Lin Jong Tours Collingwood's Facilities

[Doc26]

Just posted up on the Herald Sun:

WESTERN Bulldogs midfielder Lin Jong toured Collingwood’s facilities in the days before he played in the Dogs’ pulsating win over Sydney on Saturday.

The out-of-contract Bulldog met with a Magpies official after hours at the Holden Centre last week as he weighs up his footballing future.

Clubs are permitted to talk to rival players and their managers, but stepping inside a rival club in-season is uncommon.

The Bulldogs have attempted to re-sign Jong this season, but they have been unable to agree to terms.

Jong, 23, has not reached any agreement with the Magpies, but is believed to be considering his options.

Sources close to the 188cm hard nut confirmed the night-time visit to Collingwood’s Olympic Park headquarters.

The hard-nut ball-winner has been in and out of the Bulldogs’ senior team, playing seven AFL games this season.

He had 20 possessions and three clearances in the thrilling win over the Swans.

Jong has played 30 AFL games in five seasons at the kennel and could move elsewhere for more senior opportunities next year.

Gold Coast chased the No.9 pick in the 2009 rookie draft in last year’s trade period, but he turned the Suns down.

Despite high hopes for 2016, the growing depth on the Bulldogs’ list has pushed Jong to the fringes of senior selection.

The Oakleigh product was also suspended for two matches for making high contact to young Giant Matthew Buntine in Round 9.

Jong underwent groin surgery in the off-season and said he wanted to model his game on Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield.

“The way he uses his speed is something I’d really like to do,” Jong said in March.

“The coaches tell me to use my speed as much as I can and break away from packs a bit more.

“Patrick is such a great player and I aspire to be a better player and keep improving, so I like to adapt my game to his.”

How Collingwood could secure Jong in either this year’s trade or draft periods remains unclear.

Collingwood does not have a first-round pick in this year’s draft after using it to secure star midfielder Adam Treloar last year.

The club also needs to amass draft points if it is to nab father-son propositions Callum Brown and Josh Daicos, so any trade move for Jong would be difficult.

However, out-of-contract ruckman Jarrod Witts could be put up for trade to bolster the Magpies’ position. Full-back Nathan Brown is also a free agent this year.

Western Bulldogs officials met with recruit Tom Boyd at Peter Gordon’s house in 2014, midway through Boyd’s first season at Greater Western Sydney.

Neither the Dogs or the Pies would comment yesterday.

[Hotdog60]

If a player is exploring other options rather than cementing his place in the team makes me wonder about his commitment.
I like Jong but if his not in 100% lets get what we can for him and I don't think Collingwood would be the only interested party.

Wasn't this sort of thing poaching in the old days?

[ledge]

Maybe Collingwood offered more than we did.
It's a business nowadays, nothing wrong with exploring your options and we have a deep list in his position he struggles to get a game. He will get games at other clubs it's actually a compliment on how good our list is.
We do have to make decisions on some players at end of year this might help us not to make one.
He is a good player and I hope he stays but this is the nature of the beast.

[whythelongface]

Maybe Collingwood offered more than we did.
It's a business nowadays, nothing wrong with exploring your options and we have a deep list in his position he struggles to get a game. He will get games at other clubs it's actually a compliment on how good our list is.
We do have to make decisions on some players at end of year this might help us not to make one.
He is a good player and I hope he stays but this is the nature of the beast.

Totally agree. He is a young man and needs to secure his future. Football is only limited and you need to make the most of your opportunities that are presented to you (like life in general). If he has more opportunities at Collingwood, plus can earn more than with us, it is a no brainer for a fringe player. No point being loyal if you are not satisfied with the contract presented and, at best, you are only a fringe player.

[Rocco Jones]

I said this on another thread...

We don't know contract we offered Jong but in all likelihood a one year deal, probably not ok much coin. He isn't a star, he is in career survival mode. He isn't deciding on how rich he wants to be. Obviously I prefer this to not come out but some players can afford to be loyal and some can't. Let's be realistic. We know Jong is a good citizen. Let's not burn him. Sometimes 'good guys' need to leave. Look at how strong clubs treat players who want to leave for career reasons. Hawks and Swans are good examples.

[westdog54]

Agree that there shouldn't be any issues if he wishes to move on.

I hope that revelations of this don't mean an extended stint at Footscray either. We've still got a premiership to win and if he's best 22 at any given time then he's best 22.

[anfo27]

Have no issue with Jong looking at his options, he needs to do whats best for him. I do have an issue with him having a tour of a rival clubs facilities during the season. Talk to his manager thats fine but I want Lin to concentrate on the now and putting all his energies into doing his best come game day.

What an earth could he get out of touring the facilities now instead of the end of the season anyway? I wonder what Bevo would say.

[Twodogs]

Let's face it, Collingwood are the club that pays some fairly ordinary players (White, Greenwood, Howe, et al) very good money and if you were a player on another club's list who wasn't guaranteed a place in the best 22 (or even on the list) and Collingwood came calling then you would be silly not to see what they are offering.

[bornadog]

I said this on another thread...

We don't know contract we offered Jong but in all likelihood a one year deal, probably not ok much coin. He isn't a star, he is in career survival mode. He isn't deciding on how rich he wants to be. Obviously I prefer this to not come out but some players can afford to be loyal and some can't. Let's be realistic. We know Jong is a good citizen. Let's not burn him. Sometimes 'good guys' need to leave. Look at how strong clubs treat players who want to leave for career reasons. Hawks and Swans are good examples.

I can understand if he wants to leave, but visiting premises in the middle of the year and it gets out in public. Not on as far as I am concerned. All this should be done at year end.

Anyway, still unconfirmed as far as I am concerned.

[westdog54]

I can understand if he wants to leave, but visiting premises in the middle of the year and it gets out in public. Not on as far as I am concerned. All this should be done at year end.

Anyway, still unconfirmed as far as I am concerned.

I can see where you are coming from but considering we'll be playing in September, players don't get a massive window of opportunity to explore their options and do due diligence if they're looking at a move, and if he thinks there's a better opportunity at another club (and lets face it, he'd probably walk into their 22 at the moment) then it doesn't serve anyone well to be holding him back.

To be honest the whole 'secret squirrel' thing is a little bit silly when it comes to out of contract players. Other codes have players moving around all the time and there is far more transparency to it.

If he was under contract it would have been a different story.

[soupman]

Completely understandable that he is assessing his options. He is a good player and in our best 25 but by moving he could not only get a better contract (if Tutt and Jones can get 3 years on decent coin then Jong could get something decent too).

Also with us he is asked to spend his time rotating between forward and midfield and for mine he doesn't have the smarts to get the ball enough as a forward or the goal sense to make him dangerous enough from the limited opportunities he gets. I think he is far better as a midfielder where his quantity of possession can outweigh his lack of quality. I think there is no coincidence his best two games of the season have been the last two rounds where he seems to have played predominately midfield instead of forward.

If he goes somewhere like Collingwood and they promise him more midfield time he could have the bonus of being more likely to secure a good contract in the future after the initial one runs out.

Also from our point of view Dunkley is a fairly good replacement as that bigger forward/mid and while Jong does have pace he isn't a good enough user to be that outside player we lack.

[Ozza]

Will be interesting to see if he is picked this week.

[Mantis]

Will be interesting to see if he is picked this week.

Thoughts on this?

I don't think Bevo would take too kindly to this sort of behaviour.. It's the vibe I get.

[soupman]

Thoughts on this?

I don't think Bevo would take too kindly to this sort of behaviour.. It's the vibe I get.

Me too which I think is somewhat unfortunate.

We can't sweet talk Suckling, Boyd and whoever else mid season and then crack the shits when our own fringe players assess their options.

[Bulldog4life]

Personally I will be disappointed if he leaves. Lin started late his footy career ....15 years old I think...and my opinion is that he has a lot of improvement in him. He is a good size, fast and gets his own ball. It would be interesting to know what terms the Club has offered him.