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Favourite son Dale Morris sacked as Western Bulldogs feel cost-cutting pinch of COVID crisis

The West Australian
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Bulldogs development coach Dale Morris (right) is seen during an AFL pre-season training session at Whitten Oval.
Camera IconBulldogs development coach Dale Morris (right) is seen during an AFL pre-season training session at Whitten Oval. Credit: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos

The Western Bulldogs have sacked favourite son Dale Morris amid the AFL’s cost-cutting response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a reduced soft spending cap for all 18 AFL clubs, the Western Bulldogs have confirmed Morris will no longer work at the club as a development coach.

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Bulldogs defender Dale Morris celebrates winning the 2016 Toyota AFL Grand Final.
Camera IconBulldogs defender Dale Morris celebrates winning the 2016 Toyota AFL Grand Final. Credit: Adam Trafford/AFL Media

He is joined by assistants Joel Corey and Jordan Russell, and football operations manager Ben Graham exiting the club in 2020.

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“With an awfully heavy heart, we thank them for their service and wish them well for their futures, knowing they will always be welcome back to our club,” Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains said.

Bains said “heart-breaking decisions” had to be made to reduce spending “significantly” across the administration and football departments.

Bulldogs director of football Chris Grant said those let go had put their “heart and soul” into the club.

“It’s an incredibly difficult time for everyone. Football clubs are like families, and to farewell great people through no fault of their own is a painful thing to do,” he said.

The Bulldogs’ decision come weeks after the Fremantle Dockers announced assistants Michael Prior and Anthony Rock, along with high performance manager Jason Weber had left the club.

Gold Coast Suns also axed a number of staff last month including assistant Dean Solomon, welfare boss Shaun Hart and assistants Nick Malceski and Ash Prescott.

West Coast, last week named the biggest club in the AFL with more than 100,000 members, is yet to announce staff cuts in 2020.

CORR WALKS OUT

GWS have confirmed defender Aidan Corr has walked out on the club, exercising his right as a restricted free agent.

Corr has played 98 games for the Giants since he was taken at pick 14 in the 2012 draft.

Corr told the Giants he and his partner want to return home to Victoria, with North Melbourne tipped as the early frontrunner to secure the 26-year-old’s services.

“We understand the reasons behind Aidan’s decision and we wish him well for the future,” GWS general manager of football Jason McCartney said.

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