0neye
Guest
- Messages
- 5,540
By PETER JENKINS
June 1, 2005
BULLDOGS star Braith Anasta will reveal tomorrow whether an Australian Rugby Union offer to prise him from rugby league has succeeded.
Anasta's manager Greg Willett only received the terms on a two-year deal yesterday but will meet ARU officials in the next 24 hours to inform them whether his client has agreed to leave the NRL premiers and join the NSW Waratahs next season.
Willett was in discussions with ARU contract negotiator Shaun Barry and Wallaby team manager Phil Thomson in the morning before heading to Waratahs headquarters at Moore Park in the afternoon for further talks with NSW manager Dave Gibson.
The ARU offer for Anasta is believed to involve a guaranteed $200,000 a season and the incentive of an additional $150,000 per annum if he breaks into the Wallabies at $10,000 a Test.
The Bulldogs have tabled a deal reportedly worth a flat $300,000 a year.
But Willett claimed he would not be conducting a Dutch auction and a career-shaping decision for Anasta will be reached by tomorrow.
"The ARU have given me the offer and we'll give them an answer by Thursday," he told The Daily Telegraph last night. "I also went to the Waratahs and spoke to them about where Braith will be playing if he goes across.
"When we spoke to them last year he wanted to play five-eighth and he still wants to play five-eighth."
According to Willett, where Anasta fits into the plans of the Waratahs and Wallabies will be significant.
NSW officials and Wallabies coach Eddie Jones have already indicated they believe the premiership-winning playmaker should start his transition at inside centre.
The Waratahs have also earmarked new buy Sam Norton-Knight, poached from the Brumbies, for the five-eighth role filled this year by Perth-bound Lachlan MacKay.
"The position will have a lot to do with it, how they want to use him, and whether he can cut his ties with rugby league," Willett said.
"We're letting them know early because this has never been about putting one code up against the other or using either of them to make the other push up their offers.
"Financially the ARU are competitive. It's what I thought we'd get and it's quite a good offer. He does have to back himself with this contract and I'll meet with Braith [today] to discuss everything.
"If he's happy with it, with the code and the position and things like that, then we go there. If not then the ARU get on with life and we get on with life.
"That will be it. It's just a matter of saying yes or no.
"We don't want to muck them around. They've put their deal. Eddie Jones and [NSW coach] Ewen McKenzie have been great. And I'll see the ARU and tell them what we're doing face to face on Thursday."
I HOPE HE STAYS:?
June 1, 2005
BULLDOGS star Braith Anasta will reveal tomorrow whether an Australian Rugby Union offer to prise him from rugby league has succeeded.
Anasta's manager Greg Willett only received the terms on a two-year deal yesterday but will meet ARU officials in the next 24 hours to inform them whether his client has agreed to leave the NRL premiers and join the NSW Waratahs next season.
Willett was in discussions with ARU contract negotiator Shaun Barry and Wallaby team manager Phil Thomson in the morning before heading to Waratahs headquarters at Moore Park in the afternoon for further talks with NSW manager Dave Gibson.
The ARU offer for Anasta is believed to involve a guaranteed $200,000 a season and the incentive of an additional $150,000 per annum if he breaks into the Wallabies at $10,000 a Test.
The Bulldogs have tabled a deal reportedly worth a flat $300,000 a year.
But Willett claimed he would not be conducting a Dutch auction and a career-shaping decision for Anasta will be reached by tomorrow.
"The ARU have given me the offer and we'll give them an answer by Thursday," he told The Daily Telegraph last night. "I also went to the Waratahs and spoke to them about where Braith will be playing if he goes across.
"When we spoke to them last year he wanted to play five-eighth and he still wants to play five-eighth."
According to Willett, where Anasta fits into the plans of the Waratahs and Wallabies will be significant.
NSW officials and Wallabies coach Eddie Jones have already indicated they believe the premiership-winning playmaker should start his transition at inside centre.
The Waratahs have also earmarked new buy Sam Norton-Knight, poached from the Brumbies, for the five-eighth role filled this year by Perth-bound Lachlan MacKay.
"The position will have a lot to do with it, how they want to use him, and whether he can cut his ties with rugby league," Willett said.
"We're letting them know early because this has never been about putting one code up against the other or using either of them to make the other push up their offers.
"Financially the ARU are competitive. It's what I thought we'd get and it's quite a good offer. He does have to back himself with this contract and I'll meet with Braith [today] to discuss everything.
"If he's happy with it, with the code and the position and things like that, then we go there. If not then the ARU get on with life and we get on with life.
"That will be it. It's just a matter of saying yes or no.
"We don't want to muck them around. They've put their deal. Eddie Jones and [NSW coach] Ewen McKenzie have been great. And I'll see the ARU and tell them what we're doing face to face on Thursday."
I HOPE HE STAYS:?
