Axed Don Can Play On: Teammate
The Sunday Age
Sunday August 24, 2008
RETIRING Essendon midfielder Jason Johnson believes axed teammate Damien Peverill would have at least three more years in him at a rival club, while managing director Peter Jackson said Adam Ramanauskas' decision on when and how to retire would be left entirely to him.
It was reported yesterday that the famously private Ramanauskas would announce the end of his 133-game career tomorrow, and Jackson said while he had no inkling of what he would do, Ramanauskas deserved to handle things his own way.The 27-year-old premiership player has beaten two bouts of cancer and a knee reconstruction. "Rama, whatever he decides to do, he deserves the opportunity to do it himself and talk to the players," Jackson told radio station SEN yesterday. "I don't want to speculate on that. He's a fantastic person, he's been fantastic for our footy club. He hasn't said anything to any of the players and I'd let that rest until Rama decides what he wants to do."Johnson, who will play his 184th and final game for Essendon next Sunday, believed there was a future beyond Essendon for Peverill, who was informed by the club last week that he would not be offered a contract for 2009."We'll have to wait and see what happens, but I think he's got three or four more years left in him to be honest with you," said Johnson, recalled against the Western Bulldogs on Friday for the first of two farewell games.The two-time best-and-fairest winner said he did not regret staying with Essendon after he was floated as trade bait two years ago by former coach Kevin Sheedy, but that the end of his career had arrived quicker than he had ever expected."I never wanted to go anywhere else. I wanted to be a one-club person and I'm very happy the way it panned out," he said. "Sheeds made it clear to me that I was always going to get my two years but that he was just going to put me out there and see what was out there. "I understand the industry, I understand where it's all at and I'm very comfortable with (coach Matthew Knights') decision as well, when he spoke to me and Damien at the start of this season. "It's a really small window of opportunity you get. "Meanwhile, Knights refused to speculate on Andrew Lovett's future following the Bombers' 46-point loss to the Western Bulldogs on Friday night, after a television report declared the speedy midfielder would be offered for trade."Andrew's a contracted player, so basically there's no definitive decisions made with a player that's under contract," Knights said. "Andrew's got a contract and we'll deal with whatever's on the horizon when the time comes."
© 2008 The Sunday Age
