Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
I think you're overstating how cheap these merkins would be. Just because you'd never heard of them until a month ago doesn't mean they weren't on the radar of every NRL club since they were 16 years old. There is big demand for these kids, which drives prices up.
Not to detract from your comment, but I think you are trying to distract us from Glenneel's original comment that referred to distractors and not detractors.
Didn't the Tigers get under the radar and get Steffano cheap before he even played FG ?
www.theaustralian.com.au
Yep, it happens all the time, but usually the headline is "Eels told So-and-so he wasn't good enough!" instead of Eels were under cap pressure from overpaying their current players and couldn't afford to match a big offer from another club. The only reason we're not hearing that narrative at the moment is because we're doing better than Utoikamanu's new club.Didn't the Tigers get under the radar and get Steffano cheap before he even played FG ?
Oh wait ...
Parramatta teen Stefano Utoikamanu signs $800,000 deal with Wests Tigers
NoCookies | The Australian
He's an origin player ffs they got a BARGAIN!!!Didn't the Tigers get under the radar and get Steffano cheap before he even played FG ?
Oh wait ...
Parramatta teen Stefano Utoikamanu signs $800,000 deal with Wests Tigers
NoCookies | The Australian
That’s the case all the time, not just with the August 1 deadline. You think Cooper Cronk was going to leave Melbourne for the dogs?
Except TPJ is going to the Dogs
I don't consider him a marquee player though. Great in attack, awful in defence. Penrith will likely play him limited minutes for that reason. He's a solid first grader, but that's about it.
You think Addo-Carr was?
But his reasons for going to Canterbury are likely very different to his reasons for breaking his Broncos contract to join the Panthers for half a dozen games. He is probably taking a pay cut at Penrith, and even if he isn't, they don't have to cover his full salary during the long part of the year where they don't need him. But next year he'll be on overs. So the Broncos (this year) and Bulldogs (next year) are essentially subsidising his two month finals holiday at Penrith. It stinks.
No doubt. But the Broncos and Dogs have themselves to blame for poor salary cap / roster management. Should that be Penriths problem? If the Broncos were concerned about partially subsidizing his Penrith holiday they didn’t have to release him. They also can free up space for next year. And he will get big game finals experience before going to the dogs. We keep hearing how important that is - a positive for the Dogs next year!
The question is whether it should be the problem of every other finals team. Why should a single club benefit from the management practices of another?
And bad for everyone else. This is why we previously had a transfer window ending so far out from the finals. If Penrith had needed to sign TPJ by the first of July (and carry more of his contract) it would have been much fairer. Would the Broncos have agreed to let him go with four more weeks of hope left in their season? This later trade deadline is a massive rort.
Personally, I don't think trades should be made within a week before the season starts. Maybe that's my old school train of thought showing, but that's the way I see it.
Bad for everyone else? The everyone else who have the same opportunity to do the same thing as Penrith?
Didn't the Tigers get under the radar and get Steffano cheap before he even played FG ?
Oh wait ...
Parramatta teen Stefano Utoikamanu signs $800,000 deal with Wests Tigers
NoCookies | The Australian
But they don't. The factor now is opportunity to win the comp, and Penrith are paying $3.50. Only the Storm are shorter priced.