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Rugby league By Peter Fitzgerald
Wednesday, 23 June 2004
Canberra Times
Senior players at the Canberra Raiders are believed to be involved in a secret, behind-the-scenes bid to persuade club veteran Ruben Wiki to remain at the club for at least one more season.
The handful of players participating in the action - understood to be led by captain Simon Woolford - are considering deferring part of their contract payments from next year's salary cap so the Raiders can increase their offer to Wiki.
Under the plan, the players would receive the missing part of their 2005 salaries during the 2006-2007 financial year.
On the surface, it's a viable plan. The Raiders have 10 players coming off contract at the end of the 2005 season.
Right now, the club has room in its salary cap to accommodate some wage 'spill' in 2006.
But among those 10 players are expensive re-signings Clinton Schifcofske, Ryan O'Hara, Ian Hindmarsh and talented youngster Todd Carney.
If Raiders management accepts the players' offer, it could create a cash crisis in 2006.
John Brady, director of media and communications at the NRL, said such a deferred-payment scheme fell within salary cap guidelines.
"It really doesn't worry us how a club gets to the $3.25 million, as long as they don't exceed that amount," he said.
"It is up to each club to decide how they reach that amount. If players wish to defer payments until the following season, that is up to them."
Suspicions were aroused at a bizarre Raiders training session yesterday, when the Raiders' media manager Michael Earsman said Woolford would be making an important statement.
But after a brief meeting with Woolford following training, Earsman retracted his claim a short time later, saying the captain would not be talking to the media.
Last night the Raiders refused to elaborate on yesterday's events.
Wiki's current three-year contract with the Raiders expires at the end of this season - and there is no shortage of eligible suitors lining up for his attention.
Neither Wiki, nor his manager, Jim Banaghan, is in a position to negotiate with other clubs before the NRL's anti-tampering deadline falls on June 30.
Both the Manly Sea Eagles and English Super League club Wigan are believed to be preparing substantial offers for the New Zealand captain.
Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay arrives in Australia next week on the pretext of attending State of Origin III at Telstra Stadium on July 7.
Should he remain in Australia after June 30, the timing of his trip would allow Lindsay to hold discussions with Banaghan regarding Wiki.
Lindsay told a Sydney newspaper on Monday that nothing had been arranged with Australian player managers - but could be.
"I have got nobody on my list ... I will obviously speak to any manager that wants to have a cup of coffee and a spot of lunch," he said.
Raiders coach Matt Elliott yesterday claimed to be unaware of the players' move to keep their captain.
But he did concede the chase to secure Wiki is "very challenging".
"Ruben is such a great player, both on and off the field, that obviously we want to keep him here," he said.
"We are trying very hard to convince him to stay, but the reality of the situation is that that process is not always easy.
"Ruben has been an amazing player for this club for so many years and, as I've said before, it would be tragic to see him leave."
Wednesday, 23 June 2004
Canberra Times
Senior players at the Canberra Raiders are believed to be involved in a secret, behind-the-scenes bid to persuade club veteran Ruben Wiki to remain at the club for at least one more season.
The handful of players participating in the action - understood to be led by captain Simon Woolford - are considering deferring part of their contract payments from next year's salary cap so the Raiders can increase their offer to Wiki.
Under the plan, the players would receive the missing part of their 2005 salaries during the 2006-2007 financial year.
On the surface, it's a viable plan. The Raiders have 10 players coming off contract at the end of the 2005 season.
Right now, the club has room in its salary cap to accommodate some wage 'spill' in 2006.
But among those 10 players are expensive re-signings Clinton Schifcofske, Ryan O'Hara, Ian Hindmarsh and talented youngster Todd Carney.
If Raiders management accepts the players' offer, it could create a cash crisis in 2006.
John Brady, director of media and communications at the NRL, said such a deferred-payment scheme fell within salary cap guidelines.
"It really doesn't worry us how a club gets to the $3.25 million, as long as they don't exceed that amount," he said.
"It is up to each club to decide how they reach that amount. If players wish to defer payments until the following season, that is up to them."
Suspicions were aroused at a bizarre Raiders training session yesterday, when the Raiders' media manager Michael Earsman said Woolford would be making an important statement.
But after a brief meeting with Woolford following training, Earsman retracted his claim a short time later, saying the captain would not be talking to the media.
Last night the Raiders refused to elaborate on yesterday's events.
Wiki's current three-year contract with the Raiders expires at the end of this season - and there is no shortage of eligible suitors lining up for his attention.
Neither Wiki, nor his manager, Jim Banaghan, is in a position to negotiate with other clubs before the NRL's anti-tampering deadline falls on June 30.
Both the Manly Sea Eagles and English Super League club Wigan are believed to be preparing substantial offers for the New Zealand captain.
Wigan chairman Maurice Lindsay arrives in Australia next week on the pretext of attending State of Origin III at Telstra Stadium on July 7.
Should he remain in Australia after June 30, the timing of his trip would allow Lindsay to hold discussions with Banaghan regarding Wiki.
Lindsay told a Sydney newspaper on Monday that nothing had been arranged with Australian player managers - but could be.
"I have got nobody on my list ... I will obviously speak to any manager that wants to have a cup of coffee and a spot of lunch," he said.
Raiders coach Matt Elliott yesterday claimed to be unaware of the players' move to keep their captain.
But he did concede the chase to secure Wiki is "very challenging".
"Ruben is such a great player, both on and off the field, that obviously we want to keep him here," he said.
"We are trying very hard to convince him to stay, but the reality of the situation is that that process is not always easy.
"Ruben has been an amazing player for this club for so many years and, as I've said before, it would be tragic to see him leave."
