Not a bad price
December 13, 2007
PARRAMATTA winger Jarryd Hayne has signed for less money than he could have earned at another NRL club because he wants to keep fellow young gun Krisnan Inu at the Eels.
With Hayne, 19, and Inu, 20, due to come off contract at the end of next season, Parramatta was given little chance of keeping both backline aces until Hayne yesterday agreed to a new two-year deal.
The pressure is now on Inu to match Hayne's loyalty after the Test winger signed for an estimated $550,000 over two years - with reports he could have earned $800,000 over the same period at another club - so the Eels had salary-cap room to keep the Kiwi international.
"That's probably why I did take the pay cut, because I pretty well understand that Krisnan needs to come under the cap as well," Hayne said. "I understand that and when you play with mates it doesn't seem like a pay cut because you know you're having fun. I'd rather play for less money and be in finals than play for more money and not be in the top eight."
Eels chief executive Denis Fitzgerald said player manager Wayne Beavis had negotiated Hayne's deal with an understanding of the club's salary cap position and desire to keep both youngsters. Fitzgerald said the club could now make an offer which would squeeze Inu under the $4million ceiling.
"We've started having discussions with Krisnan and his manager Isaac Moses, so we're hopeful and confident of a satisfactory resolution over probably the next month," Fitzgerald said. "We've got a few dollars there. We can make him a very attractive offer. I think he's a lot like Jarryd. He's very happy here and he wants to stay here with all his mates."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22914717-5012431,00.html
