From today's CT:
McLinden latest Raider to jump ship
By Peter Fitzgerald Rugby league
Tuesday, 9 November 2004
The revolving door that is the Canberra Raiders' playing roster turned another cog yesterday when Mark McLinden announced he was leaving the club to take up a three-year deal with the London Broncos.
McLinden, 25, still had two years remaining on his contract with the Raiders but exercised a clause in it which stated he would be granted an early release if he opted to fulfil a lifelong dream and take up a position with an English-based club.
It is believed the halfback has also demanded a clause in his London contract that he can return to the National Rugby League at any stage if he so desires.
While the decision came as a shock to most involved in the football community, it was one McLinden almost made 12 months ago.
The former West Belconnen junior signed a three-year deal with the Raiders at the end of the 2003 season, but only after long and in-depth negotiations with English club, Castleford.
However, after seven years of first-grade service to Canberra, McLinden decided the timing was finally right to pursue his dream of playing league in England.
"I've been working toward this for a few years now," he said yesterday. "I've had a desire to travel and play overseas. For me, it was something I was always going to do.
"I was very close to going to Castleford last year but that didn't eventuate.
"My manager spoke to a few clubs this time around, they got back to us and within 24 hours, something was put in place."
McLinden had been in negotiations with "a few" English Super League clubs over the past month and decided upon the Broncos only 10 days ago.
In doing so, he becomes the sixth Raider in the past six months to leave the club under indifferent circumstances.
James Evans (quit football), Brad Drew (Huddersfield Giants), Luke Davico (Wigan), Ruben Wiki (New Zealand Warriors) and Joel Monaghan (Sydney Roosters) have all departed from the Raiders port for next season.
McLinden dropped the bombshell to his teammates at training yesterday afternoon.
For them, the announcement came as a shock.
Even for the departee, the speed of the decision came as a surprise.
But he has no doubt he is at the right stage of his playing career to make such a life-changing verdict.
"I've always had the desire to go to England, yet not so much at the end of my career," McLinden said. "I'd much rather go over there, try it, and hopefully come back.
"Plus, I'm single and it's a lot easier to get up and move if you don't have a wife and kids, so I hear."
McLinden has only recently returned from a six-week overseas adventure with two of his best mates.
The deal with London was made by his manager while he was away but McLinden insists he did not meet up with the Broncos whilst holidaying and that he hadn't just caught the travel bug, he'd "always had it".
When McLinden first started out in the NRL in 1998 as an 18-year-old, he was touted as the next big thing to grace the then Australian Rugby League competition.
After waiting in line behind legendary Canberra halfback, Ricky Stuart, he was finally awarded the opportunity to partner Laurie Daley in the halves.
After winning the Rookie Of The Year that season, the football world was McLinden's oyster.
Part of the reason for him leaving Canberra, McLinden admitted yesterday, was the fact he never reached that potential which had him touted as a future Australian captain and an all-time great halfback.
"The way I started my career in the NRL, I was hoping to play rep football and had all these plans but they haven't come to fruition," he said.
"So this is Plan B. Go overseas, play football, and enjoy that side of it"
McLinden is expected to slot straight into the No7 jersey with London, after the cashed-up club recently lost the services of boom halfback Dennis Moran, who will join Luke Davico at Wigan for the next two years.
Raiders coach Matt Elliott said that while he wasn't "over the moon" about McLinden's departure, it would be hypocritical of him to try and persuade him out of doing something he had always held close to his heart.
"I had the opportunity to spend some time in Europe as a young bloke and I fully understand Mark's ambition to want to do that," Elliott said.
"I knew he was going to go. Last year I knew we could persuade him to stay around, this time I knew he was going to go."
McLinden didn't rule out one day returning to the Raiders, something which greatly pleased Elliott.
"I fully expect him to return," the coach said.
"I think that's a fair expectation to have [and] I think Mark has a similar expectation."
