Bannockburn has knocked back a late pre-season request for a clearance from Jai Robinson.
The talented midfielder has told the Tigers he wants to return to GFNL club Geelong West, but coach Ron Pilgrim says Robinson is contracted at Victoria Park for 2024.
Pilgrim says the request earlier this month caught him off guard.
“There was a bit of a discussion back at the end of last year on whether he wanted to go and have another crack at the GFL,” Pilgrim, who has already had to deal with Queenscliff recruit Lachie Kidd’s backflip this off-season, said.
“But, being a leader at the club, he signed on, and we were of the understanding we’d build a midfield with recruits around him.
“It took me by surprise that only a couple of weeks ago, he decided he wanted to have a run back in there.”
Robinson spent four seasons at West Oval from 2015-2018, making 47 senior appearances for the Roosters/Giants.
He returned to Bannockburn ahead of the 2019 season and was a member of the club’s drought-breaking premiership that year and their encore performance in 2022.
Pilgrim says the timing of Robinson’s request for a clearance is far from ideal.
“If the procedure had been done before Christmas when we were starting to build our list, there wouldn’t have been a problem,” he said.
“But having him do the whole pre-season and then go in in March is disappointing, given that he’s probably our premier midfielder.
“To throw that on us with no time to replace him is a big one.”
Pilgrim says he plans to speak with Robinson again in the hope he’ll be in a yellow and black jumper for next week’s season-opener against Anakie.
“He’s a required player at Banno, and we love him,” Pilgrim said.
“I don’t want him to leave the club; I think he’s built a great reputation with our boys.
“I’d love him to pick up the phone.
“He’s too hard to replace, and we definitely want him playing at Bannockburn because he’s well-loved.”
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