Schofield rolls dice for second shot at AFL

[Hotdog60]

http://l.yimg.com/fv/xp/wan/20120331/13/3664939233.jpg

De-listed Western Bulldogs defender Jayden Schofield will take another step towards reigniting his AFL career when he makes his WAFL debut today for East Fremantle against Claremont at East Fremantle Oval.

The 19-year-old from Geraldton played seven matches for the Bulldogs in 2011 as a running defender but told the club at the end of the season he wanted to head home.

Schofield said boredom, not homesickness, brought him back to WA. He hopes to play every game for East Fremantle and get a second chance in the AFL.

He is one of three talented teenagers who will play their first senior game for the Sharks, joining Ryan Lester-Smith and Max Duffy in today's clash against the Tigers.

Lester-Smith's father Neil played 154 WAFL matches for East Fremantle between 1983 and 1993, was the league's leading goal kicker in 1989, and played a key role in the their 1992 premiership win.

Fremantle and former Hawthorn rookie-list member Sam Menegola also will make his league debut for the Sharks, as will ex-Frankston ruckman Russell Gabriel. Claremont lost classy forward Andrew Foster (hip) and utility player Kiefer Yu (knee) but regained West Coast's Lewis Stevenson, Gerrick Weedon and Tom Swift as well as Fremantle defender Alex Silvagni.

Former East Perth midfielder Ben Noakes was named to play his first league match for Perth today against Peel at Brownes Stadium.

The Thunder promoted former Western Bulldogs rookie-list player Jamason Daniels to make his league debut.

Meanwhile, Subiaco recruit Brant Chambers has been revalued as a 10-point player following complaints from other clubs that he had been erroneously issued a one-point value.

Chambers, who has returned to Subiaco after a decade in Adelaide, will be able to play four matches for the Lions as a top-up player before the club has to shuffle its playing list to allow him to be retained.

�West Coast premiership player Adam Hunter is set to round out his career with Boulder in the Goldfields Football League.
Hunter, 30, played seven games for Swan Districts last year after playing for South Bunbury in 2010.

Link (http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/afl/13312727/schofield-rolls-dice-for-second-shot-at-afl/)

[LostDoggy]

Jayden just needs to relax and get back to enjoying playing , he,s a competitive little bugger who at times is a little too self critical , the problems he had at the Bulldogs are still there and he just needs to realize that if he makes it back to an AFL list again he just needs to bite off more than he can chew and chew like hell , if he never makes it back to an AFL list there will come a time when he is about 30 when he will fully realize the opportunity that comes to only a few was taken from him by a decision he made

.

[Eastdog]

Good luck to him coming back. He had his reasons because I don't think someone would just leave the club like that. He now has probably resolved his issues and now is focused back on footy.

[AndrewP6]

Boredom? That's a very different answer to what I was expecting.

[Remi Moses]

Boredom? That's a very different answer to what I was expecting.

Sorry Jayden we couldn't make Melbourne more exciting for you!
Not quite the excitement capital like W.A:rolleyes:

[ledge]

I want to know the truth

[Sockeye Salmon]

i want to know the truth

you can't handle the truth!

[ledge]

you can't handle the truth!

No one can it seems.:D

[Eastdog]

I don't think will get the actual reason as to what really happened there as we are just supporters looking from the outside.

[Desipura]

I did hear something however not 100 per cent sure. I do not think it is appropriate to divulge.

[Eastdog]

I did hear something however not 100 per cent sure. I do not think it is appropriate to divulge.

Your right Desipura it really isn't our place to find out what happened to Schofield.

[Mantis]

It was probably something as simple as he missed his mommy... or even his GF.

[Desipura]

It was probably something as simple as he missed his mommy... or even his GF.

You think?

[Bulldog Revolution]

Just don't care, once the player is gone under circumstances like that I have no interest

[GVGjr]

Just don't care, once the player is gone under circumstances like that I have no interest

"Boredom" isn't a great response for breaking a contract its a pretty weak one for the Bulldogs who gave him the chance. I suggest that he is glossing over the real reason for his departure so that potential clubs aren't put off. For most people getting a chance to play at the highest level if your first season would be regarded as anything but boring.

[Hotdog60]

If he signed a 2 year contract and say a Melbourne club grab him in the draft could we seek some value for him?

We didn't want him to go, it was his choice so maybe he just didn't like it at the Dogs.

[AndrewP6]

If he signed a 2 year contract and say a Melbourne club grab him in the draft could we seek some value for him?

We didn't want him to go, it was his choice so maybe he just didn't like it at the Dogs.

Don't think so. Whilst it did seem that we were reluctant, the fact is we delisted him, thereby severing any ties.

[LostDoggy]

There was the incident where a younger player was rude or disrespectful to Eddie and was put in his place by a senior player

If Jayden was the younger player involved then I can see why there might have been a problem from the Club's point of view regarding the incident and any subsequent flare ups but I believe his problems were quite simply an inability to settle in and get on with things , and he was the one who walked away

.

[immortalmike]

I want to know the truth


you can't handle the truth!

No truth handler you! Bah! I deride your truth handling abilities!

[ledge]

There was the incident where a younger player was rude or disrespectful to Eddie and was put in his place by a senior player

If Jayden was the younger player involved then I can see why there might have been a problem from the Club's point of view regarding the incident and any subsequent flare ups but I believe his problems were quite simply an inability to settle in and get on with things , and he was the one who walked away

.

Maguire???

[bornadog]

Maguire???

Walsh

[ledge]

Walsh

MMM touching the untouchable, some kids just have no idea.

[Topdog]

I don't like the way the article starts off with us delisting him. Whilst technically correct, he quit.

[EasternWest]

Disappointing all round. Whatever the root of the issue is, it seems as if maturity, or lack thereof, may have played a part.

[GVGjr]

I don't like the way the article starts off with us delisting him. Whilst technically correct, he quit.

Correct, he made it very clear that he wasn't coming back so we de-listed him. He then promptly nominated for the draft hoping one of the WA teams would take him as a rookie. Now he wasn't to get back into the AFL.
Boredom clearly wasn't the issue for him.

[Ghost Dog]

I don't like the way the article starts off with us delisting him. Whilst technically correct, he quit.

Don't see anything to lose with raising this point to the AFL.

[azabob]

Don't see anything to lose with raising this point to the AFL.

Hi GD why would we raise this with the AFL?

[AndrewP6]

Hi GD why would we raise this with the AFL?

It appears he kind of misled us, now appearing to have cured his "boredom"

[azabob]

It appears he kind of misled us, now appearing to have cured his "boredom"

Either way not sure why we would bother.

[Bulldog Revolution]

"Boredom" isn't a great response for breaking a contract its a pretty weak one for the Bulldogs who gave him the chance. I suggest that he is glossing over the real reason for his departure so that potential clubs aren't put off. For most people getting a chance to play at the highest level if your first season would be regarded as anything but boring.

It's pathetic, particularly when he was given every opportunity to establish himself

Maybe you are right and he has changed his homesick? tune after both Freo and the Eagles overlooked him in the rookie drafts, and now he realises he might not have the currency he thought he would.

Boredom is a ridiculous reason

[jeemak]

You'd have to think there's more to his leaving, of course, though we'd be much better off leaving it be and moving on.

He's gone, he's not coming back. The club has hopefully accepted that and are worrying about the cattle that we have and how we can get the best out of them and the resources that support them.

[Ghost Dog]

Hi GD why would we raise this with the AFL?

It sets a precedent for players from one side of the country to get out of their contractual obligations and obtain means of getting into a club that is not their call. The AFL should be aware that this is a potential means by which players intend to manipulate clubs. If what he said to the Bulldogs was 100% true then I'm happy. But if he distorted the truth just to get out of a contract that he signed, then that's an issue for the broader AFL community. It won't help us in this case but we can flag it as an issue.

[LostDoggy]

This is bullshit. If the AFL allows it, it creates a loophole that every disgruntled player would be stupid not to utilise.

Scum act.

ps. GD is right re: precedent.

[LostDoggy]

It sets a precedent for players from one side of the country to get out of their contractual obligations and obtain means of getting into a club that is not their call. The AFL should be aware that this is a potential means by which players intend to manipulate clubs. If what he said to the Bulldogs was 100% true then I'm happy. But if he distorted the truth just to get out of a contract that he signed, then that's an issue for the broader AFL community. It won't help us in this case but we can flag it as an issue.

Exactly -- if we delisted him on false pretenses there can also be a case for damages: we essentially wasted a list spot on him that we could have used on someone else, and also paid out a year of wages for no return. If he is found to have lied to get out of his contract I would be pursuing legal avenues for his management to be compensating the club for the worth of his salary and the lost opportunity of recruiting another player.

At the very least, have this threat hanging over his head and make it clear that we will be taking this up with any club that recruits him, and I'll guarantee no club would touch him with a 100 foot pole. It's not as if he's the second coming of Barass either -- a middling talent at best.

If we don't do anything about this we'll continue to confirm our reputations as soft touches.

[comrade]

Exactly -- if we delisted him on false pretenses there can also be a case for damages: we essentially wasted a list spot on him that we could have used on someone else, and also paid out a year of wages for no return. If he is found to have lied to get out of his contract I would be pursuing legal avenues for his management to be compensating the club for the worth of his salary and the lost opportunity of recruiting another player.

At the very least, have this threat hanging over his head and make it clear that we will be taking this up with any club that recruits him, and I'll guarantee no club would touch him with a 100 foot pole. It's not as if he's the second coming of Barass either -- a middling talent at best.

If we don't do anything about this we'll continue to confirm our reputations as soft touches.

Can you really imagine James Fantasia going to this much effort? He's too busy with other important things, like whinging about our players missing out on Rising Star nominations.

[Sedat]

Exactly -- if we delisted him on false pretenses there can also be a case for damages: we essentially wasted a list spot on him that we could have used on someone else, and also paid out a year of wages for no return. If he is found to have lied to get out of his contract I would be pursuing legal avenues for his management to be compensating the club for the worth of his salary and the lost opportunity of recruiting another player.

At the very least, have this threat hanging over his head and make it clear that we will be taking this up with any club that recruits him, and I'll guarantee no club would touch him with a 100 foot pole. It's not as if he's the second coming of Barass either -- a middling talent at best.

If we don't do anything about this we'll continue to confirm our reputations as soft touches.Agreed 100%. This is an issue worth making media noise about so as to jolt the AFL into some sort of action. Apart from the expansion clubs of course, they hate anything that resembles tampering with their sacred draft.

[Maddog37]

If I was the AFL my response would be that the Dogs should have done their homework better before drafting him.

[ledge]

Did we pay him out on his contract?
That would surprise me because he is the one who didnt fulfill it.
The AFL did keep an eye on it and knew everything we did was all we possibly could if I remember correctly.

[GVGjr]

Did we pay him out on his contract?
That would surprise me because he is the one who didnt fulfill it.
The AFL did keep an eye on it and knew everything we did was all we possibly could if I remember correctly.

No he was de-listed as he requested. He didn't want to stand out of football for 12 months

[Ghost Dog]

:DHey we all agree for once!
Challenge every woofer to take 15 minutes out of their week to write a 'spirited' letter to the AFL, to Mr Fantasia, or both about this issue. Spitting in the wind perhaps, but am of the theory, you do what you can and leave the rest to fate.

[Cyberdoggie]

Will anyone bother to pick him up though?

They didn't last year, there's a super draft this year so i'm guessing it's unlikely unless he absolutely stars at East Freo.

[Ghost Dog]

Would the fact he bailed on us dissuade other clubs from taking him?

[Eastdog]

Would the fact he bailed on us dissuade other clubs from taking him?

Clubs may take his history in consideration when thinking of picking him up. I just don't know what happened there with Schofield but he made his own decision to leave at the end of the day.

[ledge]

I would say only the WA clubs would look at him and if thats the case you would think they would only rookie him to be safe.
Maybe it was his plan all along just to get to a WA club.
Clubs take chances on questionable players, look at Fevola, Akermanis, Hall, ok so they are big names but wow they had issues.

[Eastdog]

I would say only the WA clubs would look at him and if thats the case you would think they would only rookie him to be safe.
Maybe it was his plan all along just to get to a WA club.
Clubs take chances on questionable players, look at Fevola, Akermanis, Hall, ok so they are big names but wow they had issues.

You can throw Carey in there as well. After everything that happened he was picked up by Adelaide.

[LostDoggy]

Fev, Aker, Hall, Carey. Wow, those are the kinds of players you WOULD take a punt on -- that's Hall of Fame, GOAT territory right there. (Can throw Cousins in there as well, although he was probably on the higher end of risk, right with Fev -- addiction issues are worse and more legally complicated than just character flaws.)

A no-name second year, 5 gamer with issues and slack commitment? Not even in the same ballpark.

[Eastdog]

Fev, Aker, Hall, Carey. Wow, those are the kinds of players you WOULD take a punt on -- that's Hall of Fame, GOAT territory right there. (Can throw Cousins in there as well, although he was probably on the higher end of risk, right with Fev -- addiction issues are worse and more legally complicated than just character flaws.)

A no-name second year, 5 gamer with issues and slack commitment? Not even in the same ballpark.

Schofield is not in the same category as Aker, Fev, Cousins, Hall, Carey with these players having a lot of issues to deal with. Schofield was hardly trouble when he was with us.

[Topdog]

Schofield is not in the same category as Aker, Fev, Cousins, Hall, Carey with these players having a lot of issues to deal with. Schofield was hardly trouble when he was with us.

But he bailed on us. If you are risking a spot on the list you go with someone that has massive upside / potential to improve your side massively.