GUN ruckman Rhys Raymond has sensationally turned his back on Warrnambool, less than four months after signing with the Hampden league club.
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Raymond has asked Blues officials to release him from a two-year deal so he can play with Warrnambool and District flag fancy Merrivale.
The dramatic turn of events comes less than two months before the start of the WDFNL season, which kicks off on March 30.
Raymond, a Warrnambool premiership player in 2010, told coach Scott Carter on Friday he wants out despite having trained with the Blues four times since Christmas.
Carter was tight-lipped on the situation yesterday but confirmed Raymond, who played at Geelong West-St Peters last season, was a contracted player.
“Rhys has informed myself he wants to play at Merrivale,” Carter said.
‘‘I can’t say more than that, we haven’t made a decision.
‘‘We’ll have a meeting tomorrow night.
“What course of action the football club will take will be out of my hands. That’s up to the administrators.
“My job is to coach the footy side. Our committee and administrators’ job is to run the administration side of things and they do a good job of it.”
The Standard was unable to reach Raymond, Merrivale coach Karl Dwyer or Merrivale president Paul Fish.
Raymond won the HFNL’s Maskell Medal in 2011 before plying his trade in the Geelong Football League for the past two seasons.
Warrnambool trumpeted his signing in October.
“It’s pleasing when you can welcome back a former player, especially a former premiership player and Maskell Medal winner,” Carter said at the time.
Raymond was also seemingly excited to be back at Reid Oval. He believed he returned with better fitness and ball-reading ability.
“I enjoyed my first three years and hopefully it’s the same (next season),” he said at the time.
‘‘It’s good to be back in a Blues jumper.’’