Bye bye Braddles

by LITTLE BOY BLUE

IT is sad that such a champion has left after a wooden spoon year, but Craig Bradley has left on his own terms. In 2002, he was usually in the team's best six each week (on those occasions when you could get six) and continued to lead and teach.

Indeed, Wayne Brittain's decision to replace him as captain suggests that while the style left much to be desired, the decision to unload him (Brittain) was the right one. Bradley was the leader out there, even on those occasions when Ratten made it onto the field. Taking the captaincy from him was a gratuitous insult.

I saw most of Bradley's games and from early on, this was a player worth coming to see. He combined athleticism, judgement and skill in an irresistible mix - and he was a great sportsman, totally devoid of egomania. I missed THAT goal (versus West Coast, Princes Park 1994) being overseas, but recall his opening goal of the 1995 grand final as a gem: someone had to convert all that energy into a score, and after that, they were on their way to a memorable premiership.

Bradley ran all day, linked the play and in terms of the clichŽ about who you'd pick for the mythical shot after the siren, he was my pick for most of the years he was at the club. His guidance of ball from hand to foot was precise: he did everything right.

He was also a more than competent cricketer and in an earlier era, would have played football in winter and shield cricket in summer - alas, born too late, the professional sport won.

In a wooden spoon year, one looks for consolation. I saw 10 years of Bruce Doull's career at Carlton and all of Craig Bradley's. I'm a lucky bastard!

Craig Bradley. Long time a blue boy

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