Stewart likely to be shown the door by Sea Eagles

LOYALTY may as well be wiped from the rugby league dictionary because the game refuses to reward or ­acknowledge its existence.

Each year the head body parades retiring, long-­service players as

part of grand final day at ANZ Stadium but that is ­little more than a token ­public ­relations exercise.

No club has suffered more from the game’s neglect of long-service players than Manly – a club few players want to leave.

Local junior Steve Menzies is a classic ­example.

Menzies went overseas after his greatest triumph versus the Melbourne Storm in 2008 and in his last year the club got $100,000 relief on the salary cap – for 15 ­consecutive seasons.

Stewart has offered to play for less money than he has been offered elsewhere, to ­remain with the only ­senior club he has known for 11 seasons.

It’s a black mark against the game that rules to promote and encourage loyalty have been so slow to move.

Relief falling short

SINCE Menzies left at the end of 2008 season the NRL ­has increased the relief for 10-consecutive-year players to $200,000.

That applies if a club has one or 13 ten-year players.

So Manly, the only club with four 10-year players (Jason King, Anthony Watmough, Brett Stewart and Glenn Stewart) get the same discount as the Sydney Roosters who have just one long-service player in ­Anthony Minichiello.

Brusing centre Steve Matai will join the 10-year club next season to continue the amazing ­tradition at Manly.

Brisbane (Sam Thaiday and Corey Parker) and Melbourne (Cameron Smith and Billy Slater) are the only other clubs in the NRL with more than one player who has completed the decade of service.

Cronulla (Paul Gallen), Warriors (Jerome Ropati), Newcastle (Kurt Gidley), Dragons (Ben Creagh) and the Roosters (Anthony ­Minichiello) are one-offs.

Salary Cap squeeze

There are currently eight clubs without a 10-year player.

The NRL has no ­immediate plans to give exemption for loyalty from the salary cap.

Ten years service for a player with a fair rub of the green when it comes to injuries will have the player at more than 150 games.

If a club can find its way to pay that player $300,000 to $500,000 a season then they should be allowed to, with no strings attached.

The NRL will lift the relief to $250,000 maximum in 2015 and $350,000 in 2016.

In my view it is too little, too late - it should have happened years ago.

Peter Peters
Manly Daily

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/stewart-likely-to-be-shown-the-door-by-sea-eagles/story-fngr8iii-1226881223825

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Hmmm not sure about text messages being sent to players as reported by Channel 9. Does this seem rather unprofessional on Manly's behalf if indeed true?

I am quite furious about the whole situation actually, I just hope that our players are professional and understand the salary cap etc, I also hope our management is being professional and treating the players with respect.

I just don't want to see Manly torn apart.

The NRL is certainly not helping matters either. 😡

have we ever had a start to the year that doesnt have controversy and drama to go with it,how is a person suppose to enjoy watching their team play with all this crap happening,and it always seems to be about us,it makes you sick in the stomach

Happens EVERY year , I am used to it now!!

 

[MPC75]

Hmmm not sure about text messages being sent to players as reported by Channel 9. Does this seem rather unprofessional on Manly's behalf if indeed true?

I am quite furious about the whole situation actually, I just hope that our players are professional and understand the salary cap etc, I also hope our management is being professional and treating the players with respect.

I just don't want to see Manly torn apart.

The NRL is certainly not helping matters either. 😡

have we ever had a start to the year that doesnt have controversy and drama to go with it,how is a person suppose to enjoy watching their team play with all this crap happening,and it always seems to be about us,it makes you sick in the stomach

Happens EVERY year , I am used to it now!!

The price of success unfortunately. The NRL and the media make it impossible for sustained success. It's the old tall poppy syndrome that is engrained in Australian culture.

 

[mickqld]

So we are going to ditch a great player like Gift while knowingly purchasing forwards like Horo,Lui,TRed,Starling,Hodges,Andrews,JSL the last 2 years. Only conclusion is the brains trust dont want him anymore.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Some of those players were signed to fill other holes. Kite, Rose, Fa'aoso, Joe G, Lussick, T-Rex, for example. Gifty is good but he's not going to cover 6 spots in our top 25 squad.

I can't knock the club for looking to the future with guys like JSL and MCK. Gifty's situation is unfortunate but that's business, if we could keep him I'm sure we would.

 

[sheridanstand78]

I do not agree with Zorba too often but at last someone has spelt out what the cap exemptions mean for long service players.

So the NRL logic is to penalise clubs who grow and develop and retain successful players and force them to leave and they legitimalise it by running a so called salary cap that is enforced but not always policed.

The NRL would not understand loyalty if it bit them on the ass.

 

[MWSE]

I think if people want to get on the pedestal and demand we get extra from the NRL to fit Gifty in then everyone here forfeits the right to complain about other teams salary cap situations. Rules are rules, and I am glad that we are trying our best to abide by them.

 

[torana355]

Look it sucks that we might lose Gift but no player is bigger then the club. We had to sign DCE, Foran ect as a priority.

 

[BOZO]

I remember when we lost our greatest ever player Bobby Fulton that it was going to be the end of the world for u s in 1977 but in 1978 it was the start of more Premierships for our club . Its the nature of the beast in the NRL for clubs to lose great players and its the nature of the beast in our club to keep winning Premierships

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

@BOZO just about the best words yet, I remember as well when Fatty was shown the door, there was going to be a revolt amongst the fans , calls for protests in front of the Leagues club.......none of which happened and yes we survived.

I think we as fans have to stop worrying about it and stop talking about it , it's sadly just part of footy these days.

 

[Ryan]

@BOZO just about the best words yet, I remember as well when Fatty was shown the door, there was going to be a revolt amongst the fans , calls for protests in front of the Leagues club.......none of which happened and yes we survived.

I think we as fans have to stop worrying about it and stop talking about it , it's sadly just part of footy these days.

While I agree mate, it doesn't make it right. Long serving players need to be shown more credence. At the end of the day, these players are people, with careers, who have families that need to be up-rooted etc. Tenure and loyalty need to be rewarded.

That, and it may mean we keep some of our marquee players in the game, rather than losing them to AFL and Union.

I only see upside is reviewing the Long Serving Player Allowance.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Oh I agree with that 100% @Ryan but the current rules are the current rules and there's little we as fans can do about it ( apart from complain) and they will hardly change the rules mid season so we are rightly screwed!!

Not much forsight from the NRL I'm afraid.

 

[Technical Coach]

Might be a case that clubs that are more wealthy or willing to "stretch" the rules of the salary cap offer a more conducive environment to hold onto players longer---not just a case of "Manly is the greatest club on Earth so why leave".(well i'm sure it is part of the reason but not always the case)

Souths have been in the comp longer and struggle to keep players long enough to reach 8-10yrs in the past.

Beware what you wish for because times and finances will turn and we might be on the lookout for such experienced players to prop up our inexperienced teams in the future.

In the end the salary cap is crap and pointless--- in most instances does more harm than good.

---

It's obvious Manly does not want to retain G. Stewart plain and simple dancing around it is just a waste of time or seeking excuses. Manly have been stretched in the past with the cap (maybe even more so than now wink wink) and made room--- no different this time around it is just convenient to use the cap as an excuse.

 

[Class of 96]

I think if people want to get on the pedestal and demand we get extra from the NRL to fit Gifty in then everyone here forfeits the right to complain about other teams salary cap situations. Rules are rules, and I am glad that we are trying our best to abide by them.

Got it and agree. Except, clubs that seem to get special dispensation like the Chooks with SBW, Broncs with Lockyer, and now seemingly, a club will get sepcial treatment for Carmichael Hunt, and last year whatever club was going to be allowed to sign Folau, presumably accounting for a teams' entire salary cap.

This is why I have the ****s and haven't need a laxative all year.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Bye Gifty bye Peta

Now can we move on and play football!!

Seriously I'm over it, they want the big bucks go chase it , rarely do they succeed when they leave but they are richer for the experience , their choice !!

 

[mickqld]

Ted Greensnot will ensure the long serving players rules are changed......when he has successfully dismantled the greatest team of the 21st century as sure as night follows day. It'll be around the time the dogturds have a couple of them.

 

[Technical Coach]

I just want a well balanced team, could care less about DCE either he is not worth a million.

He might be injured and Foran taking up the slack for now but DCE takes too many wrong options, does not play square or straight through the line enough for my liking to warrant a million.

Has all the skills but does not use them in a well thought out manner.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Give the kid a break, he's still learning. You can't put a 30 year old head on a 20 year old. That skill set is what you are paying for and banking on it improving with experience. The thing about DCE is he strikes me as someone who is keen to learn and improve. Everyone is ragging on the poor kid, but I've never seen anything but a humble, level headed talent, who is respectful and self aware.

Anyone who doesn't think DCE is worth the investment for us has rocks in their head as far as I'm concerned. Worth every cent IMO

 

[Technical Coach]

He is 25 now time to show he is worth a million not have the skillset that has a potential value of a million.

What i do like about Foran and DCE is that they are students of the game always looking to improve i agree with you in that respect--- it is one of the most important elements of being a great half, skillset or natural ability alone is never enough.

DCE does not strike me as a humble level headed talent though, well spoken and comes across as a nice bloke on tv/interviews but i see another side that is a little too self absorbed for my liking.

Well i have rocks in my head i guess lol---don't get me wrong DCE is one of the best halves in the comp but not the best and not worth a million.

 

[mickqld]

I agree he's not yet worth a million a year but in order to keep the best future half in the game that is what we have to pay.

 

[torana355]

TC, DCE is worth whatever the top paying clubs will give him and that would be about a Million. I agree that he has ALOT of improvement before he reaches his full potential but what is our option?? Do we have another genuine Halfback in our ranks? If we let him go i guarantee we would regret it in a few years time when he is carving us up for another team.