http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/mason-release-a-done-deal/2007/11/05/1194117874920.html
Mason release a done deal
Jacquelin Magnay | November 5, 2007
WILLIE Mason has already been told to leave the Bulldogs, and club officials are expecting an official request for a release from the player or his manager within the next 24 hours.
Mason's manager, Greg Keenan, and Bulldogs chairman George Peponis met last Friday. Keenan was told Mason had no future with the Canterbury-based club after his outburst about not being allowed to contest a boxing match and his anger at being threatened with a $50,000 fine for not turning up to a club grand final function.
Peponis gave Mason until Wednesday night's club board meeting to find another team. The compromise came about to give Mason a better bargaining position and to save face by being released rather than face the embarrassment of being sacked by the board.
Mason has told friends he doesn't want to stay at Belmore and is willing to take a massive pay cut on principle.
The club decided to release Mason to free up nearly $1million over the next two years after Mason knocked back an earlier suggestion to spend a year in the UK to ease tensions between himself and club chief executive Malcolm Noad. Mason has been in Melbourne for the spring racing carnival and told reporters he wouldn't return to Sydney until his future was resolved.
It is understood that English club Hull has made Mason an offer in line with his $450,000-a-year salary.
Other NRL clubs, with the exception of North Queensland Cowboys, do not have money under their salary cap to accommodate Mason, and NRL salary cap chief Ian Schubert has warned he would be vigorously examining any domestic deal with Mason, especially if it was dramatically below market value.
Mason rang Roosters coach Brad Fittler about his options but the club has no money under the cap and chief executive Brian Canavan said they would not back-end a contract, which is paying a minimal amount in the first year with a massive payment in other years.
Bulldogs officials have contacted all their players and their managers to determine the validity of Keenan's threat that three or four players would "walk" from the club if Mason left, and they believe that threat to be hollow.
"The players are actually filthy that Willie is dragging their names into his dramas, yet again," a source said. "He has zero support from the players or anyone at the club. No one is sad he is going."
The club is furious that Mason escalated an internal disciplinary matter that had yet to be resolved. Officials had been keen to talk to Mason before the start of pre-Christmas training about his failure to turn up to the grand final function - for the second year - and his absence from a fan day at Belmore Oval, but also his failure to support the club sponsors.
In the middle of the season Mason didn't turn up for a Telstra photo shoot, forcing a lengthy delay and keeping Hazem El Masri and Sonny Bill Williams waiting until a last-minute replacement, Matt Utai, could arrive. Noad's wife, Holly Kramer, is a senior executive at Telstra.
Mason had been fined by the club for his persistent wearing of Champion clothing, a personal sponsor, during team training and during school visits, which had upset club sponsor Nike. Following that fine, Mason was the only player who didn't turn up to sign jerseys that were for distribution to charities.
Source: The Sun-Herald
Mason release a done deal
Jacquelin Magnay | November 5, 2007
WILLIE Mason has already been told to leave the Bulldogs, and club officials are expecting an official request for a release from the player or his manager within the next 24 hours.
Mason's manager, Greg Keenan, and Bulldogs chairman George Peponis met last Friday. Keenan was told Mason had no future with the Canterbury-based club after his outburst about not being allowed to contest a boxing match and his anger at being threatened with a $50,000 fine for not turning up to a club grand final function.
Peponis gave Mason until Wednesday night's club board meeting to find another team. The compromise came about to give Mason a better bargaining position and to save face by being released rather than face the embarrassment of being sacked by the board.
Mason has told friends he doesn't want to stay at Belmore and is willing to take a massive pay cut on principle.
The club decided to release Mason to free up nearly $1million over the next two years after Mason knocked back an earlier suggestion to spend a year in the UK to ease tensions between himself and club chief executive Malcolm Noad. Mason has been in Melbourne for the spring racing carnival and told reporters he wouldn't return to Sydney until his future was resolved.
It is understood that English club Hull has made Mason an offer in line with his $450,000-a-year salary.
Other NRL clubs, with the exception of North Queensland Cowboys, do not have money under their salary cap to accommodate Mason, and NRL salary cap chief Ian Schubert has warned he would be vigorously examining any domestic deal with Mason, especially if it was dramatically below market value.
Mason rang Roosters coach Brad Fittler about his options but the club has no money under the cap and chief executive Brian Canavan said they would not back-end a contract, which is paying a minimal amount in the first year with a massive payment in other years.
Bulldogs officials have contacted all their players and their managers to determine the validity of Keenan's threat that three or four players would "walk" from the club if Mason left, and they believe that threat to be hollow.
"The players are actually filthy that Willie is dragging their names into his dramas, yet again," a source said. "He has zero support from the players or anyone at the club. No one is sad he is going."
The club is furious that Mason escalated an internal disciplinary matter that had yet to be resolved. Officials had been keen to talk to Mason before the start of pre-Christmas training about his failure to turn up to the grand final function - for the second year - and his absence from a fan day at Belmore Oval, but also his failure to support the club sponsors.
In the middle of the season Mason didn't turn up for a Telstra photo shoot, forcing a lengthy delay and keeping Hazem El Masri and Sonny Bill Williams waiting until a last-minute replacement, Matt Utai, could arrive. Noad's wife, Holly Kramer, is a senior executive at Telstra.
Mason had been fined by the club for his persistent wearing of Champion clothing, a personal sponsor, during team training and during school visits, which had upset club sponsor Nike. Following that fine, Mason was the only player who didn't turn up to sign jerseys that were for distribution to charities.
Source: The Sun-Herald
