News: Manly to fight for Steve Matai, Trent Hodkinson

[codewana]

So ryan if you only had a limited career (say 10 years) you would not think about going elsewhere for considerable more salary?

I think Ryan's last paragraph summed up his mentality - if a player stays at the club for his limited career, he may well end up being looked after by the club and the fans (as Beaver has been). Beaver took pay cuts during his time with us, but I think these cuts will be more than made up for when he retires and uses his image to continue supporting himself and his family; Ryan's example of Sea Eagles Homeloans illustrates this.

 

[Guest]

So ryan if you only had a limited career (say 10 years) you would not think about going elsewhere for considerable more salary?

Culture aside it is a professional sport where players move for cash. How do you think we have gotten some of the talented juniors from parra etc? By offering more money

I wish it was not the case but you can not begrudge a player leaving for more money

he can go to uk after he has done his 10yrs in nrl have a bludge over there & collect in 2 years more money then he earnt in 5yrs here simple.. 

 

[Garts]

[quote author=lsz link=topic=183454.msg264955#msg264955 date=1275447179]
So ryan if you only had a limited career (say 10 years) you would not think about going elsewhere for considerable more salary?

I think Ryan's last paragraph summed up his mentality - if a player stays at the club for his limited career, he may well end up being looked after by the club and the fans (as Beaver has been). Beaver took pay cuts during his time with us, but I think these cuts will be more than made up for when he retires and uses his image to continue supporting himself and his family; Ryan's example of Sea Eagles Homeloans illustrates this.
[/quote]

You can't do that for all players unfortunately.  And promising any form of employment after footy is counted in the salary cap.  The players are after security so I can't blame them. 

 

[codewana]

[quote author=codewana link=topic=183454.msg264957#msg264957 date=1275447467]
[quote author=lsz link=topic=183454.msg264955#msg264955 date=1275447179]
So ryan if you only had a limited career (say 10 years) you would not think about going elsewhere for considerable more salary?

I think Ryan's last paragraph summed up his mentality - if a player stays at the club for his limited career, he may well end up being looked after by the club and the fans (as Beaver has been). Beaver took pay cuts during his time with us, but I think these cuts will be more than made up for when he retires and uses his image to continue supporting himself and his family; Ryan's example of Sea Eagles Homeloans illustrates this.
[/quote]

You can't do that for all players unfortunately.  And promising any form of employment after footy is counted in the salary cap.  The players are after security so I can't blame them. 
[/quote]

Good point. The NRL need money - BAD!

 

[lsz]

Beaver is a once in a lifetime player - not really fair to compare a rookie at the start of his career or steve matai

The NRL does need more money however you can not blame players for looking after themselves....much like we all do

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Beaver is a once in a lifetime player

True...........and someone who should be the model of the future NRL player.

Shame the NRL didnt take advantage of enshrining that true legend of the sport when he left our shores, into a future development plan for all future NRL players.

 

[Dan]

The way beaver was treated was a joke. A true legend and gentleman and also a true legend we will be lucky to see the like of at manly again in our lifetimes

 

[Canteen Worker]

The way that Hindmarsh was lauded earlier this season by the NRL made me sick when I thought of the pathetic way they reacted to one of the ornaments of the game.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Beaver's big mistake was that he didn't convert to Islam.

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Manly bank on salary cap increase to retain rising star Hodkinson
CHRIS BARRETT AND GREG PRICHARD
June 3, 2010
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/manly-bank-on-salary-cap-increase-to-retain-rising-star-hodkinson-20100602-wzvo.html

Manly boss Graham Lowe admits the Sea Eagles cannot match the cash that Canterbury are throwing at rookie halfback Trent Hodkinson but remains hopeful they can keep the exciting 21-year-old at Brookvale Oval beyond this year.

Hodkinson, who made his City Origin debut last month after playing only six NRL games, has been offered a three-year deal by the Bulldogs valued at a reported $270,000 a season and Canterbury chief executive Todd Greenberg hopes to have an answer this week.

''[An offer of] $270,000 a year is not in our range, that's for sure,'' Lowe said. ''But I think there's a bigger picture to look at. I think there's a lot of things for him to weigh up and I'm sure he'd be the first to recognise the value that Des [Hasler] has been for him. As far as wrapping everything up this week, we're certainly not rushing anything.''

Lowe said the Sea Eagles were anxious to find out if speculation that there would be a significant rise in the salary cap for next season was on the money. It could be a boost to their chances of retaining Hodkinson.

He said the club could not formalise an offer to Hodkinson until it knew what the cap situation would be. ''It's difficult for us at the moment because we need to know exactly what the NRL is doing with the cap,'' Lowe said. ''And I'm sure there are plenty of other clubs who need to get some information on that front. We obviously want to keep Trent and we'll do everything we can to keep him.

''It sounds like Trent has had a fantastic offer from outside and I respect that, but I'm convinced he hasn't done anything yet and that he won't do anything until he finds out what we can do. We just need to find out what's happening with the cap so we can get all of our ducks in a row.''

Greenberg said the signing of Hodkinson would not rule out the Bulldogs retaining veteran halfback Brett Kimmorley for another season.

 

[susan ridgepipe]

all this talk about th and is he any good etc.he has played 9 games ffs and we are running second.have a look around at all the plodders at other clubs and how long it took thurston and prince to make their mark.

the nrl has produced one decent halfback in pearce in the last four years and we have a chance to develop a good one and the geese are at it again having a go at him.i seem to remember c and c comparing him with moorewood before he even saw him play.put your agenda back in the box and open your eyes champ.

he may not end up a great player but he has played 9 f...ing games and is doing well.

 

[Garts]

Exactly Sue.  Although I am resigned to the fact that we have lost him.  Life goes on. 

 

[clontaago]

IS he worth 270k a year though?

 

[Guest]

IS he worth 270k a year though?

If Orford was being paid $450k a year (plus extras) as rumoured than definately he is worth at least $270k.  Hodkinson's kicking game in the second half of the game against the cowgirls was excellent.  Deep kicks that didn't go straight to Bowen on the full like our last half back used to do. 

 

[KaZa]

hes worth it.

Pay it.. before we buy in 5 years for 450

 

[OneEyedEagle]

I wouldn't want to see Matai go. He is the only one that puts in week in / week out. We always seem to go better with him in the side and he still has another 3 good years ahead of him.

 

[Matabele]

all this talk about th and is he any good etc.he has played 9 games ffs and we are running second.have a look around at all the plodders at other clubs and how long it took thurston and prince to make their mark.

the nrl has produced one decent halfback in pearce in the last four years and we have a chance to develop a good one and the geese are at it again having a go at him.i seem to remember c and c comparing him with moorewood before he even saw him play.put your agenda back in the box and open your eyes champ.

he may not end up a great player but he has played 9 f...ing games and is doing well.

Don't worry sue.  C&C is the Morewood of the site.

 

[Chip and Chase]

LOL. Mata I never picked you for someone who would indulge in blind hero worship. Your fawning over every one of Sue's posts is touching stuff, I just hope she appreciates your efforts.

Susan knows very well what I said, and I'm flattered that he feels the need to twist my words to support his argument. I get the impression that Sue is feeling a little insecure about his future as a talent scout. Perhaps TH's dominance in the Qld Cup wasn't quite the yardstick it was made out to be, probably the same reason Morewood dominated at that level. No agenda here, I was just trying to bring a level head to the pre-debut Hodkinson hysteria. My eyes were open enough to realise the step up from Qld Cup, or NYC for that matter, to NRL is a big one champ.

Anyway for the record I happen to agree with a lot of what you say Sue. Good halfbacks are hard to come by and Hodkinson has shown enough to suggest that he will be a better than even chance of becoming a good one. You can relax, you have got a reasonable eye for talent, but I think anyone who watched Hodkinson last year could see that he could play, just a matter of whether he could handle the step up in class. He needs to show that he is capable of giving the team some direction and driving us around the park for 80 minutes, but there is no use pressuring him into that role if we have the support around him to let him ease his way in. I'll be looking for more improvement in that area as he gets more games under his belt, let's hope it comes.

The bottom line is that it would be great to keep him as he looks more than likely, but at some point we've got to put a $$$ figure on it. I don't know what that figure is, if he comes off we could be set for 3 or 4 years with him and Foran, and that could be worth $300K a season no problems. I just hope we are still in the race, the rumours of his departure seem pretty strong.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Sure, putting a dollar figure or value on him is a necessary part of the process. But its also true that all player contracts are a gamble in one way or another.

Putting aside what we can afford and measuring that against other retention/recruitment issues, how many of us would say that Hodkinson is worth say $230k p/a and how many might say he is worth what the dogs are reportedly offering of $265-70 p/a ? Fact is, if it was a matter of a $30-40k differential who here would baulk at that. Very few if any i would think. On the other side of the coin, he has publicly stated that is is very happy here and wants to stay so he doesnt seem like its purely about the money. So if we were $10k or so less I can see him staying.

And its a bit harsh to propose that there might still be some contention as to if Hodkinson can make the step up in class from Qld Cup to NRL. He already has in my book. We havnt seen glaring errors or deficiencies in his game and it would seem to me that if he isnt the one as yet playing the sole dominating role, directing traffic and making all the calls its simply because, (as C&C says) others around him are helping to ease him into things without undue pressure. 

And do we have alternative risk free options available to us ?  I dont think so.

From my point of view & from what weve seen so far, he is certainly worth making sure we can fend off the dogs bid and if that means upping the offer then so be it.

 

[Utility Player]

And do we have alternative risk free options available to us ?  I dont think so.

While I agree with most and hope we can find a way to keep him, would Cherry Evans be such a bad fallback if Hodkinson did a runner.

The talk around the time of the trials was that DCE and Hodkinson would get equal game time to determin who would get first shot in the NRL with Hodkinson proving a points winner.

If all else fails Reni Maitua is looking for a start in the NRL and would probably take a lot less money than the sum Hodkinson is after.