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Titans finally sold by the NRL

AJB1102

First Grade
Messages
6,339
There is certainly the potential for unethical behaviour in all of this. Look at the scenario. Governing body takes over basket case club, arranges and rubber stamps three mid-season marquee transfers to the club, the last of them one J Hayne under unprecedented circumstances (ie after the previously sacrosanct cut off date). The governing body have the werewithal to ensure the side make the finals, although it must be said so far there's no suggestion of impropriety in match officiating involving them. The Hayne signing results in a significant crowd boost, increasing the saleability of the club immensely. Now they will sell them next year no doubt at a handsome profit. Then they'll do the same with the Knights.

I just wonder if corporate watchdogs (ACCC?) are keeping a keen eye on events. It has a bit of Dick Smith about it. The NRL need to be extremely careful IMO.

Yeah who on Earth would look to increase the value of their product before selling it? Madness!
 

flippikat

Bench
Messages
4,378
Anyone know if the Bears bid to buy the Titans is still being worked on..?

Was it really a serious bid in the first place, or just a media beat-up?
 

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
Yeah who on Earth would look to increase the value of their product before selling it? Madness!
There are ethical and non-ethical ways of achieving this. Any ways of increasing value that are not available to owners of the other teams, but instead rely on being the governing body, would come under non-ethical.
 

T-Boon

Coach
Messages
15,146
I think the clubs should be concerned about Todd Greenberg for numerous reasons such as what he got up to at Canterbury, the kinds of people he is friends with and why do News Limited like him so much. He should be punted.
 

taipan

Referee
Messages
22,402
There are ethical and non-ethical ways of achieving this. Any ways of increasing value that are not available to owners of the other teams, but instead rely on being the governing body, would come under non-ethical.

The club has a new headquarters at Park Wood,they have been strong for the year even prior to Hayne's arrival,they have a new board(Minus Searle) and the debacle of the Centre of Excellence is almost ancient history.If anything is unethical there I will eat my cap.
It is pretty obvious Hayne wanted to got to the Eels,but anyone in their right mind would hesitate with the dramas and uncertainty going on.The Titans had money under the cap(other clubs didn't),they had a 3rd party guy prepared to throw in $300,000 pa(which is under the NRL rules OK),I fail to see anything unethical there.
 

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
The Titans had money under the cap(other clubs didn't),they had a 3rd party guy prepared to throw in $300,000 pa(which is under the NRL rules OK),I fail to see anything unethical there.

On the surface it appears other clubs were free to bid for Hayne. But how could they know he was coming onto the market? Clubs had finalised their rosters for 2016 under the assumption that you could not recruit after 30 June, after all it had never been allowed before. So no-one else had space in their cap. It may be just coincidental that the Titans had enough cap space to sign Hurrell, Peats and Hayne, three topliners who just happened to come onto the market, but that's an awful lot of cap space. Was it just a coincidence? I don't know.

Anyway I don't think Hayne makes much difference to the value of the Titans beyond the remainder of this season. I don't recall Parramatta having massive crowds with him in their side in 2013-14 and he never turned them into an on-field powerhouse except briefly in 2009. He has marketing value but only for the next 2 years. An astute potential buyer will realise all this.
 

taipan

Referee
Messages
22,402
On the surface it appears other clubs were free to bid for Hayne. But how could they know he was coming onto the market? Clubs had finalised their rosters for 2016 under the assumption that you could not recruit after 30 June, after all it had never been allowed before. So no-one else had space in their cap. It may be just coincidental that the Titans had enough cap space to sign Hurrell, Peats and Hayne, three topliners who just happened to come onto the market, but that's an awful lot of cap space. Was it just a coincidence? I don't know.

Anyway I don't think Hayne makes much difference to the value of the Titans beyond the remainder of this season. I don't recall Parramatta having massive crowds with him in their side in 2013-14 and he never turned them into an on-field powerhouse except briefly in 2009. He has marketing value but only for the next 2 years. An astute potential buyer will realise all this.

They did not have the money under the cap.Of course they could bid what they could afford and that includes 3rd party,but who?
He was not a registered NRL player,like the Hurrells et al.Hurrell ,Peats were flicked,I suggest they would accept any decent figure offered.Really the Titans do not have any stars per se ,prior.

Hayne has already given a huge boost to merchandise sales,ticket sales this year,and no doubt membership next year.More sponsors want to come on board.Media coverage on the GC and Brisbane is far higher since his arrival,that adds value to sponsors and those looking to sponsor.
 

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
He was not a registered NRL player,like the Hurrells et al.Hurrell
I do understand this, but the situation was unprecedented and opens a can of worms that will bite the NRL somewhere down the track. It encourages players to leave the sport temporarily knowing they can come back under different conditions to existing players.
 

Burwood

Bench
Messages
4,769
There is certainly the potential for unethical behaviour in all of this. Look at the scenario. Governing body takes over basket case club, arranges and rubber stamps three mid-season marquee transfers to the club, the last of them one J Hayne under unprecedented circumstances (ie after the previously sacrosanct cut off date). The governing body have the werewithal to ensure the side make the finals, although it must be said so far there's no suggestion of impropriety in match officiating involving them. The Hayne signing results in a significant crowd boost, increasing the saleability of the club immensely. Now they will sell them next year no doubt at a handsome profit. Then they'll do the same with the Knights.

You've got it all around the wrong way. If what you said were true, the NRL would be bending over backwards now to help the Knights rather than the Titans. Afterall, Newcastle are the club that the NRL are going to be selling first.

As it stands, Newcastle have pretty much had no extra help from the NRL and are running on the smell of an oily rag. It would be pointless to try and help them in 2017 after they've already been sold.

I just think that the Titans have a competent board that has been able to take advantage of mid-season player signings this year.
 

AJB1102

First Grade
Messages
6,339
Clubs had finalised their rosters for 2016 under the assumption that you could not recruit after 30 June, after all it had never been allowed before.

I might have missed it but I don't recall any Club kicking up the slightest of stinks about Hayne signing post-June 30. This tells me they probably weren't under the assumption it wasn't allowed as any time a Club thinks another is getting a leg-up they cry foul pretty quick.
 

johnny plath

Juniors
Messages
385
I might have missed it but I don't recall any Club kicking up the slightest of stinks about Hayne signing post-June 30. This tells me they probably weren't under the assumption it wasn't allowed as any time a Club thinks another is getting a leg-up they cry foul pretty quick.
Players can be signed after June 30 for the following season, and I think happens a fair bit. The only issue that irked some people was that Hayne was able to play this season after signing post June 30.. I think that argument had a fair run and thank f**k is hopefully dead.
 

LESStar58

Referee
Messages
25,496
They need to be careful that the AFL don't buy the Titans. The AFL are clever and would do that to bury their opposition.

Whywould the AFL buy an NRL club? Let alone the Titans?

The AFL are pissing away money hand over fist to prop up their 2 teams to begin with.
 

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