Former St Kilda star Leigh Montagna believes Daniel Rich and Jack Gunston’s pending hiatus from Brisbane’s senior side was a “mutual decision”, rather than one squarely at the feet of the veteran duo.
Lions coach Chris Fagan said this week the pair initiated a conversation with him on Monday, telling him they didn’t feel their current form warranted selection in the senior side.
Both have now been put on a training program in a bid to see them return to form in time for the finals.
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Rich and Gunston’s form had been lacking already, which led Montagna to suggest the decision may not have been as one-sided as Fagan’s comments suggested.
“I just thought it was interesting, that’s all. Call me cynical, but I’ve never seen not one but two players go into the coach on a Monday and say ‘I don’t think I deserve a game.’ I’ve never seen that before,” Montagna said on Fox Footy.
“I don’t know. I’ll accept it was a mutual decision put it that way, at best.”
Pressed, Montagna added: “It would’ve been a mutual decision, not theirs. I don’t think they instigated it.”
“I would’ve thought most players back themselves in and say ‘I’ll get out of my rut, I’ll train hard and I’ll bounce back next week.’”
Montagna drew comparisons with Port Adelaide, where coach Ken Hinkley has been adamant captain Tom Jonas is currently not in the side’s best 22.
A more mutual approach, Montagna said, could’ve been better.
“I would’ve liked the club to have just said ‘Look, Daniel Rich and Jack Gunston aren’t in great form, we still think they’re valued members of the team and we want them to be part of our finals tilt, but for the time being they’re just going to have a couple of weeks off.’”, Montagna explained.
“We praise Ken Hinkley and Port Adelaide for making a strong stand, I just would’ve liked to have seen Brisbane do the same thing.”