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View Full Version : Lake ready to accept Dogs' $1.8m deal



Rocket Science
14-09-2009, 01:52 AM
Lake ready to accept Dogs' $1.8m deal (http://www.theage.com.au/news/rfnews/lake-ready-to-accept-18m-deal/2009/09/13/1252780223197.html)

Caroline Wilson | September 14, 2009

THE Western Bulldogs will go into Friday night's preliminary final virtually assured of having secured the services of their star full-back Brian Lake until the end of 2013.

Although the 27-year-old has refused to entertain an official deal until after the Bulldogs' finals campaign is finished, both parties are comfortable with the club's revised contract offer estimated at $1.8 million over the next four years.

Lake, who did his All-Australian prospects no harm three nights ago with another solid performance against Jonathan Brown, has told the club he intends to remain a Bulldog while the club in turn had told Lake's management it would not consider trading him.

''We are quietly confident Brian is staying,'' Bulldogs football boss James Fantasia said last night. ''We are confident we will complete everything once the season is over and out of respect to Brian and his wishes we are happy to wait until then.''

With Lake seemingly secured, the biggest headache looming in the post-season for the Bulldogs remains deciding the future of its five players over the age of 30, only one of whom (Ben Hudson) is contracted.

The club has told Brad Johnson, Scott Welsh, Jason Akermanis and Nathan Eagleton that no conclusion on their playing futures will be reached until after the finals. All face pay cuts with Akermanis still undecided about whether to play on. The prevailing view is that with a significantly diminished draft pool at the end of next season at least one of the above, and possibly two, should depart.

Sydney told Lake's management a fortnight ago that it was out of the running to secure the services of the footballer vying with Matthew Scarlett tonight for the title of All-Australian full-back while Lake has indicated he was not interested in leaving the Bulldogs for Melbourne, which has first pick in the pre-season draft.

Hawthorn was understood to have indicated it would pay around $550,000 a year for Lake's services, an amount the Swans were not prepared to match. The player's current contract is worth half that amount.

Earlier this season the Bulldogs offered Lake a three-year contract worth less than $400,000 annually but in recent weeks that offer has increased significantly and extended to four years guaranteeing that Lake, who turns 28 before the start of next season, will remain a Bulldog for the remainder of his playing career. He moves on to the veterans' list midway through the contract.

Lake's manager, Rick Olarenshaw, refused to comment on the negotiations last night, stressing that his client would baulk at any contract talk with matches still to play.

Constrained by their near-capacity total player payments and financial circumstances - the Bulldogs' stadium returns from Etihad have been pitiful this year - The Age understands the club is negotiating with its main sponsor, Mission Foods, for an annual extra payment of $100,000, which would sponsor a player in the manner of the Chris Judd-Visy arrangement.

The Bulldogs now spend only half of their additional services allowance - the AFL caps that extra commercial player payment at about $550,000 a year - and only two other clubs in the competition pay less.

======================

Rarely does Caro's pen engender such joy.

The next question is, Eagle and Welsh aside, who's potentially playing their last game in red, white and blue this Friday night...

boydogs
14-09-2009, 02:09 AM
Awesome news (if true) :):)

GVGjr
14-09-2009, 05:19 AM
Lets hope Wilson has got this right. I think the money quoted is about right. It's a good deal for both parties.

BulldogBelle
14-09-2009, 07:40 AM
That sounds fantastic!!

Hope it right

The Coon Dog
14-09-2009, 07:54 AM
That sounds fantastic!!

Hope it right

Thought that would be like music to your ears! ;)

Bulldog Revolution
14-09-2009, 08:09 AM
Lets hope Wilson has got this right. I think the money quoted is about right. It's a good deal for both parties.

Some players would be distracted by all this, but to Lakes credit, it does not seem to have worried him, and hes played well in the finals so far

LostDoggy
14-09-2009, 08:39 AM
Caroline Wilson guesses a lot.

bornadog
14-09-2009, 08:56 AM
Caroline Wilson guesses a lot.

Spot on this time.

strebla
14-09-2009, 09:31 AM
Wonderfull news timing is exellent and the length of time suits everyone I feel wins with this one.

jimsdogs
14-09-2009, 10:11 AM
Hope Caroline Wilson is right with this, Brian has been fanatastic for us and is a great person to have have at the club

KT31
14-09-2009, 10:29 AM
The next question is, Eagle and Welsh aside, who's potentially playing their last game in red, white and blue this Friday night...

Great news and I hope its right, but with her history I still put little credence in an article written by Caro.
Thankfully it is backed up by Fantasia.

Unless they get injured , nobody will be playing their last game this Friday.
They all will be retiring Premiers the week later.

LostDoggy
14-09-2009, 10:38 AM
First thing thats come out of her mouth/pen that ive actually been excited about.

Hope she's not wrong.

Desipura
14-09-2009, 01:10 PM
I had a fair idea it would be 4 years, his salary will most likely be heavily weighted so he gets paid a large proportion in his last 2 years (which corresponds with him being on the vets list)

LostDoggy
14-09-2009, 01:59 PM
Great news... 4 years he will be 32 ... still he injury free.. great for the dogs

LostDoggy
14-09-2009, 05:28 PM
Spot on this time.

She might be right but its the general concensus now anyway. She make a lot up still.

bornadog
14-09-2009, 05:33 PM
She might be right but its the general concensus now anyway. She make a lot up still.

True.

$450,000 x 4 years = $1.8 million, I wonder where she got that from;)

aker39
15-09-2009, 08:39 AM
Brian Lake said last night at the All Australian that he had received a letter and some money from a young fan asking him to stay. He said that he will be writing back and sending back the money.

Mantis
15-09-2009, 08:43 AM
Brian Lake said last night at the All Australian that he had received a letter and some money from a young fan asking him to stay. I said that he will be writing back and sending back the money.

Good, that was my last $5. ;)

Jasper
15-09-2009, 10:42 AM
That's twice that strategy has worked now.
Can only go to the well once a decade though.
Glad no one wasted $5.00 on Nathan "Judas" Brown

aker39
15-09-2009, 10:54 AM
Glad no one wasted $5.00 on Nathan "Judas" Brown

He got a letter with money in it too, except his was not from a bulldog supporter, but Clinton Casey.

bulldogtragic
15-09-2009, 10:59 AM
Brian Lake said last night at the All Australian that he had received a letter and some money from a young fan asking him to stay. He said that he will be writing back and sending back the money.
I missed it. I take it his body language said he's staying?

aker39
15-09-2009, 11:04 AM
I missed it. I take it his body language said he's staying?

Yes, he said he was taken aback by the offer.

He is going no where. Well done Brian

bulldogtragic
15-09-2009, 11:52 AM
Yes, he said he was taken aback by the offer.

He is going no where. Well done Brian
All the parts of the master plan are falling into place. Now for Friday night.

aker39
15-09-2009, 12:00 PM
http://www.sportsentral.com/pro/main/storyreader.aspx?sid=17210&sr=all


Western Bulldogs defender Brian Lake has been moved by a letter from a young fan, which came accompanied by a donation from her piggy bank, intended to persuade him to stay at Whitten Oval.

Lake's contract concludes at season's end, and he has been negotiating a new deal with the Bulldogs for much of the season.

It is reported that Lake is asking for more money to stay at the club, with various other teams interested in the All-Australian full-back.

But one fan has written to Lake, asking him to stay, and she has also donated money of her own to keep him at the club.

Speaking about the fan, Lake was moved by the gesture.

"I was taken back by it," Lake said.

"I obviously have to write back to her and send back her money."

"Words can't explain it really, it's a little bit overwhelming."

LostDoggy
16-09-2009, 09:06 AM
http://www.sportsentral.com/pro/main/storyreader.aspx?sid=17210&sr=all

Brian Lake has been moved by a letter from a young fan, which came accompanied by a donation from her piggy bank, intended to persuade him to stay at Whitten Oval.



Rocket is a wiley old dog.
Step 1: Write letter with non-dominant hand.
Step 2: Enclose $5 in change.
Step 3: Send to Lake residence.
Step 4: Sit back and admire handy work.

Go_Dogs
16-09-2009, 06:11 PM
Brian Lake said last night at the All Australian that he had received a letter and some money from a young fan asking him to stay. He said that he will be writing back and sending back the money.

Haha, was someone having a lend? Although I must admit, the thought must cross every Bulldogs supporters mind anytime there is a suggestion a key player could be leaving.