http://westernbulldogs.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/4112/Default.aspx?newsId=46388Bulldog Cooney signs contract extension
2:21 PM Mon 2 July, 2007 | Back
By Catherine Murphy
Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network
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WESTERN Bulldog Adam Cooney, who the club announced has signed until the end of
2010, says the reason for the three-year contract extension is the firm belief the club will win a premiership in that time.
“That’s why I’m staying,” Cooney said on Monday morning.
“I want to become a leader over the next few years so that’s one of the challenges I look forward to as well.”
The 21-year-old says the lure of success at the club overrides the temptation to consider returning home to Adelaide.
“Obviously there’s a little bit of that [missing home] but I’m happy here and I wouldn’t have signed such a long-term deal if I wasn’t happy to stay here,” the midfielder said.
Cooney said it’s a relief to have contract negotiations completed this early in the season.
“I wanted to get it done as soon as possible so that I could just worry about footy… it’s great to get it out of the way now knowing that I’m going to be here for the next few years.”
Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade says he is delighted to have secured Cooney’s services.
“We see Adam as one of our key players going forward and a future leader and the fact that he’s committed for that period of time shows that he’s got confidence in where we’re headed,” Eade said.
“We’re thrilled with that. The last five or six weeks he’s showed a lot of maturity.
“With Crossy [Nathan Cross] out, he’s taken over the mantle of being the key midfielder.
“His work rate’s really gone to a terrific rate at the moment, that’s just part of that leadership that Adam wants to aspire to.”