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Ray wants to play, but not with Bulldogs
The Age
Martin Boulton | September 26, 2008
WESTERN Bulldogs midfielder Farren Ray has told the club he wants to be traded after an injury-interrupted season that yielded only 13 games.
Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia said the club would facilitate a trade.
"After meeting with his management Farren has decided to look for another opportunity," Fantasia said.
"We see Farren as a required player, so it is disappointing in some respects, but he's had an indifferent year and we understand why he's going down that track.
"We'll do our best to facilitate a deal that's equitable for both parties."
It was revealed in The Age yesterday that Ray was likely to request a trade.
Ray, who was taken with pick four in the 2003 national draft, has played 75 games for the Bulldogs. He suffered a cracked fibula in this year's pre-season and struggled for consistency during the year.
After missing the last two rounds he returned for the Dogs' qualifying final against Hawthorn, but was left out of the next two finals against Sydney and Geelong.
Ray's manager, Rick Olarenshaw, said the 22-year-old could head home to Western Australia, but was more focused on joining a club where he could get more playing time.
"His first preference is to stay in Melbourne, but he just wants to go where he can play his best football, so if that's Brisbane or Adelaide or Sydney, so be it," he said.
"We've had (other clubs) make inquiries, but we weren't going to make a decision until the Bulldogs' season was out of the way.
"He was concerned about his opportunity (with the Bulldogs), and they were pretty blunt about that on Tuesday in his meeting with the coaches.
"He knew it was going to be hard to find opportunities with the midfield they've got, so we'll look elsewhere for a club that feels they need someone like Farren."
Ray wants to play, but not with Bulldogs
The Age
Martin Boulton | September 26, 2008
WESTERN Bulldogs midfielder Farren Ray has told the club he wants to be traded after an injury-interrupted season that yielded only 13 games.
Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia said the club would facilitate a trade.
"After meeting with his management Farren has decided to look for another opportunity," Fantasia said.
"We see Farren as a required player, so it is disappointing in some respects, but he's had an indifferent year and we understand why he's going down that track.
"We'll do our best to facilitate a deal that's equitable for both parties."
It was revealed in The Age yesterday that Ray was likely to request a trade.
Ray, who was taken with pick four in the 2003 national draft, has played 75 games for the Bulldogs. He suffered a cracked fibula in this year's pre-season and struggled for consistency during the year.
After missing the last two rounds he returned for the Dogs' qualifying final against Hawthorn, but was left out of the next two finals against Sydney and Geelong.
Ray's manager, Rick Olarenshaw, said the 22-year-old could head home to Western Australia, but was more focused on joining a club where he could get more playing time.
"His first preference is to stay in Melbourne, but he just wants to go where he can play his best football, so if that's Brisbane or Adelaide or Sydney, so be it," he said.
"We've had (other clubs) make inquiries, but we weren't going to make a decision until the Bulldogs' season was out of the way.
"He was concerned about his opportunity (with the Bulldogs), and they were pretty blunt about that on Tuesday in his meeting with the coaches.
"He knew it was going to be hard to find opportunities with the midfield they've got, so we'll look elsewhere for a club that feels they need someone like Farren."
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