Bulldogs make a play for Mateo
| August 01, 2009 05:44pm
PARRAMATTA star Feleti Mateo has held secret talks with Bulldogs powerbrokers about walking away from the Eels with one year remaining on his contract.
In a move that has ignited a war of words between two of the NRL's fiercest rivals, new Eels chief executive Paul Osbourne has accused the Bulldogs of trying to poach Parramatta's best talent.
The Sunday Telegraph has learned the Bulldogs have made discreet inquiries about Mateo, centre Krisnan Inu and halfback Kris Keating, who are all under contract until October next year.
It's understood Mateo, who is expected to return from a torn biceps in round 23, has met Bulldogs officials on three occasions in the past three months.
"The Bulldogs seem to be having a little bit of trouble in obviously developing their own juniors so they're eyeing off some of ours, '' Osbourne said.
"I've heard they were interested in Inu, I know they'd like Daniel Mortimer and I've heard the Feleti Mateo rumour. Maybe they should spend abit more time looking at theirown kids.''
Sidelined since round 11, Mateo played under Bulldogs assistant coach Jim Dymock for Tonga during the World Cup last year.
The Sunday Telegraph understands Mateo and coach Daniel Anderson do not see eye to eye, with the ball-playing lock interested in looking at a release.
But the sticking point is Mateo's $275,000 contract.
The Bulldogs would only be prepared to pay up to $225,000 for Mateo, meaning the Eels would have to stump up the other $50,000.
Told the Bulldogs would want Parramatta to pay part of Mateo's contract if he was released, Osbourne said: "What a great idea. We pay the Bulldogs to take Feleti Mateo. I like Todd Greenberg, he's a great bloke, but I certainly look forward to having that conversation with him.''
Bulldogs chief executive Greenberg said he was unaware of any meetings between Mateo and any Bulldogs officials, and stressed the Bulldogs were more interested in Krisnan Inu.
"I had a chat to Ossie about Krisnan but it was only on the basis that they were keen to put their hand in their pocket,'' Greenberg said. "The two names that have been floating around about us at Parramatta are Feleti and Krisnan but the one that's closer to the mark is Krisnan.
"I'm not aware of any meetings with Feleti but that's not to say that a board member might not have done something.''
Mateo's agent, David Riolo, said he was unaware of any meetings between his client and the Bulldogs. "Maybe, but he's done it without my consent,'' Riolo said.
"I can honestly tell you I haven't had any discussions with anyone officially or unofficially. He might have met them as in someone was with someone doing something and he was introduced, but I would be amazed if it was an organised meeting.''
Riolo then rang Mateo, who said someone had approached him at Parramatta's Albion Hotel on behalf of the Bulldogs.
