Warren Tredrea: My sage advice to players and coaches about to sign a contract? Take less to win more
While money is a serious consideration, Port Adelaide premiership captain Warren Tredrea says it should never be the sole factor for players and coaches when it comes to signing their next contract.
Warren Tredrea
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Take less to win more, that’s my message to AFL players approaching the end of their contracts.
In an era where free agency has given players more power than ever before, they’re being pigeonholed as football mercenaries who are all about the dollar. But it’s not true.
Sure, they’re on the lookout to maximise their financial worth and set themselves up for life, but to say they will always go to the highest bidder is simply incorrect.
You only need to look at history to see that not all big-name players jump ship for a bigger pay check when they fall out of contract. Local stars such as Travis Boak and Rory Sloane, Robbie Gray and Daniel Talia shunned big money offers to return to Victoria, instead recommitting to their clubs and continuing the flag chase in South Australia.
Who can forget Dustin Martin staying loyal to Richmond when superior offers were on the table?
Last season, Andrew Gaff ignored the lure of a big-money move home to Victoria to stay for much less, in the hope of premiership glory with West Coast.
First and foremost, players are in the AFL because they love it and want to achieve ultimate success. And while money is a serious consideration, it’s by no means the sole focus when deciding your playing future There’s the club’s culture, staff, fans, lifestyle and geographical location … many reasons a player may elect to stay put.
From personal experience, there is nothing like being part of building a premiership project from the bottom up. It means so much more after going through the tough times and coming out the other side.
That’s why it will be interesting to see what GWS restricted free-agent Stephen Coniglio’s does with his looming contract decision. Will he look to move on, potentially home to Western Australia, or does he follow superstar team-mate Josh Kelly’s lead and recommit to the Giants?
Earlier this season, Kelly 24, knocked back the lure of free-agency dollars in favour of remaining a Giant on a two-year deal, with a monster four-year player option. Kelly spoke glowingly about life at GWS, saying: “I do feel an ownership within this club. This time round, it’s different. I love it up here in Sydney, I love this club.”
Which proves it’s about more than just money.
With vacant senior coaching positions at Carlton and North Melbourne, the coaching scuttlebutt is in overdrive.
Reports suggest North Melbourne has approached former Kangaroos premiership player and flag-winning Sydney coach John Longmire with an open checkbook. Many believe it’s a fait accompli. I disagree.
Like players, coaches are invested in their teams 100 per cent and when one moves on, it normally means there’s an unhappy relationship between him or her and the club — something clearly not the case in Sydney.
While the regular commentary is always about the size of the deal on offer, it is about so much more than that. The notion that players and coaches will always leave for money often shows a lack of understanding and appreciation for the individual in question and the culture of the club they are at. And we should never underestimate the valued relationships they form.
Historically, premiership teams are made up of players and coaches who have had to sacrifice financial gain to keep the group together to claim premiership glory.
And that’s why when players and coaches weigh up their future, I urge them to take less so they can win so much more.
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