BRENT GODDE: You are well known for your nickname 'Super'.

DANNY COHEN: I've got no idea how I ended up with it. I think Vinnie Glass was behind it and it sort of stuck since the early 1990s.

BG: You were born in Melbourne?

DC: My parents relocated to Wodonga in 1988.

BG: You played all your junior football at Martin Park?

DC: I started off in Auskick and played all through the junior grades at Wodonga.

BG: How would you describe yourself as a footballer?

DC: In the early days I considered myself a talented junior who played predominantly in defence.

BG: Senior football sorts out the men from the boys?

DC: I soon learned that to be a consistent senior footballer you had to do the work. That was probably my downfall early in my senior career. But I improved in that area as I got older.

BG: You played predominantly in defence at Martin Park?

DC: I did until Darren Denneman arrived as coach who played me as a defensive midfielder and also as a tagger.

BG: Ernie Whitehead was your first senior coach?

DC: I played a few matches under Ernie in his last season as coach in 1995.

BG: How did you rate Whitehead as a coach?

DC: I rated Ernie highly as a coach and you certainly had to earn your spot in the side.

BG: You feel as if you weren't one of Whitehead's favourite players?

DC: As I said before I probably lacked the dedication needed to be a consistent footballer early in my career and Ernie didn't like players who took shortcuts.

BG: You played a fair bit of reserves early in your career?

DC: I was sort of content running around in the twos which was still a good standard of football back in that era.

BG: The senior side was hard to break into at the time?

DC: There is probably no greater example of that than Keith Ainsworth. I think Keith played 100 matches in the reserves before he got picked in the seniors and we all know how good a career he had.

BG: How many matches would have you played in the reserves?

DC: After graduating from the thirds I would have played three seasons in the reserves before getting a game in the seniors on a regular basis.

BG: The Bulldogs reserves were the powerhouse of the competition?

DC: Terry Burgess was coach and from memory we may have won three or flags in a row. I played in a couple of them.

BG: You thrived under the coaching of Dennema?.

DC: It was no coincidence that was when I started to knuckle down and really concentrate on my football and doing the work required to give myself a chance to play seniors.

BG: You were a big fan of Denneman as a coach?

DC: Darren was a fantastic coach and looking back was innovative and ahead of his time with the way he went about it.

BG: Did the Bulldogs have much success under Denneman?

DC: The first couple of years we played finals but after that the club went through a bit of a rebuilding phase.

BG: Leon Higgins replaced Denneman as coach in 2001?

DC: At the end of the 2000 season I went on a bit of a working holiday to Ireland for six months with a couple of teammates in Brad Smith and Nathan Howe.

BG: You had a crack at playing Gaelic football?

DC: It was a heap of fun playing Gaelic footy and a terrific experience living in Ireland.

BG: Higgins was in charge when you returned in 2001?

DC: I arrived home not long before the season started and spent the first couple of weeks playing in the reserves.

BG: How did you rate Higgins as a coach?

DC: Leon was a great coach and was well respected by everyone at the kennel. He was a great speaker and led by example on the field as well.

BG: The club was still going through a rebuilding phase?

DC: During the early 2000s we were down the bottom of the ladder and a couple of times we had to win the last match of the season to avoid the wooden spoon.

BG: Higgins slowly started to turn things around?

DC: Leon certainly got the best he could out of the playing group.

BG: In 2001 you suffered a serious eye injury in a workplace accident.

DC: I'm a builder by trade and I got shot in the eye with a nail gun.

BG: How long were you sidelined for?

DC: From memory I missed seven or eight matches. It happened mid-season and I didn't play again that season.

BG: You had to wear a patch over your eye for two months.

DC: My teammates thought it was hilarious and I was the butt of their jokes for a while there.

BG: How serious was the injury?

DC: I literally had no vision in my left eye for six or seven weeks and everything was just yellow. I was off work for two months. I wasn't allowed to go out in the sun and it slowly started to heal.

BG: Are there any long lasting effects?

DC: The pupil in my eye doesn't dilate and stays open all the time. I've always got to wear sunglasses when outdoors.

BG: Higgins resigned in 2002 on the eve of the season which was a bombshell announcement at the time?

DC: It was a big story when it happened. I remember Richard Bence called a team meeting on the Saturday we were playing and told us Leon had resigned.

BG: The playing group were shocked by the announcement?

DC: I certainly was and I don't think any of the players saw it coming.

BG: Bence was appointed coach?

DC: Richard was a brilliant coach and was one of the most hard working coaches I've seen in regards to the time and effort he put into players individually. He was unreal to be honest.

BG: Bence was able to fast track the Bulldogs' rebuild?

DC: Leon started it by raising the standard of training and professionalism in regards to recovery. Richard has previously coached Barnawartha but he had no trouble adapting to the higher standard of the O&M.

BG: At the start of 2003 the Bulldogs boasted a side that was a genuine flag contender?

DC: Corowa-Rutherglen and Wodonga Raiders were probably the two standout sides but we weren't far behind them.

BG: What sparked the turnaround in the Bulldogs' fortunes?

DC: I think it was really driven by the playing group at the time. Brad Thompson, Paul and Nev Nugent, Keith Ainsworth, Jarrod Twitt and I met several times during the season to discuss how we could turn things around.

BG: Bence with his school teaching background was big on structure?

DC: You would turn up for the team meeting before the match and the whiteboard would be covered with writing and drawings about tactics.

BG: The players took matters into their own hands one week against Corowa-Rutherglen, who were the flag favourites?

DC: It was a huge match in the context of our season and a few of the players that I mentioned before got together and we decided the best chance we had of beating the Roos was to make it a scrap.

BG: No doubt Bence would have done his homework before the big clash?

DC: As usual, Richard had his whiteboard with all his tactics ready to go for the team meeting.

BG: You had a surprise in store for Bence?

DC: I was given the task of sneaking into the coaches room and wiping the whiteboard clean while Bence wasn't watching. Then I simply wrote 'scrap' on the whiteboard.

BG: How did Bence react when he found out?

DC: Richard wasn't a happy camper and looked at me for an explanation. I said 'sorry mate but we don't need any tactics today, we are just going to make it a one-on-one contest and turn it into a scrap.' Then we just ran out onto the ground.

BG: Did you beat Corowa-Rutherglen?

DC: We got beaten but we still got a bit of belief that we could match the best side in the competition. I had a bit of explaining to do to Richard after the game.

BG: You faced Wodonga Raiders in the second semi-final and produced a massive upset?

DC: Heading into the match I think the Raiders had beaten us on the previous 11 occasions. It was a huge shock at the time.

BG: What was the key to the upset win?

DC: Everything just fell into place. There was two inches of rain the night before the match and the Raiders were a fast running side while we were a big bodied side that thrived on contested footy.

BG: The Bulldogs booked their spot in the grand final and you celebrated like you had won the flag?

DC: I remember Richard called a Sunday training session after the win. I certainly didn't make it, I was still out in Albury somewhere celebrating.

BG: Who were some of your teammates that you rated the highest?

DC: Brad Thompson would be right up there. Brad took over the captaincy at a young age and was a shining light when we were down near the bottom of the ladder. He won four best and fairests which is a phenomenal effort.

BG: Paul and Neville Nugent also led by example?

DC: They used to give everything they had to the club. To travel from Biggara which is nearly two hours away to train and play is a massive commitment.

BG: Jarrod Twitt also arrived at the kennel in 2002?

DC: I remember thinking to myself when Jarrod first rocked up to training 'this little dude looks like a wannabe surfie.'

BG: Twitt didn't take long to earn your respect?

DC: The first practice match we had, I couldn't believe how hard he attacked the contest and thought 'this bloke is going to have no trouble walking into this side.'

BG: Both Twitt and yourself prided yourself on your tackling?

DC: Richard introduced a tackling award where the player who laid the most tackles each match would win an award. Quite often Twitty or myself would win it.

BG: Twitt stitched you up in your player profile in the O&M record for the 2003 grand final?

DC: Somehow 'Twitty' got his hands on the player profiles and wrote for part of my profile 'the second best tackler at Wodonga.'

BG: You got suspended late in the season in 2003 for kicking Albury midfielder Jason Sheather?

DC: I copped three weeks and ended up missing the first final against North Albury.

BG: You were good enough to force your way back into the side for the second semi-final?

DC: It was against Wodonga Raiders and I had the job of tagging their coach Christin Macri who was one of the stars of the competition.

BG: No doubt one of the key match-ups?

DC: To Richard's credit he was very strategic when using me as a tagger. If the opposition had a playing coach he would like to tag them because if you can take him out of the game, it might also affect his coaching.

BG: Who were some of the other big name players you had to tag?

DC: Robbie Walker was probably the biggest. I used to do anything I could to put him off his game. But he never retaliated or said a word and just kept racking up the possessions.

BG: Walker was among the fittest players in the competition?

DC: I remember in 2004 at Wangaratta I tagged Robbie and it got halfway through the last quarter and I had to come off. I had the worst case of cramps of my career.

BG: You played in the reserves preliminary final as well in 2003?

DC: After we beat the Raiders we went straight into the grand final and had the week off. Richard thought I would benefit from playing in the reserves because I had missed those three weeks through suspension.

BG: Did you get a kick?

DC: No really because I wasn't in the right headspace. I was thinking to myself, don't get injured because I knew the seniors were already in the grand final next week.

BG: Wodonga proved no match for Corowa-Rutherglen in the grand final?

DC: They jumped us in the first quarter, booting six goals to one. We were never going to win after that but it was a good learning curve for the following year.

BG: The following season in 2004 the Bulldogs pulled off a massive coup in signing Ben Hollands, Matt Shir, Simon McCormick and Darren Bradshaw?

DC: It was massive but there was another signing that doesn't get talked about in Michael Lamb from Kiewa-Sandy Creek.

BG: You are a huge fan of Lamb?

DC: From his first practice match, Michael was a freak and Richard just had to pick him, he was that good.

BG: The 2004 side is easily the best side that you were a part of?

DC: Undoubtedly. We lost one match for the season against Corowa-Rutherglen at home. Twitty missed an easy goal with 30 seconds to go that robbed us of having a perfect season.

BG: Some good judges rate the 2004 Bulldog side among the greatest in league history?

DC: I'm obviously a bit biased but it does come up in conservation over a few beers. I know we have discussed between ourselves how it compares with some of the great Albury sides over the past decade.

BG: You also represented the O&M in 2004 and 2005?

DC: I was shocked when I got invited to train. It was a bit awkward going to training and meeting the blokes that I had previously tagged and had tried to rough up a bit in the past.

BG: You suffered a knee injury in 2004 on the eve of the finals series?

DC: I thought my season could have been over because I had suffered a similar injury previously and missed 10 weeks.

BG: How many weeks did you miss?

DC: Because I knew we were favourites to make the grand final, I did everything I possibly could for my rehab. I wore a knee brace, iced the knee every couple of hours and gave up alcohol. I made it back for the second semi-final.

BG: You had a few different hairstyles throughout your career?

DC: I had long hair at one stage and used to wear a headband. I also had dreadlocks and a mohawk for the grand final in 2004.

BG: What was the go with the mohawk?

DC: When I did my knee and gave up alcohol but I decided to go on a bit of a bender the weekend before the grand final because we had the week off. A few of my teammates got the hair clippers out and gave me a mohawk while I was drunk.

BG: You decided to keep the mohawk for the grand final?

DC: It was either shave my head or keep the mohawk which I did.

BG: Wodonga entered the grand final as a raging favourite against North Albury?

DC: To North Albury's credit they more than matched us in the first-half. I think everyone expected us to rock up and win easily but I know personally I was nervous with the weight of expectation.

BG: It was a long day?

DC: We had every grade of football in the grand final and everybody got to the ground early to support the thirds.

BG: The Bulldogs' class shone through in the second-half and you eventually won the grand final by seven goals?

DC: It was a massive occasion for the club because we won all grades of football as well as the A-grade netball.

BG: You recently watched a replay of the 2004 decider?

DC: I had never watched it before but my daughter found it on YouTube the other day, so I had a look.

BG: No doubt the celebrations would have been huge?

DC: There were people everywhere. The clubrooms were packed and supporters were spilled out onto the oval as well.

BG: The Suburban Footballer, Tom Siegert, was at the celebrations?

DC: There was a truck at the ground which was used to present the players to the crowd. On the Monday after the grand final, the owner came to pick it up.

BG: The Suburban Football was in a jovial mood?

DC: As the truck was driving off the oval, Tom decided to chase it minus his clothes. He then grabbed hold of the towball while the truck dragged him around the oval. It was hilarious at the time.

BG: In 2006 Jarrod Twitt was appointed coach?

DC: Twitty surprised me how good a coach he was. He appointed me captain which was an honour at the time.

BG: Twitt didn't mind swearing at the huddles?

DC: There's no doubt the little fella could get fired up when he was addressing the players.

BG: The following season in 2007 after 122 senior matches you joined Mitta United who were coached by Phil Packer.

DC: I had always intended to play for Kiewa-Sandy Creek when I was finished in the O&M.

BG: What changed your mind?

DC: I met my wife Bec Walsh at the end of 2004. Her family were staunch supporters of Mitta United so I had to change my mind.

BG: You played with the Nelson twins at Mitta?

DC: It's funny because they used to get sent off quite a bit but it didn't worry them because they would just swap jumpers and go back on and the umpire couldn't tell the difference.

BG: Packer was a lippy coach?

DC: I've known Phil for a long time and we went to school together for a while. He surprised me when he started coaching on how lippy he was because he was never like that as a player.

BG: Were there any occasions when Packer went over the top?

DC: I honestly don't know how he got away with abusing umpires like he did.

BG: You missed out on playing in the 2007 grand final?

DC: I did my knee in the first final which cost me a flag.

BG: You were appointed coach of Mitta the following year in 2008?

DC: I coached for two years. I found coaching to be a tough gig with my work commitments.

BG: The Mitta supporters are among the most passionate you have seen?

DC: They can be ruthless to the players after a match if they play a bad game. I remember one day we lost to Beechworth and one of the old supporters in Ben O'Connell had a fair bit to say to me.

BG: You were close to cracking O'Connell?

DC: I was going to give him one but Hughie Giltrap got in between us.

BG: You also had a stint with Federal in 2010?

DC: Kris Pearce was appointed coach who was a good mate of mine. Nev Nugent was playing up there at the time as well.

BG: You played Bullioh in the grand final?

DC: The grand final was probably played in the worst conditions I saw throughout my career. The ground was covered in water and was like a swimming pool.

BG: Federal were kept goalless and the lowest grand final score in league history after losing 6.4 (40) to 0.4 (4).

DC: I think I kicked three points so I was a bit to blame.