Moves, Rumours,Judiciary, Injuries ...

[Southstander13]

Well that's a pleasant surprise.

It will add an extra layer of interest in seeing how Zak goes in the NRL and as it says, with immediate effect. So we should/could see Zak playing in the very near future.

He'll want to do well to secure a deal for the future too.

Segyaro should do well for Leeds in SL

 

Hope he gets some game time, like you say, it will add an extra amount of interest to the Panthers games this season.  

 

Wonder how he'll score in Supercoach!

[rugby female]

FPN to Wigan with immediate effect, 3 and half yr deal.

[Graham]

He's not been given a proper go this season so I can understand the move.

He's done well for himself getting a contract for that long.

[Farmduck]

He's not been given a proper go this season so I can understand the move.

He's done well for himself getting a contract for that long.

 

What exactly does that mean? I see Brit posters use that a lot - Joe Burgess was a good example - and I don't know what it means.

[Graham]

He's not been picked often or persevered with.

He obviously isn't valued in his club and has dropped down the pecking order. Not saying that coaches shouldn't pick on form just from the player's point of view I suppose 'a proper go' just means a run of games in the team to get a run of form and confidence.

[Graham]

Who's got the whip hand here eh?
 

The Semi Radradra saga has taken another twist, with the Parramatta winger not returning to Sydney from Fiji as scheduled but given additional leave before re-joining the Eels' squad.
A week after he flew to see his family in Fiji - telling friends of a desire to relocate to French rugby - the guessing game over whether Radradra would indeed see out his contract with the Eels is yet to reach its conclusion.
Radradra's manager, George Christodoulou, said on Sunday the 24-year-old would return to training with Brad Arthur's team on Wednesday ahead of Parramatta's next game against Cronulla on Saturday night.
"His coach has given him leave until Wednesday," Christodoulou said via text message, insisting that Radradra would be back. Parramatta are now also expecting him at training on Wednesday.

Looks like Semi has Eels waiting on him hoping and praying he comes back to them, handling him with kid gloves. He seems to have them over a barrel. I suppose contracts aren't worth the paper they are written (typed) on.

[Graham]

Penrith teenage sensation Nathan Cleary has opted against reactivating a get-out clause in his contract that would have allowed him to follow his father to another NRL club.

Cleary, who recently extended his deal with the Panthers until the end of 2019, originally had a get-out clause in his contract that expired on June 30 that granted him permission to leave the foot of the mountains if Ivan Cleary landed a job at another club.

However, the 18-year-old, who starred in Penrith's win over South Sydney on Friday night, is determined to forge his own path and has decided to remove the father-son clause from his newest deal, a strong indication of his desire to make it on his own.

The lad is a great prospect.

What a talent!

Good to see this attitude too.

[Graham]

Up to a dozen of the NRL’s most recognisable names remain without a contract for 2017 and beyond as the June 30 transfer deadline looms closer.

Names such as Luke Lewis, Tony Williams, Robbie Rochow, Benji Marshall and Mitch Rein all are currently off contract and without a club for 2017.

 

While Radradra appears to have plenty of options , some players are having to wait... well it is only 2/3 ish through the season - nothing new in that I suppose.

 

Edited June 26, 2016 by G Las D

[Graham]

Storm’s forward stocks have taken a hit with Nelson Asofa-Solomona set to miss up to eight weeks with a knee injury.
The 200cm New Zealand giant injured his left knee in Storm’s 29-20 win over Wests Tigers at AAMI Park on Sunday, with scans yesterday showing he had torn his posterior cruciate ligament.
It is a setback for Storm, as Asofa-Solomona has been in good form with his size and aggression off the bench proving to be a nightmare for opposition teams
Storm will also not know until later this whether pivot Blake Green (calf) and fullback Cameron Munster (ankle) will be available to return against Brisbane on Friday night.

[Farmduck]

Saw this tangential remark in a Fox Sports article:  "The NRL’s top-tier salary cap, which covers a club’s best 25 players, will increase from $6.1 million to about $11 million in 2018." 

 

I commented on the article that I think this is way excessive and that $8mill, tops, seems more likely. I'll be interested to see if they quote any sources. That would mean that the Cows, for example, could keep their entire squad from 2016 AND buy the entire Wigan squad for 2018.

 

Also, if the $11mill is accurate, why would anybody be signing anything longer than a 1 year deal now?

Edited June 28, 2016 by Farmduck

[Graham]

So while being able to keep their whole squads and add to them, you can just imagine players and their agents licking their lips and stroking their wallets.

Competition for the best players would see players and their advisers getting their wheelbarrows ready to take their wages home in.

Any decent SL player would be tempted.

Maybe even Radradra will hang on in there.

[Farmduck]

On today's post-Brexit rates, that $11 mill = £6.01 million. If that figure is close, NRL teams won't be coming over for the WCC to play the SL team. They'll be coming to buy them.

[Graham]

They'll have plenty left over after that too!

[Graham]

Radradra - great player - is dangling his club, team mates, fans and the NRL on a string while he decides what's best for him, or at least what he feels he should do for himself and his family (I'm guessing).

Fair enough, he gets one chance and our game is tough and who knows how long or short a career might be.

 

It brings into question though how much a game should bend over and invite someone to give it a kick up the posterior.

He will take his decision, no doubt taking advice, in his interests.

The game though is bigger than him or that by a long way.

So allowing him to play for Australia in the test against New Zealand a good idea in principle or just taken to try and sweeten him to stay in our great gam?

It doesn't yet look like it has imbued him with loyalty to Australia or the NRL.

OK he may yet come back this time, but for how long.

He has signalled his feelings and intentions.

Good luck to him. He has been a pleasure to watch producing plenty of spectacular performances.

Will he stay or will he go?

The game will continue from strength to strength especially in Aus. It's important it values its players, but also keeps its eye on where it's going and doesn't bend over inviting all and sundry to give it a kick.

Edited June 28, 2016 by G Las D

[Graham]

Nathan Friend has announced he is retiring at the end of the season

 

 

 

I want to take this opportunity to announce my retirement at the end of the 2016 season, from the game I've loved ever since my first encounter as a 5 year old. Thanks to everyone that has had a hand in my career I'm forever grateful for the support & guidance I've received. It's now time to give back to my beautiful wife that has sacrificed so much of her life to support me on my endeavours whilst producing 2 wonderful children. I look forward to the next chapter of parental duties on weekends & being around family & loved ones once again.

 

* changed spelling of endeavors (in original script) to endeavours - the way I spell it! 

Edited June 28, 2016 by G Las D

[Farmduck]

Parramatta Eels winger Semi Radradra is under investigation for allegedly assaulting his former partner.

 

Police have confirmed they received a complaint from a 24-year-old woman who alleged she was assaulted on multiple occasions at the couple's Parramatta home in 2014 and 2015.

[Graham]

Parramatta will seek $700,000 in compensation from Semi Radradra – if he requests a release – that will negate what he stands to earn playing rugby union in France.

While Parramatta don't want to release the Fijian winger, a contingency plan is being drawn up in the event Radradra opts to walk out on the final 16 months of his Eels contract.

One of those options would leave Radradra $200,000 out of pocket even if he signs a lucrative $500,000 deal to play with Bordeaux in France.

It's understood that the Eels will seek the remaining $125,000 of his contract for this year and the $375,000 for his final year, as well as $200,000 in damages to the brand, if Radradra walks out on the under-siege club.

It's a similar figure to the one Canterbury negotiated when Sonny Bill Williams walked out on the Bulldogs in 2008.

Canterbury eventually agreed to release Williams, who was on around $400,000 a season at the time, from the final four years of his contract for $750,000, which was later paid by his close friend Anthony Mundine.

The payout, worth slightly less than 50 per cent of the total contract value, allowed Williams to sign a $2 million deal with French rugby club Toulon.

Parramatta also have the option of forcing Radradra to withdraw from all competitive sports until his contract expires on October 31 next year if they fail to reach a compensation agreement.

The Eels are hopeful no action will need to be taken and the winger will return in time for this Saturday night's clash against the table-topping Sharks, with teammate Tim Mannah saying Radradra had indicated he would be at training on Wednesday morning.

Nothing guaranteed to sour relationships more than money (Eels) and violence (alleged)

Edited June 29, 2016 by G Las D

[Saint Toppy]

Anything further on the Mole's rumour that Jamie Soward will announce he's signed for a SL Club (believed to be Saints) with immediate effect ?

[Graham]

Anything further on the Mole's rumour that Jamie Soward will announce he's signed for a SL Club (believed to be Saints) with immediate effect ?

Jamie Soward looks certain to have played his last game for the Penrith Panthers and could be on a plane to England to play in the Super League this week.

Soward was a no-show at training on Wednesday and is believed to have informed players of his departure earlier that morning, ending his time at the foot of the mountains after two-and-a-half seasons at the club.The premiership-winning playmaker had 16 months to run on his contract with the Panthers but has spent the past fortnight in NSW Cup, with coach Anthony Griffin opting to hand teenage sensation Nathan Cleary his NRL debut.[/size]

Fairfax Media understands Soward was reluctant to leave Sydney due to a blossoming media career and a desire to see out the remaining time in his contract, but he is now negotiating a two-year deal with an English club.

Soward will most likely join former Panthers teammate James Segeyaro in the English Super League after being told they were no longer part of Griffin's plans.

The 31-year-old former Dragons and Roosters five-eighth came to Penrith with his career at a crossroads given the tumultuous end to his time at St George Illawarra.

He played a significant role in the redevelopment of the Panthers, leading the club to within a game of the grand final in his first season in 2014.

Soward's time at Penrith almost came to an end last year when general manager Phil Gould began to see signs of complacency and a change in his desire.

The much-maligned former Origin pivot was going through a marriage break-up at the time but rediscovered his love for the sport at the end of last year.

He began the 2016 season in good form but the club was intent on giving its young stars a chance to shine, forcing Soward back to NSW Cup.

He isn't the only high-profile player to be dropped to reserve grade, with Segeyaro, Sam McKendry and Elijah Taylor all spending time playing park football.

He has been linked to St Helens

He has had a loan spell in the past with London.

[Graham]

Soward's departure came on the same day English Super League man of steel Zak Hardaker arrived at the club after he was traded by Leeds as part of a swap deal for Segeyaro.

Hardaker arrived in Sydney on Tuesday night and trained with the Panthers at left centre on Wednesday afternoon.

It is unknown whether Hardaker will play against the Tigers on Saturday or line up for the NSW Cup team against Wentworthville on Sunday.

[Farmduck]

Soward is a surprise. I thought he could do better, money-wise, in OZ. Panthers might subsidise his pay in SL for the rest of his contract. Not sure if he would qualify for a Marquee Allowance under SL rules.

 

Interesting if they throw Hardaker in at left centre against the Tigers. That's the spot where Tedesco usually carves it up so it might be a tough initiation.

[Saint Toppy]

Just see Gus Gould's tweet. Soward hasn't gone yet, Gus is meeting with his management tomorrow morning

[RSN]

Soward is a surprise. I thought he could do better, money-wise, in OZ. Panthers might subsidise his pay in SL for the rest of his contract. Not sure if he would qualify for a Marquee Allowance under SL rules.

Interesting if they throw Hardaker in at left centre against the Tigers. That's the spot where Tedesco usually carves it up so it might be a tough initiation.

Tedesco for some reason has a knack of burning people with ease when moving from left to right. He did it last week from nothing and I recall a set play last year by the Tigers where he pretty much ran round Marika Koribete who is one of the quickest in the competition. I'll be a tough place to line up but Hardaker isn't a slouch himself and is sound defensively when defending his outside shoulder, I recall a couple of very good tackles against New Zealand last year where people tried to beat him on the outside (1 was Jason Nightingale I believe) albeit centre and full back are completely different positions.

It's a great game to start though attacking wise. If it's Brooks or Moses he is lining up against he will be able to dominate them physically and potentially run over the top and get arms free. Hardaker has a deceptive fend so it will be interesting to see how it goes.

The Tigers are usually one of the teams I root for (they naturally come across as underdogs for some reason) but I tend to favour sides with English players so will be rooting for the Panthers if Zak is given a shot.

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

John Sutton (My Favourite Rabbitoh of the modern era) will become the first player in the history of the oldest and most successful Australian RL club "South Sydney" to play 250 first grade games this weekend. Congratulation to a great local product and top fella.

[Farmduck]

The Tigers are usually one of the teams I root for (they naturally come across as underdogs for some reason) but I tend to favour sides with English players so will be rooting for the Panthers if Zak is given a shot.

 

Traditionally the Wests Magpies were the poorest (in $$$) team in the comp and Balmain would have originally been made up of wharf labourers because that's where the coal and wheat wharves were. Two of Sydney's main power stations were near the Balmain wharves and Balmain even had a coal mine from about 1850-1930. Balmain also had a stone quarry and an abbatoir so it was about as working class as you can get. No surprise that the first Communist Party in Australia was founded in a pub in Balmain.