Joel to Union

[kitt green warriors]

On Talk Sport today it was saying the release fee we will get is £325.000 which is pathetic in my opinion, did'nt we get nearly a million quid for Inga about 15 years ago.

[Lazy J]

Farrell is an employee of scarisans, his loyalty is to them, they pay his wages.
No one here complained when noble a Bradford legend left them and brought the cornerstone of their pack with him, sport is a business, it I'd unlike all other careers, you need to make as much money as you can whilst at the peak of your ability, Joel has realised that, and I for one don't blame him for going.

But if we only get £350,000 for Joel it's not a good deal, we paid more than that for fielden,

[AdamMac]

Joel going, as a player, does not bother me a great deal. I have said all season that he is never a centre and I dont think he is half as good as he seems to think he is as a forward. Indeed with a full squad he wouldnt have been in my starting pack last year, possibly a reason he was pushed out to the centres.
However as a Rugby League fan I think this move is a disaster and from a PR point of view it is just awful for the sport as a whole.

One point though about wages, the salary cap etc and Rugby Union and competing with it. Rugby Union is built on very shaky foundations and every club bar Leicester and Northampton (who are now only profitable after their owner spent millions getting them to that position) are losing fortunes. Saracens lost £6.9 million last year, that figure alone is the equivalent of every Super League team spending an extra £500,000. It isnt even like last year was a one off and they have lost over £13 million over the last 3 years. If it wasnt for their wealthy backers there would be no Saracens. The same can be said for most RU clubs. Kennedy at Sale has given every indication lately that if the crowds dont start coming that he is going to pull out after ploughing in millions. Newcastle are screwed and even the likes of Bath and Gloucester only exist intheir present forms due to being heavily subsidised by their wealthy owners.

Completely disagree. The last time Joel had a full season in the pack he scored more tries than ANY British forward. A real talent and threat offensively.

[Kiwiseddon]

God there have been a lot of posts on this topic, all of which are relevant.

BUT, If the offer is 400k a year he'll go. Christ any of us would. It's absolute no brainer regardless of morals, contracts or anything else. I simply don't believe that anyone in his position would do anything other than go, if the offer is what's being rumoured.

I'd happily clean toilets for that kind of money.

Three to four years in Union could set a young lad up for the rest of his life with a bit of financial advice.

Sometimes we cannot see the wood for the RL trees. There is a life outside of RL and in ten years time, Joel might very well be finished and have to find something else to do with his life. Having several hundred thousand pounds in the bank will make things so much easier.

[cumbria_warrior]

Are we oyr own worse enemy at times? basically we gave Joel a free interview at Saracens, as did we not carry out our Challenge Cup Final training sessions there?
Is this why they allowed us to use all there facilities? or was the deal already struck for Joel

[ian.birchall]

Surprised that no-one has mentioned Farrell's likely involvement in all this.

At the end of the day, Farrell is employed by Saracens; however as a past Wigan great and someone who comes from the town; I am surprised (and frankly disappointed) that he has come to draw a player away and weaken a team that he professed to love and who still has family members playing for.

I can't believe that Farrell is not involved in this somewhere and if this proves to be true then he has gone down in my estimation.

If he wanted to steal a league player rather than bring them the youth system at Saracens; then you would have thought that he would at least have the decency to go to one of our rivals; rather than use his connections at Wigan to poach a player that is clearly integral to his hometown club's long term plans.

My sentiments entirely, I meant to post that as well when I was posting Joels salary.

[old hooker]

Tbh if he goes i hope he breaks his cruciate knee ligament in both knees

That is a terrible thing to wish on any player or person for that matter

Agreed Josie,that is a disgusting remark.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

That sort of comment has no place in our game. These are tough men who ply there trade to make a living. It is a tough uncompromising game at the best of times and all these guys will walk away with injuries that they have to live with for the rest of their lives.

[ancientnloyal]

who made the remark?

[josie andrews]

who made the remark?

You will have to read back in the thread I didn't want to put the posters name in the quote.