Tight fit for Dragons' salary cap
BY MICHAEL CHAMMAS
09 Jun, 2011 04:00 AM
Long-serving St George Illawarra centre Matt Cooper may be forced to take a significant pay cut to remain a Dragon for life if Darius Boyd decides to stay at the club next season.
Negotiations between Cooper's manager George Mimis and Dragons chief Peter Doust remain at loggerheads, with the club holding off on agreeing to a contract extension before Boyd announces his plans for 2012.
A source within the Dragons was quick to shut down growing rumours Cooper would be forced out of the club to retain Boyd, insisting there would be enough room in the salary cap to retain both players.
But with Mark Gasnier on a back-ended deal and all of St George Illawarra's representative stars secured for next season, Boyd's signature will make it extremely difficult for Cooper to demand the money he would attract if he was to assess all his options.
However, at the start of the season, Cooper told the Mercury the door had well and truly closed on his English Super League ambitions and he was hellbent on finishing his career a one-club man.
Boyd, who is also managed by Mimis, agreed to a new three-year deal with the Dragons early this year.
But a clause in his contract allows the 23-year-old to leave if coach Wayne Bennett departs.
If Boyd was to follow his mentor to Newcastle or reunite with the Broncos next season, his departure would free up substantial space in the cap, allowing the Dragons to offer Cooper what he's worth.
It is understood Cooper's retirement from representative football may have been used as a bargaining chip in his bid to secure a new deal with the Origin-depleted Dragons.
During the preseason, the veteran centre expressed his desire to play in this year's Origin series, but when contract negotiations began, the 32-year-old backflipped on his plans and announced his retirement from representative football.Boyd is hoping to make a decision on his future by the end of the month.
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/...tight-fit-for-dragons-salary-cap/2189791.aspx
No new information really but a flicker of hope Boyd will stay.