Price accepts Warriors offer
By James Hooper and wires
July 12, 2004
BULLDOGS captain Steve Price today announced he is leaving the NRL co-leaders to join the New Zealand Warriors.
Price ... fancies David Gallop's job
Price has signed a three-year deal, believed to be worth $1.2 million, to end weeks of speculation about his playing future.
Meanwhile, Price has revealed he harbours a desire to be chief executive of the NRL one day, saying life post-football holds enormous sway in his decision to possibly depart Belmore.
"I've said to David [Gallop] a few times that I wouldn't mind being in his situation," Price said.
"I'm trying to set myself up so that no matter where I am I'll be in a situation where I can get employment after football.
"The most important thing for me is that my family is happy.
"If my family is happy then I don't care if I'm doing labour every day of the week."
Bulldogs chief executive Malcolm Noad admitted he believed Price had changed his mind more than once over the last week.
"There have been stages where I've thought he was going but it just keeps changing all the time," Noad said.
"I think he wavers between being pretty sure he's going to stay and pretty sure he's not going to stay.
"It's a really difficult one for him and we will respect his decision."
The Bulldogs organised for some of Price's most loyal fans to attend a training session on Saturday to plead for him to stay, with the Bulldogs army again waving signs of the same sentiment at Sydney Showground yesterday.
The departure of Price is a pivotal blow for the Bulldogs, coming at the worst possible time with most NRL free agents having already settled their futures for next season.
Warriors chief executive Mick Watson held a long meeting with Price last Friday in Brighton-le-Sands where the New Zealand boss was impressed with what the Bulldogs captain had to offer.
Price has completed several tertiary education courses during the past two years and yesterday made public for the first time a desire to perhaps one day lead the NRL front office.
Significantly, Warriors owner Eric Watson is believed to have told Price he would ensure he was able to pursue whatever career he chose post-football.
