player who agreed to play/signed with Manly then reneged

[Briza]

Interesting to see a list of players who agreed,signed a letter of intent or signed a contract with The Mighty Eagles only to change their mind.
There have been many most have been forgotten, ones I can remember are:
Will update list as players are confirmed.

Wally Lewis
Gene Miles
Burgess

 

[DUFFMAN]

I wish Craig Field could of been on that list

 

[bones]

Aaron Moule

 

[KeithSheldon]

Kane Elgey reportedly.

 

[HoldenV8]

Lewis and Miles were actually thwarted by the QRL and Senator Ron McAuliffe.

In the early-mid 1980's, the QRL, sick of cashed up Sydney clubs pinching the best Queensland players came up with a kind of player retention scheme. They had players, primarily those who were Qld reps, sign contracts which stated that if the QRL wished to match an offer from a Sydney club then that player had to stay in Qld. Lewis was one who signed, Miles did under duress in about 1983 but he did honour it. Surprisingly they let go players like Mal Meninga, Chris Close, Gary Belcher and Peter Jackson.

 

[roscoe]

Lewis and Miles were actually thwarted by the QRL and Senator Ron McAuliffe.

In the early-mid 1980's, the QRL, sick of cashed up Sydney clubs pinching the best Queensland players came up with a kind of player retention scheme. They had players, primarily those who were Qld reps, sign contracts which stated that if the QRL wished to match an offer from a Sydney club then that player had to stay in Qld. Lewis was one who signed, Miles did under duress in about 1983 but he did honour it. Surprisingly they let go players like Mal Meninga, Chris Close, Gary Belcher and Peter Jackson.

Billy Moore, Zinzan Brooke the Johns brothers

 

[DUFFMAN]

Darren Lockyer

 

[manlywarringah]

Anthony Mundine......THANK GOD!

 

[Peter C]

I think Paul Gallen was very close in around 2007, his younger brother was with us at the time,also, Ben Creagh was all but signed sealed and delivered in 2006 but changed his mind, thank God.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Fulton was very keen on Barrett. He finally got his man.

 

[MadMarcus]

Kieren Foran. The last contract he signed with us was until the end of 2015 but he stopped playing 3/4 through 2014.

 

[Brissie Kid]

Emosi Koloto.

Though I think the NSWRL draft may have caused that. Terry Hill soon fixed that draft anyway!

 

[bob dylan]

Zinzan Brooke is the biggest name of all, he actually put pen to paper.

 

[Peter C]

Emosi Koloto.

Though I think the NSWRL draft may have caused that. Terry Hill soon fixed that draft anyway!

That's right, from memory Graeme Lowe was bringing him overfrom the UK along with Kevin Iro, the draft was in place at that stage and North Sydney had a pick ahead of us and chose Koloto, he told them to shove it as if he isn't playing for Manly he would not come over, as for Iro, Balmain had a pick ahead of us for his services but Keith Barnes knew that he wanted to play for Manly and chose not to pick him, as opposed to Norths who were always ar$eholes.

 

[bones]

Billy Moore, Zinzan Brooke the Johns brothers

I originally posted Willie O but I think I was getting him confused with Zinzan Brooke. Maybe we were interested in Willie O as well but Brooke was the one who signed and reneged, you are right.

 

[bones]

In today's RLW there is an interview with Arko. He says:
"I also had Terry Lamb signed, sealed and delivered in 1984, but I let him go when he told me his mum would probably never speak to him again if he signed with Manly."


i am so glad it fell through. Would much prefer Cliffy Lyons.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Lamb could have been a Wests player at the time...

 

[Hamster Huey]

Didn't we have a Kaufusi signed after we sorted his visa, only for him to renege and head to Easts? About a decade ago, IIRC.

 

[bones]

Lamb could have been a Wests player at the time...

I just checked. He joined the dogs in 84, so you are correct. I would have thought he was at the Dogs much earlier than 84. I retract my comment 😛

 

[robbiea]

Marty Taupau.