mightypanther
Juniors
- Messages
- 2,023
Priddis out to prove his worth in NRL
April 16, 2008 - 7:02PM
http://news.leaguehq.com.au:80/priddis-out-to-prove-his-worth-in-nrl/20080416-26kl.html
Veteran Penrith hooker Luke Priddis has vowed to keep producing his best football this season in a bid to secure his future in the NRL.
Priddis remains unsigned for 2009, having been told by the Panthers to look elsewhere after this season.
The 31-year-old remains hopeful of convincing the club to re-sign him and wants to stay in the NRL with his four children and business opportunities making a potential move to England difficult.
He has also been linked with a move St George Illawarra under incoming coach Wayne Bennett but says he hasn't had any formal discussion with the Dragons.
The former Test hooker has bounced back to his best form in recent weeks and said he was focused on getting "the runs on the board" this year to prove his worth for 2009.
"Playing good footy helps your chances whether it's at the same club or another so it's all in my hands and that's the only thing I can do I suppose to affect negotiations off the field," Priddis said.
"I'll just concentrate on getting good performances for the Panthers and the rest will look after itself in one way or another."
Priddis said he wouldn't close the door on staying with Penrith. "But in saying that obviously they've had first crack and have said that I need to go have a look around, so that's what I'll be doing and we'll see what happens after that," he said.
Priddis wouldn't rule out a move to the Dragons to reunite with Bennett, whom he played three seasons under at Brisbane from 1999-2001.
The hooker is one of several players expected to leave the club next season with Tony Puletua and Luke Rooney also likely to exit and Luke Lewis already signing with Souths.
Backrower Frank Pritchard was also seeking a release from his contract but the growing speculation surrounding the players' futures has seemingly not affected performances on the field.
In fact Priddis, Puletua, Pritchard and Lewis have been among Penrith's best players in the past three weeks.
"Most of the boys are professional enough here to realise what happens off the field happens there, but pretty much any player at any club I think you'll find that once they cross that line, it doesn't matter what's going on off the field," Priddis said. "You put 100 per cent into that performance and that's shown in the last few weeks. It's no doubt it's a business these days so you've got to be able to juggle on-field and off-field."
Panthers chief executive Michael Leary declined to comment on Priddis' future. "I don't want to go into any decisions about where we're going or what we're doing, we've got a another 20 rounds to go and when the 20 rounds are up we might make a few decisions then," Leary said.
But promising halfback Jarrod Sammut said he hoped the likes of Priddis and Puletua were retained by the club. "If we were to lose those two players it would be a huge loss for the club," Sammut said. "I know that all the boys would love them to stay but unfortunately with the salary cap and everything, it won't always be like that."
.
.
April 16, 2008 - 7:02PM
http://news.leaguehq.com.au:80/priddis-out-to-prove-his-worth-in-nrl/20080416-26kl.html
Veteran Penrith hooker Luke Priddis has vowed to keep producing his best football this season in a bid to secure his future in the NRL.
Priddis remains unsigned for 2009, having been told by the Panthers to look elsewhere after this season.
The 31-year-old remains hopeful of convincing the club to re-sign him and wants to stay in the NRL with his four children and business opportunities making a potential move to England difficult.
He has also been linked with a move St George Illawarra under incoming coach Wayne Bennett but says he hasn't had any formal discussion with the Dragons.
The former Test hooker has bounced back to his best form in recent weeks and said he was focused on getting "the runs on the board" this year to prove his worth for 2009.
"Playing good footy helps your chances whether it's at the same club or another so it's all in my hands and that's the only thing I can do I suppose to affect negotiations off the field," Priddis said.
"I'll just concentrate on getting good performances for the Panthers and the rest will look after itself in one way or another."
Priddis said he wouldn't close the door on staying with Penrith. "But in saying that obviously they've had first crack and have said that I need to go have a look around, so that's what I'll be doing and we'll see what happens after that," he said.
Priddis wouldn't rule out a move to the Dragons to reunite with Bennett, whom he played three seasons under at Brisbane from 1999-2001.
The hooker is one of several players expected to leave the club next season with Tony Puletua and Luke Rooney also likely to exit and Luke Lewis already signing with Souths.
Backrower Frank Pritchard was also seeking a release from his contract but the growing speculation surrounding the players' futures has seemingly not affected performances on the field.
In fact Priddis, Puletua, Pritchard and Lewis have been among Penrith's best players in the past three weeks.
"Most of the boys are professional enough here to realise what happens off the field happens there, but pretty much any player at any club I think you'll find that once they cross that line, it doesn't matter what's going on off the field," Priddis said. "You put 100 per cent into that performance and that's shown in the last few weeks. It's no doubt it's a business these days so you've got to be able to juggle on-field and off-field."
Panthers chief executive Michael Leary declined to comment on Priddis' future. "I don't want to go into any decisions about where we're going or what we're doing, we've got a another 20 rounds to go and when the 20 rounds are up we might make a few decisions then," Leary said.
But promising halfback Jarrod Sammut said he hoped the likes of Priddis and Puletua were retained by the club. "If we were to lose those two players it would be a huge loss for the club," Sammut said. "I know that all the boys would love them to stay but unfortunately with the salary cap and everything, it won't always be like that."
.
.
