Rumoured and Confirmed signings - Part 4

[Luke Bowden]

The Furher will not change his mind.

I am backing To'o to get there.

Hey! We agree on something. I feel dirty.

 

[mxlegend99]

✕

DailyTelegraph ›


Panthers grant Dallin Watene-Zelezniak permission to speak to other clubs
May 23, 2019
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has been given permission by the Penrith Panthers to speak to rival clubs but his looming departure won’t solve the club’s salary cap crisis.

The Panthers on Wednesday confirmed that Watene-Zelezniak’s management had sought clearence for the flyer to negotiate with other teams.

It comes as the Kiwi skipper has asked for an immediate release despite having a season to run on his contract.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak wants out of Penrith. Picture: Mark Metcalfe
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As reported in Wednesday’s The Daily Telegraph, Watene-Zelezniak’s future at the Panthers is in doubt with the club shopping him to rivals Parramatta.

The Eels have room under the salary cap to accommodate the Kiwi back before June 30 should he receive a release from Penrith.

It’s understood the North Queensland Cowboys have also expressed interest in his services.

Penrith have been frantically attempting to move players like Watene-Zelezniak to clear space in the salary cap with a whopping 13 players under contract for at least another two years, among them some of their most costly commodities.

Headlined by Nathan Cleary, the club also has long-term deals with Waqa Blake, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Wayde Egan, James Fisher-Harris, Jack Hetherington, Jarome Luai, Viliame Kikau, Liam Martin, Josh Mansour, Dean Whare and Isaah Yeo.

A conservative estimate would suggest those 12 players would be chewing up more than $5 million of the salary cap. It could be more. Much more.

That leaves about $4 million for the remaining 18 players they are required to have on their roster by June 30. What they have is what they have got, not just for next season but beyond.

Even if the Panthers manage to move Watene-Zelezniak, they will be forced to chip in a reasonable chunk of his salary given suggestions his contract pays him in excess of $700,000 next season.


As good as he is, no-one will pay that for Watene-Zelezniak even if he ends up at fullback somewhere.

Mansour has lobbed on the radar of some clubs. James Maloney, off contract at the end of next season, has been regularly linked with an early move to England.

Dylan Edwards, another off contract at the end of next season and once touted as the club’s long-term No.1, has been made available.

The Panthers are in freefall and their response has been a free-for-all. Against that backdrop, Cleary is attempting to inject some belief in a squad that has been miles off the pace over the opening 10 rounds.

News that Watene-Zelezniak wants a release comes as he has been dropped from both the Panthers’ NRL and Canterbury Cup teams due to form.

The 23-year-old has produced reasonable form in his 10 games so far this season with one try and 1202 running metres.

But Penrith coach Ivan Cleary has decided to omit the Hamilton-born flyer from all grades following last week’s 30-10 loss to the New Zealand Warriors.

Interestingly, he will join his brother Malakai Watene-Zelezniak on the sidelines this weekend.

Malakai, who isn’t off-contract until the end of the 2020 season, also isn’t playing in the NRL or the NSW Canterbury Cup ranks.

He hasn’t played first grade since Penrith’s 30-12 loss to Canberra in round 8 due to a rib injury.

It’s understood Malakai has fielded offers to play in the English Super League.

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He wants to leave... and we are supposed to cover his salary?

If he wants a release he shouldn't get a cent from us. If we are shopping him around that's different. But our press release suggested he wanted out.

Would be incredibly poor management to release one of our best at his request and then cover half his salary at a new club. Sounds like us though.

 

[BxTom]

If DWZ wants to leave of his own volition, there is no way the clubs needs to pay any of his wage, that's just typical Daily Toilet paper crap.

 

[Fangs]

I’ll tell you what, if his contract does pay him 700k next season, then Phil Gould needs to be hung, drawn & quartered. He made a big deal out of back ended deals being bad when he got here.

I was just going to say the same thing.

Big Gus fan, but that is an appalling figure if true. I always thought he'd be on about 300k and was happy to let him go a few years back if he got a better offer.

What happened to not paying wingers more than 500k? He is not Semi Radradra.

And as a fullback, the only player who could command that number over the last 10 years would be Moylan. DWZ never will be that kind of player. None of our other fullbacks have come close.

 

[betcats]

I think we want him to leave as much as he wants out. We will end up paying someone to take him. If we don’t we are stuck with a 700k winger who doesn’t get on with the squad.

 

[BxTom]

I think we want him to leave as much as he wants out. We will end up paying someone to take him. If we don’t we are stuck with a 700k winger who doesn’t get on with the squad.

I doubt that he is getting 700k. Gus is on record saying wingers are not worth that much

 

[Panther Mick]

I doubt that he is getting 700k. Gus is on record saying wingers are not worth that much

Gus is also on record stating Moylan would see out his contract. Among other lies told.

 

[betcats]

I doubt that he is getting 700k. Gus is on record saying wingers are not worth that much

I hope so, that’s crazy money.

 

[TheFrog]

Three possibilities-

1. Telegraph are talking shite or
2. DWZ's contract is heavily backended or
3. All of the above.

Gus has been critical of clubs that backend deals such as the Bulldogs, and said on his podcasts that he doesn't do that, apart from slightly. I dunno, the Telecrap do talk shite, but Gus is known to be a bit of an artist as well. I reckon he's a $350k player, not a penny more, and only that because he can cover FB.

 

[Kilkenny]

I don’t understand why we place any credence on certain media statements around what players are being paid. In the vast majority of cases only the player himself, his management, club management and perhaps the players wife know what any given player is being paid. Jimmy Smith wouldn’t have a clue what DWZ is being paid yet most are happy to base posts around the $700K contract supposedly back ended. I don’t get it. DWZ market value probably in the $400K bracket and good luck to him if he gets anywhere near that in the future post 2020 because he has probably peaked and is certainly not in the elite or top quality player category.

 

[Bodhi]

The sad thing is we need more guys with his beliefs and to build a culture around players like him. Not grubby pissheads more interested in partying and gambling with their careers.

This. It's his personal qualities and how he conducts himself away from footy that the fans, club and most importantly, the juniors coming through are going to miss. And it can't be stressed enough how important an influence people like him can be. I remember reading a Tyrone Peachey interview last year where he said the thing he loves about our club is that quite a few of the guys are all young parents and they love taking tips of each other and hanging out together. We seem to be moving away from that now towards a party culture. How things have changed so dramatically in such a short span.

 

[mxlegend99]

This. It's his personal qualities and how he conducts himself away from footy that the fans, club and most importantly, the juniors coming through are going to miss. And it can't be stressed enough how important an influence people like him can be. I remember reading a Tyrone Peachey interview last year where he said the thing he loves about our club is that quite a few of the guys are all young parents and they love taking tips of each other and hanging out together. We seem to be moving away from that now towards a party culture. How things have changed so dramatically in such a short span.

This guy has captained his country and still makes time to go volunteer as an official at junior matches. Even if he's playing the same day.

He might be hot headed on the field.. which for mine can be a good thing in a team with no one willing to fire up. But off the field there's not a nicer bloke. My kids play for the same junior club he did and have met him and his brother at junior events. There's seriously no better player at our team for young kids to look up to. I wish him the best wherever he goes. Unlike many here I still like many of former players and hope they do well every week they aren't facing us.

 

[Luke Bowden]

I love DWZ, always have, outstanding bloke on and off the field.

But if he wants out, we gotta let him go.

We need players who are 100% committed or we won’t turn the club around.

All the best DWZ, I wish you nothing but success.

 

[franklin2323]

I don’t understand why we place any credence on certain media statements around what players are being paid. In the vast majority of cases only the player himself, his management, club management and perhaps the players wife know what any given player is being paid. Jimmy Smith wouldn’t have a clue what DWZ is being paid yet most are happy to base posts around the $700K contract supposedly back ended. I don’t get it. DWZ market value probably in the $400K bracket and good luck to him if he gets anywhere near that in the future post 2020 because he has probably peaked and is certainly not in the elite or top quality player category.

He didn't make it figures. Where he got it from is the key. Did another club leak it in an attempt to get us to pay part of the freight? Or maybe he and DWZ have the same manager who tipped him off to get a payrise?

There is always motive behind such figures leaked

 

[Panther Mick]

Three possibilities-

1. Telegraph are talking shite or
2. DWZ's contract is heavily backended or
3. All of the above.

Gus has been critical of clubs that backend deals such as the Bulldogs, and said on his podcasts that he doesn't do that, apart from slightly. I dunno, the Telecrap do talk shite, but Gus is known to be a bit of an artist as well. I reckon he's a $350k player, not a penny more, and only that because he can cover FB.

I wonder if there is another scenario.
A few weeks back Parra scared of losing Guth reach out to Penrith or Dallin's manager about a possible offer to play FB or right centre (if Guth stays), either this year or next year. They think the current NZ captain is wasted as a winger. The ball starts rolling.
Maybe Parra float figures Dallin is surprised given he is on less? Penrith balk at an upgrade when his manager informs Penrith of interest and we tell Dallin he can stay if he wants too on his current deal but if he gets a better deal elsewhere adios.
Guth re-signs.
The figure of $700k is being used as bait right now in the media for another club possibly Parra or North Qld.

 

[Pomoz]

When you look at DWZ career stats as a winger, it really stands out that he doesn't score or create that many tries. Look at these stats:

Tries: Highest 12 in 2016. Average is 8 per year.
Line Breaks: 12 in 2016 and 2017 Average is 9.8 per year.
Try assists: 4 in 2018. Average is 2 per year.

His tackle efficiency is 73% on average. The only thing he does really well at is gain metres. He averages 132m every season.

What he brings to a team is best summed up as yardage. If you look at our team we don't struggle with yardage. We camp in the red zone. What we struggle with is tries. I think DWZ will be more valuable to another team that needs yardage and scores plenty of tries. That ain't us.

 

[Kilkenny]

He didn't make it figures. Where he got it from is the key. Did another club leak it in an attempt to get us to pay part of the freight? Or maybe he and DWZ have the same manager who tipped him off to get a payrise?

There is always motive behind such figures leaked

No one needs to leak anything, the media pundits just pluck figures out of there arse to suit there narrative.

When a player changes club the narrative around the story ist how so and so has signed a three year deal which is worth 1.5M. The only thing the media know is the length of the deal. They have no idea at all about the true value of the contract but they have to put a figure on the story so they can 't say, "so and so has signed a three year deal and is being well paid".

 

[Kilkenny]

I wonder if there is another scenario.
A few weeks back Parra scared of losing Guth reach out to Penrith or Dallin's manager about a possible offer to play FB or right centre (if Guth stays), either this year or next year. They think the current NZ captain is wasted as a winger. The ball starts rolling.
Maybe Parra float figures Dallin is surprised given he is on less? Penrith balk at an upgrade when his manager informs Penrith of interest and we tell Dallin he can stay if he wants too on his current deal but if he gets a better deal elsewhere adios.
Guth re-signs.
The figure of $700k is being used as bait right now in the media for another club possibly Parra or North Qld.

I think you'll find the truth is far less complex. Dallin is disgruntled and has been a been a destablizing influence on the dressing room. He need's a change given his desire to play fullback and we need a change in terms of fresh wingers & salary cap space.

As Pomoz stated in another post DWZ did his best work bringing the ball back from inside our own 20. Unfornately for us and DWZ the betters wingers in the game do there best work in the opposition half/red zone.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

I think you'll find the truth is far less complex. Dallin is disgruntled and has been a been a destablizing influence on the dressing room. He need's a change given his desire to play fullback and we need a change in terms of fresh wingers & salary cap space.

As Pomoz stated in another post DWZ did his best work bringing the ball back from inside our own 20. Unfornately for us and DWZ the betters wingers in the game do there best work in the opposition half/red zone.

Some interesting thoughts I hadn't considered especially about the 'red zone'

 

[franklin2323]

No one needs to leak anything, the media pundits just pluck figures out of there arse to suit there narrative.

When a player changes club the narrative around the story ist how so and so has signed a three year deal which is worth 1.5M. The only thing the media know is the length of the deal. They have no idea at all about the true value of the contract but they have to put a figure on the story so they can 't say, "so and so has signed a three year deal and is being well paid".

Who sets the narrative though?

For example. Someone leaked this story to DT originally. You don't think the journo would ask details like contract length or amount?

Whether or not that info is correct who knows