*Official* NRL 2012 Season thread

[Burgey]

The original salary cap cheats.

Yeah they were. Mind you, it's typical of the NRL to turn a blind eye to the Brisbane side of 2000. As if they were under the cap:

Lockyer
Tuquiri
DeVere
Carroll/ Berrigan/ C Walker
Sailor
Ikin
K Walters
Campion
Thorn
Tallis
Webke
Priddis
Petro

Myers
Carlaw

etc
etc

What a ****ing joke.

 

[NUFAN]

It's pretty simple really. Footballers did not mind getting paid slightly less playing at the Broncos as it meant they were coached by the brilliant Bennett and they wanted to play finals footy, an almost guarantee that hardly any teams could provide. The fact that many of them played Origin and Tests meant that they were receiving extra money on top of their salaries too.

 

[Burgey]

Bollocks. And you know it.

 

[Burgey]

On the Broncos as we almost were, what's the prognosis on Parker's injury?

$427k is a lot of DT player to be benched...

Think he's at least 6 weeks mate, maybe even longer.

 

[Prince EWS]

It's pretty simple really. Footballers did not mind getting paid slightly less playing at the Broncos as it meant they were coached by the brilliant Bennett and they wanted to play finals footy, an almost guarantee that hardly any teams could provide. The fact that many of them played Origin and Tests meant that they were receiving extra money on top of their salaries too.

I think it had more to do with the fact that a lot of them had always lived in the Brisbane area and would play for slightly less if it meant they didn't have to move. There's more demand for Sydney-based players so the player market equilibrium point here is generally a little higher.

 

[NUFAN]

Bollocks. And you know it.

No I don't know it actually.

The 15 players that you named are not all absolute all stars who demanded huge salaries. Sailor and Tuqiri had to move codes to get a salary that they wanted.

Thorn, Campion, Ikin and De Vere were not on big money. De Vere a struggling footballer famously wrote to Bennett for an opportunity in first grade.

Walters wouldn't have been on huge coin either towards the end of his career. We had Harvey Howard in our 17 on grand final day ffs, he would have been on minimal money.

The simple fact is that we didn't have to buy too many players meant that we were able to get them for a bit cheaper and Bennett helped mould some of them into absolute greats.

Some of the names look very special on paper, but in the year 2000 the team had an excellent mix of established players and young guns who were not all on huge coin.

 

[Spikey]

Good morning chaps, I'd like to buy the Gold Coast centre of excellence. I'm offering $2, an old cricket ball and a black pen. I don't suspect you'll get a better offer so let's wrap this up nice and quick. You can keep the TV studio.

 

[Spikey]

ftr, this is a white cricket ball, not a proper red one.

 

[benchmark00]

Good morning chaps, I'd like to buy the Gold Coast centre of excellence. I'm offering $2, an old cricket ball and a black pen. I don't suspect you'll get a better offer so let's wrap this up nice and quick. You can keep the TV studio.

Is the cricket ball a four or two piece?

 

[Spikey]

It's a four piece. However, much like Michael Searle I've lied to you - the ball has long lost it's colour and to call it white is pretty much a lie. I call throw in some tape if you like? Maybe a taped up tennis ball?


PS Michael Searle always looked like a **** to me

 

[Spikey]

11 MONTHS AGO:

GOLD COAST last night rejected suggestions they had agreed to pay star signing Jamal Idris $2.5 million over five years but they believe their acquisition of the 20-year-old centre will increase their home crowds by a staggering five to 10 per cent.

Idris will join the Titans next year on a lucrative deal that will keep him on the tourist strip until at least the end of the 2016 season. Canterbury officials said yesterday they were unable to match the money delivered to Idris by Gold Coast, with some believing he was offered $500,000 a season to head north.

However, the Herald was told the figure was not that high. It is understood Idris's package is closer to $400,000 a season, including third-party deals. There was a further sweetener, though: he will be driving an Audi car around the Gold Coast from next year, which the Titans are able to offer him under the NRL salary cap rules. The Bulldogs are believed to have offered Idris a deal in the range of $350,000 a year.

The Titans are adamant his signing is money very well spent: an in-house marketing assessment has predicted the Titans' crowds at Skilled Park, which averaged 17,877 last season, stand to grow by between five and 10 per cent by having Idris in their side. They also anticipate a significant rise in their membership numbers.

Idris told Bulldogs teammates of his decision during a weights session at Homebush Bay yesterday morning. He did not train as he is overcoming a bad cork to his thigh suffered in their 25-6 defeat to St George Illawarra on Sunday.

''[When] I told them, I teared up a bit because it's obviously going to be pretty disappointing for me to leave them,'' Idris said. ''I've been sitting on this the past few days. Today when I actually told Todd [Greenberg, Canterbury chief] I felt like the weight was lifted off my shoulders, and I realised how stressed I actually was.''

Idris's agreement with the Titans involves an indigenous ambassadorial role, and his friendship with Gold Coast veteran and All Stars creator Preston Campbell was key. He also told the club about his enjoyment working with children, and plans are in place for a television show pilot starring Idris to be produced at the Titans Centre of Excellence at Robina, which has a TV studio.

Idris is no certainty to play against the Eels on Friday night but he shot down the suggestion that he would lack motivation in his final year at Canterbury. ''That shouldn't be questioned at all,'' he said. ''I'm going to go out there and play as hard as I can. If not harder. I want to give it all I've got because at the end of the day these are my boys … I want to go out on a good note.''

Money well spent: Titans bank on Idris pulling a crowd


I really don't like Michael Searle just in case you were wondering.

 

[Spikey]

I don't want the GC team to go bankrupt, but I'll probably cry tears of joy if I get to see Michael Searle crying tears of shame

 

[benchmark00]

Cliffs? nfi what's going on here and cbf reading.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Gold Coast = Port Adelaide cash situation, but losing money on property, and still trying to recruit all the big names.

'Cept Coops, obv.

 

[Spikey]

THE Gold Coast Titans' dire predicament has become even grimmer, with accountants telling the ARL Commission they owe $25 million and that the debt is not confined to the organisation's property arm but is intertwined with the football club.


news ltd saying it's 35m but **** them those ****ers.

 

[benchmark00]

Gold Coast = Port Adelaide cash situation, but losing money on property, and still trying to recruit all the big names.

'Cept Coops, obv.

 

[Spikey]

Gold Coast = Port Adelaide cash situation, but losing money on property, and still trying to recruit all the big names.

'Cept Coops, obv.

You mean North

 

[benchmark00]

You mean North

Nah ****.

 

[ripper868]

Having just placed bets on the Broncos and Panthers to score tries for first scoring plays in both of tonights encounters, I strongly recommend getting on the wabbits and loleels

 

[Prince EWS]

Tipped Penrith because I pretty much never tip Parramatta but I have a feeling Parra might win tonight.