Ben Ross - Will he stay or will he go ?

[Military Shark]

BEN Ross has held urgent talks with Sharks coach Ricky Stuart fearing his career at Cronulla is over.
The development emerged yesterday following a horror month for the Cronulla prop that included:
*Losing 9kg in two weeks from a serious illness to be the lightest he's been in almost 10 years
*Being overlooked by Queensland Origin selectors
* Rumours he's unwanted in the Shire
* Having his $60,000 utility stolen.
Amid claims his $400,000-a-year contract could be torn up, Ross spoke to The Sunday Telegraph about the most tumultuous month of his career.
"It's been extremely hard,'' he said.
"I've been talking to my mum and dad and my girl about what's going on in my life ... it's a month I'd love to forget.
"If I end up getting told to leave the Sharks, I don't know what I'm going to do. I love the club, I never want to leave the Sharks. It's my life here now.
"I was looking to buy a house but I've just got to sit back and see where I'm going.
"Next year's uncertain and I keep telling my girl that I don't know if I'll be at Cronulla.
"The boys ask me what's going on and in my head I want to stay but my gut feeling is that I won't be here next year.''
Tormented by speculation over his future, Ross was to meet with Stuart yesterday.
He also revealed that a severe case of the mumps had battered him physically. Ross was violently ill following the Sharks' 13-12 golden-point loss to the Roosters two weeks ago.
He returned to training for the first time on Thursday and remains in doubt for tomorrow night's clash with the Dragons.
"I must have played with it on the Saturday night because a couple of days after that, anything I ate just came straight back up,'' Ross said.
"I've got bile burns on my lips from where I spewed non-stop.
"I've never felt that bad before. I dropped to 103kg ... I'm slowly putting it back on now.
"It's a month that I can't leave behind quick enough with everything that's going on ... andmy car being stolen. I hope to turn it around.''
It's understood Newcastle and his former club St George Illawarra head a healthy list of options for Ross should the Sharks let him go.
Despite his determination to stay with Cronulla, Ross admitted the Dragons' interest had appeal.
"They're a strong team and as far as proximity to the Shire, it would suit,'' Ross said.
"But the bottom line is I just want to play for the Sharks right now. I know I still have plenty to offer and I haven't given up hope of playing in the last Origin game.
"All I know is that everything I do on the field right now, I'll be busting a gut for the club.

 

[Military Shark]

He lost 9Kg in two weeks, how do I get mumps ?

 

[Inferno]

Didn't Bails loose about the same last year when he had a broken Jaw?

I think the weight loss will be good for him to be honest.

 

[spider]

He lost 9Kg in two weeks, how do I get mumps ?

dehydration would attribute to about 6 of those kg's lost - which he will put back on within a week

how about he gets on the field and shows he wants to remain at sharks

instead of just talking it up in the media

as for him still recovering from the knee - crap

he has shown signs of running hard and hitting the line again this season

 

[wittyfan]

Ben needs to get tough and get out of the social pages.

At $400,000 per year he's grossly overpaid.

 

[Inferno]

Bingo Spidey.

You want to stay, prove it. And he can start by battering the crap out of those hopeless stains.

 

[Since 73]

His appearance on the Footy show the other week wasn't real impressive.
Obviously guys are shy on TV, but he came over like a bloke with little confidence and didn't speak with any real passion about his game.

I agree if you are getting paid 400k to do a job, don't worry about talking it over with mum and dad and your girl, just bust some heads.
Start with Ryles.

 

[Military Shark]

IMO he has been going alright.
I didn't think he was playing much better when he was at Penrith. Is it because we paid well over the going rate for him that we expect him to be our forward saviour ? Maybe he was never that good to start with ?

 

[Military Shark]

If another club wants him for next year how much of his 400k will still be paying per year ?
Wasnt Todd Payton being paid by three clubs at some stage ?

 

[spider]

IMO he has been going alright.
I didn't think he was playing much better when he was at Penrith. Is it because we paid well over the going rate for him that we expect him to be our forward saviour ? Maybe he was never that good to start with ?

lol - for a second there i thought i was trapped in a noddy thread if you remove 2 words

 

[McLovin]

Didn't Bails loose about the same last year when he had a broken Jaw?

I think the weight loss will be good for him to be honest.

Yeah, i agree. Ricky loves a mobile prop...

 

[Stonecutter]

If we lose Ross next year, our prop depth will be running dangerously low unless Sticky has a few key signings lined up for next year.

 

[cheese]

He's massively over paid, but he's also a f**king good player i reckon.

I can understand that he's sapping alot of our cap. But i'm not sure if f**king him off with no real replacement in sight is a good option.

I'd retain him tbh. He reminds of stevo.

 

[spider]

maybe its all been portrayed in the wrong light

it may well be them bringing ross back to his best

hopefully it motivates ross and he starts to trample blokes again

he has shown his knee is up to it physically

maybe the mental part is what needs the final touch

 

[hammo1405]

All I can say is thank Christ that article's from the Telegraph.

I'm prepared to give Ross the second half of the season to show us what he's made of, if he doesn't come up trumps, then f**k him off. If he hits his straps he'd probably be our ebst forward with the possible exception of Birdy. But he needs to hit them.

"I dropped to 103 kg" ... lovin' it

 

[black,white & blue]

In the Brisbane paper today he said something like I want to know where I stand etc. He didn't care either way footy players move around more today etc if they pay him out it's "just like a lotto win".

Now if I paid his salary and heard him saying that I wouldn't be too happy. He would be playing park footy for the next 3 years or till he had some respect for the club. I guess letting a guy play park footy at 400k a year would be crazy.

 

[Sheros los Deros]

Didn't Bails loose about the same last year when he had a broken Jaw?

I think the weight loss will be good for him to be honest.

Garbage. The loss of fitness and muscle wastage due to lack of exercise would be a mjor setback to his fitness and strength.

 

[Inferno]

You lose fat a hell of a lot faster than you lose muscle.

 

[Frenzy.]

Don't worry about making him prove it on the field.

The club should put it on him in fiscal terms.

"Ben, look it's like this, take a 30% pay cut and you're welcome to stay"

Get him down to what his market value REALLY was and not have us paying him from the pension fund.

 

[Inferno]

Hard though when he has a joker up his sleeve. He can always take the Hannay route and go play park footy. I wouldn't be enthralled with the option if I was him, but at 400k a year I reckon I could live with it.

I also don't think Sticky would want to pawn him off on another club and be paying him 50 - 100k of his contract, which is bound to happen because no other club except us was dumb enough to pay him 400k+.