Mini admits he may have to change positions for RTS

[The Brain]

Yeah, I'm not really interested in the "professional" side of things. I'm a bit old school and not quite so hard-nosed about it all. I'd prefer it if the game had stayed a suburban sport. "Financial status", "contractual status" -- all of this is bullshit, in my eyes. If Mini wants a new contract, I say give him one.

I would rather see the money thrown at Folau
He has been reasonable but lacks the flair he once had ...but in his favour he developing into a good captain and I truly believe that ..
There is no way he has enough in him for NRL after this year .
If he wants to go another couple the the old dart it should be.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Well I can only say in response that I am relieved that you are not in control of our recruitment and retention. Having players determine when they should move on is certainly a unique method of retention - it is just one that I find difficult to comprehend.

Not just "players" -- club legends.

It's not hard to comprehend, really -- club legends should be treated with the greatest of respect, and shown loyalty. I doubt Mini would take advantage of the arrangement by playing on longer than he should.

I think he's been in great form. I see no reason why he shouldn't continue.

You are the voice of reason in this matter Tom - thank you.

[Guest]

Yeah, I'm not really interested in the "professional" side of things. I'm a bit old school and not quite so hard-nosed about it all. I'd prefer it if the game had stayed a suburban sport. "Financial status", "contractual status" -- all of this is bullshit, in my eyes. If Mini wants a new contract, I say give him one.

Well Tom, you may not be interested in the 'professional' side of things, the 'financial status' or 'contractural status' of the club or players , but each club has signed legally binding agreements to play in the NRL and abide by its rules and constitution. If a club breached those rules they would be in danger of no longer being able to compete in the NRL. One such 'rule' is that in 2014 we have a $6.3m salary cap (inclusive of allowances) and our club needs to ensure that its top 25 players are not paid beyond this figure. That is why clubs do not leave it to players to determine when their careers should end, and how much they need to be paid, because by extension if you believe Minichiello must continually be contracted to the club as a player for as long as he sees fit, he must also be able to choose the value and terms of that contract, as that would be the only way you could gurantee that he would be able to play for the club until he saw fit to hang up his boots. You may not like the 'professional' game we have, and would prefer to return to a 'suburban' game, but that is not the competition the Sydney Roosters has elected to participate in.

Finally, doubting that Minichiello would play on beyond what he should, fails to understand the delusional qualities often associated with veteran players. In fact, only in 2011 the same player (Anthony Minichiello) successfully lobbied his good friend and then NSW State Of Origin coach Ricky Stuart (also known as 'the games greatest thinker') to select him in the final two games of that Origin series, believing, that despite being 31 at that time, and having not played Origin for 4 years, he was the right man for the job. He then made error after error in the deciding game in Brisbane, was unable to run the ball out of his in-goal on a number of occasions when other fullbacks would have, and put in a performance generally regarded as inept. That certainly proved to just about all that despite his insistence that he was the right may for the job, he was clearly not up to that standard of football anymore. That experiment of selecting teams on self assessment has not been tried since, and one doubts it ever will be again. Self assessment for determing contracts in professional sport has even less appeal, given the greater long term effect of such a policy.

No one man is greater than the game or our club, and no one man should be spared the level of due diligence that we should insist our club uses when determining whether to sign or re-sign a player, and for how long and for how much. When you club behaves that irresponsibly then you might have legitimate claims to declare that the 'time has come to pack up the tent and walk away', as you so eloquently stated that we should all do if Mini is not re-signed. For a profesional club to have such shoddy business practices as you are advocating is a club not long for this world. As a Rooster supporter this is not how I wish my club to conduct business, and fortunately I have confidence that we are a club that does not conduct business this way.

[melon....]

Once again, he shows there is no I in team Minichello.

...but there is a "me".

[Johnny.]

...but there is a "me".

If more players were like Jamal Idris, then this sport would be better off.

Jamal Dasuki Idris @jamal_idris1990

Only hope my coach and team can forgive me I've let them down!! This is the last thing they needed
3:34 PM - 30 Jun 2013


While slightly melodramatic, it shows his commitment.

[007]

If more players were like Jamal Idris, then this sport would be better off.

Jamal Dasuki Idris @jamal_idris1990

Only hope my coach and team can forgive me I've let them down!! This is the last thing they needed
3:34 PM - 30 Jun 2013


While slightly melodramatic, it shows his commitment.

Possibly, but he may have been on morphine at the time. Mind you, that was one nasty looking injury.

Back to the original article, I honestly think Mini should have said 'If the Roosters still want me here next season' or words to that effect.

[stsae]

Mini-meltdown.

It's a coming to a Chookpen near you.

I hope he re-signs to see Oldmans reaction, in 10000 words or less.

[Tom Verlaine's Ghost]

Well Tom, you may not be interested in the 'professional' side of things, the 'financial status' or 'contractural status' of the club or players , but each club has signed legally binding agreements to play in the NRL and abide by its rules and constitution. If a club breached those rules they would be in danger of no longer being able to compete in the NRL. One such 'rule' is that in 2014 we have a $6.3m salary cap (inclusive of allowances) and our club needs to ensure that its top 25 players are not paid beyond this figure. That is why clubs do not leave it to players to determine when their careers should end, and how much they need to be paid, because by extension if you believe Minichiello must continually be contracted to the club as a player for as long as he sees fit, he must also be able to choose the value and terms of that contract, as that would be the only way you could gurantee that he would be able to play for the club until he saw fit to hang up his boots. You may not like the 'professional' game we have, and would prefer to return to a 'suburban' game, but that is not the competition the Sydney Roosters has elected to participate in.

Finally, doubting that Minichiello would play on beyond what he should, fails to understand the delusional qualities often associated with veteran players. In fact, only in 2011 the same player (Anthony Minichiello) successfully lobbied his good friend and then NSW State Of Origin coach Ricky Stuart (also known as 'the games greatest thinker') to select him in the final two games of that Origin series, believing, that despite being 31 at that time, and having not played Origin for 4 years, he was the right man for the job. He then made error after error in the deciding game in Brisbane, was unable to run the ball out of his in-goal on a number of occasions when other fullbacks would have, and put in a performance generally regarded as inept. That certainly proved to just about all that despite his insistence that he was the right may for the job, he was clearly not up to that standard of football anymore. That experiment of selecting teams on self assessment has not been tried since, and one doubts it ever will be again. Self assessment for determing contracts in professional sport has even less appeal, given the greater long term effect of such a policy.

No one man is greater than the game or our club, and no one man should be spared the level of due diligence that we should insist our club uses when determining whether to sign or re-sign a player, and for how long and for how much. When you club behaves that irresponsibly then you might have legitimate claims to declare that the 'time has come to pack up the tent and walk away', as you so eloquently stated that we should all do if Mini is not re-signed. For a profesional club to have such shoddy business practices as you are advocating is a club not long for this world. As a Rooster supporter this is not how I wish my club to conduct business, and fortunately I have confidence that we are a club that does not conduct business this way.

None of that is of any interest to me. It's all very drab. It sounds like Business School 101.

I think he deserves another contract and I think he'll get it. I certainly hope he does; he's been in great form.