Orford

[Rambo1987]

Orford has seeked a release from the Bradford Bulls to play in the NRL with the Eels or Raiders...

 

[Fro]

well bugger me we never saw that coming did we??

 

[Rambo1987]

IN-DEMAND Australian halfback Matt Orford has officially requested a release from the remaining two years of his contract with English Super League club Bradford, the club confirmed yesterday.

The 32-year-old former Manly and Melbourne star returned to Australia before the end of his first English season to undergo shoulder surgery and has found himself in big demand, prompting the premiership-winning halfback to seek a move back to the NRL.

Parramatta and Canberra are both believed to be in the market for an experienced half, with the Raiders especially keen following the serious knee injury suffered by star five-eighth Terry Campese in the finals.

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FORMER Penrith captain Craig Gower has closed the door on a return to the NRL after agreeing to a new three-year deal to remain in French rugby.
Gower, 32, was in the sights of Parramatta and Canberra and the former Test halfback seriously considered a return to Australia four years after walking out on the Panthers.

But he will now play out his career with French Top 14 rugby club Bayonne.

Gower's manager Greg Willett said yesterday the veteran was genuinely interested an an NRL return, but the offer was too good to leave France.

"Because there were no halves, we did have a couple of feelers and the thought did sort of cross his mind [to come back] for one year or two years," Willett said.

 

[Stevo]

Orford has seeked a release from the Bradford Bulls to play in the NRL with the Eels or Raiders...

Ha ha you type like Rambo talks!

 

[Guest]

he says eel & raiders NOW!!!!, but when/if  he does get a release, you watch the pumkin head then want to check out knights & cowboys too,  i`ll add the sharks to that as well..

 

[ManlyBacker]

Bradford Bulls today confirmed that the Club has been requested to release Matt Orford from the remaining two years of his contract.

Commenting, Bulls chairman Peter Hood said:

"I will be speaking to Matt's manager next week when he returns to Australia from the United States. In the meantime we have granted Matt dispensation to remain where he is, which means he will not be reporting for pre-season training on Monday 1st November as was originally planned into his injury rehabilitation schedule.

"In the event that we do agree to Matt's release we shall certainly be retaining his registration until such time as appropriate compensation can be agreed.

"Meanwhile, we remain focused on building a highly competitive squad for next season and beyond."

http://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/


More payments not included in the cap like Burgess I presume.

 

[eagles2win]

In a way this has stopped Beaver from playing one more season at Bradford, and Orfords getting a right royal smashing on a Bradford site and deservedly so. From my understanding Beaver's other choice in term's of a side was that he wanted to stay at Bradford if Manly wasn't an option.

I wonder if the NRL club Orford goes to will put a guideline in his contract stating that if he walk's away (again) and goes to another club he has to pay back every cent he has earnt from them.

 

[Guest]

Orford is a mercenary and has been offered big money by Parramatta for next 2 seasons.

Another player who thinks that a contract is something to be broken. 

 

[Stevo]

This is another topic that goes around in circles. There is bugger all loyalty from clubs towards players so why should it be different vice versa? If it's possible to break a contract then why not break it?

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Requesting a release is not breaking a contract.

As for being a mercenary, someone pointed out in a different topic how few local juniors are in our top team. Fact is, all clubs buy players, and all players try to win the best deal possible.

I suspect most players would prefer to stay put when they are in a club they are happy with, but it's not always possible.

 

[Copa Eagle]

fact is fact, rugby league is no longer a sport, its a bussiness, its players jobs to play, if you werent happy with your job would you stay ? i sure as hell wouldnt, depending on the money i might, but theres your answer as to why players want the money !

 

[ManlyBacker]

If he doesn't want to commit to three years then he should stop insisting that he gets a three year contract. Business or not - he is the one pushing the contract terms and they should be honoured. Simple.

 

[kingoftherodeo]

Are you for real? Rugby league is still a sport, and most players still play for the love of it, unfortunately they have a life to deal with as well, a life that requires money. Beaver was loyal for ages, but I'm sure he was on decent money to begin with despite knocking back larger offers.

Do you think Orford would have left had it not been for salary cap strain? The guy is 32, wanted a longer, better deal to set himself up. To call him a mercenary is ridiculous!

I'd love to see what people like yourself would do in similar situations. Its not a war, its a game, and loyalty still exists, but loyalty works both ways, and it only works to a certain limit. We have the salary cap to thank for this, but again without that, the game would be struggling. There lyes the conundrum!

 

[sydsider]

Round and round we go and where we end up nobody bloody knows.

 

[Rusty]

Are you for real? Rugby league is still a sport, and most players still play for the love of it, unfortunately they have a life to deal with as well, a life that requires money. Beaver was loyal for ages, but I'm sure he was on decent money to begin with despite knocking back larger offers.

Do you think Orford would have left had it not been for salary cap strain? The guy is 32, wanted a longer, better deal to set himself up. To call him a mercenary is ridiculous!

I'd love to see what people like yourself would do in similar situations. Its not a war, its a game, and loyalty still exists, but loyalty works both ways, and it only works to a certain limit. We have the salary cap to thank for this, but again without that, the game would be struggling. There lyes the conundrum!

He was on Ok money at melbourne, got a better deal here, so came here, got a better deal at Bradford, so got out of a contract here and shifted, now he wants out of that contract to get another better deal at either Parra or Canberra.

I like the guy, he seems like an nice bloke and doesn't deserve half the crap he gets, even on his worst day he was an Ok player and he was a Manly player so I will always have a soft spot for him, but Mercenary seems a fairly fair term for someone who is looking for his 4th club, his third in as many years and his third contract release to garner more money.

 

[eagles2win]

[quote author=kingoftherodeo link=topic=185857.msg304285#msg304285 date=1288335621]
Are you for real? Rugby league is still a sport, and most players still play for the love of it, unfortunately they have a life to deal with as well, a life that requires money. Beaver was loyal for ages, but I'm sure he was on decent money to begin with despite knocking back larger offers.

Do you think Orford would have left had it not been for salary cap strain? The guy is 32, wanted a longer, better deal to set himself up. To call him a mercenary is ridiculous!

I'd love to see what people like yourself would do in similar situations. Its not a war, its a game, and loyalty still exists, but loyalty works both ways, and it only works to a certain limit. We have the salary cap to thank for this, but again without that, the game would be struggling. There lyes the conundrum!

He was on Ok money at melbourne, got a better deal here, so came here, got a better deal at Bradford, so got out of a contract here and shifted, now he wants out of that contract to get another better deal at either Parra or Canberra.

I like the guy, he seems like an nice bloke and doesn't deserve half the crap he gets, even on his worst day he was an Ok player and he was a Manly player so I will always have a soft spot for him, but Mercenary seems a fairly fair term for someone who is looking for his 4th club, his third in as many years and his third contract release to garner more money.
[/quote]

TBH he would got better money staying at Bradford

 

[Rusty]

[quote author=Rusty link=topic=185857.msg304306#msg304306 date=1288361656]
[quote author=kingoftherodeo link=topic=185857.msg304285#msg304285 date=1288335621]
Are you for real? Rugby league is still a sport, and most players still play for the love of it, unfortunately they have a life to deal with as well, a life that requires money. Beaver was loyal for ages, but I'm sure he was on decent money to begin with despite knocking back larger offers.

Do you think Orford would have left had it not been for salary cap strain? The guy is 32, wanted a longer, better deal to set himself up. To call him a mercenary is ridiculous!

I'd love to see what people like yourself would do in similar situations. Its not a war, its a game, and loyalty still exists, but loyalty works both ways, and it only works to a certain limit. We have the salary cap to thank for this, but again without that, the game would be struggling. There lyes the conundrum!

He was on Ok money at melbourne, got a better deal here, so came here, got a better deal at Bradford, so got out of a contract here and shifted, now he wants out of that contract to get another better deal at either Parra or Canberra.

I like the guy, he seems like an nice bloke and doesn't deserve half the crap he gets, even on his worst day he was an Ok player and he was a Manly player so I will always have a soft spot for him, but Mercenary seems a fairly fair term for someone who is looking for his 4th club, his third in as many years and his third contract release to garner more money.
[/quote]

TBH he would got better money staying at Bradford
[/quote]

True, and I did say more money, but perhaps I should have said a better deal, which can include a lot of things, like lifestyle, proximity to family and length of contract.

 

[eagles2win]

Proximity to Family maybe but can't see him get a long contract

 

[ManlyBacker]

Ox leaving Manly had nothing to do with with salary cap restraints. The negotiations started in March and he was tabled a pile of offers over nearly 8 months. During that time we let a number of players leave the club because his contract hadn't been finalised and we genuinely had our hands tied for those players due to the salary cap if he stayed.

These types of decisions not only affect the individual player concerned but also their teammates.

I sit in the middle and agree with what Rusty has said. He still obviously has many friends in the club. All players deserve to make what they can out of the game but it should be tempered by the effect they have on all those around them. If Ox had not taken so long to make up his mind we might have kept some players and maybe even brought in someone else. He strung us along and then walked and that makes a term like mercenary close to the mark.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

MB why was it Ox's fault that his negotiations with us took all year? Personally I'd assume the club is the one that can set whatever timetable it wants for player negotiations. For example, 'take it or leave it'.

And Rusty, what is your source for the stories you are spreading about Ox seeking his 3rd contract release? (I was under the impression he completed his contracts at Storm and Manly.)