Greg Inglis expected to announce he will stay with Melbourne Storm
By Matt Marshall and Peter Badel
August 08, 2010
In a stunning twist, Melbourne Storm are set to announce on Monday they have won the battle to retain superstar centre Greg Inglis.
The protracted contract saga over the hottest signature in rugby league took a dramatic turn, with Inglis now tipped to see out the final two years of his $660,000-per-season contract at the Storm, shunning approaches from the Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast Titans.
The Queenslanders aren't dead in the water yet, but with an official decision expected to be revealed tomorrow in Melbourne, the Storm appears increasingly likely to emerge from their crippling salary cap scandal with their "Fab Four" of Inglis, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk intact.
Inglis' likely retention for 2011-12 is set to come at a cost, with Kiwi Test forwards Adam Blair and Sika Manu, and perhaps centre Dane Nielsen, looming as likely targets for fresh poaching bids from rival NRL clubs.
Should Inglis stay in Melbourne it would be a bitter blow both for the Broncos, touted as frontrunners to poach the Kangaroos and Maroons Origin star from next year, and also the cashed-up Titans.
"There's no edict at all that we can't keep all four, the only edict we have is to be under the salary cap next year. How we do that is our choice," a high-ranking Storm official said.
"And, God yeah, we want to keep Greg. He's a once-in-a-generation player. He brings so many elements on and off the field.
"We've got to look at the big picture too and take his personal interests into account also. Were going through all that at the moment.
"But it's not a matter of Greg being desperate to get out of the place . . . that couldn't be further from the truth. It's very complicated, it's not as simple as him wanting to stay or wanting to go, but we need to get on with it so we resume everything else."
Brisbane have played hard-ball in their dealings to poach Inglis - publicly declaring they would not waver from their offer, believed to be worth $400,000 per season plus a car.
The Broncos were extremely confident of luring Inglis to Red Hill after he expressed his desire to make a fresh start with fiancee Sally Robinson, who lives and works in Brisbane.
But Inglis family friend Adrian Coolwell, whom the centre regards as his second dad after being billeted with him in Queensland as a 16-year-old, said he was now certain the Maroons flyer would stay in Melbourne.
"Sally will keep travelling down," he said. "She was doing that anyway so its not the big deal some people might think.
"She's got some business contacts in Melbourne which she often visits so there's not a problem with the travel.
"Another factor is Greg's parents. They have just settled in Melbourne and they actually like it there so it all points to Greg staying. My gut feel is he will stay.
"Greg was wanting to stay there all along, if the salary cap stuff never happened Greg would never have thought about leaving."
The Broncos were offered verbal assurances Inglis wanted to link with the six-time premiers, but the negotiations hinged on the Storm's blessing and were subject to NRL directives on Melbourne's salary cap position, which were finalised late last week.
It is believed Brisbane's final contract offer would have left the Storm to pick up $410,000 of his bill over the next two years, under their salary cap, a position Inglis and Melbourne club were unhappy about.
The Titans offer was more viable - valued at $550,000 next year, increasing to the full $660,000 in 2012 - meaning the Storm would pay only $110,000 under next year's cap and nothing in 2012.
The Sunday Mail (Qld)
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27522389-5018866,00.html
Lol at Melbourne. I'm glad Brisbane have played hardball and not offered any more money. Whether he comes here or not, it doesn't really bother me.
