South Sydney boss Shane Richardson says club can afford to fit Greg Inglis under NRL salary cap
By Phil Rothfield Sports Editor-at-Large From: The Daily Telegraph November 11, 2010
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ends-inglis-deal/story-e6frexnr-1225951331762
SOUTHS boss Shane Richardson has defended superstar Greg Inglis' decision to break a handshake agreement with the Brisbane Broncos to join the Rabbitohs next season.
"There's been lot of handshake deals that have fallen over, " Richardson said last night.
"I can give you an example with Luke Lewis. He shook on a deal with me at Souths and then he decided to stay at Penrith.
"In the end, I wanted Luke to be where he was going to be happy. I didn't hassle him or argue with him. That's what he wanted.
Daily Telegraph Sports Editor-at-Large Phil Rothfield grilled Richardson over the Inglis deal. This his how the exchange went:
Phil "Buzz" Rothfield: Can I ask how can you sign Greg Inglis and get him under the salary cap?
South Sydney CEO Shane Richardson: He hasn't agreed yet, but it's simple and it will be legal.
Buzz: How?
Richo: I have to explain that to the NRL, not you and The Daily Telegraph. There's been an extra $100,000 in the salary cap.
Buzz: No, that's not right.
Richo: It is right.
Buzz: On July 29 you said, and I quote: "We've made no approach to Greg Inglis or his management and we've got no plans to make any approach. We would have no room under the salary cap to allow us to even think about it."
Richo: Since that time we've got an extra $100,000 in the salary cap.
Buzz: You haven't, mate.
Richo: It's gone up $100,000 - and also Colin Best rejected our one-year offer for $160,000 because he wanted two years at Cronulla. On top of that we got another extra $150,000 in the cap out of the collective bargaining agreement. We'll have enough money to fit him in.
Buzz: I dispute that. You knew in June that the salary cap was being increased to what it is now.
Richo: We didn't know in June. The agreement for the CBA with the RLPA only came through in August.
Buzz: I have a press release in front of me from June 22 when the NRL announced all the salary cap increases after a chief executives' meeting. You were there. You know that's the case.
Richo: David Gallop put out a statement that that's what he wanted to do, but I can assure you there was no final approval. Those increases have only finalised in recent times.
Buzz: The RLPA was never going to knock back more money. The press release said all the club CEOs had supported the salary cap increases for next year and clubs went away and signed players as though it was official.Richo: We didn't. We're doing nothing with Inglis that's not in the cap. What are you trying to get at?
Buzz: I can't understand why you've been quoted three times this year saying you're on the cap and have no money. Then you sign the world's best player.
Richo: We haven't signed him yet, we've made an offer. I repeat, the salary cap increases were not approved by the RLPA until August.
Buzz: The RLPA doesn't run the game. That's David Gallop's job.
Richo: Nothing was approved in June. We haven't gone out and signed players since that time. Not one player. Our business is run properly and we're allowed to make an offer to Greg Inglis. We'll justify it with the NRL, not you.
Buzz: Sorry for doing my job as a journalist. Fans at the other clubs expect us to investigate this sort of thing.
Richo: I understand that Phil, but there's nothing to investigate. We've made an offer, it's all above board.
It's obviously less for next year than it will be for the following two years and we're able to do it under the cap.
Buzz: What about the legal bill at the Storm?
Richo: Greg's lawyers are working that out. He's never said he's not paying the bill, he's disputing the amount.
Buzz: I'm sorry, but I'm still struggling to get a grip on this.
Richo: There's nothing secretive in what we've done.
I don't understand why you're going on the attack about this. Why are you carrying on about it?
Buzz: No, no ... I'm asking questions other clubs and their fans want answered.
Richo: Check it out all you want, it's a simple deal.
Buzz: Can I ask you to comment on Greg breaking a handshake deal with the Broncos?
Richo: That's got nothing to do with us. That's between him and the Broncos.
Buzz: Is that the sort of person you want at Souths?
Richo: He makes his own decisions. It's not my business what happened in Brisbane.
Buzz: Hold on. Do you agree if someone shakes hands on a deal, it's a deal.
Richo: There's been a lot of handshake deals that have fallen over. I can give you an example with Luke Lewis. He shook on a deal with me and then he decided to stay at Penrith. In the end, I wanted Luke to be where he was going to be happy.
I didn't hassle him or argue with him. That's what he wanted.
Buzz: What do you think of him ringing the Broncos on Saturday and saying he couldn't fly home because there was too much rain in Sydney?
Richo: I know nothing about that.
I can't comment.
Buzz: But you have defended him as though he's been criticised unfairly. Please.
Richo: I don't know what happened with the Broncos. All I know is we've got a reasonable offer in with him and hopefully he takes it up.
Buzz: It's a done deal, everyone knows that.
Richo: It's not, we've made a reasonable offer, that's all.
Buzz: I still think it's very poor form for a player to look Bruno Cullen in the eye last Friday and tell him he'll play for the Broncos and also shake hands with Andrew Gee. Next day he's in Sydney and rings the Broncos and says he can't catch a plane because it's too wet.
Richo: I know nothing about what arrangements he had with the Broncos.
Buzz: Do you still want to sign Sam Burgess's three brothers? Can you fit them in as well?
Richo: I said a few weeks ago I'd like to see the Burgess brothers playing for us.
Buzz: You said next year.
Richo: We have spoken to Bradford about young George coming out for a year. It would be good for George and good for Great Britain rugby league. I'd hope he could come out to play in our NYC.
Buzz: He won't come out for $50,000 to play Toyota Cup.
Richo: Phil, how would you know? Bradford have a contract with him for the next two years. I don't understand why you are so vehemently opposed to Souths.
Buzz: I'm not. I wrote on Sunday it would be a great thing for rugby league if Greg Inglis played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs - as long as the deal is all fair and square.
Richo: I want to make sure it's done fair too. What's unfair? You tell me.
Buzz: I'll tell you what's wrong. He sought a release from Melbourne on compassionate grounds to live with his fiancee in Brisbane, buy a house, and get married, etc. He shook hands and did a deal. Then Anthony Mundine gets in his ear, puts a spell over the poor kid, and he's gone back on his word. I'm sorry, but that's poor form.
Richo: I don't know about Mundine's involvement. Souths have done nothing wrong. If anything, we're the club that's going to keep him in league. I'd rather that than him going to French rugby union, AFL or otherwise. We're trying to keep the best player in our game and we're getting kicked over it.
Buzz: The Broncos were going to keep him in the NRL too.
Richo: But he didn't want that.
Buzz: He told the Storm he did.
Richo: I don't think he's got a great relationship with the Storm. He's fine with the players and the coach, but that's where it ends.
Buzz: Look, the bottom line is you were quoted in July saying you had no brass at all.
Richo: I'd like to think you'll report on this fairly, but you won't accept what I'm saying.
Buzz: I still say you knew in June what the cap was going to be in 2011. Every other club did.
Richo: You seem to be taking this to heart. I don't get why you're carrying on about it.
Buzz: I'm doing my job.
Richo: No, you're getting all aggressive. I want you to put it in the paper that we didn't know we had the extra cap money until August.
Buzz: Oh, c'mon Richo.
Richo: You can c'mon all you like. It's highly unusual the way you're going about this. I don't get it. Is it a Brisbane-News Limited thing or a Melbourne-News Limited thing?
Buzz: There's no interference from management at this newspaper.
