Rally to extend star's career

[BulldogBelle]

Craig Stephens from JAS Stephens wants to organize another fundraiser for the club, this time for Aker....

Rally to extend star's career (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25954530-19742,00.html)
The Herald Sun
Mark Stevens | August 20, 2009

IF IT'S good enough for Jamason Daniels, it's good enough for Aker. On December 15 last year, about 100 influential Dogs supporters gathered at Whitten Oval for a "rookie fundraiser".

They chipped in $50,000, which allowed the Bulldogs to select teenager Daniels in the rookie draft the following day.

Now the man who organised that rally is ready to do it again to save Jason Akermanis.

Craig Stephens, managing director of Yarraville real estate agency JAS Stephens, said yesterday he needed only the approval of the Dogs' football department to organise a fundraiser to boost Akermanis's potential pay packet next year.

"All it will take is one call from Rodney Eade and we'll rustle up a night to get Aker across the line," Stephens said.

"Last year, I got a phone call from Rodney at the 11th hour and within seven days we organised a night before the rookie draft.
"Don't worry, we can't afford to lose someone like Aker if he wants to play on."

Click HERE (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25954530-19742,00.html) to read the remainder of the article....

[AndrewP6]

This Craig Stephens fella ought to be knighted. What a champ. LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN!

[Remi Moses]

Aker and lake will be at the club next season. Whata joke that we have to resort to an auction to keep Aker at the club. So called "Football Socialism'':confused:

[Desipura]

A salary cap is a salary cap, he cannot contribute to it. All Jason can do is help pick up another rookie or 2. Unless he employs Aker as a part time real estate agent, now that could work! :D

[Mantis]

A salary cap is a salary cap, he cannot contribute to it. All Jason can do is help pick up another rookie or 2. Unless he employs Aker as a part time real estate agent, now that could work! :D

Do some research.

The club is allowed to pay an extra $550K per year outside the salary cap for marketing/ promotional work. At present we pay only $300K as we can't afford(??) to pay any more. If Craig and friends were able to raise some money for the club they could increase the amount they pay out which could be put into Aker's contract.

[The Coon Dog]

A salary cap is a salary cap, he cannot contribute to it. All Jason can do is help pick up another rookie or 2. Unless he employs Aker as a part time real estate agent, now that could work! :D

Of course he can!

Doesn't matter where the money comes from as long as its included in the salary cap (or marketing component where we're a bit short).

[Desipura]

Of course he can!

Doesn't matter where the money comes from as long as its included in the salary cap (or marketing component where we're a bit short).
Are we not currently paying players 100% of the salary cap?

[The Coon Dog]

Are we not currently paying players 100% of the salary cap?

Mantis answered it succinctly! ;)

[comrade]

I can’t imagine Rocket being chuffed with this making the papers – he might not want Aker on the list next year for whatever reason, but this campaign will rally support so it could make the list management decision more difficult than it might have been.

[Desipura]

Do some research.

The club is allowed to pay an extra $550K per year outside the salary cap for marketing/ promotional work. At present we pay only $300K as we can't afford(??) to pay any more. If Craig and friends were able to raise some money for the club they could increase the amount they pay out which could be put into Aker's contract.
I don't need to do research buddy. I stated that Jason cannot contibute to the salary cap, which he cannot. (Perhaps you should have read my post properly before you responded)
I actually was not far off the mark when I suggested that Aker would have do something outside of playing footy to get paid more which would enable him to get paid outside of the salary cap.

[Mantis]

I don't need to do research buddy. I stated that Jason cannot contibute to the salary cap, which he cannot. (Perhaps you should have read my post properly before you responded)
I actually was not far off the mark when I suggested that Aker would have do something outside of playing footy to get paid more which would enable him to get paid outside of the salary cap.

Why would he want to that? It defeats the purpose of geting paid more if the money is coming out of your own pocket.:confused:

I think you may have to go back and read the initial article to understand what Craig is trying to orgainse. Once you have done that you may understand my respeonse.

If it comes down to a $$ issue for Aker he probably should hang up the boots, but if he is keen to continue I would think any little bit extra may help.

And as comrade posted it may also come down to a list management issue, but of our plus 30+'s I think along with Johnno, Aker probably has been the best performed this year, and I wouldn't seeing him sitting a FP next year as he offers what no-one else can, an uncanny knack of making the freakish look simple.

[bornadog]

To tell you the truth, this is embarrassing at the moment, even though its all good intentions by Craig.

1. The club has to assess the list before a decision is made whether Aker should even be on the list next year.

2. I hear on SEN this morning, what is going on at the bulldogs having to rattle the tins to keep players, which is so untrue.

3. We don't need any distractions before a final series.

[Jasper]

Seriously, why would the supporters of a Western Suburbs club, Melbourne's poorest socio-economic area, have to contribute money to pay someone who has probably made more than $3m in his football career.
If he wants to play, take the cut.
It's not like any other team will trump our offer for a man of his age.

[Desipura]

I don't need to do research buddy. I stated that Jason cannot contibute to the salary cap, which he cannot. (Perhaps you should have read my post properly before you responded)
I actually was not far off the mark when I suggested that Aker would have do something outside of playing footy to get paid more which would enable him to get paid outside of the salary cap.
I meant to say Craig Stephens, not Jason cannot contribute to the salary cap which is 100% correct.

[Mantis]

I meant to say Craig Stephens, not Jason cannot contribute to the salary cap which is 100% correct.

But as TCD stated he can contribute to the marketing component of the salary cap (the extra $550K clubs can pay)

[The Coon Dog]

Anyone can contribute towards the salary cap. We all do with our memberships. it doesn't matter where the money comes from, as long as its accounted for.

I heard Eddie this morning saying they had a fundraiser last night at Collingwood for just this purpose.

[Sedat]

To tell you the truth, this is embarrassing at the moment, even though its all good intentions by Craig.

1. The club has to assess the list before a decision is made whether Aker should even be on the list next year.

2. I hear on SEN this morning, what is going on at the bulldogs having to rattle the tins to keep players, which is so untrue.

3. We don't need any distractions before a final series.
Couldn't agree more. No matter how honorable the intentions, this just paints a picture of perceived uncertainty and conflict between player and coach, 2 weeks before we embark on a massively important and defining finals campaign.

I personally don't want to hear about Aker, Lake, Shaggy, Hall or any other list management issues until the season has completed. The players and match commitee should righty be concentrating their sole efforts on maximising our opportunity for a serious tilt at a premiership in 2009.

[Desipura]

But as TCD stated he can contribute to the marketing component of the salary cap (the extra $550K clubs can pay)
Now we are on the same page. Marketing component outside of the salary cap

[LostDoggy]

Seriously, why would the supporters of a Western Suburbs club, Melbourne's poorest socio-economic area, have to contribute money to pay someone who has probably made more than $3m in his football career.
If he wants to play, take the cut.
It's not like any other team will trump our offer for a man of his age.

A fundraiser for a millionaire..... Surely he can play for a measly 200k

[LostDoggy]

A fundraiser for a millionaire..... Surely he can play for a measly 200k

We must remember that Aker has not asked for this fundraiser, and he has not given any indication that he will not play for below market value -- if anything, every sign is that he will do so, as long as he still enjoys playing.

Just want to be careful that we don't bag the wrong people if we disagree with the idea.

[comrade]

Frankly, the timing of this is terrible and for all his good intentions, Craig Stephens has probably put his hand up where it’s neither wanted nor needed.

His fundraising efforts are fantastic, but he should be directing his attention to securing an extra rookie again, rather than trying to gather support for another year for Aker, when Rocket hasn’t even made a list management decision regarding his future and the man himself has suggested he’s happy to take a cut next year.

[LostDoggy]

We must remember that Aker has not asked for this fundraiser, and he has not given any indication that he will not play for below market value -- if anything, every sign is that he will do so, as long as he still enjoys playing.

Just want to be careful that we don't bag the wrong people if we disagree with the idea.

Quite right. He needs to weigh up a number of matters, not the least of which is to decide whether to hang up the boots or to go into the media where he would make that sort of money anyway.

At the end of the day he still has a responsibility to look after his family financially, to the best of his ability