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Player swap Norman for Widdop

Brutalitops

Juniors
Messages
2,333
Easiest yes for a swap I've heard in recent memory. Even if we pay half of Norman's salary that's a net gain overall.

Have felt recently that as the team slowly built form in recent weeks, Norman was weighing down those around him and stifling their ability to improve further. I thought Widdop was the missing ingredient to the current team.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,093
Make it happen you muppets.

Telegraph are reporting Widdop to return to Dragons next year to replace Norman.

Plans are in place for former skipper Gareth Widdop to make a shock St George Illawarra homecoming just 12 months after leaving the club in a mooted player swap with out of favour five-eighth Corey Norman.

Widdop has reached out to Dragons officials in recent weeks flagging the potential of returning to the club next season because of personal reasons just one year into a four year deal at Warrington.

That has paved the way for the Dragons to off-load Norman in a direct player swap with the English club coached by ex-St George Illawarra mentor Steve Price.

Widdop was released from the final two years of his Dragons contract worth about $1.8 at the end of last year. As part of the early exit, St George Illawarra received first rights on Widdop’s services should the 31-year-old opt to return to Australia. It seems that move could happen sooner than either party envisaged.

Widdop is expected to explore other options in Australia if the Dragons are unable to move on Norman. It is understood Warrington are lukewarm to the proposal.

Norman has dramatically fallen out of favour with the Dragons. Just 12 months after making his Origin debut for Queensland he was sensationally axed in favour of rookie half Adam Clune by Dragons coach Paul McGregor ahead of the club’s must-win game against the Roosters on Thursday.
News Corp has learnt discussions about the player swap have ramped up in the past couple of days. St George Illawarra have offered Norman to rival NRL clubs in recent weeks but there has been little interest in taking up the final year of his $850,000 contract.

England looms as the only option for the 29-year-old to secure a long-term deal and Warrington – who signed Greg Inglis from next season – have Widdop’s contract money available.

Widdop and Norman share the same manager. Widdop captained the Dragons up until last season where he made it known he wanted to pursue a dream of playing in England while still in his prime. His final season was plagued by an ongoing shoulder injury restricting him to just 10 matches. Norman, who joined the club last season after being released by Parramatta, played his 200th top grade game in St George Illawarra’s last-start loss to South Sydney.

The Dragons could also lose boom young winger Jason Saab at season’s end after his manager and the club met on Tuesday. St George Illawarra will give the 19-year-old permission to negotiate with rival clubs with the likes of Manly, Wests Tigers and Canterbury set to make a play. The Dragons are seeking a player in return.

Saab is contracted until the end of 2022 but has agitated for a release on multiple occasions this year. The club denied him a mid-season exit. Saab has grown tired of the commute from Merrylands to Wollongong for training and wants to move to a club closer to the family home.

He has made four NRL appearances this year but has been overlooked for a wing spot to play the Roosters behind Mikaele Ravalawa and Jordan Pereira.

The Dragons have Euan Aitken, Jack de Belin, Jacob Host and Tristan Sailor off-contract at season’s end.

In-form centre Zac Lomax said the team understands their season is all but on the line on Thursday.

“We’re aware that we need to perform from now on in,” Lomax said. “We need to perform in each game, but there’s a little bit more we’re playing for right now. We can’t afford to lose many more games at the moment. We’ve been able to put together a good 40, or a good 30, but we’ve got to put the whole game together, a full 80 minutes, if we’re going to match it with these good teams.”

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...n/news-story/f5d6e2bfd2cafe6fb412eb37de867857
 

Coffs dragon

Bench
Messages
4,247
I’d welcome him back in a heartbeat and he is a major improvement on the Norman dud.
You got to wonder why the sudden change of heart to want to return back to Oz after walking out on the club to finish his career in his birth country.
I strongly suspect.......Happy Wife = Happy Life
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,093
I’d welcome him back in a heartbeat and he is a major improvement on the Norman dud.
You got to wonder why the sudden change of heart to want to return back to Oz after walking out on the club to finish his career in his birth country.
I strongly suspect.......Happy Wife = Happy Life

It was debated here at length mate. Not sure if u recall.
Whether it happens or not, i'm unsure, but he / the family does want to return to the life they had from what i know.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Dragons plot swap deal for under-fire Norman with Widdop targeted to return
Dragons
8a4bce8b2e3ab214423000499e4df82b

Corey Norman looks onSource: Getty Images
The Dragons are reportedly discussing a shock move that would see Corey Norman leave the club as part of a swap deal with former playmaker Gareth Widdop.

Norman, who made his State of Origin debut for Queensland last year, was dropped for this week’s clash with the Roosters.


Norman, 29, is off contract next year and previously been linked with a move to England.

The Dragons playmaker has been the focus of plenty of criticism as a consequence of the side’s failure to make the finals last year with this season’s top eight looking unlikely once more.


781816_640x360_large_20200804190442.jpg

Widdop to return to Dragons?


And now, according toThe Daily Telegraph, moves are afoot to get a swap deal done.

Widdop, who is currently contracted to Warrington in the Super League, left the Dragons last season to return to his native England and finish his career.



a069d3d1340457dca2377c149bf2d453

Gareth Widdop is currently with WarringtonSource: Getty Images
Earlier this year Widdop hinted that he may be tempted to return to the NRL.

“If I was to go back to Australia, who knows,” said Widdop. “It might be in five or six years or it might be three years.

“Who knows where my journey will take me.

“But I’m just really excited that Warrington have given me this opportunity now and I am really looking forward to the next couple of years ahead.”

Speaking on NRL360, The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Kent said: “Gareth Widdop has reached out to the Dragons about a possible return to the Dragons.

“Steve Price who is now the Warrington coach has been involved in the discussions so we wait and see.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/ee78c965bb900841eef14554e8ce3936
 

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,406
8BBEE8B0-05A9-4201-AFF4-DE256075559D.jpeg

“ Oops ! I actually just done a ‘Russell Packer ‘ puss on the field when I heard that . See the smile on my face - now do you reallllly believe that I am unhappy here ? “
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
‘All over the shop’ and ‘clutching at straws’: Why Norman-Widdop swap reflects Dragons mess
NRL Premiership
zac_rayson.jpg

  • August 4, 2020 7:43pm
  • Zac Rayson
  • Source: FOX SPORTS
8d731097760ded703e710caf9e13fc8c

Gareth Widdop and Corey Norman could be swapping teams for next season.Source: FOX SPORTS
The bombshell report that the Dragons are in talks over a potential swap deal involving Corey Norman and former playmaker Gareth Widdop has left the NRL in shock – but there’s fierce debate over whether the move is a good one for the club.

The NRL360 panel said the news ‘fits the theme’ of the ‘all over the shop’ St George Illawarra club – while Paul Crawley believes the Dragons must prove what they ‘stand for’ by rejecting Widdop after he walked out on them last year.


The Daily Telegraph report of the swap came after news 29-year-old Norman was dropped for this week’s clash against the Roosters.

Ben Ikin said on Fox League: “Norman (was) dropped this week. It’s seeming to me his career is coming to an end with the Red V.”

And Paul Kent revealed the club had offered the former State of Origin playmaker to a number of NRL rivals.

“They’ve been privately shopping around Corey Norman to other NRL clubs. There’s been, I would say, tepid interest from the other clubs about taking him on.

“He’s on $850k a year which the Dragons inherited from Parramatta’s contract. It’s a lot of freight to take with you as far as a contract goes.”

But he said the swap was a solid option for the side: “A lot’s got to happen, but in principal it sounds like a good deal.”


Brent Read agreed, saying: “I like the trade though … Gareth Widdop’s a good player, he’s a leader. Provided he’s over the shoulder problems, I quite like the swap.

“The way Corey Norman’s playing, you can’t get much worse!”

But his fellow panellists weren’t so sure, given Widdop’s ugly exit from the club.

Paul Crawley said: “Everything about the Dragons is all over the shop at the minute. Seriously, Gareth Widdop was the bloke last year that wanted to get out of the final two years of his contract.

“[He] Let the club down, pretty much forced them into going to find a replacement that was Corey Norman. And now they’re going to bring him back at 31?

“He’s a gun player, Gareth Widdop, when he’s on. But what does your business stand for? He walked out on them, he left them in the lurch, and now you’re taking him back.”

Ben Ikin responded, saying the news showed the club was struggling with a lack of a clear direction: “This fits with the theme of the Dragons … The Dragons at the moment, there’s so much uncertainty.”

Paul Kent agreed with that prognosis, saying: “I don’t know if they’ve got anybody that’s really steering the ship there at the moment. They’re a club that’s clutching at straws with their decision making.

“They let him go because he wanted to return home. He’s been back 12 months and now he wants to come back?”


https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/ef1e72f6871684f3e9390b28edf0bdee
 
Messages
2,866
‘All over the shop’ and ‘clutching at straws’: Why Norman-Widdop swap reflects Dragons mess
NRL Premiership
zac_rayson.jpg

  • August 4, 2020 7:43pm
  • Zac Rayson
  • Source: FOX SPORTS
8d731097760ded703e710caf9e13fc8c

Gareth Widdop and Corey Norman could be swapping teams for next season.Source: FOX SPORTS
The bombshell report that the Dragons are in talks over a potential swap deal involving Corey Norman and former playmaker Gareth Widdop has left the NRL in shock – but there’s fierce debate over whether the move is a good one for the club.

The NRL360 panel said the news ‘fits the theme’ of the ‘all over the shop’ St George Illawarra club – while Paul Crawley believes the Dragons must prove what they ‘stand for’ by rejecting Widdop after he walked out on them last year.


The Daily Telegraph report of the swap came after news 29-year-old Norman was dropped for this week’s clash against the Roosters.

Ben Ikin said on Fox League: “Norman (was) dropped this week. It’s seeming to me his career is coming to an end with the Red V.”

And Paul Kent revealed the club had offered the former State of Origin playmaker to a number of NRL rivals.

“They’ve been privately shopping around Corey Norman to other NRL clubs. There’s been, I would say, tepid interest from the other clubs about taking him on.

“He’s on $850k a year which the Dragons inherited from Parramatta’s contract. It’s a lot of freight to take with you as far as a contract goes.”

But he said the swap was a solid option for the side: “A lot’s got to happen, but in principal it sounds like a good deal.”


Brent Read agreed, saying: “I like the trade though … Gareth Widdop’s a good player, he’s a leader. Provided he’s over the shoulder problems, I quite like the swap.

“The way Corey Norman’s playing, you can’t get much worse!”

But his fellow panellists weren’t so sure, given Widdop’s ugly exit from the club.

Paul Crawley said: “Everything about the Dragons is all over the shop at the minute. Seriously, Gareth Widdop was the bloke last year that wanted to get out of the final two years of his contract.

“[He] Let the club down, pretty much forced them into going to find a replacement that was Corey Norman. And now they’re going to bring him back at 31?

“He’s a gun player, Gareth Widdop, when he’s on. But what does your business stand for? He walked out on them, he left them in the lurch, and now you’re taking him back.”

Ben Ikin responded, saying the news showed the club was struggling with a lack of a clear direction: “This fits with the theme of the Dragons … The Dragons at the moment, there’s so much uncertainty.”

Paul Kent agreed with that prognosis, saying: “I don’t know if they’ve got anybody that’s really steering the ship there at the moment. They’re a club that’s clutching at straws with their decision making.

“They let him go because he wanted to return home. He’s been back 12 months and now he wants to come back?”


https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/ef1e72f6871684f3e9390b28edf0bdee
Welcoming Widdop back is akin to in breeding.
He broke his contract while he was captain and buggered off back to England.
His form over there was nothing to write home about and now he suddenly wants to come back and play for St.George.
Norman has to go for sure but let's move on from an aging Widdop with a medical history.
 
Last edited:

Steel Saints

Juniors
Messages
802
I prefer no swap deal. Widdop was great to watch when he was in form. But he is 31 and was becoming injury prone towards the end of his time in the Red V.

The club should be offloading Norman. Maybe offer to pay half of his salary next year. Now is the time for the club to have faith with the likes of Clune, Sailor and in a year or two, Sullivan.

If Widdop comes back, we could be losing Sailor and Sullivan.
 

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