One-time disgruntled Roo James Lawton will play out the season.
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Lawton stunned the league when he returned in Saturday’s 63-point loss to Lavington.
He was the club’s only multiple goalkicker with three.
The former Riverina star lodged three clearance applications prior to the start of the season, hoping to join Goulburn Valley outfit, Mansfield.
His defence was based on the fact he was living and working in the town.
However, AFL North East Border decided the second year of his Roos’ deal was valid.
“The whole way through when everyone said we were going to make him sit out of footy, that was never our intention and we made it clear as a club, we were never going to make James sit out of footy,” coach Marc Almond said.
“If he wanted to play footy, he had to honour his contract.
“Not at any stage did we say we didn’t want to have James playing for us.
“The one thing we want to make really clear as a footy club, we would have been pretty ordinary if we said, ‘no, we’re not clearing you and we don’t want you to play here’.
“We welcome him back and we’re happy to have him back for the last six games of the year.”
Almond also made it clear the club’s strong stance with Lawton isn’t necessarily now the club’s typical mantra.
“We will treat every contract on an individual basis, we’ll judge each on its merits,” he said.
“We chose to hold James to his contract because another club offered a player a better opportunity when he was under contract.”
In his first competition game since last August, Lawton was rusty.
“He dropped probably eight to 10 marks, which was just a lack of touch,” Almond said.
If he wanted to play footy, he had to honour his contract.
- Marc Almond
“He gave off two, which was really big of him.”