MICHAEL Gordon has sensationally walked out on Cronulla after the club promised him a release to Parramatta and then reneged.
Gordon failed to show at Cronulla training this morning after taking advice from the NRL Rugby League Players Association yesterday.
He was seeing a psychologist today, under instructions from the RLPA, to determine the impact on his mental health.
After viewing a transcript of the interaction between Flanagan and Gordon’s manager Andrew Purcell the RLPA has told Gordon he has a strong case to be released.
Gordon told Cronulla football manager Darren Mooney he could no longer work with Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan after a series of broken promises fractured their relationship.
The Sharks appealed to Gordon to have a week off before returning but Gordon is adamant the relationship is beyond repair.
Parramatta agreed to a deal with Cronulla’s two-time Player of the Year late last month but saw the deal evaporate when Cronulla officials learned Flanagan was negotiating with Parramatta without their knowledge.
The club released a statement saying it was not in the business of releasing player mid-season and that Gordon would stay.
However Gordon is paying the cost for Cronulla’s recruitment of Ben Barba, with both players sharing time on the field.
Flanagan realised the situation was unworkable and that Barba needed to have more time on the field given his high price tag.
When the Eels showed interest in Gordon he agreed to release him given his service to the club and because Parramatta had agreed to offer him a contract for 2016, a deal the Sharks could not match.
