Mogg puts hand up for return Raiders happy to get him back
David Jean
The Canberra Raiders didn't want him to leave, now State of Origin star Adam Mogg wants to come back.
Mogg's manager David Riolo is in France brokering a release from his English Super League club Catalans and has contacted the Raiders about a possible return to the capital.
Raiders general manager Don Furner yesterday confirmed the club was interested in bringing Mogg back to Canberra after his surprise departure last year.
The 28-year-old centre joins a growing list of former players who have recently expressed regret at leaving Canberra.
The Canberra Times yesterday revealed former fullback Clinton Schifcofske regretted dropping the Raiders' captaincy to join rugby union and the Queensland Reds last season,
while Sydney Roosters winger Joel Monaghan is rumoured to be interested in a return to the club he started his NRL career with.
Furner said he would wait for Riolo to return to Australia before querying the status of Mogg, who played 69 games for the Raiders between 2004 and 2006.
"Three or four weeks ago [Riolo] was leaving and said 'I heard Moggy is not very happy'," Furner said.
"He asked if we would be interested and I said 'yeah'.
"I only know what I've heard on the grapevine.
"We would be interested but a lot of things would have to happen first."
Mogg shocked the Raiders last season when he announced a three-year deal with Catalans on the same day Queensland selectors picked him for his Origin debut.
He subsequently starred for the Maroons in games two and three as they stitched up the series.
The Raiders made a last-ditch effort to retain him, offering him a three-year deal worth $750,000.
But Mogg chose to honour a Catalans contract worth about $50,000 extra a season.
Furner said Mogg would be an ideal addition to the current Raiders squad, which is lacking experience in its outside backs.
He said the good reputation of new coach Neil Henry might play a part in bringing him back.
"We never wanted to see him go," he said. "Of the players that left last year he was in great form and we would have liked to have kept him.
"I think he's probably hearing good things about Neil from the other players.
"Obviously last year Neil wasn't here and he wasn't able to sit down and talk to him to stay.
"But he had a bit of a dose of Neil during the Origin and the good thing is if he comes back to us it's a good sign for us because players want to come back."
Furner ruled out paying financial compensation to Catalans in exchange for Mogg. He said the club was also unlikely to swap a player.
"We wouldn't have the money to pay them out of the contract," he said.
Monaghan's manager Jim Banaghan was unavailable for comment yesterday. But The Canberra Times understands he has contacted the Raiders.
Monaghan is rumoured to be after up to $300,000 a season, something Furner said the Raiders were unlikely to pay.
"I haven't spoken to the coaching staff about him and I wouldn't think so, but I don't know," Furner said.
"Names come up and I go and speak to the coaching staff about them and I haven't spoken to them about him."
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