Willie still on radar Newcastle may have left debate far too late
BY BRETT KEEBLE
THE Knights will discuss their interest in Willie Mason at a meeting on Wednesday, but should they decide to pursue the out-of-favour Roosters forward they could be too late.
Mason will meet in Sydney tomorrow with North Queensland coach Neil Henry, who will indicate whether the Cowboys want to sign the former NSW and Australian strike forward for this season.
If the Cowboys are prepared to throw Mason a lifeline, the Knights could have missed the boat by the time the football committee meets on Wednesday to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of chasing the controversial former Churchill Medallist.
Mason is managed by Greg Keenan but long-time player agent Sam Ayoub is handling negotiations regarding where he plays in 2010.
Ayoub, who returned to Sydney last night after spending the weekend in Townsville, said he had not spoken directly to the Knights but was aware of their purported interest in Mason and planned to contact the club as early as today to determine how genuine they are.
"It's still up in the air with the Cowboys," Ayoub said.
"Neil Henry is coming to Sydney on Tuesday and he'll meet with Willie, so we should know after that meeting whether they're interested."
In a statement that should encourage Cowboys and Knights supporters, players and officials, Mason told a Townsville newspaper on Saturday: "In the end I just want to move forward and I know that I'll be giving my next club my utmost."
Knights chief executive Steve Burraston said the 29-year-old Toronto junior still had much to offer as a player but the club had to weigh that up against Mason's reputation for attracting headlines for his off-field behaviour.
"We've had no direct negotiation with his management at all but we've certainly discussed it among ourselves briefly," Burraston said.
"Fortunately we have a scheduled football committee meeting on Wednesday, so we'll put it on the agenda there and have a discussion about it and see if there's any will for the club to go ahead with it."
Burraston said signing another forward would help offset the loss of front-rower Danny Wicks, who resigned last month exactly one week after being charged with six counts of supply and two of possessing prohibited drugs.
A knee injury that will sideline Richie Fa'aoso for six weeks has further depleted Newcastle's prop stocks, and Burraston said Mason represented good value because the Knights might only be required to pay up to $80,000 of his $400,000 salary this year.
"From a football point of view, it makes a lot of sense," Burraston said.
"We've lost a player in Wicks, and now we've had Fa'aoso injure his knee and he'll be out for what appears to be at least six weeks.
"We don't have a lot of money under the salary cap and because of Willie's situation, the price being discussed, that would fit him under the cap for us.
"And he is a forward, which we need, and to be honest, there's not a lot else out there or if anyone did want to move someone on, it would be far more expensive and we probably couldn't fit them under the cap anyhow.
"So from a football point of view, it makes a lot of sense, but what we've got to be clear about in our mind, is that it's what our members want and what our sponsors want and what our club needs.
"We're not sure why the Roosters are pushing Willie on, and we're not sure why other clubs haven't accepted him.
"That's what we'll try to get to the bottom of, and make sure that if the decision is to go forward and start negotiations, that it won't damage our club in any way."
Herald
