Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 1:43 pm  

STEVENM1000 wrote:

I am beginning to think they have decided to let Austin go.Unless Gary has a major signing lined up there is something wrong with the relationship with Austin.It does not make sense to tie up MacDonald for 4 years in a position not as important as 6 and have this ongoing situation with Austin.

The two aren’t connected though. MacDonald is also younger than Austin

Smith has said today that there has been some dialogue about it.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 1:55 pm  

christopher wrote:

The two aren’t connected though. MacDonald is also younger than Austin

Smith has said today that there has been some dialogue about it.

Yes but he will still be 30 during next season,so with a 4 year deal he may not be the same player in year 3 and 4.
I have not seen the quote from Smith, so its good news they are trying to sort it.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 1:58 pm  

tad rhino wrote:

thing is AC, sezer misses to many games. the last 2/3 seasons has been poor appearance wise

Yep. That is the knock on him. He's not far behind Austin in terms of games played, but he is behind. What we wouldn't give for a young Burrow, McGuire or even Gale to be on the verge of breaking into the first team. Sinfield and McCormack just not old enough yet.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 1:59 pm  

STEVENM1000 wrote:

Yes but he will still be 30 during next season,so with a 4 year deal he may not be the same player in year 3 and 4.
I have not seen the quote from Smith, so its good news they are trying to sort it.

I suspect the 4 year deal is as much about Salary cap management as anything else

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 2:03 pm  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1VLyoctB58 This is a good watch/listen. Blake doesn’t hold back though, 23mins in, the Rhinos v Kiwis game is interesting! Comically critical of GH "Loves a buck" and the boxing day game. Not much by way of contract talks, wants to stay at Leeds, but also seems like him and his family are ready and would quite happily go home. Id say this one is firmly in the clubs hands on whether what's on the table is appealing or not. Also, seen a bit of criticism about Blake's openness and honesty recently. I think its quite refreshing that he's not regurgitating the standard player/club fare. He's quite comfortable with where he's at and what will be, will be. Cant fault him. Over to you GH.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1VLyoctB58 This is a good watch/listen. Blake doesn’t hold back though, 23mins in, the Rhinos v Kiwis game is interesting! Comically critical of GH "Loves a buck" and the boxing day game. Not much by way of contract talks, wants to stay at Leeds, but also seems like him and his family are ready and would quite happily go home. Id say this one is firmly in the clubs hands on whether what's on the table is appealing or not. Also, seen a bit of criticism about Blake's openness and honesty recently. I think its quite refreshing that he's not regurgitating the standard player/club fare. He's quite comfortable with where he's at and what will be, will be. Cant fault him. Over to you GH.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 2:13 pm  

I think people are making a bit too much out of the shortage of NRL halfbacks. There's no shortage of players with the ability of a Clifford or Croft. There is though a real shortage of top of the range halfbacks like Cleary or DCE. Most of the names mentioned as going back to the NRL would be dropped like a stone if a better player came along. They will get contract offers, but not mega bucks.

If we can't find one for next season then it probably would be better to go all out at 1 and 9, although I would also prefer to keep Austin in that case.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 2:24 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

I think people are making a bit too much out of the shortage of NRL halfbacks. There's no shortage of players with the ability of a Clifford or Croft. There is though a real shortage of top of the range halfbacks like Cleary or DCE. Most of the names mentioned as going back to the NRL would be dropped like a stone if a better player came along. They will get contract offers, but not mega bucks.

If we can't find one for next season then it probably would be better to go all out at 1 and 9, although I would also prefer to keep Austin in that case.

Maybe but the knock on effect is that you have to pay top money for an average half from the NRL

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 3:00 pm  

Rhinoshaund III wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1VLyoctB58 This is a good watch/listen. Blake doesn’t hold back though, 23mins in, the Rhinos v Kiwis game is interesting! Comically critical of GH "Loves a buck" and the boxing day game. Not much by way of contract talks, wants to stay at Leeds, but also seems like him and his family are ready and would quite happily go home. Id say this one is firmly in the clubs hands on whether what's on the table is appealing or not. Also, seen a bit of criticism about Blake's openness and honesty recently. I think its quite refreshing that he's not regurgitating the standard player/club fare. He's quite comfortable with where he's at and what will be, will be. Cant fault him. Over to you GH. Ill give it a listen. Id be worried about GH if he didn’t ‘love a buck’ I think it just doesn’t sit right with me discussing it in public when the club has said they don’t talk about contracts in public, im probably looking at it from an employers perspective rather than a fan’s perspective. RS has said they have had dialog with blakes agent.

Rhinoshaund III wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1VLyoctB58 This is a good watch/listen. Blake doesn’t hold back though, 23mins in, the Rhinos v Kiwis game is interesting! Comically critical of GH "Loves a buck" and the boxing day game. Not much by way of contract talks, wants to stay at Leeds, but also seems like him and his family are ready and would quite happily go home. Id say this one is firmly in the clubs hands on whether what's on the table is appealing or not. Also, seen a bit of criticism about Blake's openness and honesty recently. I think its quite refreshing that he's not regurgitating the standard player/club fare. He's quite comfortable with where he's at and what will be, will be. Cant fault him. Over to you GH. Ill give it a listen. Id be worried about GH if he didn’t ‘love a buck’ I think it just doesn’t sit right with me discussing it in public when the club has said they don’t talk about contracts in public, im probably looking at it from an employers perspective rather than a fan’s perspective. RS has said they have had dialog with blakes agent.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 3:09 pm  

There's a constant recycling of second tier halfbacks in the NRL. There's not fewer around next season than this. Some will be available every year. The top dollar is simply because halfbacks are (rightly) paid more than other positions, combined with the much higher salary cap in the NRL.

I've mentioned before the Dolphins have three halfbacks - O'Sullivan, Nikorima and Milford. Any of them could do a job in SL. None of them will be offered big bucks in the NRL, but you'd still need to pay a lot on SL terms to get one of them. One or more of them might get a gig somewhere else in the NRL but it would be similar to the Dolphins money. Luke Brooks has moved to Manly on about £290k a year. That wouldn't be impossible for a SL club to match for a marquee player (far lower than Tomkins was supposed to be on to move to the Cats for example).

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Thu Jul 13, 2023 3:50 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

There's a constant recycling of second tier halfbacks in the NRL. There's not fewer around next season than this. Some will be available every year. The top dollar is simply because halfbacks are (rightly) paid more than other positions, combined with the much higher salary cap in the NRL.

I've mentioned before the Dolphins have three halfbacks - O'Sullivan, Nikorima and Milford. Any of them could do a job in SL. None of them will be offered big bucks in the NRL, but you'd still need to pay a lot on SL terms to get one of them. One or more of them might get a gig somewhere else in the NRL but it would be similar to the Dolphins money. Luke Brooks has moved to Manly on about £290k a year. That wouldn't be impossible for a SL club to match for a marquee player (far lower than Tomkins was supposed to be on to move to the Cats for example).

But you’ve got to add in the fact that not every player would want to move to the other side of the world no matter how much offered