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Ferris Told No

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Dragons and Collegians in tug-of-war over Jason Ferris
By AGRON LATIFI
April 15, 2004


ILLAWARRA Tooheys League club Collegians yesterday stood toe to toe with St George Illawarra by refusing to release their captain-coach Jason Ferris to the NRL club.

Collies are fuming that Ferris, under contract with the club for 2004, was approached by the Dragons to fill the half-back void left by the long-term injury to star player Brett Firman.

Senior Collies officials only found out yesterday the Dragons were after their star signing and labelled the club's tactics as unethical.

"We take offence that approaches have been made to our captain-coach who's signed a contract with the Collegians club for 2004," Collies football secretary Bruce Prior said.

"An approach has been made to him and they haven't had the courtesy to ring anyone from the Collegians club to seek clarification as to what sort of contract he's under, it's just not ethical."


The club's football chairman Terry Gillen also took a swipe at the Dragons, labelling their approach as "back-dooring and disgraceful".

"We don't appreciate what the Dragons were trying to do and after our discussions with Jason tonight we have agreed he'll continue to be our captain-coach this season," Gillen said.

St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust backed the way his club had handled the Ferris issue.

"In any situation like that we would have thought the first point of conversation would be with the player who is contracted to the club," he said.

"My advice (to Ferris) has been you go and talk to the club and then come back and talk to me.

"I acknowledge it is an unusual set of circumstances that come to pass with him being in our area you might say and us having a major injury to a half-back.

"But my principle on the subject has been to foreshadow the issue with Tooheys League management and encourage the player to talk to the club with who he has a relationship, which I believe he is doing.

"But, I do understand the club, given their commitment to a captain-coach for the year, being disappointed by the reconsideration, I'd be as well.

"We're just looking at our options to back up Mathew Head who's going very well.

"He (Ferris) just happens to be one of those options, as you'd expect given he's playing half-back in our area."

The man at the centre of it all was keen to join his fifth NRL club after stints with Canberra, North Queensland, Cronulla and Manly.

Ferris acknowledged last night he was "very disappointed" with Collies' decision but vowed to fulfil his commitments to the club.

"I would have liked the opportunity to resurrect my NRL career but the club was adamant that was impossible," Ferris said. "I put a proposition to them that I continue to coach Collies and play for the Dragons but they knocked it back.
"I'm obviously very disappointed but I'll knuckle down and complete my obligations to the club."


This story was found at: http://illawarramercury.com.au/articles/2004/04/15/1081838827321.html



How can the Collies call the Dragons Unethical? They are knocking back a mans attempt to resurrect his dreams, just so he can finish his year as Captain Coach of the Collies.

He proposed remaining coach while playing for the Dragons and they knocked that back as well, and they have the hide to call the Dragons disgraceful.
 
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