Titans after Farah

[madunit]

Just heard on the news up here in Brissie that the Titans have put forward a 3 million dollar, 5 year deal for Farah.

Apparently the main thing stopping him is his family.
If that's all it is, then I reckon 3 million bucks will make them keen to go to the crime riddled Gold Coast for a few years.

Whats the bet this is allowed and we use the extra money to keep Benji.

oh dear...

 

[madunit]

ROBBIE Farah has emerged as the Gold Coast's primary recruitment target, with the Titans to step up negotiations in the next fortnight.
The push for Farah came as Titans boss Michael Searle revealed he had not made Cameron Smith an offer, quashing reports the Coast were going all out to sign the Test skipper.
While Searle has not ruled out making a formal play for Smith, The Sunday Mail has learned Wests Tigers hooker Farah is considered the marquee star the Titans must get.
Smith and Farah are off-contract at the end of next season but the Titans cannot accommodate both under the salary cap.
With both likely to command about $500,000 on the open market, Farah's premiership-winning combination with former Tigers teammate Scott Prince – now the Titans' chief playmaker – could prove decisive.
Searle has contacted Farah's manager Sam Ayoub and is keen for a face-to-face meeting with the Tigers maestro before Christmas.
"We'd like to gauge Robbie's desire to come to the club. I am hoping in the next couple of weeks we could meet with Robbie," Searle said.
"Robbie has a fantastic skill-set, he is a brilliant hooker, plus he can also play halfback. He wouldn't be out of place in our playing group, that's for certain.
"Robbie has a lot of football in front of him and he has a lot of improvement in his game.
"If you look at the really good nines (hookers), they have a good seven (halfback) around them as well. Someone like Princey would further enhance Robbie's game."
Searle is perplexed by claims he is throwing big money at Test skipper Smith, who has reportedly fielded a five-year offer from the Titans worth $2.5 million to $3 million.
"We have not even made Cameron Smith an offer," Searle said.
"If we offered Cam Smith $3 million, we'd have huge problems with the salary cap. Any side would be firming for the wooden spoon if they threw so much money at one player.
"We'd be foolish not to consider either Robbie or Cameron. Basically, we'll leave no stone unturned in our quest to play semi-final football and we're genuine about our aim of one day winning a premiership. The way you do that is by signing marquee players with that star factor.
"Cameron Smith has it and Robbie Farah has it."
Farah, who at 24 and six months younger than Smith, stunned the Tigers a fortnight ago when he revealed he would test his value on the open market in 2009.
The hooker was unhappy to be moved to halfback by Tigers coach Tim Sheens at various stages of the 2008 season.
Prince is a huge fan of Farah, who linked superbly with the now Titans No.7 when the Tigers powered to a fairytale premiership in 2005.
"Like any junior who's only played for the one club, I'd like to stay at the Tigers but my next contract is important in terms of my career," Farah said two weeks ago.
"It's not something I want to drag on, I want to try to get it sorted before the start of the season so everyone knows what's going on."

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,24726687-5016377,00.html

Thats from 2 days ago

 

[madunit]

WESTS Tigers star Robbie Farah is expected to command offers of up to $500,000 a season after signalling his intent to test his value on the NRL's open market.
In a warning sign for the Tigers, Farah told The Sunday Telegraph his agent will meet rival clubs as he confronts the most important contract of his career.
The hooker, 24, is tipped to make his State of Origin debut for NSW next season following the retirement of Danny Buderus.
Contracted to the Tigers until the end of next season, Farah has an option in his favour for 2010 but wants to explore his worth on the open market before committing to the club.
"Like any junior who's only played for the one club, I'd like to stay at the Tigers but at the same time my next contract is important in terms of my career,'' Farah said.
"I want to make sure I get it right. My manager is going to see if anyone else is interested and then we'll take it from there.
"It's not something I want to drag on, I want to try to get it sorted before the start of the season so everyone knows what's going on.''
New Tigers chief executive Scott Longmuir, coach Tim Sheens and football manager Warren McDonnell met Farah's agent Sam Ayoub at the club's Concord headquarters on Friday.
In what shapes as his first major test at the helm of the 2005 premiers, Longmuir must convince Farah and key playmaker Benji Marshall to commit to new contracts beyond next season.
Farah is expected to have offers up to $500,000 a season to walk away from the Tigers.
"Basically, Robbie's interested in testing the market and we're allowing him to do that,'' Longmuir said.
Clubs expected to be interested in Farah include Brisbane, St George Illawarra, Penrith, Manly and the Roosters.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,24657176-5016377,00.html

This is from November 15.

 

[madunit]

It all looks like we'll only have either Benji or Farah for 2010, and not both, given Benji's comments about looking to switch codes or play overseas.

If Benji goes, You can all but guarantee that Sheens will move on I reckon.

 

[simmo1]

f**king hell, why does every club except the Tigers seem to have such ridiculous amounts of money they can throw at players?

 

[Magpies Forever]

Interesting the chickens are coming home to roost- the games Teflon Tim have played at 1/2 back with making Farah play there

"The hooker was unhappy to be moved to halfback by Tigers coach Tim Sheens at various stages of the 2008 season."

I reckon Farah will go- I dont blame him if the reports of the $$$ being offered by Titans are true.

Well, looks like our new coach in 2010 will have a blank slate on which to model a new team for 2010 onwards.

WT- please put us fans out of our misery and annouce early in the season Teflon is going and you are looking for a new coach in 2010. Llets see what the field is like. We will need a new coach announced before we recruit new players and tap others on the shoulder.............

 

[brook]

It all looks like we'll only have either Benji or Farah for 2010, and not both, given Benji's comments about looking to switch codes or play overseas.

I think its highly likely we'll have neither.

 

[madunit]

I think its highly likely we'll have neither.

Sadly I agree.

I wonder who the club will squander all that money on in 2010.

I wouldn't be surprised if Gower and Kimmorley are offered contracts.

 

[rupertpupkin]

"The hooker was unhappy to be moved to halfback by Tigers coach Tim Sheens at various stages of the 2008 season."

Indeed. Sheens' post 06 halfback vision is the gift that just keeps giving. J-Mo can play Hooker, though......................................right?

 

[Estoboy]

if we don't retain one of them i'll be the first in line for Longmuir's head
i'd hate to see what would happen if both leave. Honestly I can't even fathom it. It just can't, it just won't! but why oh why do i have this gut-wrenching feeling that it will!

 

[Deadly]

if we don't retain one of them i'll be the first in line for Longmuir's head
i'd hate to see what would happen if both leave. Honestly I can't even fathom it. It just can't, it just won't! but why oh why do i have this gut-wrenching feeling that it will!

Sadly both will go and soon thereafter the chicken chow mien combination that is the Wests Tigers.

In all reality apart from those glorious 12 weeks or so in 2005 the JV has barely done either foundation club justice!?

 

[Eddie.]

Offer Farah the captaincy and another 3 or 4 year deal. He has always said how much he would love to captain the Tigers. He deserves the captaincy, he is our best player and a Tigers junior. By dangling that carrot we would see how fair dinkum those comments are given I can't see there being too much discrepency in the money offered here and on the Coast.

Marshall is a bit of a trickier one. All because his supposed love for Coach Sheens. I reckon Farah and a fair few others would be happy to see the back of Sheens. Maybe Marshall would too, but he would never publicly admit that to a man he obviously respects

Overall the club has a lack of ambition and a small club mentality. We still struggle badly to attract any players of note. This is why we should do our very best to retain Farah and Marshall. Without both of these players the club borders on virtual irrelevance. With no stars to attract sponsors, fans whatever.

Quickly Sweeping out dead wood like Morris, Payne, Mcdonnell, Danny Galea and co would probably free up more money then most would think.

 

[Engine]

I wonder how Nathan Friend must be feeling after all this jibber jabber about new hookers. I think Friend is VERY underrated.

 

[BrisVegas]

Sadly both will go and soon thereafter the chicken chow mien combination that is the Wests Tigers.

In all reality apart from those glorious 12 weeks or so in 2005 the JV has barely done either foundation club justice!?

An argument could be made that Wests Tigers have continued on both Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies tradition of mediocrity and underachievement.

Both foundation clubs floundered at the bottom of the ladder for decades, the Magpies amassing a collection of 17 spoons. The Tigers final premiership win was in '69, and the Magpies in '52.

Neither club was ever any good at player retention and recruitment, which the Wests Tigers have seemed to continue with in fine tradition.

 

[MsStorm]

f**king hell, why does every club except the Tigers seem to have such ridiculous amounts of money they can throw at players?

Storm don't.

 

[boxa777]

I'm not a Tigers fan, but live in the area at the moment so I have a soft spot for the club..

But what is going on with your recruitment? Hearing stuff like we can only afford Benji or Robbie. I mean, where is the money going to at the moment. Your players are mostly all underperformers yet you cannot seem to afford to keep your two star players?

 

[Magpies Forever]

I'm not a Tigers fan, but live in the area at the moment so I have a soft spot for the club..

But what is going on with your recruitment? Hearing stuff like we can only afford Benji or Robbie. I mean, where is the money going to at the moment. Your players are mostly all underperformers yet you cannot seem to afford to keep your two star players?

We have been scratching our collective heads over that point for years with no adequate answer from WT management. There has to be something they are not doing compared to other clubs- maybe its 3rd party sponsors or something but we always get the excuse we are at our salary cap limit etc......... Got me buggered......

 

[N.C.]

[moved post to "clean-out for 2010" thread]

 

[brook]

Offer Farah the captaincy and another 3 or 4 year deal. He has always said how much he would love to captain the Tigers. He deserves the captaincy, he is our best player and a Tigers junior. By dangling that carrot we would see how fair dinkum those comments are given I can't see there being too much discrepency in the money offered here and on the Coast.

Honestly I'm less worried about the coast than another Sydney club. If Robbie leaves I suspect it will be because he's thinking of his rep career but I get the feeling he'll be keen to stay close to his family.

Problem is sticking with us isn't going to help his rep chances at all and theres not much we can do about that (maybe a signed statement from Sheens promising to never play him at halfback again would help though :lol

 

[851]

Honestly I'm less worried about the coast than another Sydney club. If Robbie leaves I suspect it will be because he's thinking of his rep career but I get the feeling he'll be keen to stay close to his family.

Problem is sticking with us isn't going to help his rep chances at all and theres not much we can do about that (maybe a signed statement from Sheens promising to never play him at halfback again would help though :lol

Wouldn't hurt Brook,don't know what Sheens was thinking moving Farah to half,probably covering for his shocker at signing the next Cooper Cronk.
His an idea Tim,buy a real halfback,that can work with Robbie,or at least let Dunley or Moltzen have a crack so Robbie can play his natural game.