RE: Time for IC step in
I don't see what the problem with the current system is ?? So what if a player signs for another club 12 months out from the start of a season. Is it the actually signing that annoys you, or that fact that it is leaked to the media ??
Look it's not just Manly, so I don't know why we are being so precious about it.
Homesick Taylor next big name on the move March 18, 2012
Some of the NRL's biggest names, including David Taylor, are on the verge of announcing their futures, writes Adrian Proszenko.
Marquee forward David Taylor is leaning towards leaving South Sydney as the NRL player market prepares to go into overdrive.
Taylor heads an impressive list of stars who are off contract or have their futures up in the air, including Daly Cherry-Evans, Kieran Foran, Cooper Cronk, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Michael Gordon, Brett Stewart, Michael Gordon, Darcy Lussick, Braith Anasta, Tim Moltzen and Sika Manu, as well as restless All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams.
Roosters-bound pivot James Maloney and Newcastle recruit Beau Scott are the first stars to flag their long-term intentions, but a raft of others are poised to announce moves in coming weeks.
As Mike Newton, the boss of the Players Agents Association, observed: ''Everyone is in a holding pattern. There's probably half a dozen blue-chip players on the market and as soon as one of them makes a move, the dominoes will fall pretty quickly. At this point there is plenty of rumour and innuendo but nobody has made a move. Things will start to pick up pace in the next seven days or so.''
Taylor has been agonising over whether to remain in South Sydney or to return home to Queensland. However, given his family ties, it's understood the 23-year-old is keen to shift back north.
The Maroons forward would be a major addition to the forward pack of all three Queensland sides. The ''Coal Train'' burst onto the scene for the Broncos in 2006 but has also fielded interest from Gold Coast and North Queensland. Should he make the move, it would be a massive blow to the Rabbitohs, who have assembled a formidable pack which also includes Sam Burgess, Roy Asotasi and Michael Crocker.
Taylor is just one of the big players poised to make a switch for 2013. Five years after his acrimonious split with Canterbury, Williams is set to return to the NRL, most likely at the Roosters. The move will cause a chain reaction in the playing ranks, given that veterans Anthony Minichiello and Anasta are uncontracted but keen to play on. Waerea-Hargreaves is another marquee Rooster weighing up his options, while The Sun-Herald has learned that Adrian Morley is a chance of returning to Bondi Junction.
Another rugby star, Wallabies five-eighth Quade Cooper, has been linked to the Roosters but officials have denied any interest.
The club most likely to be picked apart is Manly. The premiers have massive salary-cap issues for 2013 and a host of stars off contract. Their priority is retaining halves Cherry-Evans and Foran. Both are signed for 2013, although Foran has a get-out clause in his contract, while Cherry-Evans is secured on a deal below his market value. It will be impossible to keep them and also retain all their other free agents, including Steve Matai, Lussick and Stewart. Many of their bigger names are on heavily back-ended deals. ''It's obvious that success brings challenges when it comes to managing the salary cap,'' Manly boss David Perry said. ''We're working with all player managers currently to get the best possible outcome for all parties, but the reality is it's going to be hard to satisfy everybody. We've got to find a balance where we've got experience but we're looking towards the future as well. It means some hard decisions will have to be made and we're going through that process.''
Another club set to experience a turnover in personnel is Parramatta. Nathan Hindmarsh, Luke Burt, Fuifui Moimoi, Justin Poore, Ben Smith and Shane Shackleton are all free agents. Potentially all of them could be finishing at the club at the end of 2012.
''Obviously there is going to be some shuffling about, but who it is, I'm not sure at this point,'' Eels boss Bob Bentley said. ''[Recruitment boss] Pete Nolan, the coach and myself will sit down at the next opportunity we get and put that into play. We'll give some thought to what direction we want to give to it and make some decisions. It's still early days at this point.''
The Eels could be one of the big players in the market should they clear the decks. Which prompts the question - who will they go for? ''I had a look at a recent list of players coming off contract,'' Bentley said. ''A couple of names stood out but obviously you have to sit down and work out if you can afford them under the cap and if it's someone who'll fit in with what we're trying to build here.''
Newton, who is also Waerea-Hargreaves's manager, said his client's preference was to stay put, despite interest from union and five NRL clubs. ''Hopefully I can get that all done within the next seven to 10 days,'' he said. ''I'm putting my toe in the water with the interested parties but we won't be making any decisions until we sit down with the Roosters again.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/homesick-taylor-next-big-name-on-the-move-20120317-1vc4x.html#ixzz1pQlAFG00