Former Western Bulldogs captain Robert Murphy says that while Jake Stringer’s sudden exit has surprised him, the want-away forward has been a frustration internally at the club for a number of years.
The 23-year-old is seeking a trade to a new club after falling out with the Dogs last week following his exit interview for the season, with Geelong and Essendon the leading suitors for his signature.
Murphy says that Stinger would acknowledge that there has been a sense of frustration surrounding him at the club in recent years, and that after another disappointing season change could have always been on the cards.
However the sudden escalation of proceedings in the past two weeks has shocked the club’s now retired former skipper.
“There’s been a frustration for a couple of years and you know that after a poor year that change can happen… I think he would also acknowledge that there has been a sense of frustration over the past couple of years,” Murphy told SEN Breakfast.
“Saying that, I’m still surprised at how quickly it has escalated. I think a young bloke who is put up for trade there will always be a sense of shock.
“A lot has escalated in the past couple of weeks… I have been taken aback about how much it has escalated since we got bundled out of the finals in Round 23.”
The former Dogs defender says that he also doubts the reports that Stringer was shocked at the results of his exit meeting.
“The internal pressure and scrutiny of standards for AFL players these days is as focused as any industry in the country,” said Murphy.
“The idea that a player could get to the end of a season and be shocked about where they’re at, that doesn’t sit well with me.
“I find that jarring. I can’t quite see how that would possibly go.
“I think the inference is that they pulled their punches in the exit meeting and from what I know of Luke (Beveridge) and the other management team, that doesn’t strike me as accurate.”
Regardless of what happens now for Stringer, Murphy believes his exit from the 2016 premiers will be considered a disappointment for the Dogs’ leaders and that they will all hold themselves partly responsible.
“Particularly those of us who are in positions of leadership this year will have a sense of disappointment and failure that it hasn’t worked. We all need to shoulder that responsibility,” he said.
However the ex-Dog still holds hope that Stringer could change his mind and stay with the club.
“He’s high talent, he’s got huge self-belief but he is not yet a fanatic for the daily grind,” said Murphy.
“I still hold out some hope that it could be patched up. At the moment it is very raw. It’s a big exit meeting and it has all been blown up.”
However Garry Lyon and Sam McClure are both adamant that Murphy’s former teammate will be applying his trade elsewhere in 2018.
“I think you’re being unbelievably romantic and optimistic Bob, that’s what I love about you, but that isn’t happening. He isn’t going back to the Dogs,” said Lyon.
The AFL Trade Period starts on Monday October 2.