Selwood Puts Eagles On Notice

The Age

Thursday July 10, 2008

Michael Gleeson

WEST Coast midfielder Adam Selwood has put his club on notice by demanding that he be released from his new contract and traded to a club of his choice if the Eagles are punished again by the AFL for bringing the game into disrepute.

Selwood, a respected senior player within the team and considered a possible future captain, had taken the extraordinary step of having the get-out clause inserted in the three-year contract he signed recently.

It demanded the right to be traded to a club of his choice if the club or a teammate was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute for a material breach of the code of conduct.

It is a strong personal statement to the club and his teammates of where he stands in righting the club's culture and what he will tolerate as a senior figure within the group.

The club, perhaps as a sign of the earnestness with which it is now prepared to tackle the drugs issue, readily agreed to the unusual behaviour clause.

Eagles football manager Steve Woodhouse said it was club policy not to comment on the detail of player contracts other than to confirm the length of the term.

"Every contract is different and structured differently so we make it a policy not to comment on contracts other than to confirm in this case, yes, he has signed a new three-year deal," Woodhouse said.

"We just do not discuss the contents of any player's contract."

Woodhouse said the events that dogged the club 18 months ago were now behind the club.

The AFL Commission last year sanctioned an investigation into drug use, underworld connections and the broad club culture at West Coast by retired Supreme Court judge William Gillard.

The league banned former captain Ben Cousins for at least 12 months for bringing the game into disrepute. Cousins has admitted to a drug addiction but is working to repair his life and potentially resurrect his AFL career at another club.

"We are a young group and we are looking forward, we are not looking back, it is like the 2005 grand final, it is no good looking back and wondering what might have been, you can't change it. We are looking forward," Woodhouse said.

Selwood was involved in a messy incident last year when he appeared before the AFL Tribunal on a charge of using insulting language against Fremantle's Des Headland.

It was alleged Selwood had insulted Headland's daughter, but he was cleared because of insufficient evidence.

Selwood was joined at the Eagles last year by younger brother Scott.

His twin brother Troy plays at the Brisbane Lions while his younger brother Joel won the Rising Star Award last year as a member of Geelong's premiership side.

Selwood's manager, Alex McDonald, refused to comment on the contract or the get-out clause.

The AFL, as the third party to all player contracts, reviews and approves all player contracts.