Johns to announce he's staying in RL on Footy Show.

[Murphdogg1]

I totally agree Parra_Eels

The waratahs are the richest franchise in the Super 12 but have the worst record

They have the most numbers playing the game

the talent is fine in NSW union but the structure to bring these through is very poor!!!

Not compared to NZ- Go the Auckland Blues!!!

 

[Kiwi]

For f*cks sake the guy is arguably the greatest player the game has ever produced. He is a future immortal. When fit he is the captain of Newcastle, NSW and Australia. He is the most recognizable player in the game. Gallop and co SHOULD be doing everything they can to keep him in the game.

It is not a matter of the NRL needing Johns. That answer is simple. Hell no. There will always new new superstars. Sailor, Tiquiri and Rogers might have gone but Lewis, Hunt, Slater and Marshal are already emerging.

It's more a matter of symbolism. It's league V Union. How bad would it look to lose Johns, the games best player, to union.

Comparing Johns with Gasnier is lame. For all the good Gasnier has done he wiped that out in one night.

You argue that with Sailor ect there are the likes of hunt, lewis ect emerging.

Well Johns goes we still have th best player in the game, Lockyer, guys like Orford, Barrett, Anasta, Marshall, Kimmorley, Prince, Gower, K Gidley, Sherwin.......and so on and so on.

Johns is more than just a player. He is the marquee, the franshise player in Rugby League. The city of Newcastle worships him. Junior players in all areas idolize him. Union poacing him would of been a a knife to the back and rubbing salt into the wound. By staying, Johns, the NRL and Rugby League in general benefits. In later years we wont talk about him as the "the greatest player who chose to give union a go" but "the greatest player that remained loyal to the code the made him great".

Thats BS.

Mainly the last bit. If Johns was to go down as and I quote you "the greatest player that remained loyal to the code the made him great" then he wouldn't be milking the Knights, Nrl and Rugby League for every last penny he can get his hands on right now would he? He'd be doing what Tallis is doing. Johns is a disgrace, nothing more than a money hungry arsewhipe whom thinks he is bigger than the game, it's a shame the NRL, some fans, the Knights and News LTD think so aswell.

 

[princessjen]

if he were a true footy player he'd be playing for less. its not like he'll end up on the streets if the knights pay him a MERE $300 000 or something

 

[Tidus_Raider]

For f*cks sake the guy is arguably the greatest player the game has ever produced. He is a future immortal. When fit he is the captain of Newcastle, NSW and Australia. He is the most recognizable player in the game. Gallop and co SHOULD be doing everything they can to keep him in the game.

It is not a matter of the NRL needing Johns. That answer is simple. Hell no. There will always new new superstars. Sailor, Tiquiri and Rogers might have gone but Lewis, Hunt, Slater and Marshal are already emerging.

It's more a matter of symbolism. It's league V Union. How bad would it look to lose Johns, the games best player, to union.

Comparing Johns with Gasnier is lame. For all the good Gasnier has done he wiped that out in one night.

You argue that with Sailor ect there are the likes of hunt, lewis ect emerging.

Well Johns goes we still have th best player in the game, Lockyer, guys like Orford, Barrett, Anasta, Marshall, Kimmorley, Prince, Gower, K Gidley, Sherwin.......and so on and so on.

Johns is more than just a player. He is the marquee, the franshise player in Rugby League. The city of Newcastle worships him. Junior players in all areas idolize him. Union poacing him would of been a a knife to the back and rubbing salt into the wound. By staying, Johns, the NRL and Rugby League in general benefits. In later years we wont talk about him as the "the greatest player who chose to give union a go" but "the greatest player that remained loyal to the code the made him great".

Thats BS.

Mainly the last bit. If Johns was to go down as and I quote you "the greatest player that remained loyal to the code the made him great" then he wouldn't be milking the Knights, Nrl and Rugby League for every last penny he can get his hands on right now would he? He'd be doing what Tallis is doing. Johns is a disgrace, nothing more than a money hungry arsewhipe whom thinks he is bigger than the game, it's a shame the NRL, some fans, the Knights and News LTD think so aswell.

Lets face facts. He is the best player of the modern era. He is a future immortal and arguably the best player ever. He has a right to command a high price tag. In the workforce your pay packet is determined by your success. He is the most successful player of his generation.

He isn't milking the Knights or the NRL. His offer is similar to his last one. The NRL isn't paying a cent for his services.

 

[Kiwi]

Lets face facts. He is the best player of the modern era. He is a future immortal and arguably the best player ever. He has a right to command a high price tag. In the workforce your pay packet is determined by your success. He is the most successful player of his generation.

He isn't milking the Knights or the NRL. His offer is similar to his last one. The NRL isn't paying a cent for his services.

Tallis, Lockyer, Barrett, Gower and few others could demand such a high price tag, yet they don't choose to hold the game to ransom to get it.

If it was a similar offer to his last one, then why the hell did channel 9, news ltd and the NRL need to get involved? Is this just his way of making himself the centre of attention while he isn't playing?

All the fuss everyone made over Kimmorley chasing 500 grand at the eagles, money bags kimmorley was a common phrase on forums, it was rare to see anyone other than eagles fans praise the move. Now we have Johns holding the game to ransom, wanting around 1,000,000 to stay if the reports are right, and people are fine with that? Knights fans I can understand, they want him to stay, but I wonder if they'd sing the same tune if he announced he was gonna play for Manly, Roosters or another team tonight?

You can sprinkle what ever you want on the top of all this to help you swallow it, but the way I see it, if it looks like bullshit, smells like bullshit and tastes like bullshit, it's bullshit.

 

[greeneyed]

I don't think Johns should be an immortal, but it would be very damaging if the code lost him to union.

I think it is time for a fundamental rethink about the salary cap. We are in an international market for footballers. The market is not just a market for league players, but it crosses two rugby codes. One rugby code has salary caps. The other doesn't. While this persists, we will continue to lose excellent players to union, no matter how much they talk about not signing league players anymore, the bottom line is that league produces heaps more talent.

We also can't match offers from English league clubs...... Wiki a case in point.

Time to let the free market reign in my view. The salary cap simply protects weak clubs with no future. We can't keep protecting them. We have areas in the country that can develop the code nationally, to the benefit of the code overall, and they are likely to perform a lot better than some current clubs.

 

[greeneyed]

PS Channel 9 has been saying since last night that Johns would announce his decision on the Footy Show... not likely that they would say that if he is going to union........

 

[eastsrule]

But according to reports he still hadn't made his decision this morning.

 

[Parra_Eels]

so wot is he gonna just get up there and say 'um,eeeerhhh i haven't made a decision' of course he's made his decision

 

[Godz Illa]

God I love the CHIEF !!! So passionate about his game - a true rugby league man. Love ya Chief.

 

[JK]

The Chief was great.

Fatty was pi$$weak.

Sterlo's first words were gold then he went soft.

Johns was a wank@r.

 

[beekershark]

He hasnt put pen to paper on either contract, its obvious that he genuinely doesnt know what he is going to do.

 

[greeneyed]

so wot is he gonna just get up there and say 'um,eeeerhhh i haven't made a decision' of course he's made his decision

Amazingly, that is what he did! It means he has rejected the Channel 9 offer..... off to union.......

 

[Glenn]

Or it means he hasnt made a decision :roll:

 

[greeneyed]

Possibly... but Channel 9 were promoting that he would announce on the Footy Show... that suggested he had chosen their offer.... this non announcement IS meaningful I think.

 

[Glenn]

Well if he had chosen the nine offer then changed his mind in the mean time, why?? AFAIK Channel Nine/Newc/NRL had the last offer.
Maybe attempt to get the ratings up next week.
To be continued ;-)

 

[BJ]

i think he'll go to union.. he seemed to give a more passionate answer about the challange and the world spectacle.. but when asked why he'd stay in league he had to make sumthing up and they were weak answers..
If he was going to announce he was staying in league i'm sure he would have done it on channel 9 and they would have paid him a nice sum of money for the "scoop"

At the moment i couldn't care what he does chances are he'll get injured doing both.. the last couple of years he's basically been a commentator for rugby league.. he's been injured and the game has moved on without him with the emorgence of players like karmichael hunt and benji marshal.. the only people that are missing him are newcastle... and they've got kurt gidley.. who may not be in the same league as johns.. but once newcastle find out how to play without him they'll get back on their feet..

 

[gaterooze]

I know in my head that you're right, BJ -- Johns has shown little on the field for a couple of years now, and he's been a spectators for the majority of that time. But it still burns me.

Oh, and why do they still call him the Australian Captain??? We've played an ashes tour and a few Test Matches since he was last in the Kangaroos!

 

[Big Mick]

I love it, lets have a poll.

Like the public is gonna decide his future.

Fair dinkum, idiots!