If you look at Choc's situation with a little bit of empathy, you can probably understand it a little bit better.
He wants a 3 year contract at probably around $500k to $600k a year (probably normal for a SOO and Australian player) and the club (Manly) is only prepared to offer a 2 year deal. Parra on the other hand is apparently willing to offer a 3 year deal for the money he (and his manager) wants.
Thinking about it logically... where else is Choc going to earn the $500k - $600k for the third year Parra are offering and Manly are not? Certainly not from window cleaning and I'd not be too sure that there would be a significant role for him at Manly after he retires, as opposed to Beaver. He'd be really at the end of his career and scratching for a contract and have to probably move overseas away from some of his kids (not a desirable situation).
So you are a player with Manly and the club is renowned for player and club loyalty. Then... Beaver goes before he wants to, but with grace, Then Brent Kite goes before he wants to,but with grace, then Gift goes before he wants to and apparently with grace.
You may now be thinking that despite your loyalty to the club and taking supposed 'unders in wage' the club is not repaying it but what he is obviously not thinking about is that Beaver and Brent Kite probably had to leave because of the money he and others like Gift and Snake were being paid. Where was the loyalty then?
It's fine to blame DCE and Foz and claim they're not playing the loyalty game by accepting 'Unders' but as DCE suggested that he has already taken 'unders' and is now trying to set up his family, just like Choc after all he's literally been successful for only two years and even then, his first half was not rewarded to what he should have been.
All NRL players have potentially short careers (5 - 10 years) and then afterwards many have serious ongoing health issues which, is unlike most of us who may earn significantly less each year, but have significantly greater long term prospects health wise and in many cases, earning capacity.
I am certain that Choc's manager (and I would if I was his manager) be saying to him "Anthony.. what are you going to do after NRL? Where are you going to earn what you are now? We can set you up for life so you don't have to worry about your family."
While Choc may bleed Maroon and White in his mind for NRL, he bleeds red for his family in life and I don't begrudge what he decides to do, because if I was in his situation, my family and their future would above all come first.
I hope Manly can work out a suitable situation for Choc to stay but if not I wish him the best. He's had a somewhat troubled past but has always given his all for the club and you have to respect that.
