The No-Look News (Schuster Chronicles)

[Terry Zarsoff]

"What is hard to understand is the “weight clauses” in his deal, which can trigger a breach of his contract. This has been denied by his management, but clearly the story is coming from somewhere."

The only paragraph in this marketing statement on behalf of CSM that should warrant a strongly worded rebuttal from CSM via the mouth piece and yet there is a denial.

There is nothing hard to understand and the use of quotation marks on the two words is in essence a limp acceptance by CSM that there are more than just "weight clauses" inserted into his NRLPA/NRL approved/registered playing contract, there are performance criteria that need to be met.

I'm also quite irritated by both media agencies, Newscorp and Nine Media on their insufferable position in maintaining and promoting this mantra that young Josh "needs to go to a stronger club... be coached by and within a stronger system..."; enough with this utter garbage.

He, Josh, may benefit from a different approach to football in a different system et cetera however, please do not denigrate our club or insert that our club is not strong or does not have the appropriate systems, training methodologies.

It is becoming somewhat boring and frustrating to read and hear about this when it is in fact, a load of codswallop.

Let’s face it, it’s a Weidler story.

He doesn’t operate out of a sense of altruism towards his subjects. He is a muckraking disrupter.

 

[LeonardCohen]

he should go to a club that has an established squad and systems so he isn't the main man.

I think Manly have a great system, with a settled squad and all the foundations in place for Josh to succeed. However, sometimes a change of scenery is required to light a fuse. I think if Schuster does go to another strong system and succeeds, it will not be because that system is superior to Manly's or even that we made a mistake in letting him walk. It will more than likely just be a case of a fresh start that was the catalyst for a change in fortunes.

 

[Disco]

I think Manly have a great system, with a settled squad and all the foundations in place for Josh to succeed. However, sometimes a change of scenery is required to light a fuse. I think if Schuster does go to another strong system and succeeds, it will not be because that system is superior to Manly's or even that we made a mistake in letting him walk. It will more than likely just be a case of a fresh start that was the catalyst for a change in fortunes.

Yep, 100% my point, some times a change is just needed

 

[The Who]

Yep, 100% my point, some times a change is just needed

What's wrong with Blacktown? I hear it is lovely this time of year.

 

[Andrew..]

A few people on here have compared Josh to Olsen Filipaina and as an older rugby league fan I reckon that's pretty close to the mark. I remember Filipaina having unbelievable ballplaying skills and he could turn a game in an instant. But I also remember him bouncing between firsts and reserves on regular basis and in his 7 years of playing footy he only chalked up a tad over a hundred first grade games.
Like most of us on here im not trying to put Josh down, I just think it's going to take a huge effort from any club to change his genetics and his general make-up. Many of us here could see that before we extended him on the big dollars at the end of last year.

 

[ManlyTragic]

…. I’m just glad we got Brooks….

 

[Eagle 1]

Just reported on the Today show sports report. Manly want him gone by the end of this week. Didn't really elaborate anything else to the story. Reading between the lines, Manly will pay him out for this season and thats it...sienara baby.

 

[The '47ers]

NRL news 2024: Josh Schuster saga set to end as Manly Sea Eagles boss Tony Mestrov reveals contract situation

 

[jbb/james]

For years its been schuster and his 800k hit to the cap. When he is gone and manly have the money to spend I bet it becomes a 600k contract in the news

 

[LeonardCohen]

Who cares what he has/is earning. He has been an abject failure and I am grateful to learn we are moving on. It's become such a boring narrative...potential this, potential that, weight gain this, weight gain that, 800k this, 600k that, welfare this, welfare that. The game and our club doesn't owe anyone a future. It's earned and if things don't work, they don't work out. That's life.

 

[lsz]

It is a lesson that not all players are robots. We are talking about young men who deal with a lot early in life

Some manage it, others like Josh do not.

I really hope he gets his life in order and lives up to his talent even if it bites us on the backside

 

[LeonardCohen]

It is a lesson that not all players are robots. We are talking about young men who deal with a lot early in life

Some manage it, others like Josh do not.

I really hope he gets his life in order and lives up to his talent even if it bites us on the backside

Absolutely agree. I just don’t think it’s everyone else’s fault or a tragic situation. It’s just life. Even if he doesn’t make it, he’s still earned in a few years, what most people earn in a lifetime.

 

[DUFFMAN]

I really hope he gets his life in order and lives up to his talent even if it bites us on the backside

I think it will bite us in the arse and he will be picked up by another club and go on to be a star.

Some players are fringe first graders or stuck in the lower grades at a club who change clubs and become stars where others are stars at one club who get a big contract to play elsewhere and just become a average first grader at their new club.

Josh hasn't lived up to the hype for whatever reason and a change of club maybe the best thing for everyone involved, he isn't going to make it at Manly but is likely to elsewhere and may deserve $800,000 elsewhere in the future.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Things happen in life that derail you. Some people recover and get back int he saddle some change direction. I hope that Josh is okay and that he finds peace and rediscovers his love of football.

 

[Eagle 1]

I think it will bite us in the arse and he will be picked up by another club and go on to be a star.

Some players are fringe first graders or stuck in the lower grades at a club who change clubs and become stars where others are stars at one club who get a big contract to play elsewhere and just become a average first grader at their new club.

Josh hasn't lived up to the hype for whatever reason and a change of club maybe the best thing for everyone involved, he isn't going to make it at Manly but is likely to elsewhere and may deserve $800,000 elsewhere in the future.

Dunno, Josh is injury prone and struggles with weight issue's. Anyway, good luck to him at his next club.

 

[Jay Eagle]

only my opinion:

This has all come about because Josh was sitting in reserve grade and even with a few injuries to our NRL forward pack , like Burbo, Brown and Sipley, Josh was overlooked ( when he actually thought he would only be spending a couple of weeks in the NSW Cup).

He now he sits firmly behind Burbo, Waddell, Lawton to get into first grade ( as a second rower). AND thats clear for all to see, just based on form, not talent or potential, which seems to be Josh's biggest problem.

I think there are certainly performance clauses in his contract ( most players would have them, nothing new here) and looking at how confident Mestrov and Seibs seem to be I wouldn't be surprised if there are in fact additional clauses in relation to Josh's FITNESS (NOT Weight, so smart move by the club) and this is why he's now in a position to have his contract terminated.

This can be something as simple as the recording on GPS numbers, figures and benchmarks the club sets on EVERY player and these numbers form a big part of the coaches mindset on player selection.
just today all the talk is around Matt Lodge and his GPS numbers all being up in the elite parameters. hence his back in First grade.

these GPS numbers include performance and endurance figures, like 20m, 40m 100m run times, vertical leap measurements, strength measurements, endurance testing, heart rate and recovery rates etc, so IF Josh has been sitting BELOW the standard Elite performance levels and possibly WELL BELOW them he would have then had discussions with coaching staff around this and therefore they constitute a WARNING and "possible" BREACH of contract.
they could even have a SKIN FOLD index that Josh would more than likely be outside of, SO if you think logically about the situation I think the club are well within their rights to terminate and Josh along with his management also know this.

So in short without using the word WEIGHT in his contract clauses the club has used FITNESS and the use of the GPS analytics, IF ONLY JOURNOS would actually investigate for the truth and then write the fact this would be a lot clearer for all (I'm sure lots of contract have performance clauses in them so this isn't anything new), BUT as usual they need to sensationalise a story, using words like WEIGHT Clause, How is this possible, The RLPA will be all over this, Manly will need to pay him out or wear the contract under the cap, blah blah blah ALL BS...

I also feel the club has Josh's best interest and welfare at heart, this is why they do not want to disclose the actual clauses, as that may lead to then having to release the actual GPS Data and that wont be any good for Josh and his prospects for finding a new club, I feel they are protecting him from further mental stress that would undoubtedly come about by the media talking about these figures and the realisation that most if not all the other clubs will view these figures as well below their standards also.

Mestrov even went on to say the club has already been talking to the NRL, this would be in order to show cause as to the reason for termination, ensure the club has done nothing outside the contract and that the salary of the contract will not effect the clubs future cap, they may even be having discussions to the NRL in regards to Joshs welfare and to why they do not want the clauses or data to become public knowledge and then have a media circus crusify Josh.

For me , If I was managing Josh and what I have written is indeed the facts, I would be looking to close the books with Manly, and as quickly and quietly as possible.
I would ask that Manly continue to place Josh on permanent leave with pay, until he finds a new club or until the end of the 2024 season as his current contract is still valid to the end of the year, as so Manly should still pay him. Even if a club picks him up for $300K Manly should pay the difference for this year.
I would ask that Josh still be able to use the various player welfare staff at Manly until he moves on and I would get Josh onto a personal trainer with fitness a main focus. I wouldnt let him pick up a ball until he prioritises his fitness and diet.

I think Josh's best option would be to find another NRL club for 2024 and try to force his way into that teams NRL side and preform at NRL level, But given his current FITNESS level that wont be easy, If a club does give him a crack he should then sign a 2 or 3 year contract with that club for around $300/350K per season and prove himself as a regular NRL star and then ask for a bigger contract value.

If he cant do this then I see Josh playing in the English Super league or possibly even Rugby.

 

[The Who]

I would imagine if another club picked up The Shoe it would be a short term contract to play off the bench. His role would be to create scoring opportunities. He'd only be used when the team was chasing points. It would be a 'hail Mary' type role. If it came off The Shoe would be money well spent; if not he wouldn't face any criticism as the team was already behind on the scoreboard.
The Shoe may not be suited to playing 80 minutes of NRL-standard football; he may simply not have the motor. Despite his best efforts to improve his fitness The Shoe may only ever find his place in NRL as an impact player from the bench.

 

[Bearfax]

Sad situation. I always maintained he needed time to resolve his issues. Regrettably too much time has expired and I don't blame Manly for their decision, though I've felt in the past decade there's been a tendency by the Club to show lack of patience and to seek quick fix solutions. I feel this is why the club has struggled by letting young players slip through their grasp and trying to solve the problem buying average first graders, a bit like Wests do. I am not though saying this is the case regarding Schuster. They have tried hard to resolve issues that seem too deeply entrenched at this stage. I still suspect Schuster will mature into a very good footballer. But not at this stage. Too many skeletons in his cupboard. Needs to get some serious psych assistance. Regretfully it seems his chances at Manly have ended.

 

[Andrew..]

I'm trying not to let my bias towards Manly make me take sides but I do think Mestrov is thinking sensibly when it comes to Josh. If they can't reach an amicable agreement i think it could make other clubs even more wary than they are now.
If they do reach a monartary agreement on the basis that Josh just needs some time away from the game, that's more understandable. But, if it starts getting ugly and Manly are forced to make it a performance based decision I just can't see how that's going to endear Josh to another club if or when he decides he wants to return. .

 

[ManlyTragic]

I'm trying not to let my bias towards Manly make me take sides but I do think Mestrov is thinking sensibly when it comes to Josh. If they can't reach an amicable agreement i think it could make other clubs even more wary than they are now.
If they do reach a monartary agreement on the basis that Josh just needs some time away from the game, that's more understandable. But, if it starts getting ugly and Manly are forced to make it a performance based decision I just can't see how that's going to endear Josh to another club if or when he decides he wants to return. .

Yep! We said that about Des too! No discrimination…. “ it’s a results based business”

Just sayin’