Mogg may ditch French deal to stay in Canberra
Peter Fitzgerald
Friday, 14 July 2006
Canberra Raiders general manager Don Furner has held informal discussions with Origin hero Adam Mogg about the possibility of retaining him at the club next season.
Mogg signed a letter of intent, not a contract, with French Super League club Les Catalans last month which was set to see him leave the Raiders with one year of his contract remaining. But when speculation of captain Clinton Schifcofske's departure to rugby union flared up again earlier this week, Furner sounded Mogg out about how official his commitment with Catalans was.
Schifcofske confirmed yesterday he would leave the Raiders to join Super 14 club the Queensland Reds.
Furner confirmed he met with Mogg on Monday to gauge whether he would reconsider moving to France and remain with the Raiders.
"I asked him would he entertain the thought of staying and he said that he would," Furner said.
Mogg announced his Catalans deal the same day as Queensland State of Origin selectors announced him as a shock call-up for the second match of the series against the NSW Blues in June.
Yesterday the 28-year-old said he would be happy to listen to any counter-offer the Raiders put to him.
"I'm pretty excited about going to France but I'd certainly sit down and listen to what [Canberra has] got to say. It'd be the polite thing to do.
"I think the Raiders thought they had things covered," he said.
"But with the players they've lost I think they need to recruit someone."
Mogg may not be the only player with a one-time Raiders link to be issued a new offer to play with the club in 2007.
Forward Ian Hindmarsh, who played in Canberra from 2003-05, contacted Furner this week about the possibility of a return to the NRL next season. Depending on the success of other recruitment targets, Furner said he would talk to incoming coach Neil Henry about Hindmarsh's position.
The Raiders announced their second recruit for next season yesterday, with Parramatta youngster Tony Pamatangi signing a two-year deal with the club.
The New Zealand-born player has spent two years in the NSW Premier League with both the Eels and Sydney Roosters. Pamatangi joins St George Illawarra centre Colin Best as the only new faces on the Raiders' 2007 player roster.
Furner denied the club had a significant amount of money left in the salary cap to lure high-profile players to Canberra in 2007.
"There's a lot of guys here who are due for decent pay rises which will take up a lot of our spare money," he said.
http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=sport&subclass=rugby%20league&story_id=494587&category=Rugby%20League&m=7&y=2006
Peter Fitzgerald
Friday, 14 July 2006
Canberra Raiders general manager Don Furner has held informal discussions with Origin hero Adam Mogg about the possibility of retaining him at the club next season.
Mogg signed a letter of intent, not a contract, with French Super League club Les Catalans last month which was set to see him leave the Raiders with one year of his contract remaining. But when speculation of captain Clinton Schifcofske's departure to rugby union flared up again earlier this week, Furner sounded Mogg out about how official his commitment with Catalans was.
Schifcofske confirmed yesterday he would leave the Raiders to join Super 14 club the Queensland Reds.
Furner confirmed he met with Mogg on Monday to gauge whether he would reconsider moving to France and remain with the Raiders.
"I asked him would he entertain the thought of staying and he said that he would," Furner said.
Mogg announced his Catalans deal the same day as Queensland State of Origin selectors announced him as a shock call-up for the second match of the series against the NSW Blues in June.
Yesterday the 28-year-old said he would be happy to listen to any counter-offer the Raiders put to him.
"I'm pretty excited about going to France but I'd certainly sit down and listen to what [Canberra has] got to say. It'd be the polite thing to do.
"I think the Raiders thought they had things covered," he said.
"But with the players they've lost I think they need to recruit someone."
Mogg may not be the only player with a one-time Raiders link to be issued a new offer to play with the club in 2007.
Forward Ian Hindmarsh, who played in Canberra from 2003-05, contacted Furner this week about the possibility of a return to the NRL next season. Depending on the success of other recruitment targets, Furner said he would talk to incoming coach Neil Henry about Hindmarsh's position.
The Raiders announced their second recruit for next season yesterday, with Parramatta youngster Tony Pamatangi signing a two-year deal with the club.
The New Zealand-born player has spent two years in the NSW Premier League with both the Eels and Sydney Roosters. Pamatangi joins St George Illawarra centre Colin Best as the only new faces on the Raiders' 2007 player roster.
Furner denied the club had a significant amount of money left in the salary cap to lure high-profile players to Canberra in 2007.
"There's a lot of guys here who are due for decent pay rises which will take up a lot of our spare money," he said.
http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=sport&subclass=rugby%20league&story_id=494587&category=Rugby%20League&m=7&y=2006