Cooney can't be snatched by GC

[Master Q]

STAR onballer Adam Cooney has turned his back on the cashed-up Gold Coast to sign a new three-year deal with the Western Bulldogs.

Cooney, who was out of contract at the end of this season, admitted the new franchise had briefly made contact with his management, but the Brownlow Medallist said he was delighted to sign a new contract that would keep him at Whitten Oval until the end of the 2013 season.

"Negotiations went pretty smoothly, it was pretty quick, and I think everyone's pretty happy," Cooney said on Tuesday.

"It's just one less thing you have to worry about. There's a security there [in knowing] you're going to be around the footy club for another few years and you can just concentrate on playing the best football you can.

"My wife's pretty settled over here and I've got family over here and the kids go to school - everyone's pretty happy. I've got a house over here now so I'm settled in pretty well to the Melbourne lifestyle.

"I think I'll be 27 or 28 coming out of contract, so it will be 10 years at the club, which will be fantastic. Hopefully I've still got a few more years after that."

Cooney joins a growing list of stars that includes Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Michael Hurley, Kurt Tippett, Trent Cotchin, Sam Mitchell and Nick Riewoldt who were thought to be on Gold Coast's radar but chose to re-sign with their respective clubs.

Coach Rodney Eade was delighted to have secured one of his elite midfielders to a long-term deal and revealed he had been largely unconcerned by the spectre of Gold Coast looming in the wings during contract negotiations.

"I know it's a little bit different for the AFL this year and next year with the two new teams coming in but generally it's a loyalty-based industry. I think we do it different to other footy codes," Eade said.

"The AFL was probably worried three years ago when there were only seven trades for the year, but that just shows players want to stay, so we're fairly confident that players will stay."

Cooney's signing leaves Ryan Griffen and Jarrod Harbrow the next most likely Gold Coast targets at Whitten Oval, but football manager James Fantasia is keen to head off any potential talent raid.

"We've still got a few more to do, but we got most of our signings out of the way last year," Fantasia said.

"I daresay that in the lead-up to the Gold Coast coming in a lot of player managers have orchestrated to have their players come out of contract around this time to see if they can compete in the marketplace, but we're tracking along pretty well.

"We have a team that we believe has the capability of ultimate success so we're all about retaining our players and that's what we've set out to do. That's why we're delighted to start off with having Adam re-sign."   

Cooney, 24, has played 142 games for the Dogs since the club made him the first player selected at the 2003 NAB AFL Draft.

He was elevated to the leadership group ahead of this season and while he defers to Matthew Boyd or Daniel Giansiracusa as the most likely candidates to take over from incumbent skipper Brad Johnson, his coach sees definite leadership potential.

"Adam's really developed his leadership and I think [his signing] is a great coup for the club," he said.

"Brad's obviously coming towards the end of his career and that we've got young players coming through as future leaders is terrific."

Source: AFL Website

[CFC 1979]

thank God

I was worried Carlton would try for him lol ;D