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Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
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Tom Liberatore and the Western Bulldogs remain apart on the length of a new deal.
While a fresh contract for club captain and Brownlow medal favourite Marcus Bontempelli hogs the headlines, the Liberatore negotiations have hit an early hurdle.
Liberatore is in white-hot form for the 8-1 Bulldogs as the AFL’s No.1 ranked player for centre clearances and total clearances after Round 9. He also sits No.2 in the competition for contested possessions.
But at this stage the Bulldogs are only prepared to offer a one-year contract extension.
Liberatore, who turned 29 on Sunday, was made to wait until the end of 2018 to be offered a one-year deal after a second knee reconstruction saw him miss all but one quarter of that season.
But the inside midfielder made a bright start to 2019 and signed a two-year contract extension half-way through that season. It’s that deal which is due to expire at the end of the 2021 campaign.
It must be said it is only early in negotiations between Liberatore and the club. The Bulldogs want him to stay and Liberatore wants to stay, but there is water to go under the bridge.
Liberatore’s clearance work and vision in stoppage situations has been one of the key pillars of the Bulldogs scintillating start to the season.
It has been his grunt at the coalface that has unlocked a lot of class being shown by a deep on-ball unit.
Bontempelli is set to turn his back on free agency and re-commit to the Dogs with a lucrative new deal expected to be announced soon.
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
How long a contract would you give him?
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 4 Likes
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
Happy to give him 2 years. He has likely played for unders most of his career, deserves a 2 year contract. If he subsequently breaks down at some stage so be it, he will have earned every cent.
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 3 Likes
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
Yeah I think you just roll the dice on two years and get on with it. There's nobody who can step into his role.
Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 1 Likes
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
One year is a little insulting isn't it? The guys been almost our best this season apart from Sir Marcus.
Two should've been the jumping off point.
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
Originally Posted by
Grantysghost
One year is a little insulting isn't it? The guys been almost our best this season apart from Sir Marcus.
Two should've been the jumping off point.
They're probably privy to things we aren't around how his body is and what it takes for him to get up week in week out.
Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
Originally Posted by
jeemak
They're probably privy to things we aren't around how his body is and what it takes for him to get up week in week out.
That's a good point, and they'll probably land at 2 I just don't want to unnecessarily put any ripples in the currently calm Liberatore waters. He's vital to our success.
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
Originally Posted by
jeemak
They're probably privy to things we aren't around how his body is and what it takes for him to get up week in week out.
Still, since his last reco how many has he missed? It's about the historical contribution as far as I'm concerned rather than perceived future risk. Surely no one at the club can predict if / when a knee will go.
Give the man two with a trigger-clause for a third.
One is a massive slap in the face based on what he's achieved, is currently achieving.
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
Originally Posted by
1eyedog
Still, since his last reco how many has he missed? It's about the historical contribution as far as I'm concerned rather than perceived future risk. Surely no one at the club can predict if / when a knee will go.
Give the man two with a trigger-clause for a third.
One is a massive slap in the face based on what he's achieved, is currently achieving.
Keep this form up and he should be AA
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
Originally Posted by
bornadog
Keep this form up and he should be AA
He's drawing more and more attention from the meeja re. how important he has been to us this year because of his clearance ability. Some suggested on the telecast on Saturday night that he should be in AA contention and that winning clearances is where the game is won. Hope he gets the recognition he deserves.
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. ― Epicurus
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
- I'm a visionary - Only here to confirm my biases -
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
If Wood can get 2 years Libba deserves at least that at a minimum. I'd give him 3
They've done studies you know, 60% of the time, it works every time!
Brian Fantana.
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Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 2 Likes
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Re: Liberatore and the western bulldogs remain apart on new deal
Originally Posted by
ratsmac
If Wood can get 2 years Libba deserves at least that at a minimum. I'd give him 3
Agree. I’d give him 3. He’s probably our most important mid (yes I know Bont Bont Bont), but Libba is the coal mine.
I will never see #16 the same!!