cronullashark
Juniors
- Messages
- 770
Stuart weighing Tuqiri option
By Brent Read and Wayne Smith
February 26, 2007
LOTE Tuqiri is a target for the Sharks, but not so important that the club will risk losing youngsters such as Paul Gallen, Reece Williams and David Simmons, coach Ricky Stuart said yesterday.
The Sharks are among a number of NRL clubs bidding for the former Brisbane and now Australia rugby union wing, who has indicated he will consider returning to rugby league when his Australian Rugby Union contract expires at the end of the year.
The ARU is also in the process of formulating a revised bid for Tuqiri, although the union is expected to reduce its initial offer of close to $1million a season.
Tuqiri turned down an offer from the ARU just before Christmas, believed to have been a three-year deal worth about $2.4 million, which had an immediate sign-on component built into it.
"We certainly value Lote," ARU chief negotiator Pat Wilson said yesterday.
"We put in a healthy and attractive offer before Christmas based on him committing to rugby exclusively.
"We respect his right to explore other options but any offer we table in future will reflect that position."
Stuart has already met Tuqiri, and the coach is convinced the player is serious about a return to rugby league.
The Sharks and Australia coach is in the process of putting together a formal offer with the help of outside sponsors, which he hopes will be lucrative enough to convince Tuqiri to remain in Sydney and play with the Sharks.
"He would be outstanding for the club," Stuart said.
"He brings versatility as a player, he brings a great profile to the club.
"I'm really keen to sign him. He's a really important target for us.
"I have a figure in my head of what I think he's worth to the Sharks. It's a matter of him wanting to come.
"The most important thing for me is that he wants to play for Cronulla. I won't be signing any player for the sake of a contract.
"They have to want to play for the club, and support what we're trying to promote in terms of culture and attitude.
"I don't say that lightly. I'm adamant about that."
The difficulty for the Sharks and other NRL clubs bidding for Tuqiri - Gold Coast, Brisbane and South Sydney - is the fact that they must find room to pay him under the NRL's $4 million salary cap.
Stuart made it clear that the Sharks could ill-afford to use $400,000 of cap money on any player, particularly given the fact that Gallen, Simmons and Williams were among a group coming off contract at the end of the season.
That's where external sponsors are expected to play a key role in the Sharks' attempt to sign Tuqiri, who has indicated that he will be reticent to drop money in comparison with rugby union.
Gold Coast officials have been exploring outside sources while Souths majority owners Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe are expected to tap into their array of business contacts.
Brisbane is the wild-card, and Tuqiri will hold further talks this week with the Broncos and coach Wayne Bennett when they return from England.
"I won't be signing a player that's going to risk me losing players such as Gallen, Williams, Simmons and some of the junior players we're trying to re-sign," Stuart said.
"It's not worth signing a player if you're going to lose other players. It has to be third-party agreements that get him what he wants."
Queensland Rugby Union chairman Peter Lewis confirmed yesterday that the Reds were interested in signing Tuqiri, but he conceded that New South Wales would win out if money alone decided the issue.
"There has been some interest from the corporate community in supporting Lote with third-party sponsorships, and we've targeted a couple of them," Lewis said.
"We are quite genuine in our approach to him.
"It's no secret the Reds are skinny on outside backs.
"It's a case of asking Lote what he wants to be.
"We're told he'd rather be in Queensland and we're told he believes he plays his best rugby under Eddie Jones, so we're not without hope."
Nevertheless, Stuart believes Tuqiri is genuine in his desire to return to the NRL.
If Tuqiri does return, and if he signs for the Sharks, Stuart is looking at moving him from the wing, where he says Tuqiri's talents are wasted.
"If he's going to play for money, he will stay in rugby union," Stuart said.
"I honestly think he wants to come back to rugby league. I think he feels he's achieved what he wants to achieve in rugby union."
Gallen has meanwhile given an indication that he may explore the open market before deciding where he will play in 2008.
The NSW Blues back rower has begun talks with the Sharks after previously expressing his desire to remain at the club beyond this season.
"I was thinking about having a look at other options," he said.
"There have been some talks going on. I don't get involved in it. I did a few years ago and it put pressure on me."
<A class=image href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/?from=ni_story"">
i thought that he had agreed to terms and now he is saying that he is thinking at having a look at other options, i think manly are going at him hard because luke odonnell may be going to yawnion, which means more cash for him!
By Brent Read and Wayne Smith
February 26, 2007
LOTE Tuqiri is a target for the Sharks, but not so important that the club will risk losing youngsters such as Paul Gallen, Reece Williams and David Simmons, coach Ricky Stuart said yesterday.
The Sharks are among a number of NRL clubs bidding for the former Brisbane and now Australia rugby union wing, who has indicated he will consider returning to rugby league when his Australian Rugby Union contract expires at the end of the year.
The ARU is also in the process of formulating a revised bid for Tuqiri, although the union is expected to reduce its initial offer of close to $1million a season.
Tuqiri turned down an offer from the ARU just before Christmas, believed to have been a three-year deal worth about $2.4 million, which had an immediate sign-on component built into it.
"We certainly value Lote," ARU chief negotiator Pat Wilson said yesterday.
"We put in a healthy and attractive offer before Christmas based on him committing to rugby exclusively.
"We respect his right to explore other options but any offer we table in future will reflect that position."
Stuart has already met Tuqiri, and the coach is convinced the player is serious about a return to rugby league.
The Sharks and Australia coach is in the process of putting together a formal offer with the help of outside sponsors, which he hopes will be lucrative enough to convince Tuqiri to remain in Sydney and play with the Sharks.
"He would be outstanding for the club," Stuart said.
"He brings versatility as a player, he brings a great profile to the club.
"I'm really keen to sign him. He's a really important target for us.
"I have a figure in my head of what I think he's worth to the Sharks. It's a matter of him wanting to come.
"The most important thing for me is that he wants to play for Cronulla. I won't be signing any player for the sake of a contract.
"They have to want to play for the club, and support what we're trying to promote in terms of culture and attitude.
"I don't say that lightly. I'm adamant about that."
The difficulty for the Sharks and other NRL clubs bidding for Tuqiri - Gold Coast, Brisbane and South Sydney - is the fact that they must find room to pay him under the NRL's $4 million salary cap.
Stuart made it clear that the Sharks could ill-afford to use $400,000 of cap money on any player, particularly given the fact that Gallen, Simmons and Williams were among a group coming off contract at the end of the season.
That's where external sponsors are expected to play a key role in the Sharks' attempt to sign Tuqiri, who has indicated that he will be reticent to drop money in comparison with rugby union.
Gold Coast officials have been exploring outside sources while Souths majority owners Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe are expected to tap into their array of business contacts.
Brisbane is the wild-card, and Tuqiri will hold further talks this week with the Broncos and coach Wayne Bennett when they return from England.
"I won't be signing a player that's going to risk me losing players such as Gallen, Williams, Simmons and some of the junior players we're trying to re-sign," Stuart said.
"It's not worth signing a player if you're going to lose other players. It has to be third-party agreements that get him what he wants."
Queensland Rugby Union chairman Peter Lewis confirmed yesterday that the Reds were interested in signing Tuqiri, but he conceded that New South Wales would win out if money alone decided the issue.
"There has been some interest from the corporate community in supporting Lote with third-party sponsorships, and we've targeted a couple of them," Lewis said.
"We are quite genuine in our approach to him.
"It's no secret the Reds are skinny on outside backs.
"It's a case of asking Lote what he wants to be.
"We're told he'd rather be in Queensland and we're told he believes he plays his best rugby under Eddie Jones, so we're not without hope."
Nevertheless, Stuart believes Tuqiri is genuine in his desire to return to the NRL.
If Tuqiri does return, and if he signs for the Sharks, Stuart is looking at moving him from the wing, where he says Tuqiri's talents are wasted.
"If he's going to play for money, he will stay in rugby union," Stuart said.
"I honestly think he wants to come back to rugby league. I think he feels he's achieved what he wants to achieve in rugby union."
Gallen has meanwhile given an indication that he may explore the open market before deciding where he will play in 2008.
The NSW Blues back rower has begun talks with the Sharks after previously expressing his desire to remain at the club beyond this season.
"I was thinking about having a look at other options," he said.
"There have been some talks going on. I don't get involved in it. I did a few years ago and it put pressure on me."
<A class=image href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/?from=ni_story"">
i thought that he had agreed to terms and now he is saying that he is thinking at having a look at other options, i think manly are going at him hard because luke odonnell may be going to yawnion, which means more cash for him!
