Nothing new, but a few quotes.

[blacktip-reefy]

Cronulla president Barry Pierce will meet with coach Chris Anderson before the Kangaroo tour gets underway next week as speculation mounts over Anderson's future at the National Rugby League club.

Anderson's tenure at Cronulla has been under the spotlight since he fell out with senior Sharks officials over their decision not to offer his son Jarrad a contract next season.

It's understood his future was discussed at a board meeting on Tuesday night and a third warning letter was drafted which will be given to Anderson at his meeting with Pierce.

Pierce has declined to comment on what was talked about.

However, he did confirm he planned to meet with Anderson before the national coach leaves on the Kangaroo tour on Tuesday.




"I won't make any comment until I meet with the coach and that will be before the tour for sure," Pierce said.

Anderson and the 23-man Australian squad fly out to New Zealand, where they will play a Test against the Kiwis.

The squad will then return home for a day before heading to Europe for the three-Test series against Great Britain.

Anderson has another year to run on his contract with the Sharks - understood to be worth $400,000 per season - as well as an option for a further two years if the club makes the top eight in 2004.

He led the club to within one game of the grand final in 2002 but things turned sour this season through a combination of poor results and Anderson's controversial axing of club stalwarts Nick Graham and Dean Treister.

Anderson eventually issued the club a "back me or sack me" ultimatum and the Sharks threw their support behind the premiership-winning coach.

However, the decision not to offer Jarrad Anderson a contract and Anderson's subsequent decision to cut Greg Pierce - Barry's son - and Theo Burgess from his support staff re-opened those old wounds.

 

[blacktip-reefy]

Sharks' $1m rift
October 9, 2003

CRONULLA will be forced to hand over $1 million if they want to sack coach Chris Anderson.

The figure emerged last night as Cronulla's leading players called for peace within the embattled club.

Brett Kimmorley, Phil Bailey and David Peachey have asked that the ongoing bickering between board members and coach Anderson cease.

Anderson has another season to run on his original three-year deal, but the contract contains a clause entitling him to a two-year extension should Cronulla reach the finals.

Sources last night said Cronulla would be forced to find $1 million to oust Anderson.

It is known Cronulla do not have the money to pay out Anderson and the Test coach has no plans to walk away.

The Sharks players believe the matter should be resolved now and Anderson allowed to push forward with his 2004 plans.

If the drama - which began last month when the Sharks sacked Anderson's son Jarrad - continues, Kimmorley, Bailey and Peachey fear the Sharks' hopes of success will be severely hampered.

Anderson's coaching future was discussed at a Sharks board meeting on Tuesday night.

But club president Barry Pierce denied issuing Anderson a third breach notice after comments the coach made to Sharks general manager Steve Rogers and other officials after Jarrad's sacking.

Anderson said yesterday he had not received a third notice.

But no one at the club would discuss whether the notice could still be issued.

"It seems to be one thing after another," Kimmorley said.

"It would be nice for all parties to meet somewhere in the middle so we can build an environment which is good for the club and good for the players. Next year we're assembling a squad which will play some good footy if we're drama free."

Bailey, a Kangaroo tourist, said drama between Anderson and the board earlier this year had distracted the players.

"I just hope it can all be sorted out and it can be all over and done with," Bailey said.

"We just have to concentrate on footy and not this other junk.

"Earlier this year it blew up and it was distracting."

Peachey said the Sharks players were still supportive of Anderson.

"All the senior players stood behind Chris before and we will do the same," Peachey said. "But it is a little harder now because the players are spread all over the place.

"It's basically Chris and the board. Chris is here to do a job and things don't always run smoothly.

"Cronulla has had a certain environment and Chris has his own ideas.

"It's disappointing to see the Sharks in the headlines for all the wrong reasons."

Club president Pierce was saying little yesterday.

"The club comes first but I won't be making any further comment until I speak with Chris," Pierce said.

 

[cheese]

more

Anderson digs in as Sharks bite
By Brad Walter
October 8, 2003

Embattled Cronulla coach Chris Anderson yesterday insisted he wanted to stay at the club - for the sake of the players.

It is understood the Sharks' directors last night drafted a third and final breach notice to be sent to Anderson this week.

It is believed the warning letter relates to comments he allegedly made to Cronulla general manager Steve Rogers and president Barry Pierce over the club's decision to sack his son, Jarrad, from the playing roster.

Under NSW Industrial Relations Law, Anderson now has the right to put forward a case why the breach notice should be withdrawn.

Because he is leaving for New Zealand next Tuesday with the Kangaroos, who then have just a day back in the country before departing for their tour of Britain, Anderson is likely to be given until December to reply.

But the move formally sets in motion attempts by the club to sack him without paying out the remainder of his contract, which contains a clause automatically entitling him to a two-year extension if the Sharks make the top eight next season.

To avoid a potential court case, it is expected he will be offered a settlement, but Anderson said he planned to resist attempts to drive him from the club because of loyalty to the new players joining the Sharks next season and those he had blooded in first grade this year.

"I'd like to stay here and finish the job with the players. That's my main concern," Anderson said. "We introduced 15 new players to first grade this year, and the club has made some good signings [Nigel Vagana, Andrew Lomu, Michael Russo and Nathan Merritt] for next season. I don't want to leave them in a situation like this."

Anderson is also under pressure in his role as Australia coach, with Penrith players and officials yesterday calling for skipper Craig Gower to be in the starting line-up at halfback or five-eighth for the October 18 Test against New Zealand.

Anderson is thought to favour a scrumbase combination of Sharks halfback Brett Kimmorley and Roosters utility Craig Wing, with Gower on the bench, but he said last night he would not make up his mind until after the squad went into camp on Sunday.

Penrith centre Ryan Girdler (calf) is expected to be fit, as are teammates Tony Puletua (hamstring) and Joe Galuvao (hip), who fly out to Auckland on Friday to join the Kiwis' camp.

New Zealand coach Daniel Anderson said he might still call up players from England, despite naming a 21-man squad on Monday.

Bulldogs chief executive Steve Mortimer is expected to contact the NZRL to seek an explanation for winger Matt Utai's dumping by Anderson on disciplinary grounds.

Elsewhere, South Sydney are set to admit defeat in their fight to make rookie Warriors prop Dallas Rennie honour an agreement to join the club next season.

Rennie has since signed with Manly, and the Rabbitohs consider he is not worth the time and money involved in taking the matter to court.

In post-grand final news, more than 3,000 fans turned out at Penrith Stadium yesterday to pay tribute to the victorious Panthers side, whose celebrations will continue tonight at the club's player-of-the-year awards presentation.


This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/07/1065292595414.html

 

[blacktip-reefy]

That was yesterday cheese.
SMH has nothing out until around 2.

 

[Jimbo]

Brett Kimmorley, Phil Bailey and David Peachey have asked that the ongoing bickering between board members and coach Anderson cease.

The Sharks players believe the matter should be resolved now and Anderson allowed to push forward with his 2004 plans.

If the drama - which began last month when the Sharks sacked Anderson's son Jarrad - continues, Kimmorley, Bailey and Peachey fear the Sharks' hopes of success will be severely hampered.

"It seems to be one thing after another," Kimmorley said.

"It would be nice for all parties to meet somewhere in the middle so we can build an environment which is good for the club and good for the players. Next year we're assembling a squad which will play some good footy if we're drama free."

Bailey, a Kangaroo tourist, said drama between Anderson and the board earlier this year had distracted the players.

"I just hope it can all be sorted out and it can be all over and done with," Bailey said.

"We just have to concentrate on footy and not this other junk.

"Earlier this year it blew up and it was distracting."

Peachey said the Sharks players were still supportive of Anderson.

"All the senior players stood behind Chris before and we will do the same," Peachey said. "But it is a little harder now because the players are spread all over the place.

"It's basically Chris and the board. Chris is here to do a job and things don't always run smoothly.

"Cronulla has had a certain environment and Chris has his own ideas.

"It's disappointing to see the Sharks in the headlines for all the wrong reasons."

Good to see. The board won't listen to reason, so hopefully they'll listen to the players...