Official thread and signing news

[blazza18]

Ugh god I hate third party deal shit.

The whole market rate thing is bs too. A player should be able to choose whatever amount of money they want for whatever team they want.

[bula]

I guess the clubs always abuse any loophole in the cap so can't blame the NRL really.
Mark Gasnier signing on a bargain with a big back-ended contract only to retire prematurely before the 'real' money kicked in is another example.

[blazza18]

The Gasnier deal was definitely not right, but I wouldn't have had a problem with it if they didn't bs the nrl and just said it was a 2 year/$100k deal.

[Mattpoet]

Was he paid out though? If so, that's rorting.

[bula]

The Gasnier deal was definitely not right, but I wouldn't have had a problem with it if they didn't bs the nrl and just said it was a 2 year/$100k deal.

Exactly. I'm the same but IIRC Sam Burgess went to Rabbits for $150k on the cap after his ESL club demanded a huge transfer fee) from the Tigers (on top of their big offer) which put him out of their reach but Souths signed him for a fraction of Wests offer!

[sallymay]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... 5ab8ff0073

STORM SIGN PEDIGREE HALF

The last name Johns is synonymous with rugby league and Melbourne will be hoping they can develop the next generation of Johns playmaker when the youngest son of Matt Johns joins the Storm next season.

Market Watch can reveal the Storm have signed Cooper Johns on a two-year development deal.

Cooper wasn’t born when his father at and uncle Andrew steered Newcastle to their first premiership in 1997, while he was a youngster when Johns was a consultant at the Storm.

Turning 18 next year, Johns already has a great understanding of the game.

Johns wore the No.6 in Manly’s SG ball side which was littered with famous names including Albert Hopoate, John Hopoate’s son Albert, Ben Trbojevic, the younger brother of Tom and Jake and Solomon Haumono’s son Maile.

waaaaiiiittt... we signed the boy named after Cooper Cronk? That's actually pretty funny to me.

Nuh not named after cooper cause he was a baby when Matt was coaching him

[tigerr]

Slade Griffin has signed with Newcastle.

In other news Blazza was seen dancing through Bourke Street Mall

[Mattpoet]

Is that official?

[tigerr]

Yes two year deal. Sorry I can't post a link but it's on the Foxsports website

[Mattpoet]

Thanks

[yourhero]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... 38bc4a738c

STORM FORWARD EXITS

Newcastle have signed Melbourne forward Slade Griffin.

The lock/hooker told his teammates of his decision to take up a two-year-deal with the Knights last week.

At 26, Griffin has struggled to get game time at the Storm.

While he’s made 12 appearances this season, the most in his career, he’s chasing consistent first grade games.

Griffin made his NRL debut in 2013.

[Mattpoet]

You have to feel like B.Smith is ahead of him next year anyway.

[Deadpool]

He'll be good for the Knights and he should get a fair amount of game time there. Happy for him

[blazza18]

Wow what a trader. He should be dropped. He's just wasting a spot for someone younger and better that will be here next year.

But, really. Good riddance and best of luck.

[Storm Spirit]

clearly disproves the conspiracy theory that he is Bellyache's favorite golden haired child and that's the only reason he was getting a game...