The agenda continues

[Voice of Reason]

Another provocative article in todays Telecrap by Ritchie-Muckraker.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22277622-5001023,00.html

The attack is relentless. This paper and journo have little credibility but the influence this may have on the perception of the club in the general community will be interesting.
:sarcasm:

 

[Frederick]

Buderus, Simpson look elsewhere
Article from: The Daily Telegraph

By Dean Ritchie

August 21, 2007 12:00am

NEWCASTLE'S horror season worsened last night with revelations captain Danny Buderus is poised to cut short his Knights contract and that rival clubs have begun circling star forward Steve Simpson.

The two Knights champions have been caught up in the current Newcastle crisis of sinking morale, with Buderus publicly questioning coach Brian Smith's methods and Simpson angry at the club's treatment of Kirk Reynoldson.

Buderus is under contract until the end of next season with an option for 2009.

But it now seems certain Buderus will quit Newcastle at the end of next season and finish his stellar career in England.

Buderus has always wanted to play in Super League but the developments at the Knights under Smith has only hastened his desire to leave Australia.

Simpson is also known to be unhappy with the club's current problems, which were reflected in an embarrassing 46-12 loss to wooden spoon favourites Penrith last Sunday at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

A Test and State of Origin player, Simpson this year rejected a rich offer from Manly to sign a four-year deal with Newcastle.

But rival NRL clubs have contacted Simpson's manager George Mimis to ask whether the back-rower is happy and keen to stay at the Knights.

There is little chance of Simpson being allowed to walk out for 2008 but may consider asking for a release the following year if the dramas in Newcastle do not dissipate.

Buderus and his manager, also Mimis, met on Friday in Newcastle to discuss his future.

Smith and Buderus have spoken about a range of issues in recent days but it is known Buderus is still uncomfortable with the club's direction.

Asked whether Buderus wanted an immediate release, Mimis said: "There is absolutely no merit to the concept that Danny wants out, none whatsoever.

"He's contracted to the club ongoing and will continue to captain the Knights.

"But Danny does have an option for 2009 and has always held a desire to play in England.

"If the right opportunity presents itself for 2009, then Danny would certainly consider it."

Mimis confirmed clubs had called him to discuss Simpson's future.

"Steve has not expressed any interest in leaving Newcastle, although a couple of clubs have shown an interest should circumstances change," Mimis said. "If Steve was to become available, they said they would have an interest."

Knights chief executive Steve Burraston last night said his club wanted Buderus to take up the 2009 option and stay a Knight for life.

"We'd love Danny to finish his career here," Burraston said.

"But players do have in the back of their minds playing in England."

I just love how the headline states that Bedsy and Simmo are looking elsewhere, but their manager flatly denies it and says it's the case of a clause for 09 in Bedsy's contract, and other clubs sounding out Simmo.

 

[Jobdog]

Ahh, what a lovely piece of journalism by none other than the Telecrap

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

Buderus, Simpson look elsewhere: "Steve has not expressed any interest in leaving Newcastle."

Sums it up for me.

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

*EDIT* double post.

 

[Voice of Reason]

A more balanced article from The Australian.

Reynoldson hurting his mates: club






Stuart Honeysett | August 21, 2007

;-) NEWCASTLE chief executive Steve Burraston has accused Kirk Reynoldson of deliberately hurting his team-mates and the club by stalling over a contract dispute.

Reynoldson will find out today if he has been selected to face North Queensland on Friday night. The Knights lock only needs to play one more game to activate a $200,000 contract for next season.
While coach Brian Smith has maintained form is the reason behind his decision not to select Reynoldson, the player and his manager, Les Ross, suspect he is being driven out to free up money under the club's salary cap.
Regardless of whether he is picked, Burraston said Reynoldson's reluctance to try to settle the matter off the field was having a detrimental effect on all parties.
Since the matter came to a head, the Knights' performances have slipped markedly and last Sunday's humiliating 46-12 loss to Penrith at EnergyAustralia Stadium has left the club in danger of collecting the wooden spoon.
"It's a huge distraction to me and (coach) Brian Smith and other people in the club," Burraston said.
"And it's damaging to the morale of the players. It's bad enough losing a number of games on the trot, having a number of injuries and players coming to the end of their term with the club.
"All of those things are damaging and when you've got this dragging along in the background and in headlines most days, and particularly on game day, it seems to jump out that is damaging to the morale of the place."
Newcastle has made two compromise offers, believed to be in the region of $150,000, to try to resolve the dispute.
Burraston said he wouldn't be surprised if Reynoldson and Ross were deliberately stalling to put more pressure on embattled coach Smith.
"I met with Kirk on Thursday and I did put a deal on the table to him that he appeared to be happy with," Burraston said.
"He then asked me to put that in writing to Les Ross on Friday which I sent via email around lunchtime on Friday asking for a response back as soon as possible.
"I've received nothing apart from reading some things in the paper which I think were contrary to the meetings that we had.
"I thought the meetings were positive and we were getting somewhere.
"I don't know what the motivation is. I don't know why people won't come to the table and talk. I don't know why his manager won't meet with us," Burraston said.
"He hasn't attended any meeting I've had with Kirk. He's been on his own apart from the one (players' association president) Matty Rodwell attended.
"In that meeting Matthew Rodwell said to me, 'Steve I can see you're genuinely trying to help' and that is the truth."
The situation became so desperate last week the board was forced to come out and back Smith's decision to drop Reynoldson against Penrith.
Burraston said the directors would stand by Smith again if he overlooked him for the match against the Cowboys.
"I don't think you could blame the player who played in Kirk's position (against Penrith) for us losing the game," Burraston said.
"I'm not pre-empting anything but it probably gets a little bit more difficult because we expect and hope that Danny Buderus will be available tomorrow, that Josh Perry will (be right) and Daniel Tolar has come back from injury through premier league.
"Unfortunately Kirk doesn't have a lot of versatility in his style of play.
"There's only one, possibly two positions that Kirk can be available for.
"That doesn't work in his favour either."
There was better news for the Knights after backrower Steve Simpson was found to have no case to answer after being placed on report for a high tackle on Penrith winger Mark O'Halloran.
St George Illawarra prop Jason Ryles wasn't so lucky and he faces a two-week suspension, which would end his season, for a grapple tackle.
Wests Tigers utility Liam Fulton was charged with the same offence but can avoid a one-match ban with an early plea.
Melbourne forward Michael Crocker has already taken an early plea for a careless high tackle and will be free to face the Bulldogs on Friday night.

 

[Nuffy]

Hatchet job # 16735

Its ironic that the Australian can see what the telegraph can't.

Geez Smith must of pissed some people off to warrant the continuous attack on him and the club.

 

[Nuffy]

This is a marketing ploy by the Toowoomba based law firm.

It costs them nothing but as Reynoldson is a Toowoomba junior, this action would play very well in Toowoomba and you can imagine the "money can't buy" publicity they are getting out of this in Toowoomba.

Here is a direct except from the lawyers letter in the Daily telegraph

"The terms of the contract do not disclose any obligations of the club in favour of the player but in the writers opinion a court would determine that at all times your club must act fairly, justly and honourably."

So the contract is clear but they want to shame the club into surrender.

I find it more that a little ironic that the law firm is asking the club to act in a fair, just and honourable manner when I would contend that Reynoldson has not done so during the course of the last 3 years.

I believe that once he signed a marquee level contract with the club, which he did, he had an obligation to deliver on field performances commeasurate with the level of his contract.

He has not fulfilled his obligation to the club over 3 years and now expects the club to extend their obligations to him.

As he is one of the highest paid players within the club, his performances must reflect that, to justify his pay packet, he must perform at an elite level week in and out.

This is not happening hence I can understand that the club would prefer to chose other players who are offering much better performance respective to their contracts.

Finally, I find it ironic that the player asked for the media to stop talking about this issue and then allows the circus to start again.

Irrespective of what happens Reynoldson is not worthy to play for the Knights.

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

"The terms of the contract do not disclose any obligations of the club in favour of the player but in the writers opinion a court would determine that at all times your club must act fairly, justly and honourably."

So the contract is clear but they want to shame the club into surrender.

I find it more that a little ironic that the law firm is asking the club to act in a fair, just and honourable manner when I would contend that Reynoldson has not done so during the course of the last 3 years.

I believe that once he signed a marquee level contract with the club, which he did, he had an obligation to deliver on field performances commeasurate with the level of his contract.

He has not fulfilled his obligation to the club over 3 years and now expects the club to extend their obligations to him.

As he is one of the highest paid players within the club, his performances must reflect that, to justify his pay packet, he must perform at an elite level week in and out.

This is not happening hence I can understand that the club would prefer to chose other players who are offering much better performance respective to their contracts.

Finally, I find it ironic that the player asked for the media to stop talking about this issue and then allows the circus to start again.

Irrespective of what happens Reynoldson is not worthy to play for the Knights.

Well said.

I agree 100%.

All the Knights would have to do is compare his performances to someone in the club on a similar salary, Steve Simpson for example. Which would highlight the fact that he has not performed to the level in which the club employed he to do so.

He has failed to perform. I know I’d get the arse from my employer if that were the case.

 

[Misanthrope]

To be honest, if Buderus were to leave at the end of next season, I wouldn't be overly phased. He's been a great club man and is arguably one of the greatest hookers of the past ten/twenty years - but there's no doubting that he's begun to wane a little over the past few years. The likes of Smith and Farah have usurped him as the premier hookers in the game, and I'd be happy to let him live out his dream of playing in the UK and recruiting somebody else for half of his money.

 

[KniGhTs BaTTLeR]

I dont wan't Smith here and I hate him and what his done to the club so far but even I can say that whoever wrote that article is an idiot. They are getting desperate me thinks. But players don't enjoy playing for Smith cuz his a grumpy prick so I wouldn't be surprised if in the next couple of years some players don't want to re-new their contracts.

I don't know who is lying in the Reynoldson story but someone is and its very fishy. I seriously doubt Reyno is doing this on purpose it's not like he has been parading himself infront of the media he has been trying to do this quietely.

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

But players don't enjoy playing for Smith cuz his a grumpy.

Who f**king cares?

Like it or not he is the coach and they are big boys, get the f**king job done and don't whinge.

I know that I haven't liked all my bosses but I get paid to do a job - bottom line.

 

[Misanthrope]

Hell, I f**king hate my job and I still turn up and do it to the best of my ability. The players are spoiled brats and they're chucking tantrums because Brian won't let them stay up to watch Big Brother Up Late.

 

[Burwood]

Who f**king cares?

Like it or not he is the coach and they are big boys, get the f**king job done and don't whinge.

I know that I haven't liked all my bosses but I get paid to do a job - bottom line.

I dare say that the club will care a great deal if they start losing players because of Smith. There are lots of other clubs out there willing to pay good money for players- footballers don't need to tough it out in jobs like us simpletons do.

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

I dare say that the club will care a great deal if they start losing players because of Smith. There are lots of other clubs out there willing to pay good money for players- footballers don't need to tough it out in jobs like us simpletons do.

Can't you see that is where Newcastle as a club have gone wrong
for so many years.

The Club is meant to create the culture and not let the players rule the roost.

Players should be able to adapt to different leaders e.g coaches/captains/CEO's.

Players will come and go but the Club itself had to stand the test of time, we want blokes who want to play
for Newcastle not guys who want to play with their mates.

 

[PrideKnight]

I dare say that the club will care a great deal if they start losing players because of Smith. There are lots of other clubs out there willing to pay good money for players- footballers don't need to tough it out in jobs like us simpletons do.

True enough, but new employers still do a background check and aren't going to like a reference that says "does not play well with others" or "god complex" or "insubordinate" are they?

 

[Nuffy]

Burwood

You seem to have taken the article as fact, so far the clubs lost no one, plus the article clearly says that neither Budeus nor Simpson have sort or been granted a release.

Its a beat up pure and simple.

 

[Burwood]

Can't you see that is where Newcastle as a club have gone wrong for so many years.

The Club is meant to create the culture and not let the players rule the roost.

Players should be able to adapt to different leaders e.g coaches/captains/CEO's.

Players will come and go but the Club itself had to stand the test of time, we want blokes who want to play for Newcastle not guys who want to play with their mates.

I don't really see this as being a problem specific to Newcastle and its "culture"- players have come and gone from clubs for years based on whether they get along with their coach or not. It's old news.

My point was that drawing parallels between their job and ours just doesn't work- they are highly paid and sought after individuals who have a great deal of choice when it comes to who and where they work. The large majority of us do not have this luxury, and as a result we have no choice other than to 'tough it out'.

As for players needing to adapt, why should they have to? If you had a particular style/personality that allowed you to perform at your peak, would you change to suit somebody else, or would you go somewhere that better suited your needs?

Burwood

You seem to have taken the article as fact, so far the clubs lost no one, plus the article clearly says that neither Budeus nor Simpson have sort or been granted a release.

Its a beat up pure and simple.

I'd say it's more a case of you taking some alternate meaning from my post. Here is the important part of what I wrote:

I dare say that the club will care a great deal if they start losing players because of Smith.

No mention of Buderus, Simpson, or any current players leaving the club because of Smith- just the acknowledgement that down the track disputes may arise dues to a clash of personalities. IF (now this is hypothetical, so no need to get all defensive) players like Simpson, Kidley and Mullen start to seek an early release from their contracts, I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that the club will stand up and take notice. I strongly doubt they'd just tell them to not let the door hit them on the arse on their way out.


I just don't get the "they are paid to do a job- bottom line" mentality of some posters. Yes, they are paid to do a job. But do they have to stick around when there are better options available to them? I'd think not.

 

[keeney]

You provide an answer to the questions you pose in your own reply Burwood.

The thing is not every NRL player has alot of choice, or is highly sought after. As evidenced by the lack of a single offer for the majority of duds we've sacked. Comparing these nuffies to other nuffies is perfectly reasonable, because their sitautions are much the same, they don't perform adn are getting the ass end for it.

IF and this is a big if, Kidley, Mullen, Simmo or Bedsy threatened to leave, the club would certainly take notice. The point is, none of them have, adn there has been no such indication of anything to that end besides a story trying to maintain the momentum of this journalistic trainwreck.

 

[Stagger eel]

don't worry about Dean Ritchie people...we've had to put up with his crap for years.

he's a Hadley stooge.