Weston have called on Northern NSW Football to address the issue of players breaking agreements after the Bears lost young gun Regan Lundy to NPL rivals Charlestown for 2020. Lundy and his brother Jackson, a fringe player at Weston, signed with the Blues before the Bears' presentation night on Saturday. While Jackson had not signed an agreement to stay at the Bears, Regan had done so midway through the year. The pair are younger brothers of former Jets player Brandon Lundy. The agreements, which are not lodged with NNSWF, state that the player "undertakes to register with the club for the 2020 season". The Bears were surprised when news broke of Lundy joining Charlestown, who have also recruited Jackson Frendo from the Jets Youth. "Regan signed a player agreement for 2020 with the Bears in June of this year and at no point in time indicated to the club any issues with the coaching, playing or administration staff," Weston said in a statement. "Regan figured very strongly in the club's plans for 2020 and beyond and it is disappointing to see him renege on his agreement. "It is of great concern that some players feel they do not need to honour their commitment to an agreement and it is an issue that NNSW Football need to address. Our club will be seeking independent advice on this and other player agreements going forward." Lundy was one of the Bears' best in 2019 as they rose from three years near or at the bottom of the table to lead at the halfway point in coach Kew Jaliens' first season. They finished fifth on 37 points, one short of finals. Lundy, 21, said "everything was going good" when he signed mid-season "then a few things changed". "There's a certain someone there, I didn't like things he did," Lundy said. "A few things that he said and did to a few players, how he treated a few people, didn't sit well with me." "I don't need that stuff in my life. Between the club and the players, everything is sweet ... the club has been the best to me." NNSWF chief David Eland said only professional player contracts are registered with the federation and his organisation "are not privy to the terms of any private agreement any club might enter into with an amateur player". "There's only one way that an agreement can be registered with us and that is a standard professional contract, in accordance with the national registration regulations," Eland said. It is far from the first time a player has moved clubs in the NNSW NPL after signing an agreement with another. Hamilton were fuming in 2017 when Jets Youth player Cody Carroll switched to Broadmeadow after initially signing with them. "It's an issue that's been raised by Northern NSW Football on a number of occasions, but if clubs are not going to register players as professionals, there's not a lot we can do," Eland said. He said there were no professionally contracted players in the 2019 NNSW NPL and there had been only a handful in recent years, including Josh Rose and Mitch Oxborrow, who came from A-League clubs. Weston assistant coach Craig Stoker said Lundy was "a very good player" and a loss for the Bears, but he wished him success and hoped he would one day come back to the club. He was confident the club had the players to fill Lundy's position, especially with the recruitment of Jarryd Sutherland (Hamilton) and Connor Heydon (Adamstown). However, they were still searching for more additions. "Kew is in Holland and he's had several players approach him about coming out," Stoker said. "And we'll keep looking locally and in Sydney, but we're pretty covered in that area where he was. He's a loss but we'll cope." Liam Wilson was the Bears' player of the year.
MOVING: Regan Lundy scores against Adamstown this year. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
Weston have called on Northern NSW Football to address the issue of players breaking agreements after the Bears lost young gun Regan Lundy to NPL rivals Charlestown for 2020.
Lundy and his brother Jackson, a fringe player at Weston, signed with the Blues before the Bears' presentation night on Saturday.
While Jackson had not signed an agreement to stay at the Bears, Regan had done so midway through the year. The pair are younger brothers of former Jets player Brandon Lundy.
The agreements, which are not lodged with NNSWF, state that the player "undertakes to register with the club for the 2020 season".
The Bears were surprised when news broke of Lundy joining Charlestown, who have also recruited Jackson Frendo from the Jets Youth.
"Regan signed a player agreement for 2020 with the Bears in June of this year and at no point in time indicated to the club any issues with the coaching, playing or administration staff," Weston said in a statement.
"Regan figured very strongly in the club's plans for 2020 and beyond and it is disappointing to see him renege on his agreement.
"It is of great concern that some players feel they do not need to honour their commitment to an agreement and it is an issue that NNSW Football need to address. Our club will be seeking independent advice on this and other player agreements going forward."
Lundy was one of the Bears' best in 2019 as they rose from three years near or at the bottom of the table to lead at the halfway point in coach Kew Jaliens' first season. They finished fifth on 37 points, one short of finals.
Lundy, 21, said "everything was going good" when he signed mid-season "then a few things changed".
"There's a certain someone there, I didn't like things he did," Lundy said.
"A few things that he said and did to a few players, how he treated a few people, didn't sit well with me."
"I don't need that stuff in my life. Between the club and the players, everything is sweet ... the club has been the best to me."
NNSWF chief David Eland said only professional player contracts are registered with the federation and his organisation "are not privy to the terms of any private agreement any club might enter into with an amateur player".
"There's only one way that an agreement can be registered with us and that is a standard professional contract, in accordance with the national registration regulations," Eland said.
It is far from the first time a player has moved clubs in the NNSW NPL after signing an agreement with another. Hamilton were fuming in 2017 when Jets Youth player Cody Carroll switched to Broadmeadow after initially signing with them.
"It's an issue that's been raised by Northern NSW Football on a number of occasions, but if clubs are not going to register players as professionals, there's not a lot we can do," Eland said.
He said there were no professionally contracted players in the 2019 NNSW NPL and there had been only a handful in recent years, including Josh Rose and Mitch Oxborrow, who came from A-League clubs.
Weston assistant coach Craig Stoker said Lundy was "a very good player" and a loss for the Bears, but he wished him success and hoped he would one day come back to the club.
He was confident the club had the players to fill Lundy's position, especially with the recruitment of Jarryd Sutherland (Hamilton) and Connor Heydon (Adamstown).
However, they were still searching for more additions.
"Kew is in Holland and he's had several players approach him about coming out," Stoker said.
"And we'll keep looking locally and in Sydney, but we're pretty covered in that area where he was. He's a loss but we'll cope."
