Friend on way out

[Kick and Hope]

Good news, Friend is a solid, experienced player. Maybe Seijka release has freed up some cash.

 

[spear tackle]

Sounds like we may land-up extending Friend's contract.....

Just read a postage stamp sized artical in the NZ Herald on that, personally i hope we keep him , and take a slower approach to chaning the squad if we need to introduce new players rather than slash and burn techniques like other clubs have done.
PS I am a fan of his

 

[mean_maori_mean]

Are you refering to the optional year in his favor?

Why does everybody assume what is on site like Zero tackle are correct.
Clearly there is no option in his favour, or else he would simply activate it.

It seems everybody is bagging them for not signing him straight away - with out thinking the type of money he will be on. Also his age.

You sign him - he breaks down (likely) then lose the likes of Godinet/Havili etc.

Smart by me, saying well option says 400k (which is likely) we dont want you for that.
Then him coming back saying I would rather stay - then Warriors go back sweet take 250k then.

 

[Iafeta]

I agree with you mmm. There's no doubt simply activating a rollover clause on his contract leaves us with an overpriced player who is starting to fall behind his prime. I've noticed a fair bit this year that his running game is practically non existent these days. He used to be good at darting out of dummy half, dragging out an A defender, and putting a forward into a gap. That relied on acceleration. I've also noticed he gets through a lot of D, but there's times when he's barely hanging on.

Still a very good player, but I think we're blind if we don't see the signs of ageing coming on. Imagine if we miss out on Tomkins because Friend is on top coin.

 

[ozbash]

hmmm, how the mighty have fallen...

Friend was the best thing since sliced bread couple of months ago...

just an observation.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

I too am a fan of a 1 year extension. Good stuff hopefully it's official soon

 

[Iafeta]

hmmm, how the mighty have fallen...

Friend was the best thing since sliced bread couple of months ago...

just an observation.

I'm a massive fan of Friendy. I also hope I'm a realist. Sometimes tough decisions are required on ageing players. I would hope Friendy's here next year, but I hope not at the rate he is currently paid.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

hmmm, how the mighty have fallen...

Friend was the best thing since sliced bread couple of months ago...

just an observation.

Whatever, we all still rate him, we're just realistic about what he's worth at this point in his career.

 

[Rich102]

Nathan Friend's emotional roller coaster at Mount Smart has taken another turn after news that the Warriors are reconsidering their decision to part ways with him at the end of the year.
Last week Friend was notified that his services would 'not be required' after his two-year contract expires at the conclusion of the 2013 season.
However, the 32-year-old hooker revealed his employers have since approached him to discuss an option that could see him remain a Warrior despite plans for five-eighth Thomas Leuluai to take over his spot in the starting team.
"Matt [Elliott] came to me yesterday and said they may have something so I'll go in and have a chat to Matt today and see what's come about," Friend told Radio Sport on Thursday.
Despite easing salary cap pressures, Friend was told the club 'could not find a way' to fit him into next year's budget.
In the four days since he was notified his career in New Zealand could be over, Friend has already received offers from rival NRL clubs.
Warriors CEO Wayne Scurrah and coach Matt Elliott have summoned Friend to a meeting on Thursday afternoon in an attempt to keep him at the club.
"There is some interest," Friend said alternative offers.
"We're fortunate because of the timing - it is late in the season and most clubs usually have their roster for next year already sorted - so we are fortunate to have some interest."
The former Titans rake has struggled with shoulder injuries over the past four years of his career and spent a large chunk of the 2012 season sidelined by a broken jaw.
In 2013 he has played an integral part in the side that bounced back from its worst ever defeat - a 54-point thrashing by Penrith - to record three successive wins, including a gutsy victory over the fourth placed Sea Eagles.
Although he identified the club's intentions to pit him against Leulaui for the dummy half role, Friend admits the initial decision to let him go caught him off guard.
"I was a little confused," Friend said.
"At the start of the season I could see they were trying to buy more halfbacks and obviously they were looking to bring Tommy [Leuluai] into dummy half.
"I see they failed in buying a few halfbacks so I thought my opportunity was to stay here at the club."
The Warriors announced on Wednesday that Cronulla play-maker Chad Townsend will join the club in 2014 while rookie halfback Harry Seijka has been released.

http://www.sportal.co.nz/league-news-display/friend-confused-by-warriors-239255

 

[spear tackle]

Haha with the extended salary cap and story's circulating the we are way under the cap and telling Friend we can't fit him in, we either brought a crap load of top talent yet to be announced or we have a bunch of players that are about to be overpaid going by the last two years results.
Must be all part of the plan to be the biggest sporting franchise in Australsia

 

[JoeD]

That is some mickey mouse shit

 

[Skinner]

Haha with the extended salary cap and story's circulating the we are way under the cap and telling Friend we can't fit him in, we either brought a crap load of top talent yet to be announced or we have a bunch of players that are about to be overpaid going by the last two years results.
Must be all part of the plan to be the biggest sporting franchise in Australsia

The start of a dynasty :sarcasm:

 

[NZ Warrior]

Live free or dynasty!

 

[Fast Eddie]

Haha with the extended salary cap and story's circulating the we are way under the cap and telling Friend we can't fit him in, we either brought a crap load of top talent yet to be announced or we have a bunch of players that are about to be overpaid going by the last two years results.
Must be all part of the plan to be the biggest sporting franchise in Australsia

You must have missed the story over the last 6 weeks where we are offering Tomkins a million bucks, that kind of bites into our salary cap a bit huh. Oh and paying overs for Bukuya.

 

[hitman82]

You must have missed the story over the last 6 weeks where we are offering Tomkins a million bucks, that kind of bites into our salary cap a bit huh. Oh and paying overs for Bukuya.

How much did we pay for Bukuya, and what do you consider his true value to be?

 

[ozenzud]

Tony Kemp was back on RadioSport this morning. He was talking about the highest paid player at the warriors is Ben Matalino (which was a guess I gather).

He also said that the Australian players playing for the warriors have to be well paid, elsewise why else would you come to Auckland i.e. it doesn't offer the same lifestyle choices as in Oz, therefore the only way to keep WAGS happy was to pay heaps of cash.

Which is interesting. And as an Aussie living in NZ, I think quite true. The weather does suck unless you like constant rain and cold. And in Wellington you can add wind.

But anyway, Friend. We open up this season without him. And are absolute mud. He comes back, and the team starts to look better and now is winning games.

Co-incidence? Or are you seeing the necessity of having a good crisp dummy half pass when defences move up so quickly these days?

The Mara's, the Havilli's and maybe the Godinat's DO NOT HAVE the pass. They have a running game. TL might have the passing game and might be an option there.

Friend also make a kwazillion tackles every game. He has a classic, core hookers game.

He won't win a game, because he does not create opportunities and do the star work. But he creates the platform for those players to win games. New Zealand system does not seem to respect or appreciate the hard grafters in league. People want the shots, the steps and the runs.

In Oz, the grafter is far, far more respected than here I've noticed. Friend is an absolute case in point. The only real grafter respected here was Lucky.

Bloody annoying that our new best 13 is leaving at the end of the year. Man, is he playing well.

 

[Skinner]

Tony Kemp was back on RadioSport this morning. He was talking about the highest paid player at the warriors is Ben Matalino (which was a guess I gather).

He also said that the Australian players playing for the warriors have to be well paid, elsewise why else would you come to Auckland i.e. it doesn't offer the same lifestyle choices as in Oz, therefore the only way to keep WAGS happy was to pay heaps of cash.

Which is interesting. And as an Aussie living in NZ, I think quite true. The weather does suck unless you like constant rain and cold. And in Wellington you can add wind.

But anyway, Friend. We open up this season without him. And are absolute mud. He comes back, and the team starts to look better and now is winning games.

Co-incidence? Or are you seeing the necessity of having a good crisp dummy half pass when defences move up so quickly these days?

The Mara's, the Havilli's and maybe the Godinat's DO NOT HAVE the pass. They have a running game. TL might have the passing game and might be an option there.

Friend also make a kwazillion tackles every game. He has a classic, core hookers game.

He won't win a game, because he does not create opportunities and do the star work. But he creates the platform for those players to win games. New Zealand system does not seem to respect or appreciate the hard grafters in league. People want the shots, the steps and the runs.

In Oz, the grafter is far, far more respected than here I've noticed. Friend is an absolute case in point. The only real grafter respected here was Lucky.

Bloody annoying that our new best 13 is leaving at the end of the year. Man, is he playing well.

Good post, with some great truths in there.

 

[Fast Eddie]

How much did we pay for Bukuya, and what do you consider his true value to be?

The figures I've read (probably not legit) had us offering about 150k more a season than other offers he got. I rate him so don't mind paying decent coin to get him at all.

 

[spear tackle]

You must have missed the story over the last 6 weeks where we are offering Tomkins a million bucks, that kind of bites into our salary cap a bit huh. Oh and paying overs for Bukuya.

No I didn't I just don't belive too much about any signing from our lot until the player in question actually takes the feild for us rather than runs screaming across the carpark after their manager begging to be taken back home after seeing the joint.
On another note we dont seem to have a lot of trouble digging up future first grade material from the local ranks and bringing them through the real problem is who to move on and who to keep.
We lack in our selection process someone with accurate vision for the future which would be a rare thing to find.
Just latley there were former Warriors that have come back as members of opposition teams to show us what they have acheived given another year in NSWC, but were told by us that they would never be first grade material. Issac John is good one, I remember commentator giving him big wraps,and he appears good enough for our former coach to want him.
Maybe we need to build a relationship with a Queensland Cup side as well and farm a few "maybe's" that are too old for the 20's side there for a season or so or don't we have a deal with Wigan? Doesn't seem to help any.
Anyway some young players could benifit playing abroad for a year as well they get to play a game they want to become full time in and get to have a bit of an OE as well.
Now that I've finished ranting and theoretically probably blown the salary cap for the next decade I'm off back to bed.

 

[Fast Eddie]

No I didn't I just don't belive too much about any signing from our lot until the player in question actually takes the feild for us rather than runs screaming across the carpark after their manager begging to be taken back home after seeing the joint.

You were wondering where al our salary cap room had gone, the answer being used trying to sign Carney first, and now Tomkins. All this maneuvering with Friend is to get him on a reduced deal for next season.