Spida Retires

[Jeffers1984]

Not unexpected.

Sad way for him to go out but congrats on a great career anyways.

Had his moments with the Swans last year but probably didn't work out in the end.

[mcs]

Just showed on Ch 7 Spida announcing his retirement. Got him a couple of years too late, but I really hope he stays on and becomes a coach for our team. Imo one of the very best tap ruckman ever in the game, and it would be excellent if we could maintain him to bring on the next gen.

[mcs]

ah you beat me! Mods please delete other thread.

Great career, but it was a gamble that really probably didnt pay off for us. Had we got him at the end of 05 instead of the end of 06, imo we would of went back to back.

I really hope he stays around though, would be an excellent ruck coach and a great influence around the club.

[hammo]

Yeah a great career which deserves a grand final at least, unfortunately didn't work out that way for him.

I thought Spida was very good for us last year but he simply ran out of legs in 2008.

I hope Robert Walls at least has a nice thing to say about him when he eventually is asked to comment on his retirement. Some of the things he has written over the years have been extremely harsh, unfair and unjustified - but exactly what you'd expect from such a cowardly thug. One day I hope Spida runs into him behind a toilet block somewhere...

[mcs]

lol Hammo dont think Spida can run into him. Stumble slowly into him would be closer! But totally agree about Walls- he is an ultimate tool and has been very harsh on Spida over the years.

[annew]

Sounded like he wanted to stay with the Swans so lets hope he can help our up and coming ruckmen.

[desredandwhite]

Fair call, Spida. Well done on a great career, and best of luck for the future.

Yep, if only we'd managed to do the deal with Hawthorn a year earlier...

[caj23]

thank god, we've been playing 1 short for most of the season - we would have been better off getting some game time into Currie in the 2nd half of the year when it was clear that he was a liability

[Legs Akimbo]

Should never have drafted him when he had a foot in the grave, but was a great player in his prime, albeit porportedly a complete dickhead.

Watching him tonight...could barely kick it, couldn't bend below his knees and just generally looked geriatric.

Bring on Currie...

I just hope Spida can stick around the club in a non-playing role, to help Fossie get his ink sorted out before next season.

[573v30]

No surprises really, given his age and the way the game has changed this year.

A great, talented ruckman, exceeded expectations last year and did the job as the #2 ruckman very well but unfortunately he couldn't emulate it this year. It would've been much better if he was picked up in 2006 instead of using Chambers/Doyle, back-to-back flags would've been a certainty.

The detractors will say his selfish, unloyal and a cancer to each club he joined but he did the job he was given by the Swans and I do hope he gives Wallsy a few words.

[gossipcom]

Great career Spida. Good luck in retirement.

[dimelb]

Great career, but it was a gamble that really probably didnt pay off for us. Had we got him at the end of 05 instead of the end of 06, imo we would of went back to back.
I really hope he stays around though, would be an excellent ruck coach and a great influence around the club.

Agree with all this. He was shot for the last few games but made a valuable contribution in other ways. Thanks Spida and good luck.