Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon has taken a cheeky dig at Sydney's multimillion-dollar-man Lance Franklin following his below-par performance in Saturday's grand final.
Former Hawk Franklin and Bulldogs youngster Tom Boyd were involved in two of the most controversial trades in the game's history and have been scrutinised not only for the length and cost associated with their contracts, but also for the manner in which they arrived at their new clubs.
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Bulldogs break 62-year Premiership drought
The Western Bulldogs have upset the Sydney Swans by 22 points to win their first AFL Premiership since 1954.
Boyd, especially, has been the source of intense scrutiny given he left Greater Western Sydney after just one season and nine games to join the Dogs on a seven-year deal worth a reported $7 million.
But given Boyd came close to winning the Norm Smith Medal in the Dogs' drought-breaking premiership, Gordon couldn't pass up the opportunity to compare the performances of two of the game's most-talked-about million-dollar men.
"A couple of years ago, we did a deal to get a young fella called Tom Boyd to the club," Gordon told 1000 guests at the Bulldogs' premiership function on Saturday night.
"We haven't disclosed the details of that contract, it's obviously a fair whack."
After a member of the crowd audibly suggested that Gordon give Boyd a pay rise, the president continued: "Truthfully, when it happened, the 'Buddy' [Franklin]Â deal had happened a year earlier and I'll confess I had no idea of the obsession, jealousy, hatred and malice that some of the Melbourne media would portray towards that [Boyd's]Â contract.
"Every time he might have missed a mark or done something not particularly perfect, the way it would reflect on him, on me, on the club and how inappropriate it was for an uppity, young club like the Bulldogs to even contemplate a deal like that.
"And then I thought about that this week when someone said, if Buddy Franklin kicks a few goals today and Sydney win the game because of that contribution, that in itself will justify a much larger deal [than Boyd's]Â of $11 million over 11 years for that recruitment two years ago.
"Good luck to Buddy, he kicked one today.
"But our Tom kicked three -Â and it could so easily have been four -Â and took eight marks.
"I want you to know, Tom, I couldn't be more proud of you. For all the sh-- you put up with ... we saw the way you took on [GWS ruckman] Shane Mumford when Roughy [Jordan Roughead] had his eye injury last week and we saw what you did today."
Gordon also praised coach Luke Beveridge for saving the careers of newly minted premiership players Dale Morris, Matthew Boyd and Liam Picken, whose papers were all but stamped by previous coach Brendan McCartney.
"There were one or two blokes over the age of 30 that the red line had been through either at the end of this year or next year because Brendan believed in a seven-year plan [that] was going to get us into the finals some time in late 2019 or something," Gordon said.
"'Bevo' said to [list manager] Jason [McCartney], 'I just don't believe in this sort of stuff and I need you to know that there are a few guys on that list that I actually think can make pretty important contributions to us in the next couple of years'.
"It was born of Bevo's belief in two things really – one is that Hawthorn got a lot of success out of actually encouraging blokes like [Luke] Hodge and [Shaun] Burgoyne and [Sam] Mitchell to keep playing because of the ability they've got, and secondly because the younger players learn more and walk a bit taller because those guys were in the side."
Gordon joked he would "throw up" like former coach Terry Wallace once famously threatened to do after a game if he had to give one more glowing character reference for Beveridge.
"The truth of the matter is I don't know why Luke Beveridge is so special – he just is," he said.
Gordon paid tribute to his board for hanging tough under huge media pressure in late 2014 by taking its time and allowing the club to make the right coaching appointment rather than making the wrong one for the sake of expedition.
However, Gordon did credit McCartney for one thing and that was implementing a 'no d---heads' recruitment policy at the club.
"There was a heavy emphasis on getting guys who not only could play good football but were of tremendous character," he said.
"I've been associated with this club now for 28 years ... I feel privileged that the group of guys you saw up here today is a fine group of young men."