Time On: Dale Thomas laments ‘sellout dog’ tag after turning down $6m offer to stay at Collingwood
Dale Thomas says he was unfairly labelled a “sellout dog” by supporters for his move to Carlton, despite rejecting a $6m offer to leave and having a contract offer ripped up by Collingwood.
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‘Sellout dog’ tag unjustified, says Daisy
Dale Thomas has confirmed he rejected a monster offer of $6m over six years to defect to the GWS Giants and had to cop being labelled a “sellout dog” when he was booted from Collingwood to the Blues.
Thomas revealed he contacted his former manager, Paul Connors, to verify that the big deal was on the table around 2011 — and it would come with the captaincy.
“I met with the GWS Giants coming in and I was pitched at a time when we were very successful at Collingwood, we just come off winning a premiership,’’ Thomas said on Triple M’s midweek rub.
“I had to go back and speak to Paul Connors, (because) everyone was tagging me going bullshit mate, tell another story pinocchio. And I was like, this is fact. So I double checked it and it is fact.”
Thomas said he stayed on at the Magpies until he was “rissoled” and a new contract was torn up.
He said Carlton was the only club who wanted him and he “fell on his sword” at Collingwood.
“This is probably the reason I ended up being so pissed off with Bucks (coach Nathan Buckley) and slightly aggrieved at the actual footy club,’’ Thomas said.
“Because you do this, you show loyalty, you knock back what is massive cash with the hopes of playing on, staying on at one club.
“I signed a two year deal to get me through to 2013 and on the back of that you pretty much get rissoled because your ankle was no good, a contract was ripped up on a Monday as I was walking in about to sign for four years for a lot less than a million a year. And then you get marched up to Princes Park, you get sold as if you’re a dog going for a cash when clearly, if I was going for the cash, I’d go somewhere else. And on top of that I give $800,000 back to the Blues when I met a trigger clause.
“This was a time when you didn’t really talk about that stuff (money and contracts). At that point I just had to cop it, all the bullets in the back with a big footprint from Bucks as well.
“I took the fact I was a sellout dog going for the cash.”
Sheridan v Cornes II
Tommy Sheridan has responded to his roasting from Kane Cornes with a plea for the polarising commentator to ease up on his criticism of players.
The pair found themselves in a simmering feud after Sheridan hit out at the “dirty, stinking tagger” on his Ausmerican Aces podcast.
Cornes labelled him a “park footballer” and highlighted his dropped mark during a final in his reply on SEN.
“I thought someone died, I had 100 text messages Friday morning,’’ Sheridan said on his podcast Wednesday night.
“I’m a glass half full type of operator. I believe in supporting the players, especially the younger players, the ones that are just finding their feet. There might be times where they deserve a little bit of criticism, a little clip on the ears that’s fine, but Kane’s relentless negativity feels excessive and targeted and I couldn’t have it no more.
“We need to remember this is entertainment, this is sport, it’s not life and death. Players are giving their all and at the end of the day we should be enjoying what they bring to the field.
I get it Kane, my comments clearly struck a nerve prompting to bite in a response. You didn’t like that did you, big boy. Imagine that every week at 19 years-old under the extreme media scrutiny and pressure these athletes have to live by because of some ridiculous headlines you make about them on your massive platforms.”
Sheridan asked for a “bit more balance” in his critiques.
“I know balance isn’t your strength and when you used to play on me you used to seep into the contest,’’ he said.
“I know it’s not your strength but we need a little bit more balance with these young players and if we get too negative I feel we need to play that clip more (of Sheridan kicking a goal on Cornes).”
Sheridan couldn’t resist also highlighting a mistake Cornes made during a final against Geelong.
“It was low hanging fruit, I expected it,’’ he said.
“I think he must have short term memory loss. If we cast our mind back, Kane joins a very illustrious group.”
‘Dennis Rodman of the AFL’
Western Bulldogs defender Rory Lobb has been dubbed the Dennis Rodman of the AFL after his latest eye-catching hair transition.
Lobb dyed his hair blue ahead of the Bulldogs’ 100th anniversary match against Collingwood, with podcaster Daniel Gorringe following suit after a bet if Carlton lost to the Bulldogs last week.
Lobb has turned blonde and got a red lobster etched on his head, which his fiance Lexi Mary hoped was an April Fool’s joke.
“Rory we had a good thing, we were the only two guys in the league that had blue hair,’’ Gorringe responded.
“Were you that embarrassed by my blue hair that you couldn’t be associated with me? You’ve got a lobster on your head now. This guy’s the Dennis Rodman of the AFL.
“If you go pink I might go pink. I didn’t think you were going to get a crustacean on your head. I draw the line at red lobsters.”
Rodman, former NBA star, used to change his hairdo regularly and was known as the party boy of basketball.
Wizard works his magic on the PM
Hawthorn’s cult figure forward, Nick ‘Wizard’ Watson, is taking no prisoners — even at the highest level.
Watson, a guest with Lauren Phillips, Jase Hawkins and Clint Stanaway on Nova breakfast radio on Wednesday, was given the floor to chat to a special guest.
To his surprise it was Prime Minister and avid Hawks supporter Anthony Albanese.
Watson didn’t hold back with a forthright question.
“Do you think you’ll win the election,’’ Watson quizzed Albanese.
The reply was fairly swift. “Yeah I do and the Hawks will win the flag. Premiership no. 14 on the way.”
Showing a turn of foot when it comes to politics, Watson didn’t stop there, asking the PM about tariffs.
“Donald Trump could soon announce tariffs on Aussie beef and drugs, should we return serve with our own tariff,’’ Watson said.
Albanese responded: “No, because it is an act of economic self harm to put tariffs on. No, it increases the cost where the tariffs are put on, so our products can still go to the US. If they put a tariff on, then the cost of the buyers, the person who purchased the goods, is increased … It’s a very good question.”
Watson then wilted and admitted: “I could not tell you one thing he just said. I sort of zoned out half way through.”
Mason not copping it on chin
Mason Cox is standing by his move to call out trolls after he got clocked in the head in Round 2 against the Bulldogs.
The American born ruckman shared the awful comments he copped on social media with the statement: “I love Australia but also think it has a long way to go”.
Cox has just had the stitches out of his cheek after the incident with Bulldogs defender Rory Lobb who wasn’t suspended.
Kane Cornes and David King said Cox tends to complain a lot and implored him to move on with his season, but Cox took a determined stance.
“It was a solid jab to the head,’’ Cox said.
“All those comments are quite common and I’m used to it by now but every once in a while it’s good to call it out and remind people what’s appropriate and what’s not. Especially on the AFL channels you’d think they’d have better processes and understanding.
“Sadly it happens every day down the street, much less online. It’s part of the experience and has made me a better human so I take the positives.”
Cox is expected to line up in the huge game against Carlton on Thursday night. He is also an ambassador for Guide Dogs Victoria and is supporting the community event to open the new facilities in Kew to the public on Saturday.
“It’s really important, especially with my experience with footy and eye injuries and having some small part of my life affected, it’s incredible to see the work the Guide Dogs do and the training involved,’’ Cox said.
Billy cops it for glow up
Billy Brownless has shaped up with a glowing makeover since he’s had a blonde beauty on his arm.
And the new habits of everyone’s favourite larrikin haven’t gone unnoticed.
Brownless hasn’t wiped the smile off his face since starting a relationship last October with Crystle Fleur, the owner of a Geelong-based equestrian company called Erinvale Thoroughbreds.
And his elevation in style and taste — from frothies to gin and tonics and champagne — have come to the attention of his Triple M Saturday Rub colleagues Damian Barrett, James Brayshaw and Bernie Vince.
To top it off, he was spotted at a David Bromley art exhibition, perusing and attempting to make a purchase.
“He’s drinking either gin and tonic, vintage champagne or Limoncello — and he’s going to art galleries. He’s turned into a proper wanker,’’ Brayshaw said.
Brownless said his new life is for the better. A few weeks ago he and Fleur looked picture perfect at the wedding of his daughter Ruby to Josh Wallis.
“I love the art, I want a nice Bromley or a Sid Nolan or something like that, or a Whiteley,’’ Brownless said.
“I need something on my lounge room wall at home. It was an exhibition, free Coronas, and guess who took me there — Campbell Brown. He’s bought three Bromleys.
“I love the balance and the line and the rhythm, the movement in the actual art.”
Brownless added: “I think it’s for the better. I’ve matured and I’m getting better on air, I’ve got big words I’m using.”
Feedback for Brown’s big call
Nathan Brown found himself in the gun after making a bold declaration that Hawthorn’s Lloyd Meek is the best ruckman in the competition.
“I don’t think it’s a big statement to say Lloyd Meek is now the number one ruckman in the comp,’’ Brown said on the Sunday Footy Show.
He showed vision of the Hawks’ win over GWS to back up his claim.
It drew a chorus of responses with Brown noting he’d copped much reaction for his assessment.
“The feedback has been suboptimal towards me,’’ Brown later said on Triple M’s Sunday Rub.
“It’s been very aggressive, I haven’t got to a positive one yet. Even Hawthorn fans are giving it to me.”
Many were suggesting that Carlton’s Tom De Koning has been in top form, with some saying that he “torched” Meek in Round 2.
No encore for Cornes/Sheridan blue
Kane Cornes has conceded he “might have been five per cent too harsh” after returning serve on a Tommy Sheridan sledge last week.
Cornes called Sheridan a “park footballer”, after the former Fremantle and GWS player said Cornes was a “dirty, stinking tagger” and a “horrific footballer to watch.
“On reflection, I don’t care about their response,’’ Cornes said.
“By Wednesday or Thursday whenever their stupid podcast comes back, it’s done. We’re not talking about it again. (Tim) Taranto is banned, I won that one.
“(Sheridan) it’s banned. This is done, we have buried it. It’s all over. I just don’t care about their response. You can have junk possessions when the team’s down by 10 goals, you’ve been absolutely destroyed, and I don’t want to hear about it again.”
Cornes’ SEN breakfast co-host David King suggested he may have gone 50 per cent too hard.
Better late than never
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has yet to ink the premiership — but it’s unlikely a tattoo will ever happen.
“It’s something I never even considered,’’ he said on SEN breakfast.
“Funnily enough I was lying in bed last night thinking about whether I should go and get one or not. What am I, I’m 64, I should act my age. I haven’t had a tattoo all my life, it’s probably too late now.”
We’ve heard some of the North Melbourne hierarchy have considered getting tattoos after the AFLW’s team premiership triumph.
Team behind South Yarra hotspot offer lifeline to flailing Morris Jones
The Windsor venue, which abruptly closed its doors earlier this year, is set to change hands, with the owners of popular eatery Gilson seemingly looking for their next venture
Sleep-deprived mum Jesinta Franklin facing ‘absolutely intense’ period
Model Jesinta Franklin has offered a frank insight into her life as a mum-of-two, revealing it’s the “most sleep-deprived” she’s been since her children were newborns.