For Sale: Ben Ross

[Thunderstruck]

Origin star up for sale Daily Telegraph, Dean Ritchie.

Origin star up for sale
By DEAN RITCHIE Rugby League Writer
July 1, 2005

QUEENSLAND State of Origin star Ben Ross became a shock new player on the open market last night with Penrith putting him up for sale to ease a salary cap crisis.

Ross became a free agent as the NRL's contentious anti-tampering deadline passed at midnight and already Melbourne Storm and Souths are chasing him.
The big forward is currently in camp with Queensland preparing for the Origin decider against NSW in Brisbane.

News about the Queensland enforcer becoming a free agent emerged as a collective $1.75 million worth of the NRL's top talent – headed by Braith Anasta, Matt Orford, Ashley Harrison and Steve Bell – were also allowed to negotiate with rival clubs.

Ross still has another two years to run on his current contract but is certain to be with a new club next season.

The Daily Telegraph understands Ross has already met with Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy.

Ross, on a contract worth about $220,000 a season, will be sold to help Penrith overcome worrying salary cap issues.

The Panthers will also consider allowing Joe Galuvao to leave should the club receive an offer.

Privately, Penrith claim offloading Ross and Galuvao will allow the club to re-sign their young guns, including the impressive Ben Pomeroy.

Panthers general manager of football operations Mick Leary said the Ross situation was delicate. "At this stage we haven't received any request for Ben Ross," he said.

"If the situation did arise that a club was interested in Ben – or any of our high-profile players – then we would certainly look at it.

"That way we could ensure we upgrade our younger players. We have to keep looking forward.

"The kids are coming through."

Ross was unavailable for comment last night but his manager, George Mimis, said: "Ben has an ongoing contract with Penrith for 2006 and 2007.

"Obviously he is happy to fulfil that.

"However should Penrith desire to offload him due to salary cap constraints than I'm certain there wouldn't be a shortage of clubs interested in his services.

"Given the shortage of top-flight front-rowers in the NRL, I imagine there could be four or five clubs in Australia who would show interest and another four or five in England."

Ross has made a significant impact off the bench in both Origin matches this season.

Penrith acknowledge their forward strength but are looking for outside backs.

Should Galuvao stay, there is every chance he could play in the centres next season.

QUEENSLAND Origin utility player Chris Flannery yesterday signed a new three-deal with the Sydney Roosters.

The contract will ensure Flannery becomes a 10-year player at the Roosters.

"I feel at home here at the Roosters and I'm determined to add more trophies to the club's great history," Flannery said.

"To become a 10-year veteran at one of the oldest club in the NRL really means a lot to me, especially when I will be part of the Roosters' centenary year."

Sydney Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan said: "Chris is a real asset to this club. He has embraced our culture on and off the field."

The Daily Telegraph

 

[Raider_69]

Yes please say canberra

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Ben, move down the road and join us at the Tigers.

God, if we managed to sign him I'd be doing more than cartwheels.

10. Skandalis
9. Farah
8. Ross
--------------
14. O'Hara

:shock:

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

Would love to have him at the Eels! Fantastic bench player, not as good starting but off the bench he is awesome.

 

[League Freak™]

Penrith could use Ben Ross! :x



Still, Im glad this move will allow us to keep all of the average, reserve grade back rowers we have coming through the ranks.

Its good to know that if Waterhouse, Pritchard and Puletua are injured....we have some stiff avalible to step into the side. :x

 

[White Poiner]

comon cronulla get one of these players, frank the tank would be great.

 

[White Poiner]

nospam49 WTF has happen to penrith anyways, everything seems to be going bad for them?

 

[League Freak™]

nospam49 WTF has happen to penrith anyways, everything seems to be going bad for them?

Penrith have always been very poor at managing a top grade side. When ever we have had any success in the past its been followed very quickly by many years of dreadfull results.


We dont retain everyone...and thats fair enough. No side can retain ALL of their best player.


The problem is, Penrith dont replace these players with quality. We lose TWO test centers, we replace them with a premier league center in Paul Franze and we make a decent winger play out of position.

We lose Scott Sattler, we dont replace him at all.

We lose Martin Lang, we dont replace him at all.


Ontop of this, I feel we spent alot of salary cap space on players that show FORM rather then Class. Players like Rodney, Swian and even Craig Gower.


Craig Gower is one of the highest paid players in the game. Considering the way he has performed over his whole career.....he isnt worth the money.



Its just a club thats never really been very well run and thats still happening to this day.


Ive been critical of Newcastles managment because its stuck in the old "Chook Raffle" era. I tell you what, Penrith are not far behind Newcastle....we're a Meat Raffle club!

 

[Earl]

Cmon Melbourne.

 

[Big Mick]

f**k you Penrith you useless f**ks.

 

[Caged Panther]

Gualavo in the centres we really are scraping the bottom of the barrel now.

 

[The_Coach]

They should be releasing powderpuff Clinton, not Ross.

His on a fair bit, don't know if Melbourne could afford that.

Either Cronulla, Canberra, or Newcastle.

 

[shadowboxer]

f**k you Penrith you useless f**ks.

nothing like being positive

 

[Graf Vynda-k]

it's no use penrith complaining........they mortgaged their future on craig gower, as freak boy said an average player who tries hard but isn't a brilliant player in the johns class.

players like gower shouldn't be getting $400,000 a year.

that's where all the salary cap went, so blame those bone heads who run the club.........you cant expect top class players like ross and campbell to play for peanuts.

 

[Big Mick]

nothing like being positive

I am positive

Positive that we should release deadwood like Galea, Swain, Rogers, Galuvao instead of a SOO prop.

 

[Big Mick]

it's no use penrith complaining........they mortgaged their future on craig gower, as freak boy said an average player who tries hard but isn't a brilliant player in the johns class.

players like gower shouldn't be getting $400,000 a year.

that's where all the salary cap went, so blame those bone heads who run the club.........you cant expect top class players like ross and campbell to play for peanuts.

yes....$400,000 in a 3.25 Million cap.....righhht.

Problem is management, but it isn't Gower's salary.

 

[barry]

The Roosters have a very smart board, smartest in the league imo.

By releasing Cayless and Crocker surely they had another forward on mind to fill in that gap. Could that player be Ben Ross?
Surely Roosters have to be one of the faviroutes to sign him.

P.S I am not a Rorters fan.

Come back to the Dragons Ben where you started of your NRL career

 

[choc_soldier]

comon cronulla get one of these players, frank the tank would be great.

Tied up for the next few of seasons - but so is Ross, so I guess you can't discount it.

Nothing from Penrith seriously surprises me anymore - I just love their logic. Offload one of our best players, and go on to the market where there is not much left in relation to "quality" backs.

If they let go of Ben Ross, there could be a riot at the foot of the mountains.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

What's up with Galavao?

I've read that the Tigers could be interested in signing him. He would be a risk, but one I'd really be willing to take.

 

[Azkatro]

I wonder if the Cowboys will be a chance. It would be a good way for us to replace Rauhihi who's off to England next year, although given what we would have paid to get Ra in the first place he'd probably set us back a bit more.