Gold Coast to attempt to poach Richmond's Nathan Foley
By Jay Clark
May 24, 2009
Gold Coast will try to shatter Richmond's rebuilding plans with an aggressive attempt to poach onball gem Nathan Foley.
Sources have confirmed the new club is interested in Foley and is well-placed to beat the Tigers' next contractual offer by a whopping $200,000 a season.
Foley, who comes out of contract next year, is the linchpin midfielder and future captain the Tigers could least afford to lose, other than draft ace Trent Cotchin.
Richmond has told Foley's management it is keen to get working on a deal to secure his long-term future at Punt Rd.
While the Tigers' vice-captain has shown no interest in leaving, Foley, 23, will most certainly consider their direction before deciding whether to re-commit.
The struggling club is in crisis mode after a renegade pocket of the fractured playing group, led by captain Chris Newman, reportedly asked besieged coach Terry Wallace to stand down last week following a horror 1-7 start to the season.
The club has neither confirmed nor denied the claims but has acknowledged players demanded Wallace change elements of his coaching style in the emergency meeting that saved his job last week.
Players' frustrations revolved around inconsistencies in Wallace's selection policy and his penchant for making unforeseen, last-minute changes to the game plan.
Despite the turmoil, Foley's manager, Peter Lenton, considered his client to be a loyal player and a big part of the future at Tigerland.
"I have spoken with Craig Cameron (football general manager) and he is keen to get something (a new deal) going," Lenton said.
Foley could attract about $400,000 a season at Richmond or upwards of $600,000 at Gold Coast.
Further, the Queensland club could be more advanced toward a flag than the Tigers, who face the prospect of a total list overhaul, with six of its best players all 30-plus.
Gold Coast chiefs believe they will be in a position to win a premiership within their first four years.
Their generous start-up concessions include nine picks in the first round of the 2010 national draft and an extra million dollars in its salary cap to help lure a maximum of one senior player from each club.
Gold Coast's chief targets include Hawthorn pair Luke Hodge and Jarryd Roughead, Bulldogs duo Adam Cooney and Shaun Higgins, and Geelong stars Gary Ablett and Joel Selwood.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25529362-5018851,00.html