"
Brad Arthur issues hands off warning to rivals over Corey Norman
BRAD Arthur has issued a hands-off warning to rival clubs that star playmaker Corey Norman is “happy” at Parramatta and won’t be going nowhere.
With Cronulla and Manly on the lookout for a quality halves recruit after missing out on Mitchell Pearce, Norman has emerged as a possible target.
It follows a report from
The Sunday Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield of a personality clash between Norman and his coach.
A club source said Norman refuted the suggestion.
Rothfield was also the first to report at the start of November that Jarryd Hayne wanted to quit the Gold Coast so he could return to Sydney in 2018 to be closer to his daughter.
Hayne also denied that story at the time when he posted on Twitter: “I have NOT instructed my manager to SPEAK to teams in Sydney. @BuzzRothefield #slownewsday.”
When contacted, Arthur was adamant he wanted Norman and Mitchell Moses to be the club’s long-term halves pairing.
“We don’t want to sell Corey Norman,” Arthur said.
“He doesn’t want to go anywhere.
“We are very settled with Corey and Mitchell as our halves and they are signed until the end of 2019.
“Corey is happy where he is. Corey is coming into his fifth year with our club.”
With both Norman and Moses contracted for a further two seasons, rival NRL club cannot enter negotiations with them until November 1 next year.
It’s no secret Norman has had his share of off-field controversies during his time at Parramatta.
But Arthur’s perseverance and support led to Norman knocking back rival offers to sign a three-year extension last year worth a reported $2.2 million.
Corey Norman and coach Brad Arthur during Eels training. Picture: Brett Costello
Given the recent hike in salaries being paid to the game’s top playmakers, Norman would now command more money on the open market.
Arthur said that would not be happening, adamant that even with Hayne’s arrival the club did not need to offload any players.
“Because we have signed Jarryd Hayne everyone is saying we have to release some players,” Arthur said.
“Everyone forgets we have the same amount of backs to what we had last year.
“Semi (Radradra) has left, Jarryd has come in and we have still got two spots on our squad.
“We don’t have to move any player from our squad.
“We actually have to add two players to our squad (to complete the 30-man roster).”"
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...n/news-story/0f033cc8835454db24e2e48495c87f11
