BRENT GODDE: Your father Graham is a legend at Wagga Tigers?

BRETT DOSWELL: Dad played more than 300 matches with the Tigers and coached the club as well.

BG: Your father also had a stint at Osborne?

BD: Dad had one season at Osborne in 1985 and won a flag and the best and fairest. The only reason I remember it was 1985 is because that was the year my brother Matt was born. Dad was playing a match and sent mum into the labour ward while he kept playing.

BG: I'm surprised with Osborne's record of landing high-profile O&M recruits that you haven't played for the Tigers?

BD: I was close to signing with Osborne and former president Gary O'Connell would have called me every year for about a decade. I remember when I signed with Holbrook he called me and joked that he wanted a refund for all the phone calls he had wasted over the years.

BG: You made your senior debut for Wagga Tigers as a 15-year-old under coach Mark Stone who coaches Glenelg and was an assistant coach at Fremantle and Sydney?

BD: It was against Ganmain and it was a really cold and wet day. I played on a Ganmain legend and I only know him by his nickname 'Yuck'. I think he was in his mid 30s back then and only retired a couple of years ago.

BG: You won a flag with Wagga Tigers as a teenager in 2001 with Jarrod Twitt and former Albury Tiger Brett Rhynehart among your teammates?

BD: We had a standout side that season and only lost one match for the year in the first round. We went into the grand final as a raging favourite and won by about 100 points.

BG: You were still at school at the time and your teammates picked you up from school and took you to the pub for the Mad Monday celebrations?

BD: I was only 17 at the time and I had to do a test at school in the morning and then the boys came and grabbed me and I spent the rest of the day at the pub drinking in my school uniform.

BG: Did your parents find out?

BD: Dad did but mum only asked me about it the other day after you interviewed Jarrod Twitt and he let the cat out of the bag.

BG: Was Essendon legend Terry Daniher at Wagga Tigers when you played there?

BD: Terry had left by the time I made my debut. But he replaced dad as coach of the Tigers in 1993. Dad stayed on as a player and was more than happy to play under a coach the calibre of Daniher and they ended up becoming good mates. I also got to know Terry and his family quite well.

BG: Have you got any favourite stories about the Bomber legend?

BD: One of the stories I've heard about him was when he went back to Essendon in the late 1990s as an assistant coach. Obviously he was a fitness fanatic and did a 5km run with the players and finished fourth despite being in his early 40s. The three players that finished in front of him had a bit of a go at him for being so fit. So he said I will show you how fit I am, let's do it again and started running.

BG: You played in the TAC Cup as a teenager and attracted the attention of Fremantle who drafted you in 2002 under coach Chris Connolly?

BD: I played a couple of practice matches but battled with injuries in the two years I was on the Dockers' list.

BG: What kind of injuries did you cop?

BD: I had a few soft tissue injuries and a stress fracture in my shin which kept me out for most of my first year there. I also broke my thumb the second year which sidelined me for six weeks.

BG: One of the practice matches was against Collingwood at The Oval in London?

BD: It was a good experience. Most of the Poms and Aussies who came to watch had a few beers under their belt by the time the match started. There were quite a few male and female streakers throughout the match which was quite funny at the time. At the end of the match there were a few formal speeches out on the ground and I could hear the crowd laughing. I looked around to see a few of the spectators had flogged one of the goal posts and were trying to run out of the ground with it.

BG: I'm guessing because of your injuries you were cut from the list at the end of 2004?

BD: I considered myself lucky to get drafted at the time but once you get on a list you are obviously a huge chance to get a game. But I never really gave myself a chance of realising my AFL dream because I think the most games I played in a row was six in the WAFL.

BG: Did any other clubs show interest in you once you were cut?

BD: Sydney Swans did because I had previously played a few reserves matches for them but nothing came of it.

BG: No doubt still a good experience living in Perth?

BD: Fremantle was an amazing place to live and it was good to rub shoulders with some big AFL names and learn off at training. Matt Pavlich, Trent Croad and Troy Simmonds were the big name players at the time. Jeff Farmer was also there and I ended up being fairly good mates with 'The Wiz.'

BG: In 2005 you joined Glenelg for a season?

BD: I really enjoyed the SANFL and it was tough footy compared to the WAFL. It was really physical and the older players didn't mind giving you a whack while the WAFL was a lot more open on the big grounds

BG: In 2006 you rejoined Wagga Tigers?

BD: By that stage I knew my AFL dream was over and I knew I had to get back to reality and find a career. I started my apprenticeship as a carpenter.

BG: Wagga Tigers were playing in the ACT competition at the time?

BD: It was fairly lean times because we had a limited budget while the Canberra clubs had plenty of cash to splash around so it was hard to compete.

BG: At the end of 2006 your employer went bust and you were on the lookout for some work?

BD: I didn't have a job and Jarrod Twitt who I was obviously good mates with was coaching Wodonga and got in contact. 'Twitty' found me a job in Wodonga so I relocated.

BG: The Wagga Tigers president wasn't happy with your move at the time?

BD: He had a fair bit to say to the media about 'Twitty' opening up the cheque book. But it wasn't like that at all. I needed a job and Wodonga looked after me in that regard. I get on all right with the Tigers' president now but he wasn't a happy camper at the time.

BG: It proved to be a smart move by you?

BD: It was. Wodonga were flag contenders at the time and we made three successive preliminary finals from 2007-09. Wagga Tigers were still in the ACT competition and I was sick of the travel but I still wanted to play as high a standard of footy as I could which was the O&M.

BG: The Bulldogs boasted a star-studded midfield with Twitt, Matt Shir, Nick Raines and yourself?

BD: I rate Shir as one of the best players I have ever played with. I probably didn't realise at the time but looking back I was lucky that the opposition would put a lot of time into stopping those other three midfielders and it allowed me to get off the chain a bit so to speak.

BG: Have you played under a coach that swears as much as Twitt at the huddles?

BD: Definitely not. 'Twitty' has a funny way of getting his message across sometimes and I know he got warned about it quite a few times at Wodonga. You obviously get a lot of former players at the huddle and they would tell 'Twitty' that dropping the f-bomb a dozen times is not ideal. But in his defence I think he did get the best out of the list that he had and making three preliminary finals in-a-row was better than what most people expected.

BG: You were a strong advocate of playing interleague and represented the O&M on numerous occasions. What players did you rate highest?

BD: Matt Pendergast, Joel Mackie, Craig Ednie and Xave Leslie stood out to me.

BG: In 2009 you used to travel from Wagga to play for Wodonga. Did you get sick of the travel and that's why you returned to Wagga Tigers in 2010?

BD: I contemplated quitting football half-way through 2009 because I was over the travel. I lost my enjoyment of playing a bit and wasn't training as often as I should. As a result my form dropped off and it got a bit frustrating.

BG: You spent 2010 with Wagga Tigers before returning to the O&M in 2011. You end up at Wodonga but not before speaking to Albury and Lavington?

BD: Albury and Lavington both showed a bit of interest in me and at the time I wasn't a certainty to head back to Wodonga. 'Twitty' was coaching Holbrook that season so I had lost that connection to Wodonga.

BG: It must have been tempting to switch clubs especially considering Albury had just won back-to-back flags and Wodonga was coming off a wooden spoon?

BD: It was enticing to join Albury but it would have been tough to play against Wodonga.

BG: Do you regret your decision?

BD: If I had my time again, knowing what I know now I may have made a different decision. Being a triple premiership player in the O&M has got a nice ring to it.

BG: You sign a two year deal with Wodonga but seek a clearance to Holbrook in 2012?

BD: I did sign a two year deal but a few things changed and I wasn't totally happy with the direction the club was heading.

BG: Was there a fraction too much friction between yourself and coach Ben Hollands?

BD: Without going into too much detail Ben and I didn't see eye to eye on a few issues. That's not to say I was right either. I rate Ben highly as a footballer and what he achieved at Wodonga but we did disagree on a few things.

BG: Twitt had also offered you an assistant coaching role at Holbrook?

BD: I had to front the Wodonga board to explain why I wanted to get out of my contract. Once I spoke to them and explained my situation they didn't have any dramas in clearing me to Holbrook.

BG: Was Twitt close to signing Shir at Holbrook as well?

BD: I think he spoke to Shir once it was common knowledge he was on the move from the kennel. 'Twitty' asked the question but history says Shir signed with Albury..

BG: Would it be fair to say you struggled to adapt to the lower standard when you first joined Holbrook?

BD: I definitely struggled and it was just a different style of football to anywhere else I had played. The first 10 matches I don't even think that I touched leather. It was quite frustrating and 'Twitty' was frustrated with me as well and don't worry he let me know about it more than a few times. I knew I wasn't playing well but stuck at it and by the end of the season found my form again.

BG: In 2013 Holbrook made the grand final against Brock-Burrum and you suffered a leg injury at the first bounce and took no further part in the match?

BD: That would have to be the lowest point of my career and was hard to take at the time. A few people thought I carried the injury into the decider but I didn't and was 100 per cent right to go. Unfortunately at the first bounce I went to tackle Luke Schilg and I think our legs got tangled but I knew I was in trouble. I went to the bench and tried to get back on but by half-time I was no chance.

BG: It must have been hard to watch as Brock-Burrum finished full of run in the last quarter to claim the flag?

BD: It was frustrating, especially when it was such a hot day and being one rotation down really hurt. We were only eight points down at the last change but ended up getting beat by eight goals.

BG: Obviously you and Twitt are good mates but he didn't mind making an example of you at the huddles in front of the group?

BD: Because we were mates I was his bunny so to speak and he would pick me out of the group and give me a bit of a bake. One day I thought I was playing fairly well and I still copped a spray and asked him why. 'Twitty' said 'you are probably our best player today but when I give you a bake, the group seems to listen.'

BG: You replaced Twitt as coach of Holbrook in 2015-16?

BD: It was always a succession plan because in 2013-14 I was co-coach and then in 2015 I was to coach outright.

BG: Twitt dropped a bombshell and returned to Wodonga in 2015. Was that part of the plan?

BD: No it wasn't and I was disappointed he left me hanging at the time. Off field things had changed with him and he had a young family but I still wasn't happy about it. I only took the role in the understanding 'Twitty' would still be there in the background to help me out. 'Twitty' was still playing some reasonable football so it was deflating to lose him as a player as well.

BG: You are good mates but did it put a strain on your friendship at the time?

BD: It didn't affect our friendship but I certainly haven't let him live it down and still like to remind him at every opportunity I get that he left me out there.

BG: You were meant to coach Holbrook in 2016 but you also returned to Wodonga as well?

BD: My second daughter, Halle, had just been born and the travel to Holbrook was a big commitment. My wife, Jackie, wasn't keen on me travelling with a young family while she was at home looking after two kids.

BG: Dean Harding was coaching the Bulldogs at the time?

BD: I was pretty keen to get back to the kennel and help Dean develop the young guys.

BG: You were co-captain at Wodonga in 2017 when Jarrod Hodgkin dropped a bombshell and joined fierce rival Wodonga Raiders and you had a bit to say in the media about the shock move?

BD: It was fairly disappointing at the time but I still talk to Jarrod now and it's not something that I hold a grudge against him or anything like that. Looking back I was probably the only one game enough to say something to the media at the time.

BG: It was a stinging blow to Wodonga at the time?

BD: It was more the timing and we were still in contention for a finals spot. If we had of won our last round match against Yarrawonga we would have played Wodonga Raiders the following week in the elimination final. To find out beforehand that Jarrod had already signed with Raiders for the following year and being our best player didn't sit really well with the club. I don't begrudge Jarrod taking on a coaching position and he has already shown he is more than capable of being a successful coach but it was bad timing.

BG: You coached Thurgoona to a flag last season. What lured you to the club?

BD: It sort of came out of the blue really but I had decided I was too old and slow for the O&M and was sick of opponents running around me with ease. So I decided I would retire from the O&M and was contemplating retiring all together. I was thinking of heading to Kiewa or Tallangatta where there are a lot of former Wodonga players. But Jayden Kotzur and Jarmarl O'Sullivan contacted me about the Thurgoona job and I suppose the rest is history.

BG: You are not a big fan of recruiting and it is one of the jobs you hate most as a coach?

BD: It definitely is and I think most coaches would tell you the same thing. It is so hard to recruit these days with player numbers dwindling and the ridiculous amount of money players request.

BG: Do you find a lot of potential recruits have an inflated opinion of their ability?

BD: There are a lot of those players getting around.

BG: A lot of rival clubs and supporters are jealous of Thurgoona's success and are quick to accuse the Bulldogs of rorting the salary cap?

BD: I was amazed when I first arrived at Thurgoona that a lot of their recruits who boast enviable O&M careers were not getting paid much.

BG: So it does rile you when people accuse the Bulldogs or rorting the salary cap?

BD: Obviously being a coach I know how much players are getting paid and I can tell you 100 per cent Thurgoona was well under the salary cap last year. I think the playing group should be applauded that they sacrifice getting big dollars elsewhere to stay together as a team. I think that has been the key to the success that they have had over the past five or so years.