The rest of that thread makes for interesting reading on the background. Â Especially this history from 2007:
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Melbourne Storm's teen recruit wants out
Peter Badel | September 02, 2007 12:00am
A BRISBANE schoolboy rugby sensation at the centre of a cross-code tug-of-war has pleaded for NRL minor premiers Melbourne Storm to release him.
Speaking exclusively with The Sunday Mail, teenager Joseph Tomane said the prospect of being away from his family convinced him to backflip on his decision to sign with the NRL powerhouse.
He also spoke of the pressure he felt to sign.
The Storm expect Tomane, 17, to join the club when he completes his studies next month but the Nudgee College student said the move south would destroy him emotionally.
"I don't want to go to Melbourne at all. I've asked for a release," Tomane said.
"This is a decision I've made for my family, to be honest. It's not so much about the codes, it's where I'll be happiest. It's a big move to Melbourne. I board at Nudgee and it's hard enough not seeing my family for five days. Not seeing them at all in Melbourne would kill me.
"When I signed the deal I thought I was doing the right thing. But I went down to Melbourne for a week in pre-season and I really struggled.
"I've told the Storm I don't want to go and they said 'you signed a contract, you aren't going anywhere else, you're coming down'."
Tomane, who represented the Australian Schoolboys in rugby a fortnight ago, accepted a three-year scholarship with the Storm last year after a brief stint in rugby league with local side Samford.
Under the arrangement, the Storm will contribute about $2500 towards Tomane's annual school fees.
The hulking fullback admits he signed a Storm contract via player agent Jim Banaghan, but claims he and father Livingston were given insufficient time to mull over the deal.
"I was with my Dad and our initial plan was to take the contract home and think about it," said Tomane, who was born in New Zealand but came to Brisbane as a baby.
"I had around five minutes to make up my mind. I was 16 at the time and there was a lot of pressure on me. My parents don't have much money so I thought I was helping them out by getting my school fees paid."
Banaghan did not return numerous calls made by The Sunday Mail.
Storm recruitment chief Peter O'Sullivan fears the Australian Rugby Union is behind a move to keep Tomane in the 15-a-side code.
"The Waratahs and the Reds are trying to sign him and the kid has intimated he would like to break his contract," O'Sullivan said.
"Melbourne are very adamant they won't be letting him go. There seems to be some factions in rugby who are in his ear."
But Tomane denied he was being pressured by union powerbrokers.
"The Storm are saying the ARU is influencing me to ask for a copy of my contract but that's garbage. It was my decision," said Tomane, who has sought the help of a second player manager to resolve the issue.
"When I first signed I never got a copy of the contract. I kept on asking and begging for a copy of the contract. I'm sure I'm entitled to at least see what I signed. I just want the Storm to do the right thing by me."
Queensland Reds performance manager Ben Whitaker said: "It's a tricky situation. Joe's possibly regretting signing a contract with the Storm but I guess it's up to the Storm as to whether they want to let him go."
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,22346318-5003409,00.html
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And then there's Bellamy's bleatings:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...016545,00.html
