Rumours and Stuff

[Happy MEel]

I’m not a huge Drown fan but I’d still take him at $900k over Talagi at $500k

 

[T.S Quint]

Of course there isn't a well..

Imagine a well in the ground full of kids..

Can I put mine down there, please?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

That’s because you’re only considering the cap & financial aspects. Work and mental capacity for the decision makers would definitely be a risk.

They can handle it. They are Eels ffs

On top of that (yes contracts and paper and all that) but if we had signed for 4 years proper rather than with options, we probably save money over the 4 years.

Non sequor

The problem with essentially frontloading contracts is if you don’t win when they are frontloaded, you’re f**ked winning once the bill is due. That or you need to double down and have balancing front loads

Agreed, but that's out of our hands. Now Drown wants the money he gave up these past few years. The night is dark and full of risks.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

No FFS. If there was no PO in place until Round 10 this year and he was just "off contract" since last November, we could have given him a deadline or Whatever as you say - BUT, in that time, we could also have gone out and tried to sign someone else on the market for 2026 who may be a better fit longer term at reduced salary....

So you mean give him a deadline and then cut the deadline short as soon as it suits us? I'm not sure even the smart clubs are as ruthless as that. Burnt bridges are bad for business, and word gets around.

As it stands, if we did the latter of what I have described above in tandem with the PO that is in place, and then he decided to activate the PO for 2026 and 2027, we potentially screw our cap by having 3 high priced halves on the books.... Like, it doesn't get any simpler than that.... It's a shit situation...

That's fine because our hooker and fullback are cheap, and Drown has utility value.

Whatever happens Parra did the right thing...

*rong

 

[Poupou Escobar]

@Poupou Escobar, for someone who typically prioritises value over hype and avoids overpaying, it’s clear you’re debating the Dylan Brown saga just for the sake of it. It’s so obvious.

Just pick a side and stick to it. There's no need to play devil's advocate for everything. And you wonder why your credibility keeps getting questioned.

I don't wonder at all. I'm happy when certain types of people question my credibility. We don't see things the same way, and that's fine with me. I have my doubts about their credibility too.

Back on topic, you are missing the big picture because you aren't even trying to be objective here. I'm off Dylan Brown as much as you are, because I feel insulted by him as a fan. But the club almost certainly doesn't feel that way. They see him as a star player who has good relationships within the cub and I reckon they 100% want him to stay, even if Ryles says he's a peanut and we shouldn't overpay him. So the club might not match $1.2M if he comes back with a rival bid and gives us the chance to make a final offer, but I'm certain they would be more than happy for him to activate the PO that the powerbrokers at the club agreed to when they re-signed him 49 months ago. They might have even offered a small upgrade.

So as much as I don't like his attitude, I think he is a gun, up there with the likes of Munster and Wighton. And this is how I reckon the club sees him or they wouldn't have given him the contract they did in December 2022. As for his attitude, he is reportedly a great trainer, and I think that's what Ryles and co give a shit about, not his weird demeanor in the press. They probably find him endearing.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

We didn't lose Blaize for more money. Word is he got paid less to go. We couldn't find his position or it was blocked. Penrith I assume sold the development plan better.

Maybe they found him some promotional work with Keno? He is very marketable.

 

[Glenneel]

His try against the Dragons in the 1st semi at Kogarah in ‘09 should have been in there.

Should have been try of the decade imo, beat about 10 players in that one.

 

[Glenneel]

Looks like he will have to go to a shit club to get $1.2m*.

* If the Roosters want him, he will be very well remunerated sombrero style.

Will go there for unders won't he? They all do, same with Broncos. Nothing to see there!

 

[Glenneel]

So you think the PO is worthless or comes without any cost? If so why doesn't every player have one?

PO's gives players flexibility and generally is in long term contracts. To me its not what clubs want but is a way to sign players they want to keep to these long contracts. There isn't a cost for a PO as such. It is an amount stated in the contract which says you'll get X amount if you exercise the option. I suppose players can let the PO lapse and re-negotiate at a higher price if they want or test the market.

 

[Glenneel]

Current Aus rep and 2024 most improved player Zac Lomax?
Albeit past their primes but former rep players Josh Addo-Carr & Joe Ofahengaue?
J’Maine Hopgood being selected for Origin after he played for us?
Absolute nobodies

Wasn't Lomax a nobody when we signed him? Hadn't played any rep football at the time.

 

[Glenneel]

These are all examples of the club trying to get value from low demand players. We certainly weren't going to get any value from the kinds of players the Tigers have been recruiting in recent years. As for Lomax and JAC, I reckon they are on huge money. There would be plenty of clubs interested in JAC and the fact he agreed to a club option in his contract means we are paying extra for it.

Doubt JAC is on huge money, there was zero demand for him imo. Was on $550k at Dogs apparently, I'd say about half that with us. The CO gives the club flexibility and comes at a price the club sets, not what the player wants.

 

[Gronk]

Will go there for unders won't he? They all do, same with Broncos. Nothing to see there!

Paul Crawley will do a series of articles on how the player is taking stock and putting financial ambitions aside so he can focus on becoming the best player that he can be.

 

[Twizzle]

We didn't lose Blaize for more money. Word is he got paid less to go.

Word was wrong.

Panfers paid $500k a year

Parramatta wunderkind Talagi will join Penrith from 2025 on a three-year deal worth around $1.5 million, with the Panthers unable to officially announce the news until the end of a 10-day cooling-off period.

https://nit.com.au/06-08-2024/12918/confident-talagi-impresses-future-teammate-cleary

Eels offered a bit over $300K

The Eels reportedly tabled a three-year deal worth more than $1 million for him to stay at the club with a long-term vision to succeed Clint Gutherson at fullback

https://www.nospam47.com/au/rugby-l...ract-parramatta-eels/2d783841d78eb1702aab34d0

 

[Poupou Escobar]

PO's gives players flexibility and generally is in long term contracts. To me its not what clubs want but is a way to sign players they want to keep to these long contracts. There isn't a cost for a PO as such.

I disagree. A player wanting a PO in his contract will want more money if the club insists they don't offer POs. Likewise, a player who is told the club can't fit his initial salary requirement under the cap might take a PO and less money instead. On the other hand, most players want to maximise their earnings rather than 'buy' a PO and that's why so few players have them, even at our poorly run club.

It is an amount stated in the contract which says you'll get X amount if you exercise the option. I suppose players can let the PO lapse and re-negotiate at a higher price if they want or test the market.

I'd say they all start negotiating for a new contract (including with their existing club) long before the PO expires. They're not sitting around watching the calendar. If a club wants to keep a player they won't wait for his PO deadline to pass while rivals are making bids. It's likely the PO is worth less than what he can get on the market.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Doubt JAC is on huge money, there was zero demand for him imo. Was on $550k at Dogs apparently, I'd say about half that with us. The CO gives the club flexibility and comes at a price the club sets, not what the player wants.

Well we were all excited to sign him so why would there be zero demand? Can he play or not?

 

[emjaycee]

PO's gives players flexibility and generally is in long term contracts. To me its not what clubs want but is a way to sign players they want to keep to these long contracts. There isn't a cost for a PO as such. It is an amount stated in the contract which says you'll get X amount if you exercise the option. I suppose players can let the PO lapse and re-negotiate at a higher price if they want or test the market.

Isn't that what Talagi did and what Brown is doing now?

 

[Soren Lorenson]

Poor old Maika. Maybe we could release Dunster to Leeds as his replacment.

Former Eels star suffers brutal ACL injury — Off-season Central

Former Eels star suffers brutal ACL injury — Off-season Central

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[King-Gutho94]

What would you consider to be huge money?
I thought the rumour was that we got Lomax on 600ish? Would hardly say that is huge money for someone that just played for Australia and is a goal kicker.
Wouldn't think JAC is on big money either. Suspended for a couple of rounds, injuries. Didn't seem to be too much other interest when we signed him

Lomax must have so badly wanted out of St George and away from Flanagan he took less money this year to come play for us.

I don't know weather he is actually stupid or we have finally got lucky.

 

[Avenger]

I don't wonder at all. I'm happy when certain types of people question my credibility. We don't see things the same way, and that's fine with me. I have my doubts about their credibility too.

Back on topic, you are missing the big picture because you aren't even trying to be objective here. I'm off Dylan Brown as much as you are, because I feel insulted by him as a fan. But the club almost certainly doesn't feel that way. They see him as a star player who has good relationships within the cub and I reckon they 100% want him to stay, even if Ryles says he's a peanut and we shouldn't overpay him. So the club might not match $1.2M if he comes back with a rival bid and gives us the chance to make a final offer, but I'm certain they would be more than happy for him to activate the PO that the powerbrokers at the club agreed to when they re-signed him 49 months ago. They might have even offered a small upgrade.

So as much as I don't like his attitude, I think he is a gun, up there with the likes of Munster and Wighton. And this is how I reckon the club sees him or they wouldn't have given him the contract they did in December 2022. As for his attitude, he is reportedly a great trainer, and I think that's what Ryles and co give a shit about, not his weird demeanor in the press. They probably find him endearing.

Long post but you still are sitting on the fence and it’s obviously putting pressure on your vagina.

 

[Avenger]

Poor old Maika. Maybe we could release Dunster to Leeds as his replacment.

Former Eels star suffers brutal ACL injury — Off-season Central

Former Eels star suffers brutal ACL injury — Off-season Central

www.foxsports.com.au

That’s shit. This is his second time. Same knee?