Crisis looms for
St George Illawarra with 13 big names yet to be re-signed for 2013
A CRISIS looms for St George Illawarra with 13 big names yet to be re-signed for next year, while their coach Steve Price also faces an uncertain future.
The club could be facing a mass exodus next year, with 19 players in total off contract. And not one recruit has been signed for 2014.
While stars Mitchell Pearce, Johnathan Thurston and Robbie Farah have recently re-signed for their respective clubs, the Dragons have yet to secure the likes of Ben Creagh, Mitch Rein, Michael Weyman and Jamie Soward beyond this season.
The club has also failed in their attempts to recruit Pearce, Thurston and Roosters centre Michael Jennings.
The Sunday Telegraph understands the uncertainty over Price's future is one factor holding up the club's recruitment and retention.
Several players, including Creagh, have urged the club to extend Price's tenure.
Players from rival clubs are also reticent to link with the Dragons with no clue who will be coaching them.
The failure of the NRL to sign off on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has also been a hindrance, although it has not stopped other clubs from re-signing their biggest stars. However, Dragons CEO Peter Doust last night said there was no need for alarm and the club was well advanced in negotiations.
"All clubs are regularly reviewing their roster - and not just for the current year but for the years ahead," Doust said.
"Contract negotiations are extremely complex, particularly in a market that has been influenced by cap increases over the next five years.
"We are well advanced in the negotiation process with a number of our players who are off contract this year, as would be expected, but we are not interested in speculating on these commercially in-confidence matters at this point in time."
Off-contract Dragons
The Dragons could also be planning a clean-out, with several stars including Nathan Fien, Matt Prior, Matt Cooper, Weyman and Soward all facing uncertain futures.
The Sunday Telegraph understands the club has made retaining captain Creagh and rising young hooker Mitch Rein a priority and discussions are underway.
Creagh said last week that he was eager to put pen to paper and extend his career with the club.
"I've got no plans to leave and I don't want to leave. It's not a worry for me and hopefully it will be sorted out," Creagh said. "I'd love to finish my career at the club."
Cooper was expected to retire at the end of the season but may opt to play on.
The Dragons are attempting to lure Josh Dugan to the club immediately while Todd Carney is another target.
Price's future has been under the spotlight, with the Dragons making a failed bid to lure Craig Bellamy away from the Melbourne Storm.
After missing out on the man regarded as the game's best coach, the club was rumoured to be circling the Sharks' Shane Flanagan.
Since being reinstated by the Sharks for today's clash against the Warriors, Flanagan has distanced himself from the talk and pledged his commitment to Cronulla for the next two years.
Steve Folkes and Tim Sheens have both been spoken of as Dragons coaches, although many feel the 35-year-old Price should be given longer to prove himself as an NRL coach.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-signed-for-2013/story-e6frexpr-1226604067854
Definitely a crisis situation in Wollongong.
