Te'o Takes Control Of His Future

[madunit]

Te'o takes control of his future
By James Hooper
June 08, 2008
BEN Te'o is the emerging NRL star who has sacked his agent and taken full control of brokering his future.

All business on the weekends as he goes about carving a name for himself as a rising back-rower, Te'o then swaps his footy shorts for his best negotiating suit midweek.
In between video sessions, ball work and team meetings, the 21-year-old Kiwi contacts rival clubs, arranges meetings with coaches and chief executives and talks contracts and dollars.
Over the course of this season, Te'o has organised negotiations with the Panthers, Bulldogs and Rabbitohs.
And it is understood he will now meet incoming St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett.
"It was a business decision on my behalf to part ways with my manager. I just wanted to go in a different direction," Te'o said.
"I wasn't really happy in the agreement so I terminated it and took control myself. I talked to the RLPA and then I went on the internet and looked up the contact details of clubs I thought might be interested.
"Then I'd ring up and ask for the recruitment guy's email, then I'd email and explain who I was, let them know I was having drama with my manager, so I'm looking after myself right now.
"Then I'd say if there were any openings, give us a buzz or if not, thanks for your time.
"I was quite surprised at how many nibbles I got. So I went and met them and met CEOs and the coaches.
"It's not that scary. I don't know why more people don't do it. The only thing is it's hard to do during the season."
The Wests Tigers back-rower assumed control of his own destiny after a fallout with agent Daryl Mather, who has taken legal action against Te'o.
After months negotiating with the Tigers on his own, Te'o was given an upgraded deal with a 48-hour deadline of last Friday to accept.
He let it go, preferring to focus on last night's match with North Queensland.
Tigers coach Tim Sheens confirmed the club had placed the deadline on Te'o but have now extended it.
Irrespective of where Te'o signs for next season, leading player agent Mather intends to pursue him in the courts.
"I'm unable to comment on the matter other than to say we'll be pursuing it through legal action," Mather said.
When Te'o initially fell out with Mather, he contacted Matthew Rodwell at the Rugby League Players' Association for advice.
"Ben then terminated the contract and told Daryl he'd be looking after himself, and then I think there was a threat of legal action," Rodwell said.
Te'o was cut by the Warriors in 2005, the Tigers scouted him and sent him to Keebra Park on the Gold Coast, the same high school nursery the club sent Benji Marshall to.
The Tigers privately believe they have invested a fair amount of time and effort in Te'o, who was allowed to sit out 2006 to overcome injuries.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23828603-23214,00.html?from=public_rss

 

[madunit]

If he's looking around this much at what offers he may attract, then to be honest, it doesn't sound like he's too concerned where he plays, so long as he gets paid as much as he can get.

With his contract set to be renewed, you'd think he'd be putting in a bit more hard work to attract some interest.

If we were to resign him, how much lazier would he be likely to become?

 

[crouching_tiger]

:lol: @ Te'o = lazy

 

[madunit]

half the workload of Heighington, while playing in the back row alongside him.

If he's such a superstar in the making, he should be doing at least 75% of Heighington's workload, not less than 50%.

 

[innsaneink]

Reading that I think we can kiss him goodbye.

 

[crouching_tiger]

half the workload of Heighington, while playing in the back row alongside him.

If he's such a superstar in the making, he should be doing at least 75% of Heighington's workload, not less than 50%.

:lol: Why don't you compare apples with apples.
Give me a list of facts of how many first grade games both players have played, a try tally, age differential etc etc then i will stop laughing at you dictating what a players workload % is.
If you want to use your silly % rating, then why don't you give us all the facts of $$$ earnt by both players and then we can see what % workload Te'o should be doing in comparison.

 

[Vicious]

half the workload of Heighington, while playing in the back row alongside him.

If he's such a superstar in the making, he should be doing at least 75% of Heighington's workload, not less than 50%.

What about his impact ? He smashes opposing players nearly every time they run at him and he`s BY FAR our most dangerous ball runner in the forward pack. To be a good side you need a balance, players like Heighington with his workrate, but you also need players like Te`o for impact and players like Te`o aren`t exactly falling off trees. In my opinion, Ben Te`o is worth anything up to $300,000 per season and we should be making sure we retain him at all costs. I simply cannot believe our recruitment and retention don`t have the vision to shop players we don`t need like John Morris and Corey Payne around, to help us create the salary cap space to retain essential players such as Ben Te`o ???

 

[madunit]

:lol: Why don't you compare apples with apples.
Give me a list of facts of how many first grade games both players have played, a try tally, age differential etc etc then i will stop laughing at you dictating what a players workload % is.
If you want to use your silly % rating, then why don't you give us all the facts of $$$ earnt by both players and then we can see what % workload Te'o should be doing in comparison.

What the **** does wage have to do with his performance on the field.

He is listed alongside Heighington in the back row.

Give me some valid reasons why he doesn't need to get more involved in defence and hit the ball up more often?

He may be a great runner, hard hitter etc. But if he's only doing those things on an infrequent basis, what good is he?

When he doesn't get involved in making tackles, it means someone else has to make them for him.

Last week our forwards did the following:
Farah - 61 tackles, 6 hit ups, 6 dummy half runs, 1 line break, 49 metres, 1 off load in 80 minutes.
Gibbs - 23 tackles, 12 hit ups, 1 dummy half run, 94 metres, 1 offload in 42 minutes.
Galloway - 31 tackles, 13 hit ups, 100 metres, 1 offload in 54 minutes.
Halatau - 21 tackles, 13 hit ups, 3 dummy half runs, 85 metres in 53 minutes.
Heighington - 37 tackles, 18 hit ups, 125 metres, 1 offload in 76 minutes
Galea - 30 tackles, 9 hit ups, 68 metres in 44 minutes
Harrison - 16 tackles, 5 hit ups, 37 metres in 31 minutes
Payne - 15 tackles, 4 hit ups, 19 metres, 1 offload in 20 minutes

And then there's Te'o who had 19 tackles, 5 hit ups, 39 metres in 45 minutes.

Every starting forward and interchange forward did more work than him.

 

[crouching_tiger]

What about his impact ? He smashes opposing players nearly every time they run at him and he`s BY FAR our most dangerous ball runner in the forward pack. To be a good side you need a balance, players like Heighington with his workrate, but you also need players like Te`o for impact and players like Te`o aren`t exactly falling off trees. In my opinion, Ben Te`o is worth anything up to $300,000 per season and we should be making sure we retain him at all costs. I simply cannot believe our recruitment and retention don`t have the vision to shop players we don`t need like John Morris and Corey Payne around, to help us create the salary cap space to retain essential players such as Ben Te`o ???

I wouldn't go as far as $300K per season just yet Vish. I would probably put him in close range of the $200K-$220K(perhaps even $240K) for 3-4 seasons bracket in comparison to what others in the club are earning. Considering:
1. He has not established himself as a solid 1st grade player yet.
2. He is still very young and has a long way to go in developing as a 1st grade player. Potential to be anything which can be reviewed along the way.
3. $300K is a benchmark to what players such as Hodgo earn per season.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Te'o is utter class and will only get better.

He will be one of the best backrowers in the comp in a couple of years.

We MUST sign him.

 

[crouching_tiger]

What the **** does wage have to do with his performance on the field.

He is listed alongside Heighington in the back row.

Give me some valid reasons why he doesn't need to get more involved in defence and hit the ball up more often?

He may be a great runner, hard hitter etc. But if he's only doing those things on an infrequent basis, what good is he?

When he doesn't get involved in making tackles, it means someone else has to make them for him.

Last week our forwards did the following:
Farah - 61 tackles, 6 hit ups, 6 dummy half runs, 1 line break, 49 metres, 1 off load in 80 minutes.
Gibbs - 23 tackles, 12 hit ups, 1 dummy half run, 94 metres, 1 offload in 42 minutes.
Galloway - 31 tackles, 13 hit ups, 100 metres, 1 offload in 54 minutes.
Halatau - 21 tackles, 13 hit ups, 3 dummy half runs, 85 metres in 53 minutes.
Heighington - 37 tackles, 18 hit ups, 125 metres, 1 offload in 76 minutes
Galea - 30 tackles, 9 hit ups, 68 metres in 44 minutes
Harrison - 16 tackles, 5 hit ups, 37 metres in 31 minutes
Payne - 15 tackles, 4 hit ups, 19 metres, 1 offload in 20 minutes

And then there's Te'o who had 19 tackles, 5 hit ups, 39 metres in 45 minutes.

Every starting forward and interchange forward did more work than him.

Ummm dunno what games you've been watching, but if you hadn't noticed Heighny is a middle third running backrower and Te'o is a wide running backrower. Apples for apples sunshine.
You call him lazy on judging for what you see of him for 80mins each week, disregarding what he does off the field. Yet you dictate what % he should be doing when his role is instructed to do a different role. Also you forget a player can not control which attacking player runs at him.
Why do you think Farah has made so many tackles since returning from injury? is it because he is a harder worker? or is it because the opposition chooses to run at him for his small size and is carrying a niggling injury?
You figure it out.....

 

[super_coach]

Teo is running wider than Collis and Lawerence. He is going to be a good footballer if he sticks with the tigers, if he goes to a team like souths he will struggle big time. Being a wide running backrower with Farah Head and Marshall throwing you money balls sure beats standing behind your goal posts waiting for conversions.

 

[super_coach]

Chooks???be a good replacement for Topu. I have the feeling he will be playing else where next year. Shame but not the end of the world. Maybe we can than go out and find a front row thst Sheens thinks is worthy of playing front row when the stocks are low

 

[madunit]

Ummm dunno what games you've been watching, but if you hadn't noticed Heighny is a middle third running backrower and Te'o is a wide running backrower. Apples for apples sunshine.
You call him lazy on judging for what you see of him for 80mins each week, disregarding what he does off the field. Yet you dictate what % he should be doing when his role is instructed to do a different role. Also you forget a player can not control which attacking player runs at him.
Why do you think Farah has made so many tackles since returning from injury? is it because he is a harder worker? or is it because the opposition chooses to run at him for his small size and is carrying a niggling injury?
You figure it out.....

If he is such a great runner of the ball, why is he doing 5 hit ups in an entire game?
Why is it every other forward is doing more work in defence? If a player is being singled out in defence, then it's up to the rest of the side to help them out. Not stand back and have a bludge.

I hope he leaves, we don't need him.

 

[Vicious]

If he is such a great runner of the ball, why is he doing 5 hit ups in an entire game?
Why is it every other forward is doing more work in defence? If a player is being singled out in defence, then it's up to the rest of the side to help them out. Not stand back and have a bludge.

I hope he leaves, we don't need him.

I don`t know about you, but i`d like to see us be a good side ?

 

[crouching_tiger]

Dont bother Vish. MU has clearly displayed he knows sweet FA about what's really going on.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

We shouldn't have wasted our money on rubbish like f**king Payne.

Te'o is class and will be a massive loss if he goes.

 

[madunit]

I don`t know about you, but i`d like to see us be a good side ?

how many back rowers will we have next season?

he'll be a loss, but not a big one.

I'd rather we sign Head before Te'o.

 

[Callan Pk]

Dont bother Vish. MU has clearly displayed he knows sweet FA about what's really going on.

You know pretty much FA too champ.

Ben Harris is rubbish.

 

[madunit]

Dont bother Vish. MU has clearly displayed he knows sweet FA about what's really going on.

ahh, so because I don't agree with you, I'm wrong. It's an opinion you dickhead.

sweet FA?

He doesn't do anything in defence and rarely hits the ball up, the stats, facts, show that.

We have a team that struggles to wrap the ball up in defence, struggles to make a lot of metres in attack, we have a guy in Te'o who is capable of making big metres and being a good defender, but fails to get involved.

"oh, but he's young and he has a lot of potential..."

That is no reason for him to not perform, nor is it a valid excuse.

He is a first grade footballer, if anything, his youth would should be a reason for him to be getting even more involved, being more energetic etc.

But no, cut him some slack because he's young.

morons.