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- From: The Australian
- May 05, 2011 12:00AM
Rabbitohs halfback Chris Sandow has signed a four-year deal to play with Parramatta from next season. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Australian
LESS than a month after failing to get the prized signature of supercoach Wayne Bennett, South Sydney owner Russell Crowe has lost out again as halfback Chris Sandow spurned the Rabbitohs to sign a lucrative contract at Parramatta.
The Australian understands Crowe spoke to Sandow on Tuesday and all but received assurances he was remaining at Redfern before the Souths No 7 backflipped by the time chief executive Shane Richardson tried to seal the deal.
Crowe was obviously unhappy at the move after tweeting yesterday "Chris Sandow to Parramatta at $550k a year" and it is understood the Rabbitohs will be pushing the NRL to examine Sandow's contract with the same level of scrutiny it did over their deal with Greg Inglis.
Sandow admitted Crowe would be upset by his decision to sign a four-year deal at the Eels, given Souths saved his career by signing him in 2008 after he had been sacked by the Gold Coast for repeated off-field misdemeanours.
"He had a few words to me, he basically wanted me to stay but he said what's best for me," Sandow said.
"He's going to be upset, but he's there on the side just to talk to me, giving me a hand.
"He said if I go ahead and go to Parramatta he'll still be my mate, but it's my choice."
Richardson was also disappointed at Sandow's decision and in a statement yesterday said the Rabbitohs halfback "had met his Alan Bond" - a reference to Kerry Packer's famous saying, at making millions from first selling and then buying back the Nine Network.
The move leaves the Rabbitohs without a halfback for next season. While Craig Gower or Brett Finch seem obvious targets, there was speculation last night the club could go after Wests Tigers utility Tim Moltzen.
"We worked on this deal for about four or five weeks and we're disappointed to hear that he's going to Parramatta," Richardson said.
"The price was just too high and as I said, only one Alan Bond comes along in your life."
Sandow had to have the Bond reference explained to him by the media at training yesterday and while he confirmed the security of his family was important, he maintained his decision wasn't solely about money.
That line is familiar to Souths after Bennett said his next move would be based on challenge rather than money - before being lured by the millions on offer from Nathan Tinkler at Newcastle.
"No it's not about the cash," Sandow said. "I just want a new journey, new start for my life and hopefully I play good footy there, but I'm still a South Sydney Rabbitoh until the end of 2011."
While South Sydney was bitter over his departure, Parramatta finally had a recruitment to crow about after missing out on several other high-profile players including Melbourne duo Adam Blair and Cooper Cronk, and Wallaby Quade Cooper.
There will still be plenty of pressure on Sandow to deliver on his hefty price tag - it has been speculated he signed a $1.6 million deal over four years - given the Eels are rebuilding under new coach Stephen Kearney and are languishing near the bottom of the table.
Chief executive Paul Osborne did not want to discuss Sandow's remuneration, but dismissed Crowe's tweet that the deal was worth $550,000 a year.
"The way Souths reacted today is just really unprofessional," Osborne said. "We've missed out on players . . . I was advised by his management that the offers were very close."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...on-russell-crowe/story-e6frg7mf-1226050078480
