TV Ted Ellery
Bench
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Every season, without fail, a few high profile or up-and-coming players are sacked from their club for disciplinary reasons. No matter how egregious the player’s misconduct was, if he’s talented enough, he’ll have other clubs courting his signature. Accommodating the player under the salary cap may be difficult if he has a high asking price as most clubs spend to their cap limit without allowing for an unexpected event like that. Other clubs will wait until public condemnation of the player subsides before making an approach. Signing the player may cause initial disquiet among sponsors and fans but it’s unlikely to last long, particularly if the player performs well. The Telegraph will write a story lauding the club for rehabilitating the player’s career, insinuating that his former club, which brought him up through the junior ranks and endured his myriad of controversies, somehow failed in providing for his welfare. Of course, taking on such players carries the risk that the player will lapse into old ways and misbehave again. But the club can easily cast the player aside, especially if there’s a corresponding decline in his performances.
Its fair to say that the Tigers’ financial predicament has disqualified it from pursuing some of these sacked players in the past. But other times the club has had the opportunity to sign a very talented, albeit troubled player, only to be vetoed by the board or the senior player clique. I speak of Willie Mason and Todd Carney. Mason was not actually sacked from his former club, he was coming back from a stint in rugby, but his prior misdemeanours made many the club weary of the disruptive effect he might have on the player group. Despite anything that Mason or Carney might have done in the past, they were both elite players and more importantly would’ve strengthened up very glaring areas of weakness in our team.
This year when the first star is sacked I only hope the Tigers are in the running to snatch him up. Provided the finances are there and the player hasn’t committed a very serious criminal offence, I don’t care what he’s done in the past. Call me cynical but I’m sick to death of seeing clubs like the Roosters land all these players, while we forge on with our useless but well-behaved squad.
Its fair to say that the Tigers’ financial predicament has disqualified it from pursuing some of these sacked players in the past. But other times the club has had the opportunity to sign a very talented, albeit troubled player, only to be vetoed by the board or the senior player clique. I speak of Willie Mason and Todd Carney. Mason was not actually sacked from his former club, he was coming back from a stint in rugby, but his prior misdemeanours made many the club weary of the disruptive effect he might have on the player group. Despite anything that Mason or Carney might have done in the past, they were both elite players and more importantly would’ve strengthened up very glaring areas of weakness in our team.
This year when the first star is sacked I only hope the Tigers are in the running to snatch him up. Provided the finances are there and the player hasn’t committed a very serious criminal offence, I don’t care what he’s done in the past. Call me cynical but I’m sick to death of seeing clubs like the Roosters land all these players, while we forge on with our useless but well-behaved squad.
