Kingston's offer to pay to play

[FUIFUI_MOIMOI]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...r-to-pay-to-play/story-e6frexnr-1225780623644

Kingston's offer to pay to play

* By Josh Massoud
* From: The Daily Telegraph
* September 29, 2009 12:01AM

BLUE and gold battler Kevin Kingston has personified the incredible camaraderie that's driving Parramatta's fairytale premiership charge, offering to hand back $50,000 worth of match payments to stay an Eel.

And the Grand Final week mateship has also inspired winger Eric Grothe, who is pleading with Parramatta officials to be given a pay-cut next year so his close friend can remain at the club in 2010.

Thanks to a wicked salary cap quirk, Sunday's decider at ANZ Stadium shapes as Kingston's Parramatta swan song.

Eels CEO Paul Osborne and coach Daniel Anderson are desperate to keep him, but are snookered because NRL rules state that match payments must be included in the following year's cap.

It's believed the former Cronulla rake - whose off-the-bench injections have been crucial to Parramatta's barnstorming run - has earned about $50,000 from his 18 appearances this season.

If Kingston stayed, that money would be counted towards Parramatta's 2010 cap - and the Eels simply don't have the room after signing representative recruitsTimana Tahu, Justin Poore and Shane Shackleton.

Kingston's dashing form has solicited a modest offer from neighbouring rivals Penrith, but the 26-year-old is now emotionally tied to Parramatta and is willing to make a huge personal sacrifice to stay.

At Saturday's pool recovery session, Kingston approached chairman Roy Spagnolo and offered to waive his entire 2009 match payments so Parramatta can accommodate him next year.

"I'll do anything to keep playing rugby league here and I asked Roy if that's something I could do,'' he told The Daily Telegraph. "I spoke to my wife (Mel) after the win over the Bulldogs about it. We had quite a long chat and decided together that it was something we'd be willing to do.

"t's definitely not beneficial financially, but I just want to stay here. My heart is at Parramatta and we're really building something special at this club. I'm willing to make the sacrifice so I don't have regrets. I suppose it's up to [salary cap auditor] Ian Schubert now.''

Released from Cronulla 12 months early after being told he would not play NRL, Kingston only linked with Parramatta on an incentive-based deal last November. But the Queensland product has quickly become popular with his new teammates, none more so than fellow Sutherland Shire resident Grothe.

They began driving to training and matches together after just one session and now spend time outside football listening to live music and drinking coffee.

Their friendship last week inspired Grothe to beg club officials to cut his 2010 salary on Kingston's behalf, a heart-warming gesture that stirs memories of Michael Crocker's offer to play in England so Melbourne could keep good mate Clint Newton after the 2007 Grand Final.

"It's such a nice thing of Eric, but I don't want him to do that,'' Kingston said. "Eric shouldn't suffer financially for me.''

 

[pauljc26]

Nice story
i really hope they can work something out and keep him

 

[El Diablo]

damn

how good is that to read

players wanting to take a cut to stay and others willing to sacrifice some of their dollars to fit them in

not many people would do that in todays world and you also have to consider that footy players don't earn top dollars for the rest of their lives

 

[Ron Jeremy]

awesome story

 

[FUIFUI_MOIMOI]

im seriously blown away by this article. HJ will be happy to read this. LETS KEEP KINGSTON! Very nice by Eric as well - what a fantastic future this club has...

 

[Jono078]

Always rated Kingston since his FG debut. I hope he is able to stay with you guys.

His impact against the Dogs was huge.

 

[Brenno75]

WOW!! just wow

 

[mickdo]

WOW!! just wow

You beat me to it! WOW is dead right!!! :shock:

 

[pauljc26]

now they are the kind of players you want
players that want to play and it is not all about the money
the game needs more players like this

 

[MikePatton]

What a champion! He may not have been here long, but the little fella bleeds blue and gold. Go Kinga!

 

[cgee221]

This type of stuff brings a tear to the eye, what amazing gestures by both players, simply amazing!

 

[natheel]

good stuff ekka for even offering to take a pay cut!!

hope kingston stays he must love the club

 

[Stagger eel]

My God..what a beautiful story.

wouldn't it be fantastic if they can sort something out??

 

[yy_cheng]

can't each player give up $2k for him. It's only $1k after tax.

 

[Redback71]

hopefully it all works out and he stays

 

[Angry_eel]

This is special. Bloody special. Honestly, I cannot believe a selfish dude(thats what he seems like) like Grothe would beg for a pay cut. If he did that then well done.

 

[Casper The Ghost]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...r-to-pay-to-play/story-e6frexnr-1225780623644

This is only just the beginning... the whole Eels squad will be infected by this share the wealth around attitude... and it will happen and is happening as I mentioned many times since June 2009. This loving attitude is part of the infrastructure of the Eels Golden Age Dynasty. The players will gather together to force this to happen down-the-line. There are more benefits to be derived from such a loving attitude, that benefits all-of-them, than operating without it.

 

[yy_cheng]

Hey Casper,

Parra I believe have only 1 remaining full time squad member left. Is that for your big surprise or will kinga or lowrie take it.

I believe Tim Smith signed for a Qld Cup side who feeds the West Tigers

 

[Casper The Ghost]

Hey Casper,

Parra I believe have only 1 remaining full time squad member left. Is that for your big surprise or will kinga or lowrie take it.

I believe Tim Smith signed for a Qld Cup side who feeds the West Tigers

yy, I'm just an apparition operating from the other side but you just never know how things will pan out but it really feels that there are a few more surprises to come before the June 30th 2010 deadline.

An increase in the salary cap may come into play as well.

One of the big Eels surprises indicated already happened with Tahu.

Another big-surprise to do with an ex Eels player appears to be still on the pipeline... lets see what comes.

Another is Sam Burgess, it would be great to convince Sam to stay in the UK for another year and then join the Eels in 2011 but Russell is using all his skills of persuasion to pull Sam over to the Rabbits and away from Daniel Anderson. I am not sure what has come of this.....has he signed with the Rabbits yet?????

If the Eels players come to the party and adjust their contracts (and they can do this by trade practice rulings/precedences) then we will see lots of other benefits arrive in the Eels camp.

I still feel Tim Smith will end up with the Eels down-the-line. The tide changes quickly and so do circumstances.

I realy felt that the Eels players would have already come to the party to keep Joe G, but it has happened too late to keep Joe. Lets see if they can at least keep Lowrie, Kingston & Robson together. These actions/attitudes will inspire Mortimer to stay as well.

 

[niftyned]

How lucky this playing group is to be in an environment like that. Such loyalty and mateship is all too rare nowadays. If our boys win the GF this attitude will play a big part in that. The feeling of not wanting to let their mates down may spur them to a new level of brilliance come Sunday. Lets hope so.