Stewart, Watmough and Matai

[shiznit]

Personally I think Matai would be a crazy signing for the Warriors on the big money being bandied about.

But I've gotta say upon speaking with someone who's familiar with him... It's more than just money that's been calling him home... There's some long term care issues with his brother which has caused him to look at coming home.

From the point of view of Manly I can't understand why you wouldn't grant him a release.

The guy has given the club plenty of good honest service and has taken pay cuts to stay at the club. Why deny the guy the chance to make one last big payday as well as go home??

Obviously manly are well within there right to deny him a release... And it would weaken them considerably on the field... But the club making a sacrifice for a bloke who's made plenty of sacrifices for the club over the past decade is sometimes the right thing to do.

 

[Nice Beaver]

Personally I think Matai would be a crazy signing for the Warriors on the big money being bandied about.

But I've gotta say upon speaking with someone who's familiar with him... It's more than just money that's been calling him home... There's some long term care issues with his brother which has caused him to look at coming home.

From the point of view of Manly I can't understand why you wouldn't grant him a release.

The guy has given the club plenty of good honest service and has taken pay cuts to stay at the club. Why deny the guy the chance to make one last big payday as well as go home??

Obviously manly are well within there right to deny him a release... And it would weaken them considerably on the field... But the club making a sacrifice for a bloke who's made plenty of sacrifices for the club over the past decade is sometimes the right thing to do.

Agreed

 

[Dave_]

3 putrid grubs. Who gives a sh*t

 

[Western_Eel]

I dont understand how them leaving will help with their problem, its not like they will be playing with each other if they do go

 

[Nice Beaver]

3 putrid grubs. Who gives a sh*t

You.

 

[effnic]

No doubt several of the players who've had to take paycuts are pissed off with Cherry-Evans. Personally I wouldn't be too upset if Watmough was to leave as his best days are behind him, unlike Matai and Stewart who are still classy players. No disrespect for Watmough who has been a great servant for the club over a long period but he's not the player he was.

My feelings aswell.

 

[Charlie124]

I dont understand how them leaving will help with their problem, its not like they will be playing with each other if they do go

Thats a fairly good point, Matai might get a pay rise by going to the warriors so if he's going to look after his brother and have somewhat of a homecoming then at least that makes sense. But Watmough is on huge money despite being on the decline, theres no way he could command even close to the money he's on now by going to another club. Brett Stewart is in the same boat but he plays in a young mans position, what club in their right mind would take him on even a semi-big contract?
So at the end of the day, Matai is really the only one with good reason to want to leave AND a good chance of earning more by doing so, the other two are just throwing their toys out of the cot and will still end up not playing together in their little "best friends forever" club.

 

[Sea_Eagles_Rock]

Chicken and the egg I think.

If they don't take a pay cut to stay together, would they have had as much success if they had gone somewhere else? But by staying together have they not improved their market value anyway? They are all club legends no matter what, but what are they hoping to achieve?

With Matai, if he hadn't signed his current deal, we probably wouldn't have lost Whare. We have Hiku, however I think he is being groomed to replace Lyon. If there was another quality centre around who can defend for the same or less money, then sure.. Maybe we could lose him. I don't understand what the Warriors need him for anyway.

As far as I am concerned, DCE is the hottest property on the market next season. I'd rather him at halfback. You can build a side around him with Foran at 5/8. You can build a short run with any of the other 3.

And don't get me wrong here. I'm a fan of the club first, rather than individual players. I understand their frustrations and respect the effort they have put in and the sacrifices they made to stay together. However simply put, they no longer hold all the aces in negotiations, and if staying together was their priority (and still is), then it was never about the club in the first place. It was all about them.

 

[betcats]

Its nice they took a pay cut but they cant force it on a player who might be the most in demand player in the game. There are probably 3 or 4 teams DCE could go to and they would becoming top 2 premiership favourites(if they can afford him). If i was DCE i'd seriously consider leaving if the money was there, see how Choc and friends like battling for 4th or 5th spot instead of first.

Manly seem to be doing everything they can to keep DCE which imo is the smart move. The stewarts, Matai etc need to accept they got old and just be happy for the success they have had and the chance they now for some more, can't blame Manly for securing their future.

 

[mikail-eagle]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...public-statement/story-e6frf3ru-1226999303674

Manly Sea Eagles board reply to unrest rumours.

MANLY have vowed not to be swayed by player power, publicly stating they won’t grant any requests for early releases from the NRL club.

Presumably wishing to respond to the ongoing reports of unrest at the club’s Narrabeen headquarters, the Manly board on Wednesday night moved to assure Sea Eagles fans that they “fully supported” the honouring of contracts.

That put a dampener on the hopes of at least Steve Matai, who has openly admitted he’s asked for an early release, ending his 10-year stint with the club at the end of this season to join the Warriors.

Backrower Anthony Watmough and fullback Brett Stewart are reportedly also seeking to play elsewhere in 2015, apparently over the club not doing enough to retain Brett’s South Sydney-bound brother Glenn.

 

[oikee]

Only one player at Manly should be targeted and that is Cherry-Evans. The rest are just left-over baggage from a era that is coming to it's end.

Manly without Cherry is like a cake without cream.

 

[Nice Beaver]

Only one player at Manly should be targeted and that is Cherry-Evans. The rest are just left-over baggage from a era that is coming to it's end.

Manly without Cherry is like a cake without cream.

Or you without a dribble bucket.

 

[Patorick]

Only one player at Manly should be targeted and that is Cherry-Evans. The rest are just left-over baggage from a era that is coming to it's end.

Manly without Cherry is like a cake without cream.

 

[Generational Player]

Article on the Sydney Morning Herald website, with Foran saying the Sea Eagles should release Matai.

Seems kind of stupid for Foran to be talking about this in the media.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...e-matai-says-kieran-foran-20140724-zwc0d.html

 

[betcats]

Article on the Sydney Morning Herald website, with Foran saying the Sea Eagles should release Matai.

Seems kind of stupid for Foran to be talking about this in the media.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...e-matai-says-kieran-foran-20140724-zwc0d.html

Ive never seen a team in any sport be so succesful while all the time having such a dysfunctional relationship between the back office/management and the playing group. Manly fans should worship Dessie for putting this playing group together, taking nothing away from Tooves he is doing a great job but Dessie built a team that can handle just about any offield dramas, and not just handle, they use it to excel.

 

[Pierced Soul]

Ive never seen a team in any sport be so succesful while all the time having such a dysfunctional relationship between the back office/management and the playing group. Manly fans should worship Dessie for putting this playing group together, taking nothing away from Tooves he is doing a great job but Dessie built a team that can handle just about any offield dramas, and not just handle, they use it to excel.

it goes against everything else we've ever seen hasnt it? i dont know how the team has done it, obviously the players have the ability to not have off-field shit affect their on-field performances but thats a rare thing to do over so many years. every year i wait for manly to start struggling but every year they're up the top. its a shame that this internal dramas will eventually tear them apart - they've held on for so long but eventually it'll destroy them

I've always wondered why some of the players expect other players top play for less. if some of them are happy to sacrifice money to stay together thats all well and good, but dont impose your ideals onto others when it comes to money. watmough may have sacrificed money in the past, but he's not worth anywhere near the reported $950k. he should have given most of it to gifty if he wanted him to stay

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

From the outside looking in it would appear the senior players have a lot of respect/loyalty towards each other and the coaching staff, but not so much for the club itself. I'm not saying they won't all proudly say they were Manly players, but as others have said the disconnect between the front office and team just doesn't usually coincide with even mediocre success.

Quite an extraordinary thing the playing group has been able to achieve, but once that first crack came (losing G Stewart) it would seem that things have tumbled from there.

 

[betcats]

Well they are currently still leading the comp so I wouldnt say they are tumbling yet. Its not looking good though.

 

[Mixmasterreece]

If I were a Manly fan I'd be more than a little unsettled by all of this. 2015 onwards is looking a bit dicey.

 

[eozsmiles]

I'm starting to think that the way this drama is unfolding just shows why Manly have been so successful in the past decade. The players obviously have a bond, and when dealing with this sort of industry, that is a bonus. And the front office don't take any crap. Menzies, Kite, Stewart.... it doesn't matter who, when their time is up they get shown the door. The board have made their decision about how they will be successful in the next decade and it revolves around DCE. Anyone that wants to be part of the team has to get on board with that idea, or they won't be there.

Foran is on the right page it would appear. Pretty obviously, if he and DCE are to stay, the club needs some cap space. Foran said Matai should be allowed to leave. Shouldn't forget that Kieren wants a pay rise too.