Sydney Roosters legend Arthur Beetson has described as ''absolute madness'' the club's decision to send Craig Fitzgibbon packing at the end of this season.
Beetson, the Roosters' former recruitment manager, said the Tricolours should have signed the 32-year-old warhorse for another three seasons instead of pensioning him off to the English Super League.
''I can't believe the recruiting there - how they could let him go?'' Beetson told The Sun-Herald.
''If there was a best-ever Roosters team named today, Craig Fitzgibbon would be one of the first picked.
''He's a great leader, he's never been a problem and has never been in trouble.
''He's an absolute inspiration and if you talk about madness, this is your perfect example.
''I'd have signed him for another three years.''
Beetson accused the Roosters of being disloyal to Fitzgibbon, who will join Hull next season.
''He obviously took a pay cut to stay at the joint [last year] because that's how much he cares about it,'' Beetson said.
''Then they rewarded his loyalty by taking the captaincy off him. That was one of the worst decisions ever made - and nothing against Braith Anasta.
''But the bottom line is, Fitzy deserved better. His contribution to the club has been enormous.
''You don't get too many professionals like him that turn up every week to work hard. He epitomises what our great game is all about.''
Fitzgibbon, however, refuses to be bitter.
''I love the Roosters,'' the 257-game veteran said. ''And I hope next year I'm looking back from England seeing the Roosters up the top of the ladder again and firing.
''Sure, there have been some tough times, and probably none more so than this year for me and the club, but there have been plenty more good times.
''Irrespective of what's happened, I'm not going to look back on my time at the Roosters and focus on my last year or any of the stuff that mightn't have gone my way.''
And while he's just weeks away from farewelling the NRL, Fitzgibbon doesn't want to talk scrapbooks. Not his 18 Test matches or 11 Blues jumpers.
''It's not finished yet, no way,'' he said. ''I'm not ready to look through the scrapbook just yet … I'm not someone who can sit back and reflect on good times past, anyway. I want to move forward, not look back.''
What about the 2002 grand final win? The Clive Churchill Medal? Being the highest point-scoring forward in NRL history?
''Nah. There'll come time for that one day, maybe.''
''There's still a bit of room left. And a Challenge Cup and Super League premiership would be a nice final few pages in the book.''
Long-time teammate Anthony Minichiello said Fitzgibbon would be sorely missed at the Roosters.
''He is the club,'' said Minichiello, who has signed for one more year. ''He's a legend. He's just a champion player and a champion bloke and all of us want to win as many games as we can for the rest of this season to see him out on a high.''
Beetson, the Roosters' former recruitment manager, said the Tricolours should have signed the 32-year-old warhorse for another three seasons instead of pensioning him off to the English Super League.
''I can't believe the recruiting there - how they could let him go?'' Beetson told The Sun-Herald.
''If there was a best-ever Roosters team named today, Craig Fitzgibbon would be one of the first picked.
''He's a great leader, he's never been a problem and has never been in trouble.
''He's an absolute inspiration and if you talk about madness, this is your perfect example.
''I'd have signed him for another three years.''
Beetson accused the Roosters of being disloyal to Fitzgibbon, who will join Hull next season.
''He obviously took a pay cut to stay at the joint [last year] because that's how much he cares about it,'' Beetson said.
''Then they rewarded his loyalty by taking the captaincy off him. That was one of the worst decisions ever made - and nothing against Braith Anasta.
''But the bottom line is, Fitzy deserved better. His contribution to the club has been enormous.
''You don't get too many professionals like him that turn up every week to work hard. He epitomises what our great game is all about.''
Fitzgibbon, however, refuses to be bitter.
''I love the Roosters,'' the 257-game veteran said. ''And I hope next year I'm looking back from England seeing the Roosters up the top of the ladder again and firing.
''Sure, there have been some tough times, and probably none more so than this year for me and the club, but there have been plenty more good times.
''Irrespective of what's happened, I'm not going to look back on my time at the Roosters and focus on my last year or any of the stuff that mightn't have gone my way.''
And while he's just weeks away from farewelling the NRL, Fitzgibbon doesn't want to talk scrapbooks. Not his 18 Test matches or 11 Blues jumpers.
''It's not finished yet, no way,'' he said. ''I'm not ready to look through the scrapbook just yet … I'm not someone who can sit back and reflect on good times past, anyway. I want to move forward, not look back.''
What about the 2002 grand final win? The Clive Churchill Medal? Being the highest point-scoring forward in NRL history?
''Nah. There'll come time for that one day, maybe.''
''There's still a bit of room left. And a Challenge Cup and Super League premiership would be a nice final few pages in the book.''
Long-time teammate Anthony Minichiello said Fitzgibbon would be sorely missed at the Roosters.
''He is the club,'' said Minichiello, who has signed for one more year. ''He's a legend. He's just a champion player and a champion bloke and all of us want to win as many games as we can for the rest of this season to see him out on a high.''
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