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Rumoured/Confirmed Signings and More Crap XVII

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T.S Quint

Coach
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15,330
I wish Anderson could have let me know he was goin to tank that game so I wouldn't have wasted my time and money going out there to watch it.
 

El Diablo

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94,107
http://www.nrl.com/eels-confirm-wat...4/newsid/81950/default.aspx?cid=NRL_HP_Latest

Eels confirm Watmough interest for 2015

By Matt Encarnacion, Western Sydney Correspondent

NRL.com

2:30pm Wed 17th September, 2014

Parramatta CEO Scott Seward has revealed the club has reached out to disgruntled Manly second-rower Anthony Watmough about the possibility of joining the Eels next season – but only if he wants out.

Speaking at Tuesday night's Ken Thornett medal presentation, Seward said there was enough room in the Eels' salary cap to squeeze Watmough into their squad, but insisted discussions have yet to begin with his management about next year or beyond.

"We've indicated to his management that if there is an opportunity, we would speak. We're not talking about 2016. We'll see what happens when it takes place," Seward told NRL.com.

"He's under contract at Manly. We respect that. [But] I don't think any club would be truthful in saying they wouldn't be interested in someone of Anthony's calibre if he was available.

"If he's available, we'd certainly have a chat to him. But as far as we're concerned, he's under contract with Manly next year and we'll deal with it if the opportunity arises."

The Sea Eagles veteran moved quickly last week to hose down reports that he had already agreed on a three-year contract with the Eels, beginning in 2016.

But a move west is now a genuine possibility should the Brookvale club grant Watmough a release from the final year of his contract.

A report earlier this year revealed Parramatta were paying around $750,000 in wages for players no longer at the club, but Seward said they now had enough room to fit a player of Watmough's calibre.

The Eels on Tuesday night farewelled Ken Sio (Hull KR), Ben Smith (retired), Kelepi Tanginoa (North Queensland), Willie Tonga (Catalans), and Fuifui Moimoi (off-contract).

Moimoi is understood to be close to signing a deal to play in the Super League.

"Our cap position is a moving beast, like most clubs' would be. We wouldn't be in a position to get someone of Anthony's stature without making some moves. We've obviously made some moves through the year, [and] we got other items that we need to fix first," Seward said.

"Trying to fix a salary cap that was a mess for a period of time, you can't do in 12 months. We've got to have a little bit of pain. We've had to make some tough decisions and probably lost a couple of players we may not have wanted to or chosen to.

"But in the overall scheme of trying to correct the salary cap, we had to do it to present a team that Brad wants, to put out there that we think we can win."

While the short-term future of Watmough remains in flux, Seward stressed that re-signing skipper Jarryd Hayne, who is off contract at the end of next season, was "priority number one, two and three for our football club".

"Maybe even four and five," he said. "Most importantly, Jarryd's under contract for next year. So we're not under any threat there. We'll be doing everything to ensure Jarryd plays out his career in blue and gold. We think we're a lot closer now than what we were 12 months ago."

While the Eels boss doesn't believe rival code rugby union – or even the NFL – will be a major threat to keeping their franchise player, Seward said he wouldn't be afraid of asking the NRL for help.

"I think if our game is going to continue to grow, key icons like Jarryd Hayne can't even be discussed about going to other codes," he said.

"I wouldn't expect that the NRL would be helping anyone keep a player from going to another club. I would think that would be wrong. But I wouldn't like to see Jarryd playing rugby union.

"If that was a discussion, we'd certainly be talking to the NRL and I would think the NRL would be doing everything they can to keep Jarryd Hayne playing rugby league."

Meanwhile, shovels will hit the dirt in about a month's time as the club begins its two-year development of a new high performance centre and training facility at Old Saleyards and Dan Mahoney Reserve in North Parramatta.

The club expects to have two training fields ready by the start of February, with a new training base to be constructed soon after that.

"You've probably seen our performances obviously not this year, but in years before that, we were getting left behind," Seward said.

"Asking players to train on four different local suburban parks highlights the types of injury concerns... it's just unprofessional.

"When you're competing against other clubs, and you can take them to Belmore Sportsgound or a Redfern Oval, and you take them to ours, we can't actually take you to a base. It's tough. It's exciting, but it's also necessary for us to compete at the proper level."
 

Poupou Escobar

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95,004
Seward: Our salary cap's a f**ken mess but we've got enough room to sign a current Origin player who is on a reported $600k at his present club. We may also have released a player to fit him in even though we haven't even begun speaking to him or his club yet.

Do you have to be full of shit to be a spokesman for an NRL club or is it just a helpful quality?
 

Jodeci

Bench
Messages
3,513
Seward: Our salary cap's a f**ken mess but we've got enough room to sign a current Origin player who is on a reported $600k at his present club. We may also have released a player to fit him in even though we haven't even begun speaking to him or his club yet.

Do you have to be full of shit to be a spokesman for an NRL club or is it just a helpful quality?

It's the easiest excuse in the book to use and we all believe it.
 

hindy111

Post Whore
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64,490
Yeah, the f**kers tore my team a new one yesterday :(

Ha leading 20-6 at home.Than by 7 with 4 to go and 25 yards out luck goes for a pass only to be intercepted? Fooolish.Would of been min field goal and 10 point lead.

Im a phili supporter.Im not sold on nick Foles.I do like Andrew luck but the rest of there team especially defense is ordinary. It will be an interesting year.
 

Jodeci

Bench
Messages
3,513
Ha leading 20-6 at home.Than by 7 with 4 to go and 25 yards out luck goes for a pass only to be intercepted? Fooolish.Would of been min field goal and 10 point lead.

Im a phili supporter.Im not sold on nick Foles.I do like Andrew luck but the rest of there team especially defense is ordinary. It will be an interesting year.

I would take Foles over Romo any day Hindy111.

Until we (Dallas) ditch Romo, we will never win a Superbowl.
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
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79,462
Parramatta CEO Scott Seward said:
Our cap position is a moving beast

I think that's supposed to be moving feast.

Unless it's code to the Federal Police that Spagnolo is up the back right near the free piss.
 

Kornstar

Coach
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15,578
Ha leading 20-6 at home.Than by 7 with 4 to go and 25 yards out luck goes for a pass only to be intercepted? Fooolish.Would of been min field goal and 10 point lead.

Im a phili supporter.Im not sold on nick Foles.I do like Andrew luck but the rest of there team especially defense is ordinary. It will be an interesting year.

I was watching it live at work and I was fuming!! It was a terrible display in the second half.

2 bullshit calls to get you into scoring position, the non holding call on the interception and the bullshit tackle penalty.

Still, we shouldn't have gone for the pass, should have had one more run (not from Richardson though) and kicked the field goal to go 10 up, and yes our defence is rather ordinary......we have been within 1 score of 2 better teams but we should have come away with at least one win.......a lot of catching up to do with the Texans 2-0 and us 0-2!
 

El Diablo

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94,107
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...two-premierships-by-2020-20140917-10i4oy.html

Eels target Watmough, plus two premierships by 2020

Date
September 17, 2014 - 10:00PM

Adrian Proszenko
Chief Rugby League Reporter

Parramatta has publicly declared its interest in disgruntled Sea Eagle Anthony Watmough for the first time amid growing speculation his next game could be in blue and gold.

The development comes as Eels chief executive Scott Seward boldly predicted the resurgent club would win two premierships and be the country's pre-eminent sporting franchise by 2020.

Watmough won't participate in Saturday night's sudden-death semi-final against Manly after accepting a one-match ban for a dangerous throw. Should the injury-ravaged Eagles bow out, he will not play again this year.

Fairfax Media revealed the NSW and Australian backrower had agreed to a three-year deal with the Eels, which would start when his Eagles contract expired at the end of 2016. However, it's becoming more likely he will ask - and be granted - an early release to switch to the arch rivals at the completion of Manly's premiership campaign.

The Eels have been tight-lipped about their interest in Watmough until Seward addressed the issue at the club's presentation evening at Le Montage on Tuesday night.

"If you read the papers, Anthony seems pretty happy at Manly. I don't think he's going anywhere too far," Seward said. "It's the kind of thing where if any club says they are not interested in someone of his talent, they're lying.

"From our perspective, if he's available - he's not available in 2015 at the moment - if he is available, we'd have a chat to him and add some talent to our squad."

Watmough has a strong relationship with Parramatta coach Brad Arthur from their time together at Brookvale Oval. However, Arthur wouldn't be drawn on retention or recruitment matters.

"I don't comment about recruitment. Every club needs to strengthen and we'll go about our process with that," he said.

After earning the wooden spoon in consecutive years, Parramatta finished 2014 in equal eighth spot, but was pipped for a finals place on for and against. Despite several years of instability on and off the field, Seward said the Eels would soon become the benchmark for all of its Australian sporting rivals.

"I would like to think we get to the year 2020 and everyone will be looking at the Parramatta Eels as the club in this country in any sporting code," Seward said.

"I would expect, and I wouldn't want to put any pressure on Brad or his team, that we will win two premierships in that period of time.

"I would expect that we will have 50,000 members and I expect we would have turned a club that's bled money and lost a lot of money for the last seven years into a profitable, self-sustaining football club."

The Eels have added Beau Champion, Danny Wicks and Shannan McPherson to their squad for next year, but Watmough is viewed as the game changer. The veteran forward would add much-needed experience to a side whose average age and playing experience is just 24 and 70 NRL games respectively.

"I think there's more upside in our team than any other team in the competition," Arthur said. "We're going to make sure we show that next year.

"We got close, but close enough is not good enough any more here."
 
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