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Geelong’s triple-premiership hero Cameron Ling wants to see star players achieve something with their original clubs before seeking big money elsewhere.
Ling captained the Cats to the 2011 AFL flag despite the loss of Brownlow Medallist midfielder Gary Ablett to Gold Coast in the off-season.
While Ablett had already played in the 2007 and 2009 premierships with Geelong, Melbourne’s Tom Scully had played only 31 games when the 2009 No.1 draft pick quit to join 2012 debutants Greater Western Sydney.
And GWS will be offering millions of dollars to out-of-contract stars such as Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury, St Kilda’s Brendon Goddard and Carlton’s Bryce Gibbs for 2013.
“If the money’s right then yes someone will go,” Ling told AAP this week in a chilling warning to fans of rival clubs.
“Gary left Geelong for no other reason than the money was just too good to say no.
“It was incredible money and, because of that, we never held a grudge.
“The same situation will play out with one of these star players in the competition.”
Ling says a player yet to win a flag, such as Gibbs or Goddard, would face a difficult choice.
“I’m talking about guys like Bryce Gibbs,” says Ling, who has retired after 12 seasons with the Cats.
“Maybe they’ll look at it and say ‘I’m not going to take the money right now because I feel we are right on the edge of winning a premiership’.
“It would be fantastic if they did have that attitude, that it was about achieving something with the group that they came through with, rather than just going up and getting well paid.
“I have a bit of an issue with Tom Scully being able to do what he did, being in that situation where he couldn’t say no.
“Gary gave so much to Geelong, won two premierships. Tom Scully wasn’t able to do anything with Melbourne at all.
“I would have liked him to have stayed on at Melbourne for another six or eight years and hopefully achieve something together.”
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