Bailey to fight to keep recruiter
2:40 PM Thu 29 November, 2007 | Back
By Jennifer Witham
Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network
2:40 PM Thu 29 November, 2007 | Back
By Jennifer Witham
Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network
News
MELBOURNE coach Dean Bailey said he'll make it "very, very difficult" for highly regarded recruiter Craig Cameron to leave the Demons, despite recent speculation the talent scout is headed to Richmond.
Bailey said Cameron was considering his options having been approached by "another AFL club", but the Demons boss hoped his chief recruiter would remain with the Demons.
"He's been a great recruiting person at Melbourne, so we're going to be doing everything we can to keep him at the club," Bailey said on Thursday.
"I hear there's a rumour out there somewhere, but he's a fantastic recruiting manager and I hope he's still here with us.
"I understand there's another AFL club looking at him. He's got to make a decision on whether he wants to stay or go.
"We've spoken to him, the rest is in his court. We're going to make it very, very difficult from Craig Cameron to leave Melbourne."
Bailey said Cameron, who only five days ago oversaw the recruitment of five new young guns, had been very open with the coaching staff on the possibility of leaving the club.
He also said he wasn't concerned about the situation unfolding with both the NAB AFL Pre-season Draft and the NAB AFL Rookie Draft approaching in the next month.
"Craig is a very honest and up front person. He hasn't hid anything from me, or Chris Connolly or anyone," he said.
"Craig is a very professional person. He'll handle it and he'll make a decision."
Bailey said former Eagle Ashley Sampi remained on the club's radar ahead of December's pre-season draft, having shown his dedication by dropping excess kilos.
"His body's not at a stage I think Ashley would be rapt with, but since he's been here, he's lost some weight, he's lost some skin folds, which is good," he said.
"He's heading in the right direction. He's been unable to do a lot of training yet, but having said that, he's lost weight, so from that point of view he's shown some commitment there.
"He's got another two or three weeks to impress not only me, but all his teammates that he deserves another chance.
"Does he deserve another chance? Is he just making up the numbers? Over the next three weeks, that will tell a tale."
On Thursday, the Demons invited six new players to join their small squad of 13 unlisted footballers who are currently training with the club.
Bailey said allowing the players to show their skills during training and match practice would be helpful ahead of the two upcoming drafts.
"I think it's important for the guys from the under-18s who missed on the draft day that we get them along and we see them in person, see them train and get a feel for how they kick and how they run and how they make their decisions," he said.
"The coaches need to get a better feel for the rookies, but they've got two or three weeks to really make an impact and an impression on us.
"We've seen some of their tapes as part of the recruiting process, so we've got a bit of a handle on it, but once you get them to training and you see them do everything, it really cements your opinion."
MELBOURNE coach Dean Bailey said he'll make it "very, very difficult" for highly regarded recruiter Craig Cameron to leave the Demons, despite recent speculation the talent scout is headed to Richmond.
Bailey said Cameron was considering his options having been approached by "another AFL club", but the Demons boss hoped his chief recruiter would remain with the Demons.
"He's been a great recruiting person at Melbourne, so we're going to be doing everything we can to keep him at the club," Bailey said on Thursday.
"I hear there's a rumour out there somewhere, but he's a fantastic recruiting manager and I hope he's still here with us.
"I understand there's another AFL club looking at him. He's got to make a decision on whether he wants to stay or go.
"We've spoken to him, the rest is in his court. We're going to make it very, very difficult from Craig Cameron to leave Melbourne."
Bailey said Cameron, who only five days ago oversaw the recruitment of five new young guns, had been very open with the coaching staff on the possibility of leaving the club.
He also said he wasn't concerned about the situation unfolding with both the NAB AFL Pre-season Draft and the NAB AFL Rookie Draft approaching in the next month.
"Craig is a very honest and up front person. He hasn't hid anything from me, or Chris Connolly or anyone," he said.
"Craig is a very professional person. He'll handle it and he'll make a decision."
Bailey said former Eagle Ashley Sampi remained on the club's radar ahead of December's pre-season draft, having shown his dedication by dropping excess kilos.
"His body's not at a stage I think Ashley would be rapt with, but since he's been here, he's lost some weight, he's lost some skin folds, which is good," he said.
"He's heading in the right direction. He's been unable to do a lot of training yet, but having said that, he's lost weight, so from that point of view he's shown some commitment there.
"He's got another two or three weeks to impress not only me, but all his teammates that he deserves another chance.
"Does he deserve another chance? Is he just making up the numbers? Over the next three weeks, that will tell a tale."
On Thursday, the Demons invited six new players to join their small squad of 13 unlisted footballers who are currently training with the club.
Bailey said allowing the players to show their skills during training and match practice would be helpful ahead of the two upcoming drafts.
"I think it's important for the guys from the under-18s who missed on the draft day that we get them along and we see them in person, see them train and get a feel for how they kick and how they run and how they make their decisions," he said.
"The coaches need to get a better feel for the rookies, but they've got two or three weeks to really make an impact and an impression on us.
"We've seen some of their tapes as part of the recruiting process, so we've got a bit of a handle on it, but once you get them to training and you see them do everything, it really cements your opinion."
