Orford drums up interest in UK
By Steve Mascord and Greg Prichard
April 1, 2005
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A rock promoter who manages British band The Coral has offered to underwrite an offer from Warrington worth up to $700,000 a year for Melbourne halfback Matt Orford.
Orford's agent, George Mimis, last night confirmed Warrington were one of several English Super League clubs that had expressed interest in the 26-year-old, who is off contract at the end of the season.
"We're deep in discussion with Melbourne in regards to Matt," Mimis said. "[But] the English market, including Warrington, has expressed very, very strong interest in his services. Warrington are one of probably five clubs who are interested."
Mimis said he was aware of the involvement of concert promoter and band manager Simon Moran, a Wolves fan since childhood who now is the club's majority shareholder. Moran already does business with Orford's management company, SFX, in London.
Warrington chief executive Andrew Gatcliffe said: "I think it's fair to say that Warrington Wolves are continuing to invest in our first-team squad. There would be a number of potential players we would endeavour to bring to Warrington ... Matt Orford's name is certainly one of those that has been discussed."
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A source at another British club said it had received a proposal that Orford go to England for one year and then return to link with Gold Coast should it be re-admitted to the premiership in 2007.
Orford said last night he was hoping to stay with the Storm. "I know the club did allow my manager earlier in the year to have a look overseas and see what is happening," he said. "But I didn't know if anyone got back to him. I wouldn't want to go to a struggling club ... when you do make a massive move like that, you've got to consider everything - not just the money."
Another possible Gold Coast halfback is Parramatta's Tim Smith, who is from that area and is a key to the Eels' hopes tonight against Penrith.
"He is certainly a priority for us - we have invested quite a lot of time and resources in him since he was a schoolboy," said Eels general manager Greg Mitchell.
In other news, embattled Warriors coach Tony Kemp has come as close as possible to being fined without actually being censured for breaking the league's rules on public comments by coaches, players and officials about referees.
NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said yesterday the club had been given a stern warning over Kemp's comments after the loss to North Queensland last Sunday.
The league had been waiting for a video of the post-match media conference from Sky TV and it arrived only yesterday.
"Tony Kemp began the media conference by saying the NRL gags coaches from commenting about the performance of the referee and that is simply wrong," Annesley said. "The NRL doesn't gag coaches.
"We allow them to give their view of the referee's performance as long as they are not abusive and do not attack the referee's integrity.
"The coach, on this occasion, obviously didn't understand the rules - even though the rules were reinforced at the annual general conference in December, and at the coaches' meeting in February - and after making his opening statement he made veiled references along a similar line at other times during the media conference.
"His comments were ill-founded and he came as close as he could to receiving a breach notice without getting one. The Warriors were fortunate that was as far as it went."
Warriors centre Tony Martin is out for at least a month with a bulging disc in his back. Martin's manager, Jim Banaghan, said his client would need another examination at the end of that period.
The New Zealand Rugby League is likely to make a further submission to the ARL about having a Kiwi Origin game next year. National coach Daniel Anderson has revealed the North v South game would be played about two weeks before next year's Anzac Test, on a Friday night. Players would not have to be stood down from club matches.
