Ottens free to join Swans
Greg Denham
The Australian
September 25, 2004
RICHMOND's out-of-contract ruckman Brad Ottens yesterday quit Punt Road and is poised to kick-start his career with Sydney.
Ottens said the Tigers indicated they had lost faith in him by insisting he accept a significantly reduced contract.
As revealed in The Australian on Wednesday, Ottens is set to join the Swans to take over as the club's No.1 ruckman after seven seasons and 129 games with Richmond.
Ottens walked out on Richmond a day after coach Terry Wallace was critical of the report in The Australian, calling it newspaper speculation.
In a statement yesterday from Ottens' management ESP, Ottens said he acknowledged his recent form was below his and Richmond's expectations, despite an injury-riddled past two seasons.
However, the proposed cut in pay was above what he felt was reasonable.
"I need a new environment to get the best out of myself and enjoy my football," Ottens said. "This is purely a football decision which I believe is in my best interests."
The Swans have moved quickly on Ottens, who could become the highest-profile player to swap clubs via the AFL's official player-exchange period early next month.
Ottens announced his decision despite Tigers football director Greg Miller saying on Thursday he was confident Ottens would stay.
Miller indicated Ottens had an obligation to stay with Richmond after being paid on potential rather than results. "He's one of the leaders of our club and he understands his pay had to come back a little bit," Miller said.
Wallace claimed Ottens twice told him he wanted to stay at Punt Road, and then threatened to redraft Ottens with Richmond's first pick in the pre-season draft.
The 24-year-old played this season on about $450,000, but was asked to take a pay cut of up to $130,000 a year for at least the next two seasons.
Sydney has already sounded out Ottens and it is understood to be preparing to offer his management a long-term deal with the capacity to earn up to $500,000 a year.
The Swans, who have up to $1million to spare under their salary-cap limit, are desperate to recruit at least one high-profile player next month, their first since snaring Barry Hall from St Kilda three years ago.
Sydney coach Paul Roos said he had identified a ruckman and a midfielder as priority areas of recruitment before the Swans could be consistently competitive against the best.
"I've spoken to Brad and he's certainly of interest to us," Roos said earlier in the week. We're pro-active and we need to be to get better.
"We certainly need a ruckman and Ottens fits the model."
Sydney has decided to increase its total player payments next year to attract class players following severe cost-cutting on the back of combined operating losses of more than $3m in 2002 and 2003.
Richmond will now intensify its pursuit of out-of-contract Fremantle ruckman Troy Simmonds, who is in dispute with the Dockers over the length of his contract offer.
Fremantle has offered Simmonds a new three-year deal, but his management wants a four-year contract.
Sydney will attempt to satisfy the Tigers by offering a player or players and an early draft choice for Ottens in what could develop into a three- or four-club trade deal.
Swans defender Jason Saddington, who with Ottens was a first-round national draft pick in 1997, appears highly likely to be offered up as part of a trade deal to satisfy the Tigers. He was recruited by the Swans from the Melbourne suburb of Mitcham.
Roos revealed that the Sydney playing group had been told that some would have to be moved on to other clubs.
Saddington would need to prove his fitness after a knee reconstruction this year.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10867809%255E2722,00.html
