Moves, Rumours,Judiciary, Injuries ...

[Graham]

3 hours ago, DoubleD said:

Manly Sea Eagles half-back Kane Elgey has announced his retirement from rugby league at the age of just 25.

Elgey made his NRL debut back in 2015 for Gold Coast Titans, playing 46 games for the club before joining Manly earlier this year.

The playmaker played 11 games for the Sea Eagles in 2019 and still had a year to run on his contract – but has admitted that he has fallen out of love with the game.

He posted on Instagram: “After months of consideration, I have decided to officially retire from the NRL and move back home with my beautiful girl Georgie Oram and start the next chapter of our lives.

“It’s been a rollercoaster ride and I’m stoked with what I’ve achieved in a short time.

“I just know deep down that I don’t love it like I used to and when you that, it is very hard to keep doing it at a high level.

“Thanks to everyone that I have met on the ride and who has supported me.”

Good luck to him in the future. Maybe he’ll miss the game after a time and rethink, or maybe not.

[Farmduck]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-03/james-segeyaro-test-positive-to-ligandrol/11572768

 

Brisbane Broncos player James Segeyaro has been provisionally suspended after returning a positive test for di-hydroxy LGD-4033, also known as Ligandrol, to which Australian swimming star Shayna Jack also tested positive.

Key points:

• James Segeyaro signed with the Brisbane Broncos midway through the NRL season
• LGD-4033 is considered a performance-enhancing drug by WADA and is banned at all times
• The Broncos said they were "endeavouring to contact our player, who is currently overseas on holiday"

 

The punishment for Jack, who tested positive before the world championships in July, is still yet to be decided and she remains provisionally suspended, like Segeyaro.

The Broncos hooker was tested by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) on September 3, between rounds 24 and 25 of the NRL season.

His A-sample tested positive to the performance-enhancing anabolic agent, which is prohibited by the NRL's anti-doping policy and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) both in and out of competition.

[Graham]

Did we see any performance enhancement?

[Clogiron]

Is anybody suprised?

[Futtocks]

55 minutes ago, Graham said:

Did we see any performance enhancement?

His bridge-burning abilities were seriously enhanced...

[Graham]

Storm Player Decisions:

Smith yet to decide on future, as Chambers departs

Melbourne Storm centre Will Chambers has confirmed he will leave the NRL to play rugby union in Japan, while Cameron Smith’s decision is imminent.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy spoke at the Club’s presentation night making the announcement about Chambers.

“He’s been one hell of a player for our club,” Bellamy said, as the pair shared a nice moment on the stage.

Chambers was awarded a Storm life membership, as now-former teammate Cameron Smith says he will decide on his future after his family holiday.

“I’ve got a break coming up so I will put my feet up for about 10 days and relax and come back refreshed and put this season’s disappointment out of my mind and make a decision then,” Smith said.

[Graham]

Wests Tigers have confirmed Benji Marshall will play on in 2020, after signing a one-year deal with the club for next season.

Marshall will enter his 18th season in the NRL next campaign, and will look to build on his current tally of 308 games.

[Graham]

Canberra’s Jordan Rapana wasn’t seen at the Raiders’ fan day on Tuesday following their NRL Grand Final loss to the Roosters, although he was quick to snuff out any speculation regarding his future.

“I’ll be back here in the lime green next year, without a doubt,” Rapana told ABC on Sunday night.

Rapana was the only Raider not to make an appearance on Tuesday, with club officials joking to the 1000-strong crowd he was “somewhere between Sydney and Canberra.”

However, the Raiders could still lose Rapana, who currently doesn’t have a deal for 2020 locked in.

Joey Leilua and Aiden Sezer could also depart this off-season, if rival clubs come calling for the duo.

John Bateman will also meet with the Raiders over the coming weeks about a potential to upgrade his current contract.

[DavidM]

They could absorb losing Rapana BJ and Sezer without much fuss

[Graham]

Why Rapana wants to do a few months in Japanese RU before, so he says, returning to the Green Machine for the start of the NRL season, I can't fathom out.

[Graham]

Esan Marsters - we are told Tigers have released him from the remaining year of his contract to go elsewhere and that the elsewhere is to NQ Cowboys.

I rated Marsters highly, but am not sure his form was that good this year. Tigers fans enlighten me please.

I'm guessing that Cowboys really wanted him and were prepared to pay him more and that Tigers weren't prepared to 'overpay' him or compete in a bidding war.

[Farmduck]

43 minutes ago, Graham said:

Why Rapana wants to do a few months in Japanese RU before, so he says, returning to the Green Machine for the start of the NRL season, I can't fathom out.

Because they get $1mill for a 16-week season maybe?

 

18 minutes ago, Graham said:

Esan Marsters - we are told Tigers have released him from the remaining year of his contract to go elsewhere and that the elsewhere is to NQ Cowboys.

I rated Marsters highly, but am not sure his form was that good this year. Tigers fans enlighten me please.

I'm guessing that Cowboys really wanted him and were prepared to pay him more and that Tigers weren't prepared to 'overpay' him or compete in a bidding war.

Word on the Tigers forum is that we might be getting Zac Lomax from St George. Other possibility is Tommy Talau who's played 1 or 2 games for us and was in last year's OZ Schoolboys. He's a big boy so maybe a couple of years at centre/half then into the back row if it doesn't work out.

[Graham]

18 minutes ago, Farmduck said:

Because they get $1mill for a 16-week season maybe?

I get that he's off contract and can do what he wants.

Fair enough as a one off moneyspinner for him, but it's a risk for Raiders, are they happy with that? Getting back a bloke that may not be fresh and then there's the risk of injury before the NRL season even starts. In which case they may not want him back!

[Farmduck]

Raiders don't have to finalise their 30-man squad until about Round 12 (13? end of June?) They can hold open a slot for him and, if he returns healthy, sign him when he gets back. If he comes back injured and won't be ready for a while they can sign him on a reduced amount. They've got Simonsson there as backup.

[DoubleD]

Who is paying this crazy money to players in Japan? It can’t be from commercial deals surely, as I didn’t think rugby was that big there

[Farmduck]

9 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

Who is paying this crazy money to players in Japan? It can’t be from commercial deals surely, as I didn’t think rugby was that big there

I heard Mark Gasnier say that. The Japan RU teams don't need sponsorship because they are owned by huge corporations. Look at the names of the teams: Toshiba, Sony, Kobe Steel, Honda, Ricoh.

[Graham]

Valentine Holmes says he is happy living in New York with his wife. He still hopes to break into the NY Jets 53 man squad.

He says he's still committed to making it in the NFL.

He has talked about a return to NRL (Cronulla?) if his efforts over there don't work out.

Decision time might be at the end of this NFL season (29th Dec)

 

 

Edited October 11, 2019 by Graham

[Futtocks]

22 hours ago, Farmduck said:

I heard Mark Gasnier say that. The Japan RU teams don't need sponsorship because they are owned by huge corporations. Look at the names of the teams: Toshiba, Sony, Kobe Steel, Honda, Ricoh.

That's how they got around the player payments in the shamateurism days; the players were on the companies' payrolls, not the clubs'. It also meant that any hint of someone associating with that upstart 13-a-side game could carry the threat of being made unemployed as well as chucked out of the team.

[Graham]

Broncos utility Jack Bird is set to remain at the club despite seeking opportunities elsewhere. 

The 24-year old’s future has been up in the air after testing his value on the open market, with Brisbane looking to ease salary cap pressure.

He has played just 17 games at Red Hill over the last two seasons since crossing from Cronulla, getting hampered by injuries.

Bird’s manager Chris Orr said discussions with other clubs haven’t gone anywhere.

[Graham]

Ryan Matterson has reportedly met with Parramatta officials as he looks to secure an immediate release from Wests Tigers.

Matterson has been granted permission by the Tigers to negotiate with rival clubs despite having two years remaining on his contract.

Gold Coast Titans are also reported to be interested in him.

[DavidM]

53 minutes ago, Graham said:

Broncos utility Jack Bird is set to remain at the club despite seeking opportunities elsewhere. 

The 24-year old’s future has been up in the air after testing his value on the open market, with Brisbane looking to ease salary cap pressure.

He has played just 17 games at Red Hill over the last two seasons since crossing from Cronulla, getting hampered by injuries.

Bird’s manager Chris Orr said discussions with other clubs haven’t gone anywhere.

I doubt he was very impressed by his value on the open market after two years of virtually nothing , so he should just get his head down and start repaying some of the massive investment Brisbane put in him . Serves him right for walking out on the Dragons ...

[Farmduck]

Vunivalu to Wallabies?  Popular rumour this weekend. Sad for a few different reasons if true.

[DoubleD]

6 hours ago, Farmduck said:

Vunivalu to Wallabies?  Popular rumour this weekend. Sad for a few different reasons if true.

Surely not? I just don’t understand why he’d want to go or how ARU could afford him 

[Graham]

Wests Tigers are pleased to announce that Chris Lawrence has signed a new playing contract with the club for the 2020 season.

The new, one-year deal will see the Life Member remain with Wests Tigers for his 15th season at the club — making the 31-year-old the longest consecutively serving player in Wests Tigers history.

[Graham]

Newcastle prop James Gavet has signed a two-year deal with Huddersfield Giants after being released from the final year of his contract.

The Samoan forward will leave the Knights to join the Super League outfit after making 74 appearances in the NRL for Canterbury, Wests, Brisbane, New Zealand and Newcastle.