Queensland second-rower Michael Crocker will head for Melbourne three days after State of Origin II in a clear indication the Storm are favourites to get his signature for next season.
Crocker's manager, Jim Banaghan, said last night that as soon as Crocker completed commitments with the Maroons and his club, the Sydney Roosters, the player would assess the Storm's training facilities and talk to the club's officials.
It recently emerged that Crocker - although he is contracted to the Roosters until the end of next season - had a clause in his contract allowing him to negotiate a deal with another club and leave the Roosters at the end of this season if he wished.
The Roosters cannot increase Crocker's pay and, as it is understood he is being paid less than what his representative status should now command, he was keen to look around.
"Mick has got the Origin game on Wednesday and a game for the Roosters two nights later and on the Saturday he'll be going to Melbourne," Banaghan said.
"He told me at the start of all of this that there were several clubs he would be very interested in playing for and Melbourne was one of those clubs, so I rang [Storm general manager] Peter O'Sullivan and told him.
"Naturally, they were interested as well. Mick's parents live in Melbourne and he is good friends with [Storm hooker] Cameron Smith.
"After the news got out that Mick was available I've had about 10 clubs contact me about him and I'm going to get all the information together and present it to Mick after the Origin game. Then he'll tell me which clubs he is serious about, so we're not wasting anyone's time, and we'll talk to those clubs. But Melbourne will definitely be one of the clubs in the running."
The Roosters have not given up on trying to keep Crocker, but the club's chance seems remote.
GREAT NEWS FOR STORM FANS!!
Crocker's manager, Jim Banaghan, said last night that as soon as Crocker completed commitments with the Maroons and his club, the Sydney Roosters, the player would assess the Storm's training facilities and talk to the club's officials.
It recently emerged that Crocker - although he is contracted to the Roosters until the end of next season - had a clause in his contract allowing him to negotiate a deal with another club and leave the Roosters at the end of this season if he wished.
The Roosters cannot increase Crocker's pay and, as it is understood he is being paid less than what his representative status should now command, he was keen to look around.
"Mick has got the Origin game on Wednesday and a game for the Roosters two nights later and on the Saturday he'll be going to Melbourne," Banaghan said.
"He told me at the start of all of this that there were several clubs he would be very interested in playing for and Melbourne was one of those clubs, so I rang [Storm general manager] Peter O'Sullivan and told him.
"Naturally, they were interested as well. Mick's parents live in Melbourne and he is good friends with [Storm hooker] Cameron Smith.
"After the news got out that Mick was available I've had about 10 clubs contact me about him and I'm going to get all the information together and present it to Mick after the Origin game. Then he'll tell me which clubs he is serious about, so we're not wasting anyone's time, and we'll talk to those clubs. But Melbourne will definitely be one of the clubs in the running."
The Roosters have not given up on trying to keep Crocker, but the club's chance seems remote.
GREAT NEWS FOR STORM FANS!!
