Western Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen has dropped a bombshell by requesting a trade out of the club with a year still to run on his contract.
Griffen’s management company Elite Sports Properties has released a statement today of the star midfielder’s wish to be traded to the GWS Giants.
“After ongoing consultation with the Western Bulldogs, his family and management, Ryan Griffen has requested a trade to the Greater Western Sydney Giants,” the ESP statement read.
“At 28, Ryan feels a fresh start outside Melbourne after 202 games with the Western Bulldogs is the right thing for him.
“The decision has not come lightly and has been extremely difficult for all involved.
“It has been made with the intent that the Western Bulldogs are duly compensated for granting Ryan a release from the final year of his contract.”
Giants chief executive David Matthews said his club will enter into discussions with the Bulldogs to “do a fair deal in the interests of all parties during the trade period”.
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Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon has since issued a scathing statement about Griffen, in which Gordon suggested the club had “no intention of indulging” Griffen’s request for a trade to GWS.
“Ryan Griffen raised with me some concerns about our Senior Coach the day after our best and fairest. I then organised for him to immediately relay those concerns to our Chief Executive, Simon Garlick. We both took Ryan’s concerns very seriously as did Brendan McCartney when he was informed of them,” Gordon said on the Bulldogs website.
“We arranged for Ryan to meet with Brendan and our Football Director, Chris Grant, and they discussed his concerns. Brendan acknowledged some faults and agreed to work on them. At the conclusion of the meeting, Chris asked Ryan if he was happy with the meeting and agreeable to working with Macca on an ongoing basis.
“Ryan answered yes to both questions and added that while he was on leave he wanted to reflect upon whether he was best suited to captain the Club in the future.
“Having returned to Australia on Tuesday night and without any further discussion with us after giving that agreement, Ryan informed us that he had changed his mind.
“We were also informed that he was seeking a trade to GWS – with whom we now understand he was in communication during this time.
“We are extremely disappointed at his approach and have no intention of indulging it.”
– with The Age
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