Bulldogs and big man Will Minson grapple with brave new world of free agency

[bornadog]

Mark Stevens




THE management of Bulldog Will Minson has spoken of the delicate state of negotiations as free agency looms.
"Will's preference is to stay at the Bulldogs. He's very happy there,'' Dan Richardson of Elite Sports Properties said.

"I guess to some extent, it's a matter of that commitment being both ways.

"Hopefully that will be the case and we'll work that out over the coming weeks.''

Minson, who led the league for hitouts this season, has the option of walking away from Whitten Oval as an unrestricted free agent.

He remains unsigned beyond this year, with the length of any deal more than the financial component the key to talks.

Minson may get three years elsewhere, but there has been no offer of that length from the Dogs for the 27-year-old.

Western Bulldogs list manager Jason McCartney declined to discuss the length of the offer on the table for Minson.

But McCartney said discussions were on-going and positive.

"The season's over now and that is something that will continue ... it (free agency) is something that is new for everyone,'' McCartney said.

"The one thing we know about Will is he's Bulldogs through and through and we'll keep discussions going.

"He (Minson) is still important to us.''

[The Pie Man]

While it won't be a shock that clubs will look at Minson (in form, free agent) this really is a nothing article from Stevo.

Would've been better to perhaps speculate on what the Dogs could expect in the way of compensation should he end up walking.

[bornadog]

I would give Will 3 years.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I would give Will 3 years.

So would I

[LostDoggy]

I would give Will 3 years.

Absolutely And if this is the only sticking point as the article suggests then it should be done and done now.

[EasternWest]

I would give Will 3 years.

In a heartbeat.

I think it's not unreasonable to expect that he'll be able to perform at this years level for the next two at least, and with a lesser load in the third. That should see him close to the end of his career, and it'll be a win win for both parties.

I'm still a bit disappointed over our lack of support during mothergate, but I hope Will has moved past it and wants to be a Bulldog for life.

For all the criticisms that can be leveled at Will, lack of heart and effort has never been one.

[LostDoggy]

[URL="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/bulldogs-and-big-man-will-minson-grapple-with-brave-new-world-of-free-agency/story-e6frf9jf-1226464257918"] McCartney said.
"He (Minson) is still important to us.''

Shame this is said and not shown.

[BulldogBelle]

Give him 3 years, heavily front loaded contract. (we should have great salary cap depth for now) Pay him out in the 3rd year if he requests a trade for whatever reason, or slows down dramatically for whatever reason.

Since those two things that are completely unlikely to happen anyway, and if we are unable to seal this 3 year deal after giving Gia/Crossy 2 and Addison 2, then major personnel changes are needed immediately.

[jeemak]

We definitely need to keep Will, and as far as I'm concerned three years isn't too much for a Ruckman who's entering his career prime.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

WTF are we waiting for? A rival club to poach him?

In all seriousness, it is ridiculous that we are so relaxed about this. Minson is coming off his best season yet, we've lost two very good footballers in recent years due to sloppy contract negociations, and with free agency looming there's no doubt opposition clubs will be in his ear -- particularly Hawthorn/Collingwood, who would be desperate to a) release Roughead or b) replace Jolly.

Do we think because he's "bulldog through and through" he's just going to sign the first contract we put in front of him without paying attention to rival (and beefier) offers?

Unless there's more to it and Minson's asking for a contract he's not worth, sign him up for three years before it's too bloody late ... again.

[Cyberdoggie]

We definitely need to keep Will, and as far as I'm concerned three years isn't too much for a Ruckman who's entering his career prime.

Exactly, and he has shown this year that he can be the number one ruck and has stamped out a lot of his errors in his game (in particular the free kicks).

Remember this time last year we were debating on whether to keep Hudson for another year, because of the doubts over Will. He's definately proven us wrong and 3 years certainly isn't too much to ask for.

[Bulldog Joe]

Exactly, and he has shown this year that he can be the number one ruck and has stamped out a lot of his errors in his game (in particular the free kicks).

Remember this time last year we were debating on whether to keep Hudson for another year, because of the doubts over Will. He's definately proven us wrong and 3 years certainly isn't too much to ask for.

Some may have been debating, but I was in favour of trading Hudson out at the end of 2010 when it looked like we were going to ship Will to the Gold Coast.

Thankfully Guy Mckenna was more interested in looking after Collingwood than getting the best ruckman

[Maddog37]

Personally I want more around the ground from a ruckman than Will currently offers. Like him alot but if we got decent compensation I would not be overly broken hearted.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Personally I want more around the ground from a ruckman than Will currently offers. Like him alot but if we got decent compensation I would not be overly broken hearted.

I agree to a point but it does rob us of another experienced player which we do not have a lot of in terms of quality at the moment. Minson has had a good season but struggles to have any marking impact when going forward. We are back to potential ruckmen in Campbell or Cordy who you wouldn't see at this stage matching it with some of the better more experienced ruckmen going around.

[LongWait]

If we'd collapsed and given in to Will's manager immediately there would have been uproar on this board. Let's leave McCartney to do his job and assess the outcome when he's completed and not before.