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Except when Gallen is involved!!
One face-to-face meeting. No club tour. No photos. And no leaks.
Cronulla begin their 2024 season as genuine outsiders against their Warriors on Friday night in New Zealand, opposite Addin Fonua-Blake – the prized signing few in the game knew about until the deal was sealed.
Fonua-Blake’s status as Dally M prop of the year, and a free agent when the Warriors granted him permission to explore a compassionate grounds release, sent the NRL player market into a spin late last year.
During a whistle-stop tour of Sydney, where Fonua-Blake was destined to be closer to his family, the 28-year-old met with Wests Tigers officials at Haberfield Rowers Club.
And Bulldogs boss Phil Gould at Sydney airport. And new Dragons coach Shane Flanagan, who went hardest in pursuit of Fonua-Blake’s game-breaking talents, to the tune of $4.5 million across four years.
In the background, Cronulla quietly went about landing the biggest fish in a front-row market decidedly short on quality big men, adopting the same softly-softly approach that is fast becoming Craig Fitzgibbon’s recruitment hallmark.
The Sharks haven’t made many signings since the start of John Morris’s final year in charge – with Cameron McInnes, Dale Finucane, Nicho Hynes and now Fonua-Blake the club’s four major acquisitions since 2021.
One 24-hour flying visit, and one face-to-face lunch with Fonua-Blake, Fitzgibbon, general manager Darren Mooney, chairman Steve Mace and CEO Dino Mezzatesta convinced the club he was worth the $4 million, four-year outlay.
A few Zoom chats had preceded Fonua-Blake’s sit down, and a few more conversations with his agent Tyran Smith and the Warriors hammered out the details of Cronulla’s biggest signing in years.
It was a similar story when newly announced co-captain McInnes negotiated his own $2 million, four-year deal.
Despite intense focus on McInnes’ future as the Dragons wavered on an extension, there really were no stories about Cronulla until the deal was done.
“I don’t know how they’re doing it, but the club is keeping things quiet, it’s not very rugby league is it?” McInnes said.
“First impressions in life are important. So for any player, if you go and talk to a club and you haven’t signed a contract or anything, but they’ve got your interests at heart, it matters to you.
“It makes an impact, because you know you’re not being used as a bargaining chip or something might leak out if you don’t sign with them.
“That’s also on the player and the management to keep something quiet and it goes both ways. It creates trust and it’s a special place to play. It’s pretty unique, it’s a privilege to be part of it.”
With Fonua-Blake on his way next season, Sharks officials feared Braden Hamlin-Uele would become collateral damage given the Warriors’ three-year offer, worth around $2 million, far exceeded Cronulla’s own two-year extension.
Hamlin-Uele himself told this masthead he was an hour away from accepting the Warriors deal, but broke down when he pictured himself telling his Sharks teammates he was leaving.
He won’t play against his old Junior Kiwis teammate Fonua-Blake on Friday due to a knee injury that will keep him out for another few weeks.
But the pair shape as an impressive front-row pairing in a middle rotation featuring McInnes, Finucane, Toby Rudolf and Royce Hunt and little fuss or fanfare – much like Cronulla’s recruitment tactics.
www.smh.com.au
One face-to-face meeting. No club tour. No photos. And no leaks.
Cronulla begin their 2024 season as genuine outsiders against their Warriors on Friday night in New Zealand, opposite Addin Fonua-Blake – the prized signing few in the game knew about until the deal was sealed.
Fonua-Blake’s status as Dally M prop of the year, and a free agent when the Warriors granted him permission to explore a compassionate grounds release, sent the NRL player market into a spin late last year.
During a whistle-stop tour of Sydney, where Fonua-Blake was destined to be closer to his family, the 28-year-old met with Wests Tigers officials at Haberfield Rowers Club.
And Bulldogs boss Phil Gould at Sydney airport. And new Dragons coach Shane Flanagan, who went hardest in pursuit of Fonua-Blake’s game-breaking talents, to the tune of $4.5 million across four years.
In the background, Cronulla quietly went about landing the biggest fish in a front-row market decidedly short on quality big men, adopting the same softly-softly approach that is fast becoming Craig Fitzgibbon’s recruitment hallmark.
The Sharks haven’t made many signings since the start of John Morris’s final year in charge – with Cameron McInnes, Dale Finucane, Nicho Hynes and now Fonua-Blake the club’s four major acquisitions since 2021.
One 24-hour flying visit, and one face-to-face lunch with Fonua-Blake, Fitzgibbon, general manager Darren Mooney, chairman Steve Mace and CEO Dino Mezzatesta convinced the club he was worth the $4 million, four-year outlay.
A few Zoom chats had preceded Fonua-Blake’s sit down, and a few more conversations with his agent Tyran Smith and the Warriors hammered out the details of Cronulla’s biggest signing in years.
It was a similar story when newly announced co-captain McInnes negotiated his own $2 million, four-year deal.
Despite intense focus on McInnes’ future as the Dragons wavered on an extension, there really were no stories about Cronulla until the deal was done.
“I don’t know how they’re doing it, but the club is keeping things quiet, it’s not very rugby league is it?” McInnes said.
“First impressions in life are important. So for any player, if you go and talk to a club and you haven’t signed a contract or anything, but they’ve got your interests at heart, it matters to you.
“It makes an impact, because you know you’re not being used as a bargaining chip or something might leak out if you don’t sign with them.
“That’s also on the player and the management to keep something quiet and it goes both ways. It creates trust and it’s a special place to play. It’s pretty unique, it’s a privilege to be part of it.”
With Fonua-Blake on his way next season, Sharks officials feared Braden Hamlin-Uele would become collateral damage given the Warriors’ three-year offer, worth around $2 million, far exceeded Cronulla’s own two-year extension.
Hamlin-Uele himself told this masthead he was an hour away from accepting the Warriors deal, but broke down when he pictured himself telling his Sharks teammates he was leaving.
He won’t play against his old Junior Kiwis teammate Fonua-Blake on Friday due to a knee injury that will keep him out for another few weeks.
But the pair shape as an impressive front-row pairing in a middle rotation featuring McInnes, Finucane, Toby Rudolf and Royce Hunt and little fuss or fanfare – much like Cronulla’s recruitment tactics.
Secret Sharks business: The signing tactic landing Fitzy’s marquee recruits
Addin Fonua-Blake was wined and dined by the Tigers, Dragons and Bulldogs late last-year, but it was Cronulla that emerged with little fanfare and a million-dollar front-rower.
