KniGhTs BaTTLeR said:
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.
NEWCASTLE senior executive officer Steve Burraston slammed Kirk Reynoldson and his management for an "orchestrated campaign" to destabilise the struggling club.
Burraston received a letter from Reynoldson's lawyer Tom Sullivan threatening legal action if the 28-year-old lock did not have the fourth-year option on his contract fulfilled.
Reynoldson needs one more NRL game to automatically trigger a $196,000 deal next year, but coach Brian Smith has told him he is unwanted in 2008 and has not selected him to play again this Friday.
Burraston fully supports Smith in not selecting Reynoldson and is outraged the matter is being played out in the media.
The Knights boss slammed Reynoldson's manager Les Ross for not making any effort to talk to the club.
"I've got no question it's probably an orchestrated campaign to put pressure on the club to cause unrest and probably force us into a position where we want to fold and have the thing go away," said Burraston.
"I can't understand why people wouldn't come and sit at the table and try to negotiate a deal or just to completely ignore the deals we do put on the table.
"I would like to understand what their thinking is rather than read it in the paper in the morning.
"It's disappointing the way they've handled themselves.
"It has dragged on for far too long. This now has been a couple month process and it's way, way too long and it should have been kept in-house.
"I can't vouch for other people's ethics and business dealings, I can only do what we think is right and I know from my own business experience and our own legal advise that we have done everything both legally and morally correct."
Burraston said the club made two offers for Reynoldson, the first for next year and the last an "exit offer", but now legal action is pending there will be no more lifelines from the club.
"We certainly don't have an offer on the table for 2008," said Burraston.
"He will be considered for selection next week and if he does play it will trigger a contract for 2008. If he doesn't play it won't. We will not be making any other offer for 2008."
Smith sought approval from Burraston before announcing today's squad.
Burraston said it "came as no surprise" that Reynoldson was left out in favour of Adam Woolnough, Josh Perry, Steve Simpson, Daniel Abraham, Reegan Tanner, Zeb Taia, Mitchell Sargent, Jesse Royal and Cory Paterson.
"A coach should not have to do that," said Burraston.
"He is not doing anything under-handed here. He certainly has no pressure applied to him to keep Kirk Reynoldson out.
"The forward pack we have on the park this week is probably the strongest we have put out for a number of weeks."
Sullivan will wait until Wednesday to get a response from the Knights but court action appears highly likely.
"If Newcastle won't come to the party and talk to us in a reasonable manner, Kirk is left with no alternative but to look at making an application to either the federal or supreme court for a declaration that Newcastle are bound by their contract," Sullivan told Sydney radio.
"The club is basically playing Ducks and Drakes with Kirk in an attempt to avoid his contract.
"Kirk is very disappointed because he's an honorable man, he wanted to honour his contract and he felt he had a future at Newcastle pre the current coach."
Seriously ANY pity I have for this guy is gone - Not parading himself to the media - THE MEDIA HAS THE LETTER BEFORE THE CLUB DID !.
