Geelong Advertiser | ST MARY’S will seek a meeting with South Barwon next week in a bid to settle the clearance saga surrounding Jordan Duncan.
The Saints are continuing to fight for the services of Duncan, who is being held to his existing contract by South Barwon.
In what looms as a test case for local footy contracts, the Swans are holding their ground and are refusing to release the talented forward from the final year of his deal with the club.
St Mary’s have maintained that if Duncan is not cleared, he will have to sit out the season because he has no plans of playing at South Barwon.
The Saints this week abandoned their last-ditch appeal to AFL Victoria, and instead hope to reach an amicable outcome privately with South Barwon.
St Mary’s has now explored all avenues after a regional tribunal earlier this month dismissed their appeal to have Duncan cleared.
While acknowledging Duncan is still under contract at South Barwon, the Saints are mounting their case on compassionate grounds after finding local employment for the 21-year-old university graduate.
“We understand (South) would be disappointed, but if he doesn’t want to be there, I don’t think there’s anything to gain out of making him sit out of footy for the year,” St Mary’s coach Bryce Vincent said.
Duncan is continuing to train with St Mary’s while his immediate footy career remains in limbo.
“We don’t want to be enemies with anyone,” Vincent said.
“We all play footy and compete pretty hard on the field, so off the field we hope we can work together a little bit.”
South Barwon president Richard Holz maintained his club’s stance.
“He’s a contracted player and a required player at South Barwon,” Holz said.
“At the end of the day it’s gone as far as they can go. He’s a required player and we’ve got no intention of letting him go.
“We’d love him to come back, but you can’t make him come back.”
Duncan’s situation is one of many contract disputes across the state.
In another high-profile case, Ballarat league club Redan is locked in a long-running battle with VFL club North Ballarat Roosters over star on-baller Nathan Horbury.
Horbury previously signed a contract tying him to the Roosters for this season, but has since wanted to return to his home club to play with his brother and mates.
North Ballarat is holding him to the deal and Redan has been told it has no avenue of appeal through AFL Victoria, the Ballarat Courier reported this week.
