Brian Lakes comes out in defence of free agency after aiding his move from the Bulldogs to Hawthorn
HAWTHORN defender Brian Lake says free agency helped him move to the Hawks two years ago and avoid potentially being "held to ransom" as a senior player nearing the end of his career.
Lake was traded by the Western Bulldogs at the end of 2012 – one year before he became a free agent – in exchange for selections No.21 and No.43 in that year's NAB AFL Draft.
The 32-year-old, who has since become a dual premiership player and a Norm Smith medallist said free agency was creating opportunities for older players and helped make his trade possible.
"That's what I thought it would come in for, [to help] those guys that hit the 30-year age bracket where you sort of get held ransom a little bit by the club you're at," Lake told NAB AFL Trade Radio.
"They know it's so hard to change clubs at that stage in your career – it's not like you're going to get a three or four-year deal.
"So they can name their price contract wise, say 'here you go' and you've got to sign it.
"It gives older guys a chance to keep playing [in the] AFL. Just because you hit 30 years old it doesn't mean you should be finished and retired."
Lake, who this week signed a contract extension for the 2015 season, has avoided post-season surgery for the second straight season.
Despite a mid-season calf injury, he said his body had responded well to a change of environment.
"The big change from playing at Etihad to playing at the MCG for most of your home games, I've found that's been a massive change and a key to my body responding so well," he said.
"I had some issues this year with the calf, and even in the finals I had a little incident in the last game of the year that I needed some treatment for.
"But apart from that, the body's feeling great … I haven't got that wear and tear in my body."
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