Interesting comment from Waldren on Storm's salary cap issues. Haha - see if they manage to sign another huge name on 55k.
"A STAND-OFF with the Roosters over the terms for his release is set to jeopardise the plan for Willie Mason to join the Storm next season.
Despite the Storm's denial of a report in yesterday's Herald linking Mason with a move to Melbourne, the former representative star is understood to still hold out hope of playing for the premiers and has told friends a deal is close to being finalised.
Players from both clubs are also of the belief that Mason's move to Melbourne is imminent. But any deal is likely to depend on Mason being able to negotiate a release from the Roosters that would make him affordable, as no other NRL club has room under the salary cap to pay him anywhere near the $400,000 contract he is on.
Mason, who is unwanted at Bondi Junction and has been given leave from training since November 2 to find another club, wants to continue his career in the NRL rather than head overseas but can afford to do so only if he receives a sizeable pay-out or the Roosters subsidise his contract to play elsewhere.
However, Roosters officials have indicated they are not prepared to do that, and would rather continue paying Mason to play for Newtown in the NSW Cup than virtually gift Melbourne a player who at his best is capable of helping the premiers to a fifth successive grand final.
It is understood Mason has been made aware of the Roosters' position but there is still a chance of the prop joining the Storm next season.
Melbourne chief executive Brian Waldron yesterday confirmed the club had spoken with Mason but insisted no deal had been done and said the Storm could not afford the 29-year-old under the salary cap.
Waldron said he personally informed Mason of the club's position two weeks ago but it is believed the player has remained in contact with Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, who had charge of him in last year's NSW Origin side.
The Storm have a history of picking up bargain-priced rejects and helping them to revive their careers, with Michael Crocker, Clint Newton and Brett Finch having gone on to win premierships with Melbourne after being released by other clubs.
But Melbourne's on-field success has put other clubs offside after it emerged during negotiations for an independent commission that the club loses $6 million a year and would need to be propped up financially if News Ltd were to sell the franchise to a private owner.
The Roosters would be reluctant to release a player to another club who could then gloat after winning a premiership ring. Instead, they would prefer Mason to accept a two-year offer from Welsh Super League club the Crusaders worth £100,000 ($179,250) for next season and £150,000 in 2011. With a hefty loan to service on his $3m Clovelly home, Mason cannot afford to play for nothing and might either have to find a deal overseas or serve out his time at the Roosters. However, he is unlikely to play first grade if he remains at the Roosters next season, and any slip-up could result in the sack.
Mason didn't return calls yesterday but a source close to him told the Herald the Kiwi-born prop was yet to put pen to paper on a deal with Melbourne but it is believed his move to the Storm was a mere formality.
Channel Nine last night reported that Bellamy was the driving force behind moves to get Mason to the Storm. But Waldron insisted that even after releasing lock Dallas Johnson to play for Super League club Catalans, the Storm did not have any room under the salary cap to accommodate Mason - even on the NRL's minimum wage of $55,000. ''I personally communicated to Willie Mason over a fortnight ago that we were not and would not be in a position to offer him a contract for 2010,'' Waldron said in a statement. ''That message was also communicated to his manager.''
smh.com.au BRAD WALTER AND JOSH RAKIC
