Western Bulldogs great Scott West has revealed why he is “disappointed” with reports of a cold snub within the club’s past players.
Western Bulldogs great Scott West has revealed he is “disappointed” with reports of a rift between his club’s past players and former teammate Adam Cooney.
Cooney claimed this week he felt more welcome at Essendon functions than at Bulldogs events.
The 35-year-old revealed on SEN Radio this week he didn’t feel welcome at the Bulldogs after finishing out his career with two seasons at Essendon.
Kayo is your ticket to the best sport streaming Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Cooney suggested he doesn’t feel like he is part of the Bulldogs past players group.
The Brownlow Medallist suggested Essendon has been more active in keeping him involved at the club and reached out more consistently than the Bulldogs have.
The claims attracted a response from West on Facebook where the 304 game great presented his side of the story.
“As a past teammate and person I loved being involved with, Adam — as he is a really nice fella. BUT unfortunately he has got this VERY wrong,” West wrote on Facebook about his former teammate.
“Being an active member of the past players group, there have been many, many occasions, where the past players committee have reached out, I know this is a fact!!! The past players group stay in touch via a monthly newsletter letter that Adam does receive. We have our own amazing room at Marvel Stadium with premium seating for all home games, plus at least 3-4 past players functions per season. Adam gets invited to all of these.
“Our club has worked really hard over the past 10 years to welcome all past players back. This article disappoints me.
“Adam is always welcome, we’d love to see him.”
The disputed claims come after Cooney first said he didn’t feel welcome at the Kennel.
“I haven’t been back to the Bulldogs since I left,” Cooney told SEN SA Breakfast.
“But I left in a difficult circumstance, so I haven’t been back there. I feel a lot more welcome at Essendon than I do at the Western Bulldogs.
“(The Bombers have) just been in constant conversation with me since I retired.
“They ring every few months, the past players association, and just check in. I’ve done some work at the Bombers since I retired.
“Maybe it was just because it was fresh when I finished up and I was an Essendon player when I retired, but I feel a lot more welcome at the Bombers for some reason.”
Cooney said his situation may be similar to the one that has seen a rift form between Crows legend Andrew McLeod and his former club.
Earlier this year McLeod said his former club is “not a place that you feel welcomed”.
Cooney said clubs move on quickly and forget about their former servants.
“So you can feel like you’re not part of a group, but that’s just the industry and the business moving on,” he said.
