the club will maintain some senior presence at a time when it is rebuilding the team with a strong list of young up-and-comers.
''I’m still enjoying my footy ... so it’s great to get another contract. I’m really happy about it,'' Murphy said.
The creative defender is arguably playing some of the best football of his career, having played every game this season. Being a leader to the club’s young players is a ''huge part'' of his role, Murphy said, adding that seeing how they are ''shaping our footy club and keen to come along for the ride'' was an exciting prospect.
Murphy is the second-oldest player at the Bulldogs and only one of five aged over 30. The other four remain out of contract at the end of the season. While 31-year-olds Matthew Boyd and Dale Morris remain mainstays of the side, Daniel Giansiracusa, 32, has not played since round 14, and rookie-listed Brett Goodes, 30, has been restricted to two AFL games this season.
With a slew of big-name veterans pulling the plug on their playing careers in the past few weeks, including St Kilda's Lenny Hayes and the Brisbane Lions' Jonathan Brown, Murphy said the thought of retirement had crossed his mind but he still had the strength and endurance to keep going.
''There’s a few of my generation who’ve wound up and it just gets you thinking about footy and time but, personally, I feel good. I think I’ve still got something to offer,'' he said.
Coach Brendan McCartney was full of praise for Murphy, whom he described as one of the Bulldogs' ''all-time greats''.
''He’s just a high-quality person who has great values, consistent behaviours and has an undeniable love and passion for his club. And he has time for people, that’s why he’s so respected,'' he said.
McCartney said Murphy’s performance in Cairns was one of the best games he’s played in his two-and-a-half years as coach. ''He’s winning crucial contests and using the ball as well as ever.''
Asked if he was disappointed the contract was only for 12 months, McCartney was tight-lipped. ''It’s one week at a time, one year at a time. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,'' he said.
