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The Eagle

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http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/richardson-defends-inglis-deal/story-e6frexnr-1225951331762

South Sydney boss Shane Richardson says club can afford to fit Greg Inglis under NRL salary cap


SOUTHS boss Shane Richardson has defended superstar Greg Inglis' decision to break a handshake agreement with the Brisbane Broncos to join the Rabbitohs next season.

"There's been lot of handshake deals that have fallen over, " Richardson said last night.

"I can give you an example with Luke Lewis. He shook on a deal with me at Souths and then he decided to stay at Penrith.

"In the end, I wanted Luke to be where he was going to be happy. I didn't hassle him or argue with him. That's what he wanted.

Daily Telegraph Sports Editor-at-Large Phil Rothfield grilled Richardson over the Inglis deal. This his how the exchange went:

Phil "Buzz" Rothfield: Can I ask how can you sign Greg Inglis and get him under the salary cap?

South Sydney CEO Shane Richardson: He hasn't agreed yet, but it's simple and it will be legal

Buzz: How?

Richo: I have to explain that to the NRL, not you and The Daily Telegraph. There's been an extra $100,000 in the salary cap.

Buzz: No, that's not right.

Richo: It is right.

Buzz: On July 29 you said, and I quote: "We've made no approach to Greg Inglis or his management and we've got no plans to make any approach. We would have no room under the salary cap to allow us to even think about it."

Richo: Since that time we've got an extra $100,000 in the salary cap.

Buzz: You haven't, mate.

Richo: It's gone up $100,000 - and also Colin Best rejected our one-year offer for $160,000 because he wanted two years at Cronulla. On top of that we got another extra $150,000 in the cap out of the collective bargaining agreement. We'll have enough money to fit him in.

Buzz: I dispute that. You knew in June that the salary cap was being increased to what it is now.

Richo: We didn't know in June. The agreement for the CBA with the RLPA only came through in August.

Buzz: I have a press release in front of me from June 22 when the NRL announced all the salary cap increases after a chief executives' meeting. You were there. You know that's the case.

Richo: David Gallop put out a statement that that's what he wanted to do, but I can assure you there was no final approval. Those increases have only finalised in recent times.

Buzz: The RLPA was never going to knock back more money. The press release said all the club CEOs had supported the salary cap increases for next year and clubs went away and signed players as though it was official.Richo: We didn't. We're doing nothing with Inglis that's not in the cap. What are you trying to get at?

Buzz: I can't understand why you've been quoted three times this year saying you're on the cap and have no money. Then you sign the world's best player.

Richo: We haven't signed him yet, we've made an offer. I repeat, the salary cap increases were not approved by the RLPA until August.

Buzz: The RLPA doesn't run the game. That's David Gallop's job.

Richo: Nothing was approved in June. We haven't gone out and signed players since that time. Not one player. Our business is run properly and we're allowed to make an offer to Greg Inglis. We'll justify it with the NRL, not you.

Buzz: Sorry for doing my job as a journalist. Fans at the other clubs expect us to investigate this sort of thing.

Richo: I understand that Phil, but there's nothing to investigate. We've made an offer, it's all above board.

It's obviously less for next year than it will be for the following two years and we're able to do it under the cap.

Buzz: What about the legal bill at the Storm?

Richo: Greg's lawyers are working that out. He's never said he's not paying the bill, he's disputing the amount.

Buzz: I'm sorry, but I'm still struggling to get a grip on this.

Richo: There's nothing secretive in what we've done.

I don't understand why you're going on the attack about this. Why are you carrying on about it?

Buzz: No, no ... I'm asking questions other clubs and their fans want answered.

Richo: Check it out all you want, it's a simple deal.

Buzz: Can I ask you to comment on Greg breaking a handshake deal with the Broncos?

Richo: That's got nothing to do with us. That's between him and the Broncos.

Buzz: Is that the sort of person you want at Souths?

Richo: He makes his own decisions. It's not my business what happened in Brisbane.

Buzz: Hold on. Do you agree if someone shakes hands on a deal, it's a deal.

Richo: There's been a lot of handshake deals that have fallen over. I can give you an example with Luke Lewis. He shook on a deal with me and then he decided to stay at Penrith. In the end, I wanted Luke to be where he was going to be happy.

I didn't hassle him or argue with him. That's what he wanted.

Buzz: What do you think of him ringing the Broncos on Saturday and saying he couldn't fly home because there was too much rain in Sydney?

Richo: I know nothing about that.

I can't comment.

Buzz: But you have defended him as though he's been criticised unfairly. Please.

Richo: I don't know what happened with the Broncos. All I know is we've got a reasonable offer in with him and hopefully he takes it up.

Buzz: It's a done deal, everyone knows that.

Richo: It's not, we've made a reasonable offer, that's all.

Buzz: I still think it's very poor form for a player to look Bruno Cullen in the eye last Friday and tell him he'll play for the Broncos and also shake hands with Andrew Gee. Next day he's in Sydney and rings the Broncos and says he can't catch a plane because it's too wet.

Richo: I know nothing about what arrangements he had with the Broncos.

Buzz: Do you still want to sign Sam Burgess's three brothers? Can you fit them in as well?

Richo: I said a few weeks ago I'd like to see the Burgess brothers playing for us.

Buzz: You said next year.

Richo: We have spoken to Bradford about young George coming out for a year. It would be good for George and good for Great Britain rugby league. I'd hope he could come out to play in our NYC.

Buzz: He won't come out for $50,000 to play Toyota Cup.

Richo: Phil, how would you know? Bradford have a contract with him for the next two years. I don't understand why you are so vehemently opposed to Souths.

Buzz: I'm not. I wrote on Sunday it would be a great thing for rugby league if Greg Inglis played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs - as long as the deal is all fair and square.

Richo: I want to make sure it's done fair too. What's unfair? You tell me.

Buzz: I'll tell you what's wrong. He sought a release from Melbourne on compassionate grounds to live with his fiancee in Brisbane, buy a house, and get married, etc. He shook hands and did a deal. Then Anthony Mundine gets in his ear, puts a spell over the poor kid, and he's gone back on his word. I'm sorry, but that's poor form.

Richo: I don't know about Mundine's involvement. Souths have done nothing wrong. If anything, we're the club that's going to keep him in league. I'd rather that than him going to French rugby union, AFL or otherwise. We're trying to keep the best player in our game and we're getting kicked over it.

Buzz: The Broncos were going to keep him in the NRL too.

Richo: But he didn't want that.

Buzz: He told the Storm he did.

Richo: I don't think he's got a great relationship with the Storm. He's fine with the players and the coach, but that's where it ends.

Buzz: Look, the bottom line is you were quoted in July saying you had no brass at all.

Richo: I'd like to think you'll report on this fairly, but you won't accept what I'm saying.

Buzz: I still say you knew in June what the cap was going to be in 2011. Every other club did.

Richo: You seem to be taking this to heart. I don't get why you're carrying on about it.

Buzz: I'm doing my job.

Richo: No, you're getting all aggressive. I want you to put it in the paper that we didn't know we had the extra cap money until August.

Buzz: Oh, c'mon Richo.

Richo: You can c'mon all you like. It's highly unusual the way you're going about this. I don't get it. Is it a Brisbane-News Limited thing or a Melbourne-News Limited thing?

Buzz: There's no interference from management at this newspaper
 
Good read but i wonder why he didnt interview Bruno with the same intensity when we thought he was going to brisbane. That deal was on the nose as well
 
At least with Brisbane, they lost Folau to free up some funds.
Souths have just signed him after saying their cap was full.
You'd be suspicious if they signed a mid-priced player, but to sign one of the most expensive players in the game, just doesn't make much sense to me.
 
Shane Richardson has got a great future in politics. He already seems to be a past master in doublespeak and avoiding the question. What more justification does Schubert need to  open an investigation into Souths finances?  ???
 
Buzz should have asked him how souths have Burgess listed in their salary cap at $250k when he was asking a minimum of $500k to come here form the UK?

There is now way burgess would be playing for souhts for only $250k.  The NRL need to check how many properties his family now own in the UK and who purchased the last one for them.
 
I am impressed with Buzz's persistence. But the deal with the Broncos was just as suspicious and a 'done' News Ltyd deal. It is hard to believe it isn't going ahead.

As we have all said the cap is a joke. Massive transfer fees are not included and any third party deal from a non-current sponsor can be open ended. I don't get how that is fair. A cap should mean that all teams have the same amount, adjusted a bit making allowances for home-grown talent or long service. The way it is now, and if you can have these third party supporters, then there is no limit to what can be spent.
 
realisticly the salary cap could be challenged by wealthy clubs over its legality. By allowing them 3rd party deals etc there is not the same willingness by the the clubs to persue this avenue i believe

But if the salary cap is there to spead talent it works to an extent, it just has some major flaws that allow it to be more flexible for some
 
Something will have to be done about it, otherwise we may as well have a four club competition. We don't want to end up in the same situation as pommy soccer where only a few clubs have any hope of winning a premiership, the rest just making up the numbers.
 
The thing I most concerned about is whether someone has told Jarryd Hayne that he is no longer the best player in the world.
 
Souths can have inglis, if brett stewart if fully fit and anywhere near his best form next year Manly is going to have the best back in the world!!!
 
Not much different to the Dragons and Gaz, plus they have lost Best.

Richardson says they have backended the deal so when Asotasi's 400k per season contract finishes next year they will be sweet.

Better he go to the Bunnies than the Broncos.
 
A least with the Broncos they had just lost Folou so it looked like a straight swap, I could understand where the money is coming from. This souths deal is crap, and now they are suggesting they can fit the best part of 500K under the cap and not lose a player. And then perhaps sign the burgess boys as well...

Its crap. Pure and simple, they are over. Why is it a acceptable answer to say that Greg is negotiating the legal fees? Gallop made it clear that the club playing him next year must include them in the cap regardless of who pays, so now Crowe or the 'Man' Mundeen can pay and it doesn't get included?

They are cheating I am sure of it.
 
Maybe old Buzz should be grilling David 'knee-jerk' and the NRL's fantastic auditor Ian S on how some clubs fit players in under the salry cap.
 
They have slipped the $113 G's in his pocket to pay his legal bill and he will come out and say he payed it with his own money and it won't come out of the salary cap. A massive farce
 
Chip & Chase link said:
The thing I most concerned about is whether someone has told Jarryd Hayne that he is no longer the best player in the world.

Lol, i can just see the look on his face now :D
 
The deal with Souths stinks.  Their huge big-name forward signings last year similarly stunk.

But Shane highlighted Richo pointing to an even bigger issue with the last question.  Buzz is simply a mouthpiece for News Ltd and hence for their investments, the Broncos and the Storm.

When the woman-bashing allegations arose against Inglis, he was treated with kid gloves by the media for such a hot story about who they describe as the best player in the world.  How many times did you read "Disgraced footballer, Greg Inglis"?  None?

Very soon after the allegations the media were glowing in their praise of Inglis. Ask yourself: Would he have received that treatment if he played for Manly or Souths?

And when he was moving from Storm to Broncos, everything reported was positive.  Now he has decided to back out of moving to Broncos we have the Storm complaining that no club was given permission to negotiate with Inglis! (why no complaint when he was moving to the Broncos?) And there is now a major character assassination being done on Greg Inglis and Souths, just like happened to Ox and Manly when he deserted the Storm for Manly. 

Where was Buzz when Storm reported signing Cooper Cronk, clearly in  the top three best halves at the time, for the ridiculously low amount of $250k? Not a whisper of disbelief? Where was his interrogation when Storm were clearly way over the cap? Can't get away from the conclusion that News Ltd journalists, in particular lack credibility and impartiality.
 
Was it really that good an interview?  Sure he tried to be tough and it looked like Richardson was slightly uneased but what did we really find out?  We could have all been given a questionaire on what was going to be asked and probably could have hit the mark on 90% of the answers.

Plus some of the questions would have been better off asked to Inglis or his management.

Better than normal from Buzz but still not great journalism IMO.
 

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