Will keep this as short and snappy as possible.
The Saints, led by president Andrew Bassat and CEO Carl Dilena, have been long-time critics of the AFL’s northern academies in Queensland and NSW and have gone to the league calling for an overhaul of the system. The Lions have not been happy with this, for obvious reasons.
Then earlier this year, Lions coach Chris Fagan publicly questioned the contracts offered by the Saints to new recruits including Tom De Koning and the long-term deal awarded to Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. Fagan said he’s rather “see the better players getting all the big money”.
Dilena bit back:
“I can understand fears about having to pay fair value for players. I appreciate it’s a novel concept for some people.”
Saints coach Ross Lyon then said that Fagan had “weaponised the media”, and that he couldn’t remember ever hearing a rival coach speaking about an opposition player in that way before.
Lyon wasn’t done.
“When Brisbane’s list could be in decline they go and get the captain from West Coast and the number one player from Essendon as free agents. And then have arguably the number one-rated player (in the national draft) go at what was, it pick 40?,” he said.
And then this week! Fagan had another pop, doubling down on his initial comments.
“Then along comes St Kilda and decides they want to pay those players the amount of money they did.
“I’m thinking to myself, for the good of the game, is that what we want here? Do we want this sort of marketplace where offers to players become ridiculous?”
And now they get to play against each other. Will this high-level bickering filter down into some feeling between the players? Kinda hope so, to be honest…
dan