Big Willie's now a leader

[Bring Back the Spliff]

Heh!

Yeah, I'd sorta agree with that - but all it shows is that Willie is at least held in at least some kind of regard by his peers. It's also just an obvious tactic to try and keep him as focussed on footy OFF the field - as on. Same reason Crocker was named in Melbourne's group.

Because Crocker is actually a fairly good player - when he's actually concentrating on playing footy, and not trying to twist people's ears off, or rub their heads through the ground to China! You don't play SoO if you're a nuff-nuff, after all! (Unless you name is Paul Hauff).

But let's put things into perspectie here a bit Crocker's on-field antics outweigh Willie's approximately 150-to-1. And his off-field ones aren't much better!

And I for one, hope to see BOTH players playing good footy in 2006. And if these 'LEadership Groups' can help that - then what the hell - I am all for them.

I just don't agree a side should have 6 CAPTAINS - that is a deadset HONOUR - and should be separate from the 'Leadership Group'

IMO

 

[stuke]

thats about spot on...it is obviously an attempt to get him concentrating on the team and his game...for his sake i hope it works. also agree with the captains, only one is needed.

have to laugh at HAUFF!!!

 

[Sea_Eagles_Rock]

That is what Folkesey has obviously recognised in him - and is hoping to encourage - and develop.

This leadership group was picked - by the players - for the players.

So they obviously disagree with you! Utterly. Do you think you know Willie Mason and his character and potential better then they?

All you know is what you read. So off you go to pore through your Daily Telegraph now, Rebecca...Gotta know what to think tomorrow, after all, eh?- don't want to be behind the latest popular fashion, now! ;-)

I bet you this comes back to bite you firmly on the sarcastic ass.

 

[Bring Back the Spliff]

I bet you this comes back to bite you firmly on the sarcastic ass.

?

There is nothing in that particular post -

"That is what Folkesey has obviously recognised in him - and is hoping to encourage - and develop.

This leadership group was picked - by the players - for the players.

So they obviously disagree with you! Utterly. Do you think you know Willie Mason and his character and potential better then they?

All you know is what you read. So off you go to pore through your Daily Telegraph now, Rebecca...Gotta know what to think tomorrow, after all, eh?- don't want to be behind the latest popular fashion, now!"

that could possibly even give me a nip!

Please - do tell me - Which bit, specifically do you feel that I should I be wary of stalking me??

The bit about Willie's peers having recognised potential Leadership wualities in him?...Mate - even players Willie plays with at rep level - players from other clubs - have spoken in the past of his presence and his charisma!...Described him as nothing but a lovely, and likeable fella! Only people with a BAD word to say about Willie, in nfact - are the media - and the fans tht blindly believe every little bit of twaddle that is presented to them buy said media! I DEFY you to find a negative comment about Willie mason from an opposition player or coach!

In fact - he regularly socialises with many members of the Roosters (one of our deadliest enemies ON the field!) and Sharks...Doesn't sound to me like the complete monster-sunnuva that he's sposed to be!! :lol:

I myself have met Willie on a number of occasions in the past - both at official club functions, and just 'out and about' - and can vouch for all of that! He has never been anything but polite, respectful and charming - goes out of his way to speak to fans, when in public - and DEFINITELY has a 'presence' and charisma about him!

And the only thing being done here - is the club trying to harness that presence - and to ensure it is only used for good - and not wasted in minor larrikinism!

You got nothin' mate...just admit it - you're deadset strugglin'! ;-)

 

[innsaneink]

I agree with you spliff re mason.. why even Gus thinks he's foreman material....(I expect **** from someone for using gus in my argument)....but mate give the name dropping a rest eh? Smith yestrday, Mason today...tomorrow???

 

[Bring Back the Spliff]

I agree with you spliff re mason.. why even Gus thinks he's foreman material....(I expect **** from someone for using gus in my argument)....but mate give the name dropping a rest eh? Smith yestrday, Mason today...tomorrow???

Hehe! Yhanks for the support!

And btw - I don't actually KNOW Mason - never said that! But I have met him at fan days, and club-store signing days, and ran into him outside the SFS at a Sevens tournament a few years back (Where he stopped and talked to me and my mates for a good 10 mins - and even bent down let my then-fiancee (now wife) to 'ruffle his 'fro! :lol - And I have run into him a couple of times out on the town, once at Carmen's at Miranda, and several times, just having a quiet beer at the Leagues Club!

Ok, so I namedropped Jason Smith y'day!...But I make no apologies for that! LOL - Can u blame me?? I was feckin' thrilled to BITS to know someone that knew him - The bloke was a MAJOR footy hero of mine growing up (Till he joined Parra :evil: )

J.Smith is also a TOP bloke btw - very humble, and - well...just remarkably for all the world like a nice, normal knockabout bloke! Footy players are just people too - howwwww 'bout that, eh! Whou'da thunk it??? (Sorry - this is for the benefit of some of the others above, who seem to think they're ogres because of a few stories in the paper - not u!)

 

[Dr Crane]

Oh ffs Iam sick of hearing the same sh*t. His a thug, end of story.

He isn't a thug.

He's a wally.

Big difference.

 

[Sea_Eagles_Rock]

?

There is nothing in that particular post -

"That is what Folkesey has obviously recognised in him - and is hoping to encourage - and develop.

This leadership group was picked - by the players - for the players.

So they obviously disagree with you! Utterly. Do you think you know Willie Mason and his character and potential better then they?

All you know is what you read. So off you go to pore through your Daily Telegraph now, Rebecca...Gotta know what to think tomorrow, after all, eh?- don't want to be behind the latest popular fashion, now!"

that could possibly even give me a nip!

Please - do tell me - Which bit, specifically do you feel that I should I be wary of stalking me??

The bit about Willie's peers having recognised potential Leadership wualities in him?...Mate - even players Willie plays with at rep level - players from other clubs - have spoken in the past of his presence and his charisma!...Described him as nothing but a lovely, and likeable fella! Only people with a BAD word to say about Willie, in nfact - are the media - and the fans tht blindly believe every little bit of twaddle that is presented to them buy said media! I DEFY you to find a negative comment about Willie mason from an opposition player or coach!

In fact - he regularly socialises with many members of the Roosters (one of our deadliest enemies ON the field!) and Sharks...Doesn't sound to me like the complete monster-sunnuva that he's sposed to be!! :lol:

I myself have met Willie on a number of occasions in the past - both at official club functions, and just 'out and about' - and can vouch for all of that! He has never been anything but polite, respectful and charming - goes out of his way to speak to fans, when in public - and DEFINITELY has a 'presence' and charisma about him!

And the only thing being done here - is the club trying to harness that presence - and to ensure it is only used for good - and not wasted in minor larrikinism!

You got nothin' mate...just admit it - you're deadset strugglin'! ;-)

What does any of the above rubbish have to do with Mason's leadership ability? So what you have met him. So what he talks to Roosters players/fans.

Now obviously you don't understand which bit I'm talking about 'you will regret'. The 'you' is in reference to the club. Not you personally. The Bulldogs will regret putting leadership on Mason. He will stuff up for sure (be it fairly or unfairly by the press, because yes I do agree some of it is absolute rubbish. Drugs issue or the concert thing as an example.) and the situation will turn into a bad PR situation again. And PR does actually count. This actually effects his peformance on the field. The media will keep the heat on him now even hotter than they have before because he is a leader now.

You mentioned Hoppa before, and he is the perfect example. Manly did the same thing to him last season as voted by his peers. He was added to the leadership group. How many rounds did it last? Hoppa was always going to be bad PR for Manly. So round 1 he has to apologise to a ball boy, round 3 (I think) he has a brain fart that ends his career. Now before you jump the gun, I sincerely doubt it will come to those extremes for the the dogs. But the point remains... Hoppa was a target for the media, as is Mason. It's no different on the field. Mason is a target. He has a hot head at times. He does silly things. When he focuses on doing nothing but his job he is almost unstoppable. But he just looses focus too much. That is not something you want to be spreading through a team. A leader commands respect by how he conducts himself at all times. No doubt he is liked by his peers and they all want the best for him. But is it what is best for the team???

What happened to the Bulldogs media blackout anyway? That was the smartest thing they have ever done!

 

[Bring Back the Spliff]

Hooray! an actual SENSIBLE post!...See - it wan't that hard, now was it??

Now let's see here...

What does any of the above rubbish have to do with Mason's leadership ability? So what you have met him. So what he talks to Roosters players/fans.

What does it have to do with his leadership qualities?...Well apart from EVERYTHING...you're quite right - nothing! Willie Mason has a charismatic personality that makes people want to be around him - and to a certain extent - to follow him - and the club is trying to make sure that the younger players that all look up to him - look up to him while he's doing all the RIGHT things - not the wrong things - and he HAS done wrong in the past - this is not in dispute! And I have never said that Mason is acleanskin. Never. But - Somewhere between the angel that some people make him out to be - and the devil incarnate that the media would have you believe - somewhere in between these 2 extremes. Is the actual truth. Willie Mason is not that bad. Not that irresponsible. And not that stupid.

Now obviously you don't understand which bit I'm talking about 'you will regret'. The 'you' is in reference to the club. Not you personally. The Bulldogs will regret putting leadership on Mason. He will stuff up for sure (be it fairly or unfairly by the press, because yes I do agree some of it is absolute rubbish. Drugs issue or the concert thing as an example.) and the situation will turn into a bad PR situation again. And PR does actually count. This actually effects his peformance on the field. The media will keep the heat on him now even hotter than they have before because he is a leader now

You mentioned Hoppa before, and he is the perfect example. Manly did the same thing to him last season as voted by his peers. He was added to the leadership group. How many rounds did it last? Hoppa was always going to be bad PR for Manly. So round 1 he has to apologise to a ball boy, round 3 (I think) he has a brain fart that ends his career. Now before you jump the gun, I sincerely doubt it will come to those extremes for the the dogs. But the point remains... Hoppa was a target for the media, as is Mason. It's no different on the field. Mason is a target. He has a hot head at times. He does silly things. When he focuses on doing nothing but his job he is almost unstoppable. But he just looses focus too much. That is not something you want to be spreading through a team. A leader commands respect by how he conducts himself at all times. No doubt he is liked by his peers and they all want the best for him. But is it what is best for the team???

If the Bulldogs club pay for this decision - then so be it! But I for one - see the decision as PERFECTLY reasonable, and logical - and, in fact - think it is the smartest possible mive they could make at this point in his career. I honestly & completely think that this will be the making of Willie Mason - because at the core of Willie Mason - is a fine human being - and a surprisingly sharp, clever and intelligent one. The difference between Hoppa and Willie Mason - is about 100 SERIOUS indiscretions - both on field and off - and a good 100 IQ points. (In Mason's favour - should I even need to explain that!). John Hopoate by all accounts - is a quiet and nice fella off the field. But when he gets involved in ANY kind of competition - he turns into an absolutely certifiable raving LUNATIC!! nospam29 doesn't even begin to cover Hoppa's issues! In short - I believe Mason to be CAPABLE of change...whilst I can barely believe that John Hopoate is capable of tying his own shoelaces of a morning.

It happens - it's just inbuilt into some people's natures - look at Jason Stevens as a case in point - 'lovely, Christian salt-of -the-Earth' fella OFF the field....deadset grubby little ANIMAL on it! All knees and elbows and facials and wedgies. He crossed that white line - and turned into an absolute TOOL!

What happened to the Bulldogs media blackout anyway? That was the smartest thing they have ever done!

Because the fans are eventually the ones that suffer through such actions - the Bulldogs club took a stand - and I am DAMN proud and glad that they did. Someone had to! But point made - we must move on. If we don't we'll be like the seeming masses of people that will still try to chew your ear off about Super League - as if it 'king actually matters any more! There comes a point when you must just let things go..agree to disagree if you must...and move on.

Anyway - only time will tell on Mason. But I have every confidence that this is the right decision.

And if we trace this thread back - the only issue I originally really had - was people calling MAson a 'thug' - when this could not be further than the truth. As I said - show me Mason's judiciary record. It is all but non-existant! Thug is ENTIRELY the wrong word!! Silly? Yes. Immature? Sure! Easily distracted, and guilty of not taking his footy seriously enough at times? For sure!...But a THUG?...Not having a bar of it, sorry!

 

[Sea_Eagles_Rock]

Well it seems you have dropped the personal abuse and got down yourself to look at the issue.

You clearly can see now where I am coming from. Only you have faith in his ability to change. I don't.

As for Hoppa, just remember his biggest mess up was the finger thing and that was not in a Manly jersey. He got a lifeline from more than Manly and that was because he had talent.

Mason has made no serious errors on the field. It's off the field he has had his problems. And just for the record, in never said Mason is a thug.

 

[sharknows]

Seriously guys, now that Willie has passed his drivers licence test he really can be a leader - he can teach all those young doggies how to get through that tough knowledge test that so many in the general population can't..... a leader???? Does he even know what the word means???