Parramatta Eels use World Cup as lure to convince Semi Radradra to snub French rugby
Date
June 27, 2016 - 7:00PM
Chris Barrett
Sports Writer
Parramatta hope to use the appeal of next year's World Cup as a bargaining chip in an effort to convince Semi Radradra to commit to a long-term contract extension and abort plans to switch to French rugby, revealing negotiations with the winger's management had already begun.
There remained uncertainty about Radradra's future on Monday, with the 24-year-old due back from Fiji and at Eels training on Wednesday but not all at the club are convinced he would indeed return in time to prepare for Saturday night's match against top-of-the-table Cronulla and then see out his contract.
The club's interim boss, Ian Schubert, said the Eels had been given assurances from Radradra's manager, George Christodoulou, that he was definitely returning more than a week after the mid-season soap opera began when flying out in a bye round amid plans to join French Top 14 team Bordeaux.
Schubert said management would then set about trying to sign Radradra, who is contracted until the end of next season, to a long-term deal.
"We've been in negotiations about extending him out. We'll get him back, get him comfortable and back into the club and sit down and have those open discussions then," Schubert said.
"He has aspirations at the moment but he's very young and he hasn't reached his peak yet. He's got a bit of unfinished business in Australia, particularly given he's just secured a spot in the Australian team. There is a World Cup coming and we'd like to think he will be part of that going forward as well."
Radradra has personal matters he needs to resolve with Parramatta separate from the lure of French rugby.
But the Eels hope to make the case to the player, who made his Australian debut in May after switching allegiances from Fiji, upon his return that his future will be best served in the NRL, and at Parramatta.
Radradra is estimated to be on upwards of $325,000 a year including third-party agreements and Schubert accepted the winger would be demanding a pay rise to stay beyond 2017.
"For a player of his unique stature, I don't think he'll be playing for love," Schubert said.
"When you're an athlete like he is, as I've said before, there are plenty of options for you. While some just stick very solid to what they're doing, players of his enormous talent can be lured by the excitement of some of the other options. We just hope that the NRL is an exciting enough option for him to stay here.
"We want to make sure the NRL and Parramatta are providing the opportunities that Semi needs to go forward in his career.
"This is a very professional business. I hope he gets the right advice. He'll get the appropriate contract for his skills at this time of his career at this club."
Another signing priority for Parramatta, Jarryd Hayne, is also in Fiji endeavouring to make the country's Olympic rugby sevens team and Schubert said the door was open for the former captain whenever he was ready.
"Jarryd is his own man. He'll come to us when he's ready," he said.
"It'd be great if it was today, but we're in no rush. He's got some other plans at the moment but long term you never know where we'll end up."
