Jackie Epstein From: Herald Sun June 19, 2010 12:42AM
Bulldogs ruckman Will Minson was relegated to the VFL earlier in the season but has found form since his return to the seniors. Source: Herald Sun
WILL Minson didn't need the coach to remind him he was playing dumb.
He knew he was off his game early in the season and paid the price.
"I stepped over the mark a couple of times, I ran through the mark another time, giving away silly free-kicks and 50m penalties and they're pretty stupid things to be doing," said the likable big guy.
"That's one of the things I've wanted to focus most on and get right."
After his poor Round 1 effort against Collingwood, Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade called Minson "the dumbest smart bloke in the competition".
His inevitable relegation to the VFL came in Round 5 and he was there for three weeks.
"Rocket's comments were right," Minson said.
"They were pretty stupid things to be doing so the comments were completely warranted. I didn't take that as a slap in the face.
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''I'd given away a few too many (free-kicks) at the start of the season and it was really disappointing."What Minson also realised was the high physical toll of soy milk poisoning in February.
He had returned from the Christmas break feeling lethargic and struggled through basic training drills.
It was a hunch by club doctor Jake Landsberger to test Minson's thyroid that revealed a potentially lethal iodine level.
To compensate for his low energy levels, Minson began eating more and was then carrying excess weight.
"I didn't really appreciate the whole ordeal," he said.
"I came back into the side without playing any practice matches and played in the NAB Cup semi-final and I was filled with adrenalin.
"The next week was the NAB Cup grand final and you can't help be filled with adrenalin and I played well again. I think playing well in those two games overshadowed the bigger issue.
"There was a lot of excitement, a lot of energy, but you can't play on adrenalin every week. Then, slowly but surely, I started to do some pretty silly things in the first couple of rounds of the season.
"Whilst I was crook I had an extremely high metabolism and I was having to eat a lot to get energy because I was devoid of energy.
''When my body returned to normal I was still maintaining that high level of eating that I'd gotten used to.
"And I was basically eating too much and turning that into muscle bulk. So once I addressed my quantity and how much I was eating I was able to lose weight. It wasn't until I took stock of that that I was able to address it and fix it. I'm feeling much better now."
Minson shed 6kg and is fast shaking the tag of "frustrating talent". Recently he has found form in the ruck and as a forward option.
"If I get the opportunity to get forward and take a mark and kick a goal it's a lot of fun," he said.
"I still have a lot of work to do, but I'm taking steps in the right direction."
After 17 touches, two goals and 11 contested possessions against the Brisbane Lions on Sunday, Minson earned direct praise from Eade: "He's been out of the team once and was probably under a bit of pressure with his form, but he's been good the last two weeks."
Off-field, Minson is known for his intelligence and multi-faceted abilities. He is an excellent saxophonist, speaks fluent German and is studying civil engineering.
An exam on Thursday will prevent him from travelling to the Northern Territory.
He is a role model for Red Dust, a charity that seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of disadvantaged youths in remote communities.
Last Sunday, Minson played his 100th match, a long-awaited reward after being selected from Norwood in South Australia with pick 20 in the 2002 national draft.
Following his 101st match against West Coast at Subiaco tomorrow, he will hit the books.
"So instead of going to the Red Desert and spending some time in remote indigenous communities I'll be at home sitting at a desk trying to learn," Minson, 25, said.
"I've got a risk analysis exam and I'll be trying to learn the course in four days.
"It might have taken me a while to get to 100 games, but it's going to take even longer to get a university degree."
Bulldogs ruckman Will Minson was relegated to the VFL earlier in the season but has found form since his return to the seniors. Source: Herald Sun
WILL Minson didn't need the coach to remind him he was playing dumb.
He knew he was off his game early in the season and paid the price.
"I stepped over the mark a couple of times, I ran through the mark another time, giving away silly free-kicks and 50m penalties and they're pretty stupid things to be doing," said the likable big guy.
"That's one of the things I've wanted to focus most on and get right."
After his poor Round 1 effort against Collingwood, Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade called Minson "the dumbest smart bloke in the competition".
His inevitable relegation to the VFL came in Round 5 and he was there for three weeks.
"Rocket's comments were right," Minson said.
"They were pretty stupid things to be doing so the comments were completely warranted. I didn't take that as a slap in the face.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related CoverageSkipper's return: Eade expecting a rusty Johnno
Dogs whip Lions by 65 points
Herald Sun, 5 days ago
Crows woes never ending
Herald Sun, 23 Apr 2010
Dogs dump Minson
Herald Sun, 22 Apr 2010
Lions relying on Leuenberger
Courier Mail, 13 Apr 2010
Send Will to Willy
Herald Sun, 11 Apr 2010.End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
''I'd given away a few too many (free-kicks) at the start of the season and it was really disappointing."What Minson also realised was the high physical toll of soy milk poisoning in February.
He had returned from the Christmas break feeling lethargic and struggled through basic training drills.
It was a hunch by club doctor Jake Landsberger to test Minson's thyroid that revealed a potentially lethal iodine level.
To compensate for his low energy levels, Minson began eating more and was then carrying excess weight.
"I didn't really appreciate the whole ordeal," he said.
"I came back into the side without playing any practice matches and played in the NAB Cup semi-final and I was filled with adrenalin.
"The next week was the NAB Cup grand final and you can't help be filled with adrenalin and I played well again. I think playing well in those two games overshadowed the bigger issue.
"There was a lot of excitement, a lot of energy, but you can't play on adrenalin every week. Then, slowly but surely, I started to do some pretty silly things in the first couple of rounds of the season.
"Whilst I was crook I had an extremely high metabolism and I was having to eat a lot to get energy because I was devoid of energy.
''When my body returned to normal I was still maintaining that high level of eating that I'd gotten used to.
"And I was basically eating too much and turning that into muscle bulk. So once I addressed my quantity and how much I was eating I was able to lose weight. It wasn't until I took stock of that that I was able to address it and fix it. I'm feeling much better now."
Minson shed 6kg and is fast shaking the tag of "frustrating talent". Recently he has found form in the ruck and as a forward option.
"If I get the opportunity to get forward and take a mark and kick a goal it's a lot of fun," he said.
"I still have a lot of work to do, but I'm taking steps in the right direction."
After 17 touches, two goals and 11 contested possessions against the Brisbane Lions on Sunday, Minson earned direct praise from Eade: "He's been out of the team once and was probably under a bit of pressure with his form, but he's been good the last two weeks."
Off-field, Minson is known for his intelligence and multi-faceted abilities. He is an excellent saxophonist, speaks fluent German and is studying civil engineering.
An exam on Thursday will prevent him from travelling to the Northern Territory.
He is a role model for Red Dust, a charity that seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of disadvantaged youths in remote communities.
Last Sunday, Minson played his 100th match, a long-awaited reward after being selected from Norwood in South Australia with pick 20 in the 2002 national draft.
Following his 101st match against West Coast at Subiaco tomorrow, he will hit the books.
"So instead of going to the Red Desert and spending some time in remote indigenous communities I'll be at home sitting at a desk trying to learn," Minson, 25, said.
"I've got a risk analysis exam and I'll be trying to learn the course in four days.
"It might have taken me a while to get to 100 games, but it's going to take even longer to get a university degree."
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