Eade looks for a new manager

[bornadog]

Emma Quayle April 19, 2011




A NEW manager will negotiate out-of-contract Rodney Eade's next deal at the Western Bulldogs, after Eade yesterday revealed he and Ricky Nixon had made an amicable split.

Eade revealed he had asked for Nixon's advice on which management company to sign with next, as Nixon tries to sell his Flying Start business.

''I ran a few names by him and he was fine with that - he said he was going his way, and do what he needs to do to get his life back on track,'' said Eade, who was unsure whether any of his players had also decided to seek new management following Nixon's two-year ban by the AFL Players Association, he told SEN radio.

Advertisement: Story continues below ''They were just waiting to see the lay of the land, and now that he has had his sanction they need to weigh up what they are going to do,'' Eade said. ''I think Rick has got a couple of people there who work in the industry, so whether they stay with him I'm not too sure.''

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are getting closer to piecing their first-choice back line together, with Ryan Hargrave just two weeks away from a return and Lindsay Gilbee gaining extra match fitness in a game for Williamstown at the weekend.

While Hargrave will likely return via the VFL like Gilbee and Brian Lake before him after missing the entire preseason with a foot injury, he has stepped up his training in recent weeks and the foot has coped well.

''It's been fine and he's been training really well,'' said football manager James Fantasia yesterday. ''He's got his conditioning right up, and the next phase is to play some games.''

In other injury news, Fremantle's Nick Suban was yesterday encouraged by predictions he would be back in the Dockers side by the middle of the season, after breaking his leg during Sunday's win against North Melbourne.

The 20-year-old had surgery on Sunday night to fix his snapped fibula and football manager Chris Bond said he should only miss about eight weeks.

[bornadog]

Interesting Hargrave only two weeks away.

[Rocco Jones]

Interesting Hargrave only two weeks away.

Yep, that's part I found most interesting.

Having both Shaggy and Wood out of the side has taken away from our backline's flexibility which has been a strength for awhile.

[GVGjr]

Interesting Hargrave only two weeks away.

And it's enforced because he has to wait the 8 week LTIL rules. He had his ankle fused.

[bornadog]

And it's enforced because he has to wait the 8 week LTIL rules. He had his ankle fused.

Pardon my ignorance - LTIL??

[GVGjr]

Pardon my ignorance - LTIL??

Long term injury list. Once we placed him on it he couldn't come back before the 8 weeks.

[azabob]

Wonder if Eade really did run a few names by Nixon? Nixon hasn't been making the greatest choices of late.

[AndrewP6]

Interesting Hargrave only two weeks away.

I thought Rd 7 was always the target return date.

[LostDoggy]

Wonder if Eade really did run a few names by Nixon? Nixon hasn't been making the greatest choices of late.

He'd know a lot more about the abilities of various managers in the biz than Rocket would.

[KT31]

Hope he finds a really crap one and he is signed to us for a steal.

[azabob]

Hope he finds a really crap one and he is signed to us for a steal.

Will be interesting times ahead. One would hope contract talks won't start until the end of the season.