Glen AtwellJudd to depart West Coast Eagles?
March 22nd 2007 08:34
West Coast star Chris Judd has ruled out 'negotiating his contract through the media' and plans to sit down with the club at the end of the year.
Here's the full report:
West Coast Eagles' captain Chris Judd says his decision on whether to remain with the club or return to Victoria at the end of this season will not be influenced by the off-field problems currently engulfing the reigning premiers.
Judd, the AFL's best player, comes out of contract at the end of this year but has put off all contract negotiations until the end of this season raising speculation he could return to his native Victoria.
However Judd, speaking at the gathering of all 16 club captains in Melbourne on Thursday, said it would be wrong to draw any inference between his decision to stall contract negotiations and the scandals engulfing the club following the decision to suspend his predecessor Ben Cousins indefinitely in light of the former captains' 'serious personal issues.'
There has been intense speculation that Cousins' problems are drug-related and his suspension comes on top of West Coast chairman Dalton Gooding's admission last week that there was a drug and alcohol problem amongst a small group of Eagles' players.
In a wide-ranging interview Judd also declared his confidence that Cousins would eventually return to the club while also backing the club for its tough stance against the 2005 Brownlow Medalist.
And despite Gooding's admission, Judd denied there was a drug culture at the Eagles.
But it is whether the champion midfielder returns to Melbourne at year's end that is set to be the most debated question of the season with Judd emphatic the Eagles' off-field problems would not affect his decision.
And he said his decision to put off contract negotiations was made before the Cousins' scandal broke.
"I am going to sit down with the club at the end of the year and discuss contract negotiations - that has always been the plan," he said.
Here's the full report:
West Coast Eagles' captain Chris Judd says his decision on whether to remain with the club or return to Victoria at the end of this season will not be influenced by the off-field problems currently engulfing the reigning premiers.
Judd, the AFL's best player, comes out of contract at the end of this year but has put off all contract negotiations until the end of this season raising speculation he could return to his native Victoria.
However Judd, speaking at the gathering of all 16 club captains in Melbourne on Thursday, said it would be wrong to draw any inference between his decision to stall contract negotiations and the scandals engulfing the club following the decision to suspend his predecessor Ben Cousins indefinitely in light of the former captains' 'serious personal issues.'
There has been intense speculation that Cousins' problems are drug-related and his suspension comes on top of West Coast chairman Dalton Gooding's admission last week that there was a drug and alcohol problem amongst a small group of Eagles' players.
In a wide-ranging interview Judd also declared his confidence that Cousins would eventually return to the club while also backing the club for its tough stance against the 2005 Brownlow Medalist.
And despite Gooding's admission, Judd denied there was a drug culture at the Eagles.
But it is whether the champion midfielder returns to Melbourne at year's end that is set to be the most debated question of the season with Judd emphatic the Eagles' off-field problems would not affect his decision.
And he said his decision to put off contract negotiations was made before the Cousins' scandal broke.
"I am going to sit down with the club at the end of the year and discuss contract negotiations - that has always been the plan," he said.
| 25 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Anonymous