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Witt not a hit anymore
By AARON LAWTON - Sunday News | Sunday, 01 March 2009
MICHAEL Witt, the man who scored arguably the greatest try in Warriors history, has been "rewarded" with the shock news that there's no room for him at the club.
The star playmaker was surprisingly left out of the top side for all three pre-season trials this season.
And, last week, he broke his silence over his future at the Penrose outfit, telling both Sunday News and Radio Sport that coach Ivan Cleary has already told him he "won't be playing this year".
Witt was one of the stars of the the Warriors' run to the preliminary final last year, producing one of the year's most sensational plays when, with time up on the clock in the first round of the playoffs, he crashed over the line out wide to produce a shock 18-15 win over the Storm in Melbourne.
But, despite his heroics for the club, not to mention his unrivalled ability to turn any try into six points, Witt has been told to look elsewhere for a home and will be released if he finds a new deal before the season is out.
"It's quite a strange one really," a visibly gutted Witt said.
"I'm obviously coming off contract at the end of this year and if I'm being honest, I think it's going to be a very long year for me.
"I feel like I'm on the outer here.
"I don't think I will be playing too much first-grade this year and I guess that's quite hard to take, especially knowing I've done my best and played as hard as I could for the Warriors.
"I've enjoyed my time here but I guess that's footy and the nature of the professional game.
"The coach has told me I won't be playing this year so we will just have to see what happens." Last year, Super League side Hull sought Witt out about a possible move to the Northern Hemisphere ahead of this season.
However, the talented half chose not to pursue talks because he felt his place in the first-grade side at the Warriors was secure.
"There wasn't a written offer or anything but the prospect of signing with Hull was certainly raised," he said.
"We sort of said no because I wanted to stay here and now I think things have changed with the Warriors a little bit.
"The club's pretty happy for me to look around.
"There's been some crazy going-ons. "I guess the timing of that offer was just a little bit out so it's a tough one for sure." Many fans will today be wondering what exactly Witt has done to get offside with club bosses.
And he is in the same boat.
"I have asked Ivan what I've done wrong," said Witt.
"He's been pretty straightforward and told me it's nothing personal but that the club is going in a different direction.
"Unfortunately, Michael Witt's not part of that direction." With the recruitment of halves Stacey Jones, Liam Foran, Aaron Heremaia and Joel Moon ahead of the season, Witt now appears to be last in line to pull on a first-grade jersey.
But Cleary says the former Sea Eagle still has a chance to play in 2009.
"Everyone's got a chance to play first-grade," said Cleary.
"Witty is probably the one guy who fits in a category where there's a lot of players lining up for his position.
"I made it clear to all the halves last year at the end of the season that in 2009 I want them to go to the next level.
"Whether that be having different personnel or more depth because more competition produces better performances we've obviously bought Stacey in because we are looking for a little something more and Joel Moon as well.
"We are looking to go to a new level and what that level is and who plays in what positions, that's up to the boys." Warriors director of football John Hart backed Cleary's stance that Witt still has a chance of playing first-grade this year.
"He's obviously in the back-up role at the moment and we are trying other options at No 6," Hart told Sunday News.
"That's not to say that he's not an option."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaynews/4863908a15599.html
By AARON LAWTON - Sunday News | Sunday, 01 March 2009
MICHAEL Witt, the man who scored arguably the greatest try in Warriors history, has been "rewarded" with the shock news that there's no room for him at the club.
The star playmaker was surprisingly left out of the top side for all three pre-season trials this season.
And, last week, he broke his silence over his future at the Penrose outfit, telling both Sunday News and Radio Sport that coach Ivan Cleary has already told him he "won't be playing this year".
Witt was one of the stars of the the Warriors' run to the preliminary final last year, producing one of the year's most sensational plays when, with time up on the clock in the first round of the playoffs, he crashed over the line out wide to produce a shock 18-15 win over the Storm in Melbourne.
But, despite his heroics for the club, not to mention his unrivalled ability to turn any try into six points, Witt has been told to look elsewhere for a home and will be released if he finds a new deal before the season is out.
"It's quite a strange one really," a visibly gutted Witt said.
"I'm obviously coming off contract at the end of this year and if I'm being honest, I think it's going to be a very long year for me.
"I feel like I'm on the outer here.
"I don't think I will be playing too much first-grade this year and I guess that's quite hard to take, especially knowing I've done my best and played as hard as I could for the Warriors.
"I've enjoyed my time here but I guess that's footy and the nature of the professional game.
"The coach has told me I won't be playing this year so we will just have to see what happens." Last year, Super League side Hull sought Witt out about a possible move to the Northern Hemisphere ahead of this season.
However, the talented half chose not to pursue talks because he felt his place in the first-grade side at the Warriors was secure.
"There wasn't a written offer or anything but the prospect of signing with Hull was certainly raised," he said.
"We sort of said no because I wanted to stay here and now I think things have changed with the Warriors a little bit.
"The club's pretty happy for me to look around.
"There's been some crazy going-ons. "I guess the timing of that offer was just a little bit out so it's a tough one for sure." Many fans will today be wondering what exactly Witt has done to get offside with club bosses.
And he is in the same boat.
"I have asked Ivan what I've done wrong," said Witt.
"He's been pretty straightforward and told me it's nothing personal but that the club is going in a different direction.
"Unfortunately, Michael Witt's not part of that direction." With the recruitment of halves Stacey Jones, Liam Foran, Aaron Heremaia and Joel Moon ahead of the season, Witt now appears to be last in line to pull on a first-grade jersey.
But Cleary says the former Sea Eagle still has a chance to play in 2009.
"Everyone's got a chance to play first-grade," said Cleary.
"Witty is probably the one guy who fits in a category where there's a lot of players lining up for his position.
"I made it clear to all the halves last year at the end of the season that in 2009 I want them to go to the next level.
"Whether that be having different personnel or more depth because more competition produces better performances we've obviously bought Stacey in because we are looking for a little something more and Joel Moon as well.
"We are looking to go to a new level and what that level is and who plays in what positions, that's up to the boys." Warriors director of football John Hart backed Cleary's stance that Witt still has a chance of playing first-grade this year.
"He's obviously in the back-up role at the moment and we are trying other options at No 6," Hart told Sunday News.
"That's not to say that he's not an option."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaynews/4863908a15599.html
