NRL 2018
-
Makes it even more puzzling that they let Mason Lino leave
It is strange that the club didn't let Mason know that they were considering moving on from SJ. He may not be a starter but you need a backup halfback in the NRL today and he proved he could do that.
Not surprised that SJ has now requested a release and not surprised the Warriors are holding firm. They did this with Ata Hingano last season (you can only go once we have your replacement signed). With so much cap space freed up they can target players from other clubs who are up against the cap too. No doubt their number one target is Kodi Nikorima who is free to talk with other clubs and won't get a big deal in Brisbane since Anthony Milford and Jack Bird took most of that salary cap space (plus have two highly touted prospects coming up through the ranks).
-
Warriors to make an announcement at 10:45am
-
You do wonder if he already has a club in mind ,
Clubs and managers are pretty snakey in their negotiations behind the scenes .
-
@kiwiinmelb said in NRL 2018:
You do wonder if he already has a club in mind ,
Well, Widdop asked for a release - so not hard to connect the dots. The Dragons love signing former marquee players.
-
SJ goooooooonnnnneeee from Warriors
-
-
@virgil I think they (Warriors) have handled it poorly.
I am sure they had an idea of what they felt his value was, maybe they shoulda offered him a contract for 2020 and beyond at that value, and if he didnt like it, shop around.
This way is just daft IMO.
-
“Yous... “ yeah you know the rest.
What a sook, not sure what else the warriors could have done better other than waited til he was back in nz from the kiwi tour before announcing they weren’t in a hurry to re-sign him?
I'm with @rotated @taniwharugby on this one, if they're going to say they don't want a player, as part of their new 'tough' management style, then of course that player is going to want to piss off somewhere else.
-
@virgil I really value what he brought to the Warriors, and holy shit when he was on fire he was electric. But I think we can safely say (without being a dick) that he is fragile and never developed the resilience that would have truly made him one of the greats.
We saw that impact on his consistency, and lack of ability to stamp his authority on a game week in, week out. Let alone across seasons. Really sucks that his 'legacy' will be a bit tainted by his exit - but he's playing a role in that, whether you think he's being hard-done by the club or not. I don't blame him about fronting up about not wanting to play 2019 at the Warriors, but it feels like SJ is too quick to go to the emotional side of things, forgetting he's in a sports entertainment business that ultimately has to be bigger than any one player.
I hope the change in club helps him to kick on to big things. I will be moderately salty if he suddenly becomes the tough, bossy player we've always hoped for. Let alone if he wins a premiership in 2019!!
oh, and all that bullshit about the club being carnts by having negotiations underway while SJ was in the UK can eat a bag of dicks. FFS do you even NRL bro!!?
-
@taniwharugby biggest boo boo is not reading that SJ would react this way - or that delaying an immediate release does make them look a bit behind the eight ball, or like dicks in the eyes of hardcore SJ fans. From a club perspective I'd have hoped they had some solid options in the mix before pushing the eject SJ button. I guess we'll see how that goes!
-
@paekakboyz said in NRL 2018:
@taniwharugby biggest boo boo is not reading that SJ would react this way - or that delaying an immediate release does make them look a bit behind the eight ball, or like dicks in the eyes of hardcore SJ fans. From a club perspective I'd have hoped they had some solid options in the mix before pushing the eject SJ button. I guess we'll see how that goes!
I'm a non princess fan and they look like dicks to me.
-
@paekakboyz yep, IMO this way has been handled like a bunch of amateurs...kinda like they expected him to just go, oh yeah sweet, I'll take a 60% pay cut to stay here, chur!
I think if they had offered him a contract they felt reflected his value to the club beyond 2019 it woulda been much smoother ride...but this way seems like they wanted to retain him, and thought he'd bend over and be sweet, instead, he called thier bluff.
-
@nepia should probably have broadened that interpretation
I see it as dick-lite from the club, but am thinking about how the NRL rolls in general around contracting etc. Personally, even though I do like the guy, his WC tantrum did sour me to this side of his personality.
-
Someone is going to throw an awful lot of money on him. Someone's fans are going to be left awfully frustrated.
By SJ, cheers for some pretty sweet memories/highlights. But this was absolutely the right call if the Warriors want to step up.
Replacement half and a prop or two thanks. And not fucking Corey Norman!!!
-
Not sure the club could do anything and not look bad.
If they had offered a much reduced contract instead of passing him off to other offers he would have likely sulked as well. He would have posted online how the club insulted his worth and loyalty to the club with a stupid pay cutUltimately If he played as well as he was paid this would never had happen.
Not like the Cowboys ever had doubts over JT or The Storm with Cronk ( until the very end)
Johnson needs to look at himself and realise he’s brought it on himself
-
@virgil All they had to do was be a bit magnanimous at the press conference for the announcement and they come out looking a million times better than what they do now.
Disagree
They are a club that wants to win a premiership. They realised the million per year they pay SJ is likely better spent elsewhere to achieve that.
They probably also don’t know what his true worth is, hence the shop around abs see what other clubs are willing to pay you.
The only one that had a moan and went public was SJ -
@virgil All they had to do was be a bit magnanimous at the press conference for the announcement and they come out looking a million times better than what they do now.
Disagree
They are a club that wants to win a premiership. They realised the million per year they pay SJ is likely better spent elsewhere to achieve that.
They probably also don’t know what his true worth is, hence the shop around abs see what other clubs are willing to pay you.
The only one that had a moan and went public was SJI don't see how any of that means they can't be a bit magnanimous at the press conference? Some of the die hard fans are doing their nut about how the press conference was handled (while the media seem to be firmly in the Warriors camp).
-
@virgil see I didnt take it that way.
The way it looks like it played out was they want SJ on the roster, but dont want to pay him $1mill....fair enough.
I expect they knew exactly how much they wanted to pay him, offer that...I am sure if SJ is honest he knows he hasnt performed to his potential.
I do agree with you, Warriors damned if they do, damned if they dont, but in saying that, maybe hold yourself to a much higher more professional standard rather than a rabble they look like in this instance.
SJ has always been an emotional fella, so surely the Warriors should have forseen this kind of reaction? They hadnt offered him a contract, so to him, they dont want him, so why would he want to play for a team who dont want him?
As someone on the radio this morning said, he does need to develop a bit of a thicker skin when it comes to social media though.
