Recruitment and retention

[Chris]

Club still has an issue with the halves. Kotoa and SOS are both halfbacks. Not sure Niko or Milf are going to prove to be good, long-term halves. That maybe why the club is apparently interested in Wighton.

Wighton used to be good. A fringe Origin player. These days I think Milf or Niko might be better 5/8 options.

 

[Chris]

Wighton shock rep call explained as part of plan to join Dolphins on big money​

Kangaroos and Blues star Jack Wighton’s shock decision to quit representative football has been explained as a move to make him more valuable to the Dolphins. The Raiders five-eighth stunned his club last month by announcing he was turning down his player option for next year and heading to the open market.

Canberra responded with a four-year deal worth $4.4 million but that’s still sitting on the table with a host of clubs interested in his services. Wighton then stunned the NRL world again this week by ending his rep career just two months after celebrating his 30th birthday.

Wighton has played 10 games for New South Wales since debuting in 2019 but he was a controversial omission in game three last year. The 30-year-old missed game two with Covid and was then left out of the decider, which the Blues lost. Wighton was still picked in Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad and started in the centres the World Cup final.

Origin players earned $30,000 per game before Covid and the figure is expected to return to around that mark this year. Wighton was no certainty to get picked this year, with Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic to start in the centres, but utility was set to compete for a bench spot in the series opener on May 31.

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Interesting. I guess Benny is really serious about signing Wighton. I always considered him at best a fringe Origin player. Well, maybe at best an origin player. He was playing really well a few years ago when he and Josh Hodson were tearing it up for Canberra.

 

[Equaliser]

Wighton shock rep call explained as part of plan to join Dolphins on big money​

Kangaroos and Blues star Jack Wighton’s shock decision to quit representative football has been explained as a move to make him more valuable to the Dolphins. The Raiders five-eighth stunned his club last month by announcing he was turning down his player option for next year and heading to the open market.

Canberra responded with a four-year deal worth $4.4 million but that’s still sitting on the table with a host of clubs interested in his services. Wighton then stunned the NRL world again this week by ending his rep career just two months after celebrating his 30th birthday.

Wighton has played 10 games for New South Wales since debuting in 2019 but he was a controversial omission in game three last year. The 30-year-old missed game two with Covid and was then left out of the decider, which the Blues lost. Wighton was still picked in Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad and started in the centres the World Cup final.

Origin players earned $30,000 per game before Covid and the figure is expected to return to around that mark this year. Wighton was no certainty to get picked this year, with Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic to start in the centres, but utility was set to compete for a bench spot in the series opener on May 31.

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Interesting. I guess Benny is really serious about signing Wighton. I always considered him at best a fringe Origin player. Well, maybe at best an origin player. He was playing really well a few years ago when he and Josh Hodson were tearing it up for Canberra.

If the club is seriously going to throw big money at Wighton, the club has more salary cap space than we actually realised.

 

[Red]

If the club is seriously going to throw big money at Wighton, the club has more salary cap space than we actually realised.

If the club has that much salary cap space, which seems likely to be true, I'm wondering why it isn't active in the player market now. Titans for example got the winger from Tigers and the hooker from the UK. I reckon the Dolphins could have used both or either of them.

 

[DolphinLungren]

Wighton has all but signed for Souths on a 4 year 3.4 million deal - 1 million less than what the Raiders offered him - https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...t/news-story/59d523850a73fe52f1e66f5be80a320c

Surely the NRL has to look into this - the 1.1 mill a year by the Raiders was formally submitted as an an offer to them. Thats 250k less a year if he does sign with Souths. Something fishy going on here, and not Dolphins fishy either - we are out of the race fortunately.

 

[Paul]

Wighton has all but signed for Souths on a 4 year 3.4 million deal - 1 million less than what the Raiders offered him - https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...t/news-story/59d523850a73fe52f1e66f5be80a320c

Surely the NRL has to look into this - the 1.1 mill a year by the Raiders was formally submitted as an an offer to them. Thats 250k less a year if he does sign with Souths. Something fishy going on here, and not Dolphins fishy either - we are out of the race fortunately.

Souths aren't the new Roosters, they are Roosters 2.0.

 

[DolphinLungren]

Woohooo - Hammer signed until end of 2027, best news so far - https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/01/01...ings-news-details-contracts-signings-updates/

 

[Josh]

Woohooo - Hammer signed until end of 2027, best news so far - https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/01/01...ings-news-details-contracts-signings-updates/

As long as he doesn't play like he did last week on a regular basis

 

[DolphinLungren]

Souths aren't the new Roosters, they are Roosters 2.0.

100%! News in 5 years time will be 'Ex NRL star Jack Wighton sells 1 million dollar house for 5 million'. Dodgy buggers.

 

[Josh]

100%! News in 5 years time will be 'Ex NRL star Jack Wighton sells 1 million dollar house for 5 million'. Dodgy buggers.

Former Roosters player and current player manager said it openly regarding the Roosters. If a player signs with the Roosters, there's an understanding he'll be set up for life after football by the Roosters board.

The media pundits leapt to the defence of the Roosters saying almost every club has a position for their superstars after retirement if they want it. The thing is, Braith Anasta didn't even suggest he was only talking about the superstars. But the media and NRL don't care about it. I think Anasta himself doesn't like it which was why he put it out there to start with.

 

[Red]

Former Roosters player and current player manager said it openly regarding the Roosters. If a player signs with the Roosters, there's an understanding he'll be set up for life after football by the Roosters board.

The media pundits leapt to the defence of the Roosters saying almost every club has a position for their superstars after retirement if they want it. The thing is, Braith Anasta didn't even suggest he was only talking about the superstars. But the media and NRL don't care about it. I think Anasta himself doesn't like it which was why he put it out there to start with.

They are turning the competition into a farce!

 

[McHunt]

Former Roosters player and current player manager said it openly regarding the Roosters. If a player signs with the Roosters, there's an understanding he'll be set up for life after football by the Roosters board.

The media pundits leapt to the defence of the Roosters saying almost every club has a position for their superstars after retirement if they want it. The thing is, Braith Anasta didn't even suggest he was only talking about the superstars. But the media and NRL don't care about it. I think Anasta himself doesn't like it which was why he put it out there to start with.

I'd say that's a pretty common sweetener. Can't recall who it was (Craig Wing, Benji Marshall, maybe?) but I remember some player having some promise of being a media presenter built into his agreement, and he turned out to be pretty shithouse at it. Rugby Union has always teed up cushy city jobs - stockbrokers, etc - for its old boys, particularly before it started paying decent wages. Wayne Bennett is the king of the third party scam. The Dolphins are in great hands.

 

[Josh]

I'd say that's a pretty common sweetener. Can't recall who it was (Craig Wing, Benji Marshall, maybe?) but I remember some player having some promise of being a media presenter built into his agreement, and he turned out to be pretty shithouse at it. Rugby Union has always teed up cushy city jobs - stockbrokers, etc - for its old boys, particularly before it started paying decent wages. Wayne Bennett is the king of the third party scam. The Dolphins are in great hands.

Benji Marshall is the epitome of someone who doesn't need to worry about a career after his playing days were over. The thing with the Roosters is they basically offer to pay blokes $******* after retirement if they sign with Roosters for $***** less now. But not in terms of brown paper bags. In terms of go to this place, sit around and do nothing, take home $***** per month.

 

[McHunt]

Benji Marshall is the epitome of someone who doesn't need to worry about a career after his playing days were over. The thing with the Roosters is they basically offer to pay blokes $******* after retirement if they sign with Roosters for $***** less now. But not in terms of brown paper bags. In terms of go to this place, sit around and do nothing, take home $***** per month.

If you have evidence of this you should report them to the police, the NRL and the ATO.

 

[Josh]

If you have evidence of this you should report them to the police, the NRL and the ATO.

This isn't to do with the ATO or police. If someone wants to pay you $1000 a week more to do a job than people in the same job, nothing to do with the police and nothing to do with the ATO if he pays his taxes.

Basically, Penrith had to let go of Spencer Leniu due to salary cap issues. Several clubs were chasing him. He's a really good player. Never going to be near as good as the best props and he's in his mid 20s so he's not going to be a 10 year player at any new club he goes to. When the Roosters signed him it became too much. Some prominent figures in the media started talking about it. Former Roosters player and current player manager Anasta spilled the beans on the open secret. Maybe inadvertently but more likely because he is also sick of them making a mockery of the salary cap.

Then some other media figures spun the comments with something like, "You think NQ wouldn't offer Thurston a job after retirement?" Well of course they would but almost certainly not Spencer Leniu.

 

[Red]

Wighton spotted in QLD for Wayne Bennett meeting as Dolphins up ante​

Champion Canberra playmaker Jack Wighton has been spotted meeting Dolphins supercoach Wayne Bennett in Queensland as the race for the hottest property on the NRL open market heats up. Wighton flew to Brisbane on Thursday as the Dolphins upped the ante for his services by tabling a four-year deal to match the Canberra Raiders and South Sydney deals already on the table. Dolphins recruitment guru Peter O’Sullivan was also in the meeting with the NRL’s 17th team outlining their four-year pitch to the Raiders star.

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Looks like the club is going all in on Jack Wighton. I'm surprised. I thought at his prime a few years ago he would have been worth big money. Maybe Wayne thinks he can work with Wighton's game and make him much better than he is now.

 

[DolphinLungren]

If you have evidence of this you should report them to the police, the NRL and the ATO.

Hahahaha the Police and ATO! WTF drugs are you on? Why would a public company's collective bargaining agreement and internal rules, i.e. their salary cap, have anything to do with them?

Quick, let's call 000- I want to report that Joe's Burgers is paying their staff more than Harry's Fish and Chips, get a SWAT team in.

 

[Red]

I'd say that's a pretty common sweetener. Can't recall who it was (Craig Wing, Benji Marshall, maybe?) but I remember some player having some promise of being a media presenter built into his agreement, and he turned out to be pretty shithouse at it. Rugby Union has always teed up cushy city jobs - stockbrokers, etc - for its old boys, particularly before it started paying decent wages. Wayne Bennett is the king of the third party scam. The Dolphins are in great hands.

The well run clubs keep the coach at arms length from salary cap cheating. Sharks coach did it (cheated) and was punished severely but the club itself only got a slap on the wrist. Bellamy apparently had no idea Melbourne were cheating and obviously faced no sanction though the club was severely punished.

 

[DolphinLungren]

This isn't to do with the ATO or police. If someone wants to pay you $1000 a week more to do a job than people in the same job, nothing to do with the police and nothing to do with the ATO if he pays his taxes.

Basically, Penrith had to let go of Spencer Leniu due to salary cap issues. Several clubs were chasing him. He's a really good player. Never going to be near as good as the best props and he's in his mid 20s so he's not going to be a 10 year player at any new club he goes to. When the Roosters signed him it became too much. Some prominent figures in the media started talking about it. Former Roosters player and current player manager Anasta spilled the beans on the open secret. Maybe inadvertently but more likely because he is also sick of them making a mockery of the salary cap.

Then some other media figures spun the comments with something like, "You think NQ wouldn't offer Thurston a job after retirement?" Well of course they would but almost certainly not Spencer Leniu.

Paul Kent even said straight out he had been told firsthand by many players themselves over the years they had benefited outside the salary cap. I believe Braith was next to him when he said on NRL360.

Like he said, he can't name anyone because there is simply not enough evidence or a paper trail to make such accusations stick. Guys like Uncle Nick didn't get to where they are now following the rules in business, he'd have a whole team and network to get the job done without anything sticking.

 

[Red]

Paul Kent even said straight out he had been told firsthand by many players themselves over the years they had benefited outside the salary cap. I believe Braith was next to him when he said on NRL360.

Like he said, he can't name anyone because there is simply not enough evidence or a paper trail to make such accusations stick. Guys like Uncle Nick didn't get to where they are now following the rules in business, he'd have a whole team and network to get the job done without anything sticking.

The thing with the Roosters, they not only keep almost all the juniors they throw the checkbook at and who come good in the NRL, they also recruit established stars like Tedesco, Crighton and Brandon Smith. Then they have a whole host of lesser but also highly regarded imports like Keary, Walker (who I've always thought was massively overrated.) Lodge, Suaali (also overrated, IMO) and now Leniu.