http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...vals-for-keating/story-e6frg7mf-1225850664926
CANTERBURY has questioned Parramatta's decision to get tough with its unsigned players, and confirmed it will continue to chase Kris Keating.
Keating is one of several players whose future is up in the air after the club suspended all contract negotiations following the club's poor start to the season.
"It's a matter for them, but in tough times clubs have got to stick together,"Canterbury chief executive Todd Greenberg said yesterday. "All clubs will go through difficult periods. There's no doubt about that.
"And what you get judged on is how you bounce back from them more than anything else."
The other Parramatta players affected by chief executive Paul Osborne's decision to play hardball include Feleti Mateo, Krisnan Inu and Eric Grothe.
While the move is designed to motivate the team to improve its form, it could backfire as other clubs are already circling their players.
Keating is certainly in demand. The Bulldogs and North Queensland have engaged in talks to lure the Eels halfback away.
The Bulldogs said recently their focus was on retention, as several players will be off-contract in the spring, including halves Brett Kimmorley and Ben Barba.
Kimmorley is expected to make a career decision next month while Barba is seen as a future star at Belmore.
Greenberg said any decision on Keating would be made irrespective of what happens with Barba and Kimmorley.
"We're not trying to rush the Keating discussion, and in our own minds we've decided that retention is our focus over the next month rather than recruitment," Greenberg said.
"But the club made a play for Kris a number of years ago, so he's always been identified here as a player of interest.
"Whether or not his form has been up and down over the first month of the season hasn't changed our view on his capabilities as a footballer."
Keating has also been linked to a move to Townsville.
"I don't think what Parramatta does will have any impact on what we do," Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr said yesterday.
"If they're going to hold off for a while, it might open up the opportunity for other clubs to have a chat. We've held off on talking to somebody about a contract until his form got to a level we were hoping it would get to.
"But we've never opened a negotiation and then suspended it because of a lack of form."
Manager David Riolo, whose agency handles the interests of Keating, Mateo and Inu, said he was surprised because he had not heard anything official from Parramatta yet.
Mateo has been linked to Newcastle and the Warriors while Inu has been linked to a move across the Tasman.
"I'm not going to get into a slanging match, but if that's what they want to do then that's their prerogative," Riolo said.
"There's plenty of interest in both boys (Keating and Mateo)."
Greenburg is a dickhead but he makes a good point. Why deal with these things in public for?
