AlbertRosenfeld
Juniors
- Messages
- 1,009
Here is the summary of the situation of Craig Gower and Castleford.
1. Craig Gower is the number 3 or 4 half back in Australia, behind Andrew Johns, Brett Kimmorley, and maybe Matt Orford (on 2005 form certainly behind Orford), though past service with the Kangaroos, plus his ability to play hooker, has given him the nod over Orford for recent Kangaroo selection.
2. Craig Gower has a drinking problem and an exhibitionism problem.
3. Craig Gower is bitter about his punishment by Penrith and wants his status as team leader, by virtue of being captain, restored for 2006.
4. If Penrith won't budge on reducing his punishment -- and the club is under pressure from the NRL boss David Gallop not to -- then he wants to consider a move to the UK.
5. Gower's mother Maria is Italian, so he is eligible for a European passport, and would not be a quota player.
6. Melbourne Storm would want him but probably can't afford him.
7. Castleford want him desperately (coach Terry Matterson has been on the phone to Gower's manager to express interest), but may or may not be able to afford him.
8. Wigan would want him and have oodles of money to pay under the table. So Castleford will have competition there and probably from two or three other Super League clubs, who would be fearful of having him show up their own halves in the Super League competition. The clubs that will not be after him are Leeds, Les Catalans and Harlequins, all of which clubs have superb scrum halves, St Helens and Bradford, both of which have good scrum halves, and Warrington, which foolishly imagines that it has bought a good scrum half.
9. If Castleford acquired Gower they would definitely move out of the relegation danger zone. They would become a mid table club, with a strong pack, outstanding scrum half, and mediocrity all the way back to full back.
So the questions are:
Can Penrith calm Gower down, as his manager wants to happen?
If not, can Castleford compete with Wigan financially?
1. Craig Gower is the number 3 or 4 half back in Australia, behind Andrew Johns, Brett Kimmorley, and maybe Matt Orford (on 2005 form certainly behind Orford), though past service with the Kangaroos, plus his ability to play hooker, has given him the nod over Orford for recent Kangaroo selection.
2. Craig Gower has a drinking problem and an exhibitionism problem.
3. Craig Gower is bitter about his punishment by Penrith and wants his status as team leader, by virtue of being captain, restored for 2006.
4. If Penrith won't budge on reducing his punishment -- and the club is under pressure from the NRL boss David Gallop not to -- then he wants to consider a move to the UK.
5. Gower's mother Maria is Italian, so he is eligible for a European passport, and would not be a quota player.
6. Melbourne Storm would want him but probably can't afford him.
7. Castleford want him desperately (coach Terry Matterson has been on the phone to Gower's manager to express interest), but may or may not be able to afford him.
8. Wigan would want him and have oodles of money to pay under the table. So Castleford will have competition there and probably from two or three other Super League clubs, who would be fearful of having him show up their own halves in the Super League competition. The clubs that will not be after him are Leeds, Les Catalans and Harlequins, all of which clubs have superb scrum halves, St Helens and Bradford, both of which have good scrum halves, and Warrington, which foolishly imagines that it has bought a good scrum half.
9. If Castleford acquired Gower they would definitely move out of the relegation danger zone. They would become a mid table club, with a strong pack, outstanding scrum half, and mediocrity all the way back to full back.
So the questions are:
Can Penrith calm Gower down, as his manager wants to happen?
If not, can Castleford compete with Wigan financially?
