Is Matai Serious???

[BOZO]

STEVE Matai’s manager says it’s unlikely the hard-hitting Manly centre will be on the Gold Coast next year unless the Titans can stump up some serious cash.
The Titans have been in negotiations with Gavin Orr about luring the ex-Kiwi Test centre north to add some strike power to their backline.
Matai, 30, is off-contract at the end of the year and expected to leave Manly to chase a big-money deal which could be his final NRL contract.

The Sea Eagles blocked a release request from Matai last year to join the Warriors and the 202-game veteran said he was eyeing off the Gold Coast to be closer to family.

“It’d be a good option, my partner’s family’s from up there, from Byron Bay, so it’s only half an hour away,” Matai told Fairfax media outlets.
My family’s in New Zealand and hers is in Byron Bay. With the kids, it makes it easier having family around.
New Zealand’s always an option, just for family there, and Gold Coast is an option too if each is going to show interest. It’s just good to have family around, which we haven’t had for a long time. Both options I’d be open to.”

However, the Titans aren’t in the ballpark, financially, according to Orr.

“I know the Titans are pretty interested but I don’t know if they’ll be able to come up with the money,” he said.

“They’ve been talking to me for the last few weeks.

“Steve has always stayed for less at Manly. When he comes off this year he’s going to consider all options.

“There’s an opportunity to get a bit closer to family in Byron. It would have to be a good deal to pull him out of Manly. We’ll wait to see what Manly come back with.

“They’ve (Titans) shown some interest but at the moment it’s not where it needs to be for him to consider it.”
The Titans have plenty of room to move in their 2016 salary cap.

Veterans Ashley Harrison, Mark Minichiello and Luke Bailey departed last year while highly paid halfback Albert Kelly was released to the English Super League.

Coach Neil Henry is going about assembling a squad he is comfortable with and is expected to target some high-profile players.

Orr said that the Titans had registered an interest in the Sea Eagles’ star playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans but it was too early to say what their chances were of poaching him.

“They’ve shown some interest in him but at this stage we haven’t talked any figures,” he said.

 

[MadMarcus]

Sounds like Orr is trying to ensure Manly stay interested. Maybe there is not as much interest out there for Steve as he had hoped...

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Sounds like Orr is trying to ensure Manly stay interested. Maybe there is not as much interest out there for Steve as he had hoped...

Yep I reckon that's right on the money, the great warrior that he is ( or has been) is slowly fading, a year or two will pull him up and I reckon Manly know that.

 

[sheridanstand78]

The club should set him a deadline about what he plans to do beyond 2015. This circus is unhelpful. I do not begrudge Skivvy the right to seek a pay day but as a fan and a member I want to see players who have long term commitment to our cause.

The NRL have got to do something about this, its a cancer that every fan hates, we have not kicked a ball in anger for this season and all we hear about is player movements for 2016. There needs to be an official transfer window to stop all this.

 

[Loobs]

The club should set him a deadline about what he plans to do beyond 2015. This circus is unhelpful. I do not begrudge Skivvy the right to seek a pay day but as a fan and a member I want to see players who have long term commitment to our cause.

The NRL have got to do something about this, its a cancer that every fan hates, we have not kicked a ball in anger for this season and all we hear about is player movements for 2016. There needs to be an official transfer window to stop all this.

Don't need a transfer window. You just need to make it so players can't negotiate their new deal until their old one is finished. So say for Matai, once Manly are knocked out this year, he is then a free agent and can sign wherever he wants.

I think the reason they brought this forward a year was because they felt a player moving interstate wouldn't have time to relocate before the new season but in this day and age that no longer applies...

 

[Shoe1]

How lovely is Gavin Orr? Every time he is quoted in the paper his charming nature shines through. Obviously he is a wonderful person with a highly developed code of ethics and regard for humanity. If he is not careful he may be headhunted by a major charity to be their CEO.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Leaving your new contract negotiations until after your current contract expires doesn't leave clubs or players a lot of time between seasons to sort themselves out. The only problem I have with the current system is when it gets played out in public. Some players/managers seem capable of being discrete and respectful to all parties when negotiating deals. You only hear about it when it is signed and sealed and then generally only announced at an appropriate time. Others ? well they just can't seem but to have it played out in full view. The media have also got to find content to justify their advertising charges, so they know some rampant speculation on contract negotiations is a sure fire click bait.

 

[Frank]

Don't need a transfer window. You just need to make it so players can't negotiate their new deal until their old one is finished. So say for Matai, once Manly are knocked out this year, he is then a free agent and can sign wherever he wants.

I think the reason they brought this forward a year was because they felt a player moving interstate wouldn't have time to relocate before the new season but in this day and age that no longer applies...

How would you like it if you were not able to negotiate a new employment contract until your existing one expires? Unless of course you have no desire to be continuously employed.

 

[Loobs]

How would you like it if you were not able to negotiate a new employment contract until your existing one expires? Unless of course you have no desire to be continuously employed.

I only offered up that scenario because it works for all the biggest sporting comps in the world where players come off contract.

You can't compare professional sports contracts to the average worker because apart from a thin link of getting "paid" for your "work", the two have little to nothing in common...

And this comment above:

"The only problem I have with the current system is when it gets played out in public."

Thats the world we live in now - and it will only get worse. Social media and how things are reported just means you get more and more leaks and context goes out the window and its now a constant stream of will they won't they. If you can lop a year off that process and cram it into a free agent period that is limited to playing out in the off season during a specified window, then at least it limits it.

 

[HoldenV8]

Look, loosing a player of Skivy's quality won't be easy.....but it won't be the end of the world either. We have guys who are either there currently or are coming through who will be very good replacements. Guys like Peta Hiku, Gutho, Jorge, Cheyse Blair, Turbo Tom and even the Wolfman will be able to do the job.

If Skivy wants to go at the end of this year to be closer to family, then I say let him go. But I didn't see anything in the article that said he didn't want to be here in 2015.

We survived losing Mal Reilly, Lurch and Bozo in the mid-70's. We survived when Igor and Wombat retired. When Rowdy, Fatty and Crusher all left after 1989 we didn't fall apart, and when Ridge left and Tooves, Cliffy and Des eventually retired we were still a force (not counting the Northern Eagles years - lets blame SL and the Bears for that one ). We also survived when the Beaver was forced out and later when Brent Kite suffered the same fate.

We've lost Gifty and Choc, and in the next 2 or 3 years at best we're definitely going to lose Snake, Killer and Skivy and then Matty B some time after that. But we have young guys coming through, and we're bound to pick up other players along the way.

Manly won't fall apart because our successful veterans leave or retire. We've proved that time and time again in the past.

 

[Frank]

I only offered up that scenario because it works for all the biggest sporting comps in the world where players come off contract.

You can't compare professional sports contracts to the average worker because apart from a thin link of getting "paid" for your "work", the two have little to nothing in common...

I don't profess to be an expert on how contracts are organised in other sports but I doubt that contracts would have to lapse before they began negotiations on new ones. There would be mechanisms in place such as transfer windows etc. Most sports have some kind of union that would protect its members from being disadvantaged in this way. And rightly so.

Professional sportsmen certainly are getting paid for their work. No doubt most of them are in a trade they love but this is no different from any other person who loves their job. What they have in common with the average worker is they get paid to perform. This is the same whether it be in a job you hate, or one you have a passion for. Without some kind of contract with a club they don't get paid. While the elite players may be able to afford a period where they aren't contracted and not being paid there are plenty that can't afford that luxury. Whatever system we have in place applies across the board and not just to the elite players.

Also, how do you think your solution would change the rubbish we go through every season? Forcing players to wait for a contract to finish won't stop the speculation and innuendo in the media. Articles will still be posted to this forum and it's members will go off just as they are now. Players can't be silenced. For example nothing would stop Matai, or his manager, from saying a club would need a bucket load of cash in order for them to be in the reckoning. Sorry, but your solution solves sweet FA.

 

[Garts]

Gee some are precious.

imo Manly have probably told Matai to look around and have said they cannot offer big dollars or maybe no contract at all. We have some young backline stars coming through and they will not wait forever to play 1st grade and will also want more money. I love Matai but I think we have to lose him to keep others.

 

[Loobs]

Also, how do you think your solution would change the rubbish we go through every season? Forcing players to wait for a contract to finish won't stop the speculation and innuendo in the media. Articles will still be posted to this forum and it's members will go off just as they are now. Players can't be silenced. For example nothing would stop Matai, or his manager, from saying a club would need a bucket load of cash in order for them to be in the reckoning. Sorry, but your solution solves sweet FA.

In most leagues they have severe anti tampering rules to dissuade teams from negotiating with a contracted player (big cash fines, loss of draft picks, etc). So whilst there is and always will be media speculation on where a player will go, that's basically all there is. The most you get from an actual player is "I will test free agency" which means they will leave or "I want to stay".

Like I said, it works in ALL major American sports so I can't see why it wouldn't work here. The NRL would just need to draw a line in the sand and say after this day, no more or you and your club will be fined.

 

[MPC75]

I think Manly are holding out to see what happens with DCE and Foran. If either one leave they may throw a bit more cash at Matai to stay. If both halves stay, I would say Matai will be gone.

 

[niccipops]

Nice photo of a smiling Stevie on Instagram today. He looks very happy in his Manly colours. So glad he's with us for 2015,

 

[bones]

When Joe Kelly arrived, he put a deadline on Matai accepting the offer which Manly put forward. Matai didn't meet this deadline so the offer was withdrawn and a new offer, for 50k less per season than the original offer, was given. I'd say it's unlikely Matai will be at Manly in 2016 unfortunately. Along with Snake, Choc and Gift, he is someone who should have been a one club man.

 

[TWO DOGS]

When Joe Kelly arrived, he put a deadline on Matai accepting the offer which Manly put forward. Matai didn't meet this deadline so the offer was withdrawn and a new offer, for 50k less per season than the original offer. I'd say it's unlikely Matai will be at Manly in 2016 unfortunately. Along with Snake, Choc and Gift, he is someone who should have been a one club man.

That is not good news at all, Bones. Why Snake, I understood he was contracted until end of 2016?

 

[BOZO]

When Joe Kelly arrived, he put a deadline on Matai accepting the offer which Manly put forward. Matai didn't meet this deadline so the offer was withdrawn and a new offer, for 50k less per season than the original offer, was given. I'd say it's unlikely Matai will be at Manly in 2016 unfortunately. Along with Snake, Choc and Gift, he is someone who should have been a one club man.

Matai took pay cuts to stay with us and broke every bone in his body playing for the mighty Sea eagles . How much more can his battered body take after one more season ?
He is up there with Igor Randall as one of our toughest ever.

 

[BOZO]

That is not good news at all, Bones. Why Snake, I understood he was contracted until end of 2016?

Snake is contracted until the end of 2016 and this is what he is quoted as saying recently
“Unless things change in the inner sanctum here, then it’s not worth worrying about,” he said.
“I haven’t asked for a release and I’m still here for another two years.”
Some of our supporters on here have caught Buzz rothfields doom and gloom Bug

 

[winnyason]

Yeah just seen on parra forum. Buzz is working hard....reading online forums to get info.
Lets try upset manly again get some papers sold, its common knowledge know matai will be leaving but he can wait til seasons end.
Foran yes hard to speculate that one read any forum of late.