Negotiations seem much more fraught these days than in the past, however maybe the only thing that has really changed is that now all players have managers, and more of it is leaked to the papers?
Speculation and half-baked quotes from managers in newspapers fuel the gossip mill, but how much of it is the truth vs trying to push up the contract price?
It's telling when players say "it's in the hands of my manager, I don't know what's happening etc"
Another thing in the mix is that I suspect some players eg Foran have come to an agreement but are waiting to see if the salary cap is significantly raised once the new media deal is done - why sign a 3 or 4 year contract now and miss a chance to upgrade. Constant hand-wringing on this site that he hasn't signed (no pens etc!!) isn't reflected by any media saying he is looking elsewhere or being chased by any other club. The Australian said months ago he had agreed to terms..