AFL trades: Aaron Naughton contract shows footy is mad, Western Bulldogs news
Somebody check on Kane Cornes.
The Western Bulldogs on Wednesday night dropped news Aaron Naughton has signed an eight-year contract extension.
The stunning development means the key forward has a further nine seasons left with the club, locking him in until the end of the 2032 season.
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The development follows a series of disastrous long-term contract extensions that have led to messy, early departures. Brodie Grundy’s career has been thrown off the rails as a result of his infamous Collingwood contract that saw him jump to the Demons before recently asking to be traded to the Swans.
The drums are beating louder that another long-term contract extension has blown up in a club’s face with Demons superstar Clayton Oliver reportedly open to being traded out of the club after a disappointing 2023 season.
It emerged on Wednesday there is friction between Oliver and the Melbourne Football Club as a result of his recovery from a hamstring injury and an infection — which forced him to miss 11 matches this season.
It has been speculated the Crows and Essendon are the most active clubs looking into the potential trade.
Cornes has been a vocal critic of all club’s rolling the dice on long-term deals and has scorched the Bulldogs for their offer to Naughton.
“It is a huge price to pay and you are committing a huge amount of your salary cap to one player,” Cornes said on AFL Trade Radio.
“He is a good player, but he isn’t a great player. He is not Buddy Franklin or Dustin Martin, they are the guys I would give these long deals to.”
Port Adelaide great Warren Tredrea also posted on Twitter the contrasting stories surrounding Naughton’s and Oliver’s futures shows the “footy world has gone mad”.
The Dogs announced the news on Wednesday night at the club’s Charles Sutton Medal event.
“It’s a special moment for me to sign, particularly for my family,” Naughton said.
“To sign a long contract and to be here to stay, especially for my teammates as well, I want them to know I am in it with them together. To play alongside these guys for the years to come is really exciting.
“When you get drafted by this club and they make you feel so welcome, not only myself, but the whole family back in WA, it’s fantastic. You build strong connections with all your teammates and I have some of my best mates here.
“I am bullish on this group and what we can achieve in the years to come. It is a lot of hard work and I know this group is willing to put in every day.”
Bulldogs recruitment boss Sam Power said the club sees Naughton as one of the players to lead the club in future years.
“Aaron is an outstanding player and an exceptional person and there is no doubt this is an exciting day for the Club and our members and fans,” Power said.
“We love what Aaron brings to this football club each and every day, so it’s fantastic that we’ve been able to agree on a long-term contract extension prior to the start of 2024, alongside his manager Andrew McDougall at Corporate Sports Australia.
“Aaron’s re-signing is another strong showing of confidence in the Club’s long-term ambitions and culture.
“Aaron continues to be a vital leader amongst the group, setting the benchmark on and off the field as the Club looks to climb back up the ladder.
“We see Aaron as a huge part of the Bulldogs’ future, being only 23 years of age, and we’re delighted our supporters can watch him run out for years to come.”
Oliver’s situation, meanwhile, is turning more sour by the day.
The Demons were on Wednesday warned “be careful what you wish for” after the news about Oliver dropped.
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SEN’s Tom Morris reported the Demons want the right price in exchange for the star midfielder, adding the club would help the club in a bid to stockpile a “suite of draft picks” as they look to possibly move up the draft to the first overall spot.
The report also stressed that the Demons are not shopping Oliver yet but just “making it clear” to rival teams that they are open to the possibility.
Victorian prodigy Harley Reid is the red hot favourite to be the No. 1 pick in the draft.
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