Griff's Last Act

I've received many emails over the last few years to inform me of impending departures. Yesterday another arrived. This time it was from Shane Griffen.

Griff was like the poster child for our new sum of the parts 'project'. Since last summer when our player exodus starting building more momentum, we needed to focus heavily on developing the players and not rely on natural talents which we may have previously had.

Griff was the roughest of diamonds. He arrived in 2010 as a wild buck. Raw aggression and intensity characterised his game. The flip side of this characteristics was that decision making was rushed and the tackling veering towards robust. It was a time when we were pleased with huge numbers and the individual focus on player development was lacking.

He was an integral part of the Shield team but his interested waned late in 2010 and into 2011. Living with Timmy and hanging around with most of the lads, he was never far from the fray. Come Championship time last year, he was back in the fold. Quickly the diamond began to sparkle and Griff stepped into midfield on the Championship team and looked like it been there for years. His decision making was sharp and his tackling refined.

Training wise he would be frustrating as he could go AWOL from time to time but lately he was there more often than not. Guys like Griff are critical at training because fellas feed off the intensity and it raises everything a level as a result.

In response to his email confirming his departure yesterday evening. he received a mission to compensate for his loss. With so many players having passed through in the last four years, there is plenty of scope for getting everyone together once a year for an annual match between current and former players in Brussels. Hopefully he will lead this initiative.

Griff's influence wasn't just on the pitch. It's a rare auld sight to see seven G.A.A. lads at a play on a Wednesday night but that was the case this week as we headed to Bozar to watch 'She Stoops To Conquer'. When he tells me he will miss the G.A.A., I'm guessing it’s not just the playing of it that he means but also that camaraderie which is evident through such support.