Dirt-cheap Dog: Jason Akermanis willing to accept paycut

[LostDoggy]

Not at all. He's been happy to play on for reduced money right from the start.

He admitted he brought it on himself by telling the club that 2009 would be his last year so the club budgetted for the extra money available in the salary cap.

Which is still an indication of the class of the guy to acknowledge this instead of demanding his due to go on (which, as others have pointed out, is significant seeing as he was still one of our best performed players over the whole of the season just past).

[EasternWest]

Yeah good on Aker, class act. Can't help feel that he's getting shafted by the club though- what you get paid should reflect your contribution, not your age. I can think of about 12 players whose contributions weren't as significant as Aker's this season, and he'll probably do more than about half the list next season. Except he'll see them pocket fatter pay packets at the end of the game.

That's a fair point. Had Aker been in year 3 of his career, he would definitely be demanding more. But as it says in the paper today, he's been very well financially rewarded throughout his career. He's hardly playing for the cash now. As well as being a great thing to do for his club, it's a smart thing for him to do too. He knows we're close, otherwise he wouldn't be playing next year. The benefit of this is threefold: He seen to be placing success over dollars and his teammates respect that, he gets one more chance to get his hands on the cup and go out with a bang, and we, the fans love him.

Not sure his decision is entirely altruistic, but it there is certainly a large element of team thinking in it, and he is to be applauded for that. Well done Aker, I can't wait to see you, along with your teammates, on the podium next September.

[bulldogtragic]

Question:

When was the last time somebody played for the love of the game at a massive pay reduction, as in bygone eras when they had day jobs?

[Ozza]

Question:

When was the last time somebody played for the love of the game at a massive pay reduction, as in bygone eras when they had day jobs?

Don't know about the last time. But Tony Liberatore certainly did. He played on in 1997 for half of his previous years wage.

[LostDoggy]

There you go another Doggies player - must be our team spirit - its in the blood

[LostDoggy]

Not at all. He's been happy to play on for reduced money right from the start.

He admitted he brought it on himself by telling the club that 2009 would be his last year so the club budgetted for the extra money available in the salary cap.

I thought I had heard that he was willing to take a py cut but wasn't going to go beneath 250. Either way, what an awesome show of character by the man!!

[LostDoggy]

Well done Aker. Will be most happy to have you aboard in 2010 - YEAR OF THE BULLDOGS!!!!

[Sedat]

He's only going to fall just shy of the 100 game mark for us by the looks. That's a return you'd take from any draftee beyond the top 10.

[LostDoggy]

Well done Aker. Good to hear that he will play even tho he is getting paid under the average. Carn Dogs.

[Sockeye Salmon]

He's only going to fall just shy of the 100 game mark for us by the looks. That's a return you'd take from any draftee beyond the top 10.

That's 100 pretty good games rather than 30 'development' games, 50 Ok games and 20 'in-and-out-of-the-side' games.

[angelopetraglia]

The club has managed this very well. Great outcome.

[LostDoggy]

Wow, well done Aker. Really shows his dedication and love for the game, and i'd like to think, club.

Can't wait til next year. If you'd told me a few years ago that our forward line would one day consist of Johnno, Aker and Bazza, there is NO WAY i'd have believed you. Ohh, yay!

[Sockeye Salmon]

and then demanded to be paid Long service leave

And scared off Shannon Grant (after Grant agreed to terms with us) by telling everyone we couldn't afford to pay players wages.

[LostDoggy]

That's 100 pretty good games rather than 30 'development' games, 50 Ok games and 20 'in-and-out-of-the-side' games.

If Aker plays on to 100 games with the western bulldogs, does that means that if he has a son, he can be a father and son draftee?

That would mean he has to play on in 2011 wouldn't he?

Unlikely but a nice thought.

[LostDoggy]

And scared off Shannon Grant (after Grant agreed to terms with us) by telling everyone we couldn't afford to pay players wages.

S Grant was/is a prick anyway.