Slads I'm going to present to you some happy thoughts, which may be hypothetical, or maybe not.
We'll start from the start.
DA was playing in the Qld Cup with little to no interest from NRL clubs after he was let go by the Storm.
As pointed out by myself, and expanded on by the K-Man, he and Fitz have the same manager.
Fitz signed him up to a minimum last year, and extended him for a further two years. Good for the management team, good for the player, and good for the club.
Here is what was said at the time:
“It’s an honour,” the 22-year-old Atkinson began. “For what I came down here on and to be staying for another two years. I’ve never had two years, I’ve gone one year by one year but to be able to call the Sharks home for two more years I’m over the moon.
“I just pride myself on how competitive I am and just want to be a player that people want to play with,” Atkinson added.
NRL coach Craig Fitzgibbon recognises Atkinson as a young player with plenty of upside and was excited he had committed his immediately playing future to the Sharks.
“Since his arrival Daniel has fit in seamlessly, is skilled in multiple positions and with his character and the commitment he brings every day, he fits with what we are trying to build,” Fitzgibbon said. “He’s the type of player we want to keep here at the Sharks and to watch him develop even further.”
A real bond has been formed.
As for next year and beyond, it was said at the end of last year that he was becoming our super-sub. Next year we can actually really believe that position is truly available. Why? The signing of AFB means we have a middle who plays big minutes, bringing our interchange into a different light, and we can afford to have a "super-sub" and not the extra middle we needed this year.
Also, if there is any fall out through either injury, or form in our spine, he will be the first called up. Damn they even put him on the wing to start this year as they value him so much.
He is on the cusp here with team mates he loves, who are in a real Premiership window.
Lets talk dollars, he would be on a low to medium contract at the moment. Teams will come in and pay way more than what he is on right now. They will have a little bit of wariness though as an NRL player he has played in 20 games, with only 15 starts, and those starts were because of suspension and injuries.
That is fairly low on NRL experience.
We did the same thing with Nicho, biggest difference there was NH was in the Storm system, DA was let go by them, previously Nicho had been let go by both Manly and the Cows. He'd be their Nicho.
If someone goes in really high for him then right now they are taking a bit of a risk, thats footy, sometimes clubs have to do that. The Tigers tried that with Sullivan from the Dargons and that hasn't worked out at all.
In regards to contracts, we are in a position with a distinct advantage, we have 2025 to play with. Meaning, if a club comes in with an offer for $600k per season for 26-27, we could offset that by giving him say $500K for 25-26-27. That could force another club to take a further risk and hope it plays out for a 20 game professional.
Obviously that depends on if our cap allows that to happen, none on LU know the exact figures, just ideas and rough estimates.
Pluses for the Sharks, he's with great team mates that he's grown into. There will be plenty of Firsts to play, either off the bench or in the run on side, the management of he and Fitz have to look after both, and Fitz is one of their main men who will have a lot longer career than DA, ...and the important Premiership window.
I'll use the Dargons as an oppose as you brought them up.
They will have to fork out more money and years than us, and right now they are going to have to convince him about their side on speculation.
They have bought some good players, Felix, Cook and Gutho (both at the end of their careers), but that is a team that may, or may not, gell, and their forwards are not much chop at all.
He will be beside Flanju, and lets be frank, he is average, and now he's under Dad's wing he doesn't get the criticism that he got with both the Dogs and Roosters.
All that poison went to Hunt.
Would DA be prepared for that type of scrutiny so early in his career?
Earlier this year Flange was on and on about signing this player and that player, he lost out on all of them, he then said he's going to go about his business more quiet now.... and yet here we are again with him going on and on about getting players, with DA his number one target apparently.
I think the Saints fans have forgotten about the earlier escapades in the year and are again getting themselves worked up because of the other signings.
Hopefully this presentation gives you a little hope mate.
Previously I have said that I think he may sign with someone else, but I'm swaying back to 50/50, I still don't think he will sign with the Dargons, I reckon a club that doesn't air their business in the media will get him.
Us or the Dolphins are my guess.
