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TERRY Wallace was offered a five-year deal to coach Sydney.
After years of innuendo, silence and secrets, that is fact. The man himself says so.
Wallace sensationally walked out on the Western Bulldogs with one game left in the 2002 season, on the promise of an offer too good to refuse.
Sydney vehemently denied any contact with Wallace while he was coaching the Dogs, but a contract exists.
"I had one year left of a contract (at the Western Bulldogs) and had a five-year contract put on the table by Sydney," Wallace said.
People power took over in the Harbour City and Sydney changed its plans, picking the popular assistant Paul Roos.
But as the 10-year anniversary of "Plough-gate" approaches, intimate details are finally leaking out.
"Unfortunately, I got stuck in the middle of a firestorm. One was stepping away from the Bulldogs and the other situation was I was going somewhere ... all of a sudden the rug was pulled out and I got stuck in the middle," Wallace said.
He made the comments on SEN radio recently, but they slipped through without any media scrutiny or follow-up.
Contacted this week, Wallace did not want to elaborate -- and made it clear he would never declare the full details of whether the contract was signed or whether the Swans paid him any compensation for the late change of heart.
But he did not back away from the five-year revelation.
"I said it on air, but I'm not going to say any more. It's history," Wallace said.
Those close to him say he was frustrated to be caught up in a legal tangle at the time. He wanted to explain his story, but was hamstrung.
With QCs involved, Wallace and his manager, Craig Kelly, were compromised in how much they could say as the story erupted at the time.
The offer explains why he decided to leave the Bulldogs.
With only one year left on a contract at the kennel, and no guarantees beyond that, Sydney promised amazing security.
The next question is: Where does this leave Sydney?
At the time, a Swans spokesman described speculation the club had approached Wallace as "absolute bulls---".
The Swans said reports that a Sydney board member had confirmed the club made an approach to Wallace weeks before he exited were untrue.
"I'm telling you, not one of our directors has said anything to that effect," the Swans spokesman said at the time.
After years of innuendo, silence and secrets, that is fact. The man himself says so.
Wallace sensationally walked out on the Western Bulldogs with one game left in the 2002 season, on the promise of an offer too good to refuse.
Sydney vehemently denied any contact with Wallace while he was coaching the Dogs, but a contract exists.
"I had one year left of a contract (at the Western Bulldogs) and had a five-year contract put on the table by Sydney," Wallace said.
People power took over in the Harbour City and Sydney changed its plans, picking the popular assistant Paul Roos.
But as the 10-year anniversary of "Plough-gate" approaches, intimate details are finally leaking out.
"Unfortunately, I got stuck in the middle of a firestorm. One was stepping away from the Bulldogs and the other situation was I was going somewhere ... all of a sudden the rug was pulled out and I got stuck in the middle," Wallace said.
He made the comments on SEN radio recently, but they slipped through without any media scrutiny or follow-up.
Contacted this week, Wallace did not want to elaborate -- and made it clear he would never declare the full details of whether the contract was signed or whether the Swans paid him any compensation for the late change of heart.
But he did not back away from the five-year revelation.
"I said it on air, but I'm not going to say any more. It's history," Wallace said.
Those close to him say he was frustrated to be caught up in a legal tangle at the time. He wanted to explain his story, but was hamstrung.
With QCs involved, Wallace and his manager, Craig Kelly, were compromised in how much they could say as the story erupted at the time.
The offer explains why he decided to leave the Bulldogs.
With only one year left on a contract at the kennel, and no guarantees beyond that, Sydney promised amazing security.
The next question is: Where does this leave Sydney?
At the time, a Swans spokesman described speculation the club had approached Wallace as "absolute bulls---".
The Swans said reports that a Sydney board member had confirmed the club made an approach to Wallace weeks before he exited were untrue.
"I'm telling you, not one of our directors has said anything to that effect," the Swans spokesman said at the time.
I've been waiting to hear someone say "April Fools!", ever since my Aunt sent this to me.
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