Grothe wants to be a Wallaby
By Dean Ritchie and Peter Jenkins
March 22, 2007 PARRAMATTA star Eric Grothe is poised to become the second Australian rugby league star in a week to quit the NRL and join rugby union, in a deal worth $1.3 million.
Grothe is believed to be just days from agreeing a lucrative package worth up to $440,000 a season to represent New South Wales and Australia.
Grothe's imminent defection comes after Eels teammate Timana Tahu agreed to walk out on rugby league for the ARU at the end of this season.
The ARU will offer Grothe a base contract worth $280,000 a season.
Match incentives and Wallabies Test match payments will add $160,000 to the deal, taking Grothe's final figure to $440,000.
The ARU will put itsr final pitch to Grothe within days. And Grothe is keen to make the move.
"I'm 27 and want to tie up a three-year deal," Grothe said.
"It would be a big thing to play for the Wallabies, and an honour to play for a team like the Waratahs," Grothe said last night.
"It would be cool to be a Wallaby.
"It's a big buzz having the Wallabies show interest."
Aware of the massive money rugby is prepared to throw at Grothe, Parramatta may not make the wing an offer for next season.
Grothe will play this season with Parramatta before joining the Waratahs for 2008 and being groomed for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Parramatta chief executive Denis Fitzgerald is aware of rugby's interest in Grothe.
"We would like to keep Eric, however I doubt we could match the offer currently being put forward by rugby union," Fitzgerald said.
The offer to Grothe continues the Waratahs' search for a new generation of line-breaking backs.
"It would be a new challenge for me - I'm keen to listen to what they have to offer," Grothe said.
"I'm waiting for my manager to get back to me with some details."
Australia coach John Connolly has admitted the Wallabies need more speed and skill through their three-quarter line.
This, he says, is the reason the ARU hunted and signed Tahu this week to a four-year deal worth $2 million.
On the possible signing of Grothe, Connolly said: "I think he'd go very well as a rugby winger."
Grothe's manager, Andrew Purcell, was holidaying in Queensland and was uncontactable yesterday.
NRL chief executive David Gallop said rugby union continued to remain interested in poaching league players.
"It's not ideal but demonstrates how attractive our players are to their code," Gallop said.
"Equally, if they are determined to get a player, then they are able to throw a lot of cash at them.
"But the answer for rugby league is not to try and start coming up with extra payments - that will only lead to unfairness in the salary cap system.
"That would undermine the high quality of the NRL competition and even nature of our game."
