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Gareth Widdop quits St George Illawarra Dragons in Super League move
JANUARY 14, 2019

St George Illawarra skipper Gareth Widdop will quit the Dragons after agreeing to a move to return to England.

The English international will walk away from the final two years of his contract to join Warrington Wolves in 2020.

St George Illawarra are expected to announce the move as early as Wednesday with Widdop to take a pay cut to return to England.

Dragons officials were stunned when Widdop requested an early move from his contract, which is worth about $1.8 million. The two parties have been in contact since before Christmas.

While Widdop, who has played 24 Tests for England, has reaffirmed his commitment to the club for this year, he made it clear he wanted out having harbouring a long-term desire to play in the English Super League while still at the height of his career.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt St George Illawarra will retain first rights on Widdop’s services should the 29-year-old opt to return to Australia.

“There’s no secret I have aspirations of going over to the UK and playing,” Widdop said in November. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I have a good relationship with the club and so when the time is right we’ll work together.”

Wigan, Leeds, Huddersfield and St Helens all tried to sign Widdop but it was former coach Steve Price who secured Widdop’s signature for a second time. Price signed Widdop from Melbourne to the Dragons in 2014 but the partnership was short-lived after Price was axed midway through Widdop’s first season. Price since took over from Warrington and led them to a grand final in his first season last year.

Widdop will form a halves combination with Blake Austin after the former Raider joined Warrington this year.

Widdop emigrated to Australia from Halifax as a teen.

The Dragons have already planned for life post-Widdop having signed Corey Norman. Norman’s arrival is expected to shift Widdop to play fullback for the first time on a regular basis in the NRL.

Widdop’s departure will also keep the door ajar for local product Matt Dufty to remain at the club. Despite being just one of five players to feature in all Dragons 26 games last year, the arrival of Norman and Widdop’s switch to fullback is set to see the off-contract Dufty have a reduced role this year.

Widdop has played 185 NRL games since making his debut for Melbourne in 2010.
 

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That should cure him of his "homesickness" !

Money can't buy you happiness!

It can buy you beer and that's a bit like happiness in a glass!

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Sir Winston Churchill

Some folks are wise and some are otherwise!

Tobias Smollett

"I distrust camels, and anyone else who can go a week without a drink."

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"Look at the ffing state of that"!

My mate on the Avenue last Friday whilst pointing to a scantily clad young lady and spitting a mouthful of beer out!

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1 minute ago, tuutaisrambo said:

$1.8m AUD is about £1m so i assume that's for 3 seasons?

so that's £333k a season........what will be be on at wire about 200k tops?

Whatever it's good to see talent like this coming to the UK

Who knows what he’ll be on at Wire, but I’d be surprised if he’s going from £333k to £200k, that’s some pay cut. I think it will be considerably more than £200k. Huddersfield were willing to make him their highest paid player ever.

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5 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Who knows what he’ll be on at Wire, but I’d be surprised if he’s going from £333k to £200k, that’s some pay cut. I think it will be considerably more than £200k. Huddersfield were willing to make him their highest paid player ever.

Exactly.  Who knows.

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1 hour ago, tuutaisrambo said:

$1.8m AUD is about £1m so i assume that's for 3 seasons?

so that's £333k a season........what will be be on at wire about 200k tops?

Whatever it's good to see talent like this coming to the UK

I think the $1.8m would be for the 2 years that Widdopp is cutting his contract short by. This would be half a million quid a season. 

 

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