Callan Ward would still be a Western Bulldogs player if not for a bungled contract negotiation

GREATER Western Sydney skipper Callan Ward would still be a Western Bulldog if not for $50,000 per season and a bungled contract negotiation.

Callan Ward could still be a Bulldog. Picture: Mark Evans

INSPIRATIONAL Greater Western Sydney skipper Callan Ward would still be a Western Bulldog if not for $50,000 per season and a bungled contract negotiation.

Insiders have lifted the lid on the talks that broke down in 2011 and allowed the Giants to swoop with a godfather offer.

Ward, raised in Yarraville, was desperate to stay at Whitten Oval and would’ve recommitted for $1 million over three seasons.

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Contract talks were put off by Ward and his manager, Paul Connors, after the Dogs proposed a complicated deal dependant on a rise in the salary cap and the additional services allowance.

Ward, 26, is earning about $800,000 per season at the Giants and will lead them in Saturday night’s blockbuster qualifying final against Sydney.

Callan Ward leading out Greater Western Sydney against the Western Bulldogs. Picture. Phil Hillyard

The Herald Sun has been told the Dogs former administration lowballed Ward with an offer of about $285,000 per season.

Ward was prepared to stay for about $335,000 a year.

The delay allowed GWS to blow the Dogs out of the water.

By the time the Bulldogs panicked and upped their offer to $400,000, Ward had already committed to the Giants.

“He wanted to stay and he would’ve stayed,” a source close to the negotiations told the Herald Sun.

“But it was too late. He’d already committed.”

The Dogs received a first-round pick as compensation, which they used on wingman Jack Macrae in the 2012 draft.

Melbourne received two first-round selections for the loss of Tom Scully to the Giants, helping land powerful spearhead Jesse Hogan.

The Dogs argued they were short-changed in comparison, with list boss Jason McCartney — who was not at the club at the time — believing a second first-round pick was warranted.

The Bulldogs and Adelaide (Nathan Bock and Phil Davis) were the only clubs to lose star players to both expansion clubs in a list management disaster.

The year before Ward’s exit hard-running defender Jarrod Harbrow was poached by Gold Coast, while GWS also pinched Sam Reid.

Callan Ward playing for the Western Bulldogs in 2010.

Former football boss James Fantasia and chief executive Campbell Rose were in power at the time.

Rose departed in December, 2010.

The Dogs are the league’s best contested footy side, but Ward has won more contested ball and more clearances than every Bulldogs player this season.

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Ward has played 105 out of a possible 110 games for the Giants and was their inaugural captain and best-and-fairest winner.

The Dogs also handed former Geelong player Nathan Djerrkura a three-year contract in 2011 and previously cost themselves extra dollars in the salary cap when re-signing Brian Lake, Daniel Cross and Tom Williams.

Originally published as Callan Ward would still be a Western Bulldogs player if not for a bungled contract negotiation