Shaun Higgins wants to sign with coach Rodney Eade

Contract talks....

Shaun Higgins wants to sign with coach Rodney Eade
The Herald Sun
Mark Stevens and Jon Ralph | July 09, 2009

SHAUN Higgins has a contract on the table that will tie him to the Western Bulldogs until the end of 2012. Although the prime Gold Coast target is satisfied with the terms, he is not expected to put pen to paper until the Dogs coaching job is finalised.

Higgins rates coach Rodney Eade as a major influence and wants to know who will steer the club before committing.

Eade will present his blueprint for the future to the Dogs' football committee next week, but an announcement on his re-signing could be weeks away.

If Eade is re-signed as expected, Higgins will quickly follow and commit to a deal worth about $1 million.

It is handsome reward for a 21-year-old, but Higgins would receive a cash bounty as a marquee signing with Gold Coast, which enters the competition in 2011.

Another key Bulldog, Ryan Hargrave, is believed to be in a similar situation to Higgins.

Hargrave is happy at the club and in career-best form in defence, but his career was revitalised under Eade and he too wants to know the lie of the land.

Leading agent Ricky Nixon manages Eade, Higgins, Hargrave and several young Dogs.

He also handles the affairs of Dogs skipper Brad Johnson, out of contract at the end of the year and destined to play on.

Higgins, considered a future captain of the Dogs, is regarded as a prospective leader on the Gold Coast.

His blistering form, leadership skills and age mean he was always going to be a priority for Gold Coast recruiter Scott Clayton.

But despite the delay, Higgins is determined to remain loyal. Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia said the Dogs were confident Higgins would join a number of players to sign before the year was out.

"With him and a number of others we are well into negotiations. The only difference is because of the Gold Coast situation people tend to focus on where they might be heading," Fantasia said.

"Without putting too much of a spin on it, we don't believe there are any issues with any of our guys out of contract."

Any marquee player who commits to the Gold Coast can expect a massive pay rise.

"I don't think anyone is being too silly (with figures)," Fantasia said. "He (Higgins) enjoys being here and enjoys playing with this group and they all do.

"Look at Geelong and how they have kept their group together. They enjoy playing with and for each other and that's half the battle."

Eade has made it clear he wants to stay and complete the job he started in 2005.

With Higgins keen to stay, the most delicate issue facing the list management group is how many of the veterans will stay on.

Scott Welsh, Jason Akermanis and Nathan Eagleton join Johnson as over-30s coming out of contract

Let's get it done Doggies...both Missy and Rocket... c'mon!!!

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Originally Posted by BulldogBelle

Leading agent Ricky Nixon manages Eade, Higgins, Hargrave and several young Dogs.

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Holding the club to ransom

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Originally Posted by aker39

Holding the club to ransom

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Rubbish!

If you want to talk about holding th club to ranson, look at Olarenshaw not Nixon

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Originally Posted by aker39

Holding the club to ransom

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I wouldn't have thought so although with Ricky who can be sure.

I think it's a pretty profound statement from an important player going forward that he wants our current coach to continue in his role as he believes he is doing a great job.

I think we all feel that Eade will sign on at the end of the review stage and it's great news that one of our up and coming stars wants to play under him.

Good to see Higgins is thinking about his future and ensuring he plays under the right coach. It will be good to have all this wrapped up so we don't have to worry about it.

Surely re-signing Eade is a box-ticking exercise?
The club wants to be seen to have done complete due diligence on any signing. I think we all know what the most likely outcome is.

I prefer this sort of talk than hearing nothing about the process. With the Eade extension a mere formality, Higgins has basically put it on public record that he’ll be staying with the Bulldogs.

All I can say is, up yours Gold Coast – try and poach someone else’s future captain.

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Originally Posted by comrade

All I can say is, up yours Gold Coast – try and poach someone else’s future captain.

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Rest assured, they will, keep trying that is.

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Originally Posted by The Coon Dog

Rest assured, they will, keep trying that is.

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Personally I couldn't care less which 'marquee' player they acquire, just as long as it ain't one of ours.

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Originally Posted by Mantis

Personally I couldn't care less which 'marquee' player they acquire, just as long as it ain't one of ours.

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Yep.

Good article on Shaun, even ran down here in the 'Tiser. I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of our group would be keen to stick together. They have a bright future with a pretty talented pool of young guys.

Great news. We will re-sign Eade and thus al of them. Remember the bounce we had when 7 players signed at the same time last year. I would like us to do a massive resigning of coach, captain, future captain and gun players all together at around 'round 20' and hopefully replicate that injection of excitement around the club going into the finals.

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Originally Posted by Mantis

Personally I couldn't care less which 'marquee' player they acquire, just as long as it ain't one of ours.

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That's my main sense of it as well, though in an ideal world I'd love them to poach a key player off one of our rivals who then goes onto be a major diappointment for his new club :)

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Originally Posted by comrade

I prefer this sort of talk than hearing nothing about the process. With the Eade extension a mere formality, Higgins has basically put it on public record that he’ll be staying with the Bulldogs.

All I can say is, up yours Gold Coast – try and poach someone else’s future captain.

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Comrade, you've hit the nail on the head - this sort of talk is extremely beneficial to our public persona - we are finally a club that players want to stay with because they can see an exciting future and are prepared to back the coach as well! Fantastic! C'mon Dogs, let's get pen to paper before too long :D

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Originally Posted by Magic Griffen

Comrade, you've hit the nail on the head - this sort of talk is extremely beneficial to our public persona - we are finally a club that players want to stay with because they can see an exciting future and are prepared to back the coach as well! Fantastic! C'mon Dogs, let's get pen to paper before too long :D

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Even though his on-field contribution has been fantastic, this will be one of Aker's greatest legacies at our club. By choosing us over all other Melbourne based clubs (and make no mistake, they were all into him), he made us a sexy football destination overnight. Before Aker's arrival, we had über-duds like Ben Holland openly reject our overtures, not to mention someone like Jade Rawlings actually harming our reputation more than enhancing it with his attitude when he arrived at the club.

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Originally Posted by Mantis

I wouldn't have thought so although with Ricky who can be sure.

I think it's a pretty profound statement from an important player going forward that he wants our current coach to continue in his role as he believes he is doing a great job.

I think we all feel that Eade will sign on at the end of the review stage and it's great news that one of our up and coming stars wants to play under him.

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That's my point Mantis. Higgins has made no statement. There is not one quote in that article attributed to Higgins.

gone are the days of 2007 when the media was saying their was going to be a player revolt because of Eades abrasive nature. It is clear now that the player love him and really play for him. Well done rocket PLEASE sign soon and make the first act of your new term to make Higgins (or Boyd but preferably Higgins) Captain from 2010.

I doubt this would be coming from Higgo at all. I don't believe a future captain would ever hold the club to ransom this way, player managers are having a picnic at the moment with Gold Coast coming in!

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Originally Posted by aker39

That's my point Mantis. Higgins has made no statement. There is not one quote in that article attributed to Higgins.

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You are right, in thinking more about the article it has probably come directly from Nixon who is probably trying to make the club look bad for not offering Eade a new contract.

That does it, Nixon is a vermin.

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Originally Posted by Mantis

That does it, Nixon is a vermin.

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Surely you knew that before:D

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Originally Posted by bornadog

Surely you knew that before:D

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He's just misunderstood. I have trams swerve at me all the time and then i go home and drink too, to calm my nerves...

This article would have more credibility, if there were quotes from Higgins himself.

Mock up article.

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Originally Posted by Sedat

Even though his on-field contribution has been fantastic, this will be one of Aker's greatest legacies at our club. By choosing us over all other Melbourne based clubs (and make no mistake, they were all into him), he made us a sexy football destination overnight. Before Aker's arrival, we had über-duds like Ben Holland openly reject our overtures, not to mention someone like Jade Rawlings actually harming our reputation more than enhancing it with his attitude when he arrived at the club.

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This I believe was the way the club was sold to him by BJ Westy and Murph he wanted to come to a strong club that was well run and well represented enter Smorgan and Eade truly a comming of age for our great club

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Originally Posted by strebla

This I believe was the way the club was sold to him by BJ Westy and Murph he wanted to come to a strong club that was well run and well represented enter Smorgan and Eade truly a comming of age for our great club

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If I have to publicly embarrass you to get this right I will, it's only the 43rd time you done this: ;)

SMORGON

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Originally Posted by The Coon Dog

If I have to publicly embarrass you to get this right I will, it's only the 43rd time you done this: ;)

SMORGON

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You've ;)

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Originally Posted by JH40

You've ;)

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Touche' ;)

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Originally Posted by The Coon Dog

Touche' ;)

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Touché ;)

C'mon Doggies hand the contract to Eade and with that the future of the club.

Now lets focus on signing Cooney, Griffen, Lake and Co..

Very bright future indeed...