Pert on Johnno, Benny and Pebs

[The Royal Sampler]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23975163-19742,00.html

Collingwood CEO says Jonathon Brown not on radar

Tony Sheahan and Greg Davis | July 06, 2008 12:00am


COLLINGWOOD chief executive Gary Pert says his club has not tried to lure Brisbane Lions forward Jonathan Brown to the club. Pert was adamant the Magpies had not made any approaches to Brown, out of contract at season's end, or his management.
"I can categorically tell you that Jonathan Brown has not been approached, nor has any other player, by the Collingwood football club," Pert said.
Speculation continues to mount regarding a return to Victoria for the 26-year-old. And Collingwood is constantly linked to the player.
"I hear regularly that players are going to sign with Collingwood or have signed with Collingwood. That is news to me and Mick Malthouse and the team," Pert said.
Brisbane has not used its bye week to ramp-up negotiations with Brown.
Lions chief executive Michael Bowers said the club was continuing to work with Brown's management to strike a deal.

He is understood to want a five-year contract that would fetch him more than $5 million.
However, the length of the deal, rather than the asking price, is believed to be the main stumbling block.
The triple premiership-winner wants to play well into his 30s and his next contract is the last chance to take significant bargaining power to the negotiation table.
Bowers said neither the club nor Brown's management had set a deadline to sign-off on an agreement.
"This is not the type of thing where you impose things like that. The AFL imposes deadlines but they don't come in until the season finishes so we'd expect to have something sorted out between now and then," he said.
Brown was wanted by Collingwood in 2005 with the Magpies weighing in with a massive offer.
A stellar 2007 season followed by a standout first half of 2008 will have bumped up his price.
Once considered injury-prone, Brown played all 22 games in 2007 and kicked 77 goals to lead the AFL.
He won the Lions' best-and-fairest, was named in the All-Australian side and captained the Victorian team in this year's 150th anniversary clash against the Dream Team.
Ben Cousins, yet to decide if he will return to the AFL, is another player linked to the Magpies.
The 30-year-old former Eagle set tongues wagging on the eve of the season when he held secret talks with Malthouse about resurrecting his career.
"I've heard the media links," Pert said.
"Again, I can tell you we have not spoken as a club about Ben Cousins playing at the Collingwood Football Club.
"Those people you refer to have never come up in our conversations as a footy club."
Pert has also quashed speculation of an early retirement for injured forward Anthony Rocca.
Asked whether the out of contract forward would return next year, Pert said: "I don't think there is any doubt."


A few points;


I'm not surprised we haven't approached Brown, given that forwards (when fit) are not really a list deficiency of ours.
Interesting wording on Ben Cousins. When do we ever discuss any potential recruit "as a club"? It's not like we're going to get the list together on our family day, talk about Ben Cousins coming for 2009 and then gather in a circle and sing Kumbaya. (sp?)
Pretty unequivocal on Rocca for next year, which IMHO is good news. :thumbsu:

[Snag Breac]

Yes, I think Rocca has unfinished business, if he can only get that foot/ankle right. Between Cloke, Davis, Thomas, Didak, Lockyer, Medhurst, and our younger lads who are beginning to shape up, we should be fine.:thumbsu:

[Chase the Ace]

Well that kills off the Brown and Cousins rumours.
I always thought big Ant wasn't finished

[thatday]

Thank God someone has finally put the Brown rumours to bed, now we can stop being brought up by his manager just so that he gets more money from Brisbane.

[Dave The Man]

Well they could be saying 1 thing and Doing another;)

[kevind]

Well that kills off the Brown and Cousins rumours.
I always thought big Ant wasn't finished


Never, ever believe what a footy CEO says about speculation!!!!!! If anyone expected Pert to say "Yes , we're after Brown and just about to offer a deal to his manager", then you are very gullible. Ditto on Cousins.

He may be right in what he says, but if we were chasing Brown hard, Pert would not reveal that to a journalist. He would simply deny everything.

[Snag Breac]

Never, ever believe what a footy CEO says about speculation!!!!!! If anyone expected Pert to say "Yes , we're after Brown and just about to offer a deal to his manager", then you are very gullible. Ditto on Cousins.

He may be right in what he says, but if we were chasing Brown hard, Pert would not reveal that to a journalist. He would simply deny everything.

Quite right. "....all lies and jest, 'til a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest....". That goes for a woman too.:o But still I look to find a reason to believe....

[Pie eyed]

"I can categorically tell you that Jonathan Brown has not been approached, nor has any other player, by the Collingwood football club,"

Just this statement has a lot of ambiguity.

1.)
"I can categorically tell you that Jonathan Brown has not been approached, nor has any other player, by the Collingwood football club,"

Could mean we have not approached him but negotiations were initiated by his management.
Could also mean no-one has directly spoken to Jonathon Brown but negotiations are being held with his management.

2.)
"I can categorically tell you that Jonathan Brown has not been approached, nor has any other player, by the Collingwood football club,"

Ben Cousins could quite rightly be regarded as "not being a player" given his current status of not being a player.

3.)
"I can categorically tell you that Jonathan Brown has not been approached, nor has any other player, by the Collingwood football club,"

Negotiations are being undertaken by a third party or an individual associated with the club at this time. This could be Fev, Cousins or Brown or any other player for that matter.


The rub of this, if in fact Pert's statement is taken as gospel, is that the Collingwood Football Club is being massively derelict in NOT at least talking to management of all of the players above and any other elite players who may be out of contract next year. You would have to see what is on the table in every instance and then make decisions based on that information.

[mwalker]

Not that we should ever disregard a player of JB's quality, but I agree our KPP's (esp. Forwards) are looking good for the future. However I really do hope we get Ben over to us.