THE move to scrap the on-ground trophy presentation and the awarding of a medal for the best player in Sunday’s Western Derby could still be reversed, Fremantle chief executive Steve Rosich says.
The Dockers announced yesterday a new sponsorship agreement with Carlton United Breweries (CUB) did not include the derby trophy presentation.
The announcement also brought with it news there would be no Ross Glendinning Medal for the game’s best player.
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READ NOWAddressing the media today, Rosich was hopeful a resolution could be found and that the trophy and medal would be retained.
“We’re keen to continue exploring options for both the presentation of a trophy and a medal,” he said.
“With respect to the naming of the game and the presentation of the trophy, we’ll continue to work with West Coast as we have been for some time to explore a sponsor that can partner with us.”
Rosich said he was keen to explore a new medal with a new name that better reflected Fremantle’s growing status and the state’s new footballing venue.
“It’s a new era with a new stadium,” he said.
“Optus Stadium, 60,000 capacity, the new home of football – it’s the right time to consider a new name for the medal.”
Rosich said one option being explored was the joint naming of the medal, with retention of the Glendinning name coupled with that of a former Fremantle player.
The club also put forward the option of the “Derby Medal”, something similar to Adelaide’s Showdown Medal.
Rosich argued both alternatives had been knocked back by West Coast, which was keen for both clubs to award separate medals to their own players.
Despite this, he said there was still time to reach an agreement.
“The conversations will hopefully continue with West Coast,” he said.
“If need be we’ll get the AFL and Football Commission involved to ideally reach a conclusion that I guess comes out as a new medal name that reflects both clubs’ histories and also takes into account this new era at Optus Stadium.”
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