Clubs fight back in contract battle

MORE clubs are threatening to keep players to their contracts for next season as they try to wrestle back some power in the player-movement market.

Clubs have been frustrated by the number of players looking to break contracts for personal reasons or more attractive deals at rival clubs in recent years.

It has prompted a push to explore the possibility of trading players without their consent, with Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury declaring contracts “don’t mean anything any more.”

But, in a fascinating opening to the AFL trade period yesterday, clubs fought back as Western Bulldogs and Geelong stood firm over requests from Marcus Adams and Tim Kelly to join new homes.

Adams, 25, wants to move north to Brisbane, but new Bulldogs list manager Sam Power said the Dogs would not release the key defender from his current deal, which expires in 2020.

“We will hold him to that contract,” Power said. “He’s a required player.”

Likewise, Geelong list chief Stephen Wells was adamant the Cats would require a top-10 draft pick to relinquish star first-year midfielder Kelly to West Coast.

Wells said the Cats had told Kelly that he would likely remain at Geelong next season despite his desire to be closer to his Western Australian family.

“His value has increased amazingly and it would have to be an astonishing deal for us to budge,” Wells said.

“He is [worth] a top-10 pick, I would have thought.”

Other high-profile stars exploring the chance to break their deals include Dylan Shiel (Greater Western Sydney), Lachie Neale (Fremantle), Jesse Hogan (Melbourne) and Steve May (Gold Coast).

Tense negotiations over these players’ trade values are expected to drag on until next Wednesday’s deadline, with each of their clubs saying the star players would only be let go if they received adequate compensation.

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott is in favour of a push to trade players without their consent to give clubs more leverage in the exchange period.