https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/0ca7394fa90148571f04b598f6e7b2ba
Jai Arrow’s contract is the NRL’s most significant bargaining chip. That includes Latrell Mitchell
Here’s how it’s gone so far. Brodie Croft has moved from the Storm to the Broncos, Curtis Scott is about to go from the Storm to the Raiders, Dylan Brown is preparing to test his value on the open market and where Latrell Mitchell ends up is anyone’s guess.
Tigers, Titans, Cowboys, the only certainty is Mitchell won’t be at back-to-back premiers the Sydney Roosters.
Or if he is he’ll be shaking hands with North Sydney Bears
reserve grade coach Jason Taylor.
Why Arrow has now become even more of a key signature is because of the Gold Coast Titans sudden interest in luring Mitchell to south east Queensland.
Stay with us here. The Titans gave Arrow permission to test his value on the open market prior to November 1 in the hope of allowing rival clubs to crunch their numbers, submit their bids and try and get the whole process wrapped up well before Christmas.
Of course, the Gold Coast want to keep Arrow.
They’ve tabled him a three-year extension worth north of $1.8 million until the end of 2023 and hope to have an answer by the end of next week.
Meanwhile, South Sydney were quick to jump straight up out of their chair with a big offer and have been working on selling Arrow the Redfern pipedream ever since.
The opportunity to play and learn under super coach Wayne Bennett still holds enormous cut through.
Now as recent events would have it, if Arrow opts to take up the South Sydney offer for 2021 all of a sudden the Titans may reconsider letting him go a year early.
This was considered an absolute no-no only 48 hours ago.
And if the Gold Coast were to let Arrow shift to Redfern effective immediately for 2020, come on down Latrell Mitchell.
Mal Meninga is suddenly holding a different pair of Aces.
Funny game, rugby league.
None of this would have been possible had the Sydney Roosters not pulled a $1.6 million two-year extension to Mitchell on Melbourne Cup day.
Make no mistake, Arrow is an absolute priority signing for the Titans, similar to young gun AJ Brimson who recommitted to the club on Monday.
If Arrow opts to stay put at the Titans, then the only way the Gold Coast could pursue Mitchell for next season is by trying to take an axe to the rest of their roster.
And that takes time. Which
Mitchell still has about another five weeks of given he’s not due back at training until early January.
But the Titans don’t have given they’ve been trying to shop half a dozen players since August to no avail.
It’s a different story in 2021 when they’ve got 14 of their NRL squad off-contract and they’ll be cashed-up with an open cheque book.
Kangaroos centre Mitchell doesn’t seem like he’s in any great rush. Even if the Wests Tigers and the Sydney Roosters would like an answer yesterday.
The Tigers have been asked at what point do they pull their offer off the table.
Surely the club can’t just let it sit idle in the wind for weeks on end?
One view is there’s nothing to be gained by trying to put a gun to someone’s head.
The other is this is the business of professional sport and time equates to money.
The clock is ticking. Trouble is Latrell doesn’t seem to want to hear it.