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Stuart Honeysett | September 16, 2009
Article from: The Australian
THE future of Willie Mason at the Sydney Roosters is in doubt following revelations that the club is chasing former Test prop Jason Ryles and sacked Wallaby Lote Tuqiri's negotiations with a French rugby club have ended.
Mason is contracted to the club until the end of the 2010 season, but speculation has been rife all year that he will be released to pursue a career in Japanese rugby union.
That speculation will only intensify after it emerged the club is interested in former St George Illawarra prop Ryles, who is playing in France with Les Catalans.
Tuqiri could loom as another option after the French rugby club he was expected to sign with, Bayonne, pulled out of talks because it was unhappy with his price tag.
"Following the latest financial demands of Lote Tuqiri, Bayonne has decided to bring talks with the Australian player to an end," the Top 14 club said in a statement.
While Bayonne's interest has cooled, Stade Francais, the club of former Dragons captain Mark Gasnier, is believed to be still interested in Tuqiri.
Bayonne's withdrawal from talks with Tuqiri could be a negotiating tactic, but the club is also chasing South African winger Brian Habana while Brisbane fullback Karmichael Hunt could be a target before his move to the Gold Coast-based AFL team in 2011.
Tuqiri has been looking for a new club since the Australian Rugby Union sacked him for breach of contract. Tuqiri eventually settled out of court in a confidential agreement.
NRL chief executive David Gallop has said he will refuse to allow a NRL club to sign Tuqiri unless the Wallabies winger declares the reason for his sacking.
Tuqiri had earlier offered to disclose the reasons for his dismissal before doing an about-face and saying the terms of his settlement with the ARU meant he couldn't.
Gallop and Tuqiri recently bumped into each other in Sydney and had informal talks. And the NRL boss indicated he would be keen to see the former Wallaby return to the code he started in.
However, Gallop maintained yesterday it was standard business practice for any employer to ask an employee why they had been sacked from their previous job.
"There's never been any suggestions by us that we want to broadcast it to the world," Gallop said.
"Despite the speculation, for all we know it could be something completely different."
The Roosters are favoured to sign Tuqiri if he returns to the NRL, given chairman Nick Politis has expressed a keen interest in him.
There has been speculation that Politis is also opposed to Gallop's insistence that Tuqiri disclose his sins before he is allowed to sign with a club.
It is believed the Roosters could only offer Tuqiri a back-ended contract that would see him earning just $120,000 in 2010, with more money in subsequent years.
"He's been an amazing player over the years so I'm sure any club would be interested in him," Roosters recruitment manager Peter O'Sullivan said.
"But it will be interesting to see if anyone can afford him. What he is worth and what he can earn are two different things, I guess."
Wests Tigers are also interested in Tuqiri and coach Tim Sheens contacted him before the winger flew to France on a recent whirlwind trip.
The Tigers are keen to use Tuqiri as a fullback and are also believed to be prepared to offer him a back-ended contract.
"We had a meeting a couple of weeks ago but he's got to sort out what he's doing," Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonnell said.
"It's his call. He's got to sort out where he is with union or league or whatever and we can see what happens from there.
"We'll be able to tell him then what we can or can't do."
$120,000 is not that bad for lote. i no people on here dont want him and wouldnt pay a cent from him etc etc, but he is going to add something to any team, and being realistic, if we get him for that price, i think it would be money well spent - we already have enough, and have recruited enough youth, so he would add some experience to the team aswell.
Article from: The Australian
THE future of Willie Mason at the Sydney Roosters is in doubt following revelations that the club is chasing former Test prop Jason Ryles and sacked Wallaby Lote Tuqiri's negotiations with a French rugby club have ended.
Mason is contracted to the club until the end of the 2010 season, but speculation has been rife all year that he will be released to pursue a career in Japanese rugby union.
That speculation will only intensify after it emerged the club is interested in former St George Illawarra prop Ryles, who is playing in France with Les Catalans.
Tuqiri could loom as another option after the French rugby club he was expected to sign with, Bayonne, pulled out of talks because it was unhappy with his price tag.
"Following the latest financial demands of Lote Tuqiri, Bayonne has decided to bring talks with the Australian player to an end," the Top 14 club said in a statement.
While Bayonne's interest has cooled, Stade Francais, the club of former Dragons captain Mark Gasnier, is believed to be still interested in Tuqiri.
Bayonne's withdrawal from talks with Tuqiri could be a negotiating tactic, but the club is also chasing South African winger Brian Habana while Brisbane fullback Karmichael Hunt could be a target before his move to the Gold Coast-based AFL team in 2011.
Tuqiri has been looking for a new club since the Australian Rugby Union sacked him for breach of contract. Tuqiri eventually settled out of court in a confidential agreement.
NRL chief executive David Gallop has said he will refuse to allow a NRL club to sign Tuqiri unless the Wallabies winger declares the reason for his sacking.
Tuqiri had earlier offered to disclose the reasons for his dismissal before doing an about-face and saying the terms of his settlement with the ARU meant he couldn't.
Gallop and Tuqiri recently bumped into each other in Sydney and had informal talks. And the NRL boss indicated he would be keen to see the former Wallaby return to the code he started in.
However, Gallop maintained yesterday it was standard business practice for any employer to ask an employee why they had been sacked from their previous job.
"There's never been any suggestions by us that we want to broadcast it to the world," Gallop said.
"Despite the speculation, for all we know it could be something completely different."
The Roosters are favoured to sign Tuqiri if he returns to the NRL, given chairman Nick Politis has expressed a keen interest in him.
There has been speculation that Politis is also opposed to Gallop's insistence that Tuqiri disclose his sins before he is allowed to sign with a club.
It is believed the Roosters could only offer Tuqiri a back-ended contract that would see him earning just $120,000 in 2010, with more money in subsequent years.
"He's been an amazing player over the years so I'm sure any club would be interested in him," Roosters recruitment manager Peter O'Sullivan said.
"But it will be interesting to see if anyone can afford him. What he is worth and what he can earn are two different things, I guess."
Wests Tigers are also interested in Tuqiri and coach Tim Sheens contacted him before the winger flew to France on a recent whirlwind trip.
The Tigers are keen to use Tuqiri as a fullback and are also believed to be prepared to offer him a back-ended contract.
"We had a meeting a couple of weeks ago but he's got to sort out what he's doing," Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonnell said.
"It's his call. He's got to sort out where he is with union or league or whatever and we can see what happens from there.
"We'll be able to tell him then what we can or can't do."
$120,000 is not that bad for lote. i no people on here dont want him and wouldnt pay a cent from him etc etc, but he is going to add something to any team, and being realistic, if we get him for that price, i think it would be money well spent - we already have enough, and have recruited enough youth, so he would add some experience to the team aswell.
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