Some publications have the ARU base deal as being only $450K. The extra $ are not guaranteed.
It all depends which paper you read. It also depends on who is being interviewed. ARU people doing the dandy to save face over this, while Gasnier's manager George Mimis is still thinking there's room for more negotation.
The deal Saints have worked out is yet to be fully disclosed. But it should involve some third party input, with the NRL giving it the nod. If the cap is going up to $4million, a Saints offer of around $400-450 plus the third party endorsements can realistically match, or come closee enough to matching, any ARU offer.
One of the better articles I read, which in its wisdom has avoided quoting figures, is written here:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19094136-2722,00.html
The Australian has been known to be pro-Union sometimes but generally speaking they have a go at being balanced, better than the Sydney Morning Herald or the Telegraph anyway.
If you read the article, it shows Gallop and the NRL are not very far away at all... and the suggestion is the ARU have pretty much given up the ghost and are now targetting other League players.
Gasnier wanted to wait, and that's fair enough. The Saints offer is still in the pipeline and he wants to give them the chance. Union putting pressure to give an answer would only make him step back. Some in the ARU may say that by allowing the deadline to slip, Gasnier has indicated that he comfortable in League, but I think its more that George Mimis knows Union would be all over Gasnier like a rash if he rang them up next week.
I also have trouble accepting that 'Union has called Gasnier's bluff' as reported in a number of publications today, including the Ilawarra Mercury. In my opinion, its the other way around. The fact is, Union imposed the deadline, Gasnier didn't meet that deadline... so for all intents and purposes, it is Gasnier whio is calling Union's bluff. And it worked with some Union officials saying the door is still open... so much for the 'deadline'.
If Gasnier stays at Saints, and I think he will, it is the Waratah's who have missed out the most here. They would have been c**k-a-hoop if Gasnier switched codes.
The Waratah's coach said it well though: "In the end I believe the long history the Gasnier family has with the St George club may have contributed to him not meeting the deadline."
