Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

[Topdog]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

From my reading we lowballed him, that gave him long enough to have a meeting with GWS and they blew us out of the water.

I appreciate Rocket would not have been every players cup of tea but competent list management shouldnt allow the games to begin with esp with 2 new teams coming in

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

From my reading we lowballed him, that gave him long enough to have a meeting with GWS and they blew us out of the water.

I appreciate Rocket would not have been every players cup of tea but competent list management shouldn't allow the games to begin with esp with 2 new teams coming in

Absolutely correct.

[jeemak]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

Being labelled cement head (not because of his hardness) by a clique of senior players probably wouldn't have helped....

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

Being labelled cement head (not because of his hardness) by a clique of senior players probably wouldn't have helped....

$800k per year helped

[Sedat]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

Being labelled cement head (not because of his hardness) by a clique of senior players probably wouldn't have helped....

With all due respect to Ward, he won't be splitting the atom any time soon.

[Sedat]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

He would've signed a decent offer up front because he could've stayed close to home and had a secure future in a familiar environment. He was more open to looking around at other offers than many other players would've been because of the way he was dealt with. Fantasia has always been the target for all blame but we weren't exactly dealing with a player who bled red white and blue for several reasons.

To be fair (and thanks for the additional info on the relationship between Rocket and Ward), the reality is that had Fantasia even done his job with a remote level of competency Ward would be a bulldog today. Notwithstanding said issues between coach and player, player would have signed on for what amounts to an extremely fair contract, but the man in charge of managing the list and player contract negotiations made a complete mess of this particular negotiation. Fantasia's culpability cannot be denied.

[Greystache]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

With all due respect to Ward, he won't be splitting the atom any time soon.

No but he was given responsibility and respect at GWS and allowed to flourish. Now he's captain of a top 4 team, B&F winner, universally respected, has made an All Australian squad. At the Bulldogs he was stupid, cement head, and mocked by coach and senior players for being a *!*!*!*! up. Maybe the carrot was a better management tool than the stick.

[Greystache]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

To be fair (and thanks for the additional info on the relationship between Rocket and Ward), the reality is that had Fantasia even done his job with a remote level of competency Ward would be a bulldog today. Notwithstanding said issues between coach and player, player would have signed on for what amounts to an extremely fair contract, but the man in charge of managing the list and player contract negotiations made a complete mess of this particular negotiation. Fantasia's culpability cannot be denied.

Possibly, even quite probably he would've signed and still been a Bulldog player today. Or we could've given him the offer he asked for and agreed on the terms, then his manager Paul Connors (who manages Hurley BTW) tells Ward he'll test the market before they sign and comes back with $800k from GWS and that they see him as a leader of their start up and the rest is history.

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

Possibly, even quite probably he would've signed and still been a Bulldog player today. Or we could've given him the offer he asked for and agreed on the terms, then his manager Paul Connors (who manages Hurley BTW) tells Ward he'll test the market before they sign and comes back with $800k from GWS and that they see him as a leader of their start up and the rest is history.

However, list management foresees what could happen in the future and in this case we knew way before GWS had their shit together they were going to join the AFL. Therefore we should have stitched him up then ie before they even started their recruitment. We let it go too long.

Same with Harbrow going to Suns. I don't buy into being closer to family bullshit.

[Sedat]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

Possibly, even quite probably he would've signed and still been a Bulldog player today. Or we could've given him the offer he asked for and agreed on the terms, then his manager Paul Connors (who manages Hurley BTW) tells Ward he'll test the market before they sign and comes back with $800k from GWS and that they see him as a leader of their start up and the rest is history.

From memory Connors wanted to sign him up in mid 2010 on the contract terms that Fantasia knocked back - GWS weren't even a viable concern at that time let alone been in a position to put an offer on the table.

A good list manager would have locked away all the players of interest to both GWS and GC.

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

From memory Connors wanted to sign him up in mid 2010 on the contract terms that Fantasia knocked back - GWS weren't even a viable concern at that time let alone been in a position to put an offer on the table.

A good list manager would have locked away all the players of interest to both GWS and GC.

Yep and the big losers were us and Adelaide who stuffed it up.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

From memory Connors wanted to sign him up in mid 2010 on the contract terms that Fantasia knocked back - GWS weren't even a viable concern at that time let alone been in a position to put an offer on the table.

A good list manager would have locked away all the players of interest to both GWS and GC.

How Fantasia got a job at Hawthorn after this had and still has me confused. Thank God he wasn't around to tell Bonts to get stuffed when trying to recontract. Anyway, finals baby.

[Mofra]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

Maybe the carrot was a better management tool than the stick.

Given our performances under Bevo vs B-Mac, maybe it's not just Ward who responds better to the carrot either.
I don't; see GCS being a threat anytime soon.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

Given our performances under Bevo vs B-Mac, maybe it's not just Ward who responds better to the carrot either.
I don't; see GCS being a threat anytime soon.

A lot of rumours around of GCS players not being happy with Eade's style. Make of it what you will.

[Flamethrower]

Re: Bulldogs' $50,000 Ward mistake - Herald Sun

With all due respect to Ward, he won't be splitting the atom any time soon.

He's more likely to split infinitives.

What's the point of bringing this up now anyway - what's next, an article about how Bernie Quinlan, Barry Round and Gary Dempsey left?