Bulldogs CEO Simon Garlick, President David Smorgon and Rodney Eade at the press conference. Credit:Pat Scala "Rodney's given his all, and we’ve previously extended it (his contract) twice and we just felt on reflection … in our interests, it’s time to find somebody else. "... I don't think we need to rebuild, I think we need to refresh... "This is not about rebuilding in our assessment, although we'll obviously defer to the new coach." Smorgon thanked Eade for his commitment, saying the decision had been difficult for all involved.

"We firmly believe Rodney has a lot to offer and he goes with our best wishes," Smorgon told the media pack. Smorgon said the club's search for a new coach started this afternoon, and would be headed by chief executive, former player Simon Garlick, and probably involve an independent "outsider". Despite his disappointment, a visibly affected Eade was philosophical. "It's obvious that we don't have the resources and money that five, six, or seven clubs have," he said. I mean the W and L columns mean a lot. You probably think at the stage when we went through four pretty poor losses ... 'well, it's going to be diffcult' - Rodney Eade

"I think for wins per dollar spent we’re about as good as anyone, if not the best in the AFL in that six or seven years. "For what the club have got, I think I've had good support from everyone."



Asked about his coaching future, Eade hoped suitors would come calling. "I haven't thought about that … I’ll just maybe take a little time to settle and I think clubs draw up a list and talk to people rather than knock on doors yourself." Eade knew that his position would be under pressure during a tough season. "It's a results driven business, as much as we all want to talk about other factors.

"I mean the W and L columns mean a lot. You probably think at the stage when we went through four pretty poor losses ... 'well, it's going to be diffcult'. "Then we had four good wins and the kids you play as well, you think 'well, perhaps the wheel turns a bit that way', but it’s not to be." Smorgon denied the decision was detsabilising, and defended his administration, saying the club had been stable coming off a "low base" in his time, employing only three CEOs and three coaches.



The Bulldogs hierarchy brought forward a decision on Eade’s future after a request from the coach’s manager to either back him or sack him.



The relationship between the coach and the club is believed to not to have been acrimonious, with the Bulldogs coming to the conclusion that Eade had been in the position for a long enough period. His departure makes Eade the third AFL coach to leave his club this year, following the resignation of Adelaide's Neil Craig, and the sacking of Melbourne's Dean Bailey. Bulldog legend Doug Hawkins has told SEN radio that he would love the 'fairytale' of Mick Malthouse, his former coach, returning to the Bulldogs, where he started coaching as a 31-year-old.



Outgoing Collingwood coach Malthouse is on record as saying he will not take a senior job in 2012, but suspicions remain that he could be swayed. Malthouse coached the Bulldoogs, then known as Footscray, betweeen 1984 and 1989, taking the perennial battler to the preliminary final in his second season, before moving on to the West Coast Eagles and Collingwood in a storied 28-year career.

Former Bulldog Leon Cameron, a highly regarded assistant at Hawthorn, is also considered a frontrunner for the vacancy. Eade's position has been a matter of contention since the Bulldogs finals chances nosedived and Craig stepped down, increasing speculation that Crows may be interested in hiring the former Swans mentor. Eade had preferred to stay with the Bulldogs, but said he was a career coach and would entertain offers elsewhere if his contract was not renewed. Eade has coached the Western Bulldogs since 2005, leading them into the finals in four out of six completed seasons. After making three consecutive preliminary finals, the club set the bar high in 2011, with Smorgon saying before the season that a grand final appearance was expected. However, injuries to key players, including former Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney and All-Australian full-back Brian Lake, and a lacklustre start to the season put the Dogs behind the pace. They are currently 12th on the ladder, having won only seven of their 19 matches.

Eade, 53, is on the verge of becoming the longest-serving VFL-AFL coach to not lead a team to a premiership, but he is highly regarded for his efforts in taking Sydney to a grand final, in 1996, and the impoverished Bulldogs to three top-four finishes. Loading Eade coached Sydney from 1996 to 2002, reaching the finals in five out of seven seasons. Overall, the former Hawthorn and Brisbane winger (he played 259 games for four premierships), has coached 314 games for 169 wins.



He is currently one game behind former AFL coach John Northey for the number of matches at the helm without enjoying ultimate premiership success.



Northey coached Sydney, Melbourne, Richmond and Brisbane in 315 matches.



With Scott Spits and AAP

