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Reports from Aus say that Stacey Jones is about to come availalbe in teh next few days. His manager is Frank Endacott. We have already been in contact with Happy Frank about Ali Lautiti who was released by the Warriors yesterday, apparently offering $500,000 AUS per year contract. Another 11 teams are interested in the player and it is unlikely we would be able to sign him for next season given he is out of contract now.

Jones to Wigan anyone???

From: http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/default.a ... at=977&c=w
Claims Ali lacks passion are disputed

Ali Lauitiiti's management team is disputing talk their player lacks passion.

One of the Warriors apparent reasons for letting Lauitiiti go is he lacks passion to win.

However agent Frank Endacott does not agree with that.

Endacott says Ali is a different, laid back person, and part of coaching is knowing what makes your players tick and how to get the best out of them - it is certainly not a lack of passion.

Contrary to rumours, Endacott believes there have not been any personality clashes between Warriors coach Daniel Anderson and Lauitiiti.

He says he thinks it is more to do with playing form, and how much money he takes within their salary cap.

Endacott says the Warriors have made a call, and regardless of whether he thinks it is right or wrong, it has to be respected.

He says he has had around 12 offers for his client, with a new deal to be signed as soon as possible.

South Sydney is one of several teams who have already put forward an offer to sign up Lauitiiti, with UK club Wigan also understood to be offering huge money.

Endacott says they will be going over a dozen offers on Wednesday afternoon with Lauitiiti.

Meanwhile, Endacott believes Stacey Jones could be the next big name player to leave the Warriors, possibly in the next few days.

And it sounds like just about every NRL club wants to get their hands on Lauitiiti.

Souths CEO David Tapp confirms they are in the hunt, and have put on the table what he believes is a good offer for a two and a half year deal.

Tapp says other will be banging down the door as well and he believes up to six other NRL clubs will be bidding for Lauitiiti's services.

He says they have salary cap room to buy Lauitiiti, with Terry Hill's retirement from the team earlier this year and with most of the contract money being paid next year and in 2006.

Tapp says if Stacey Jones happens to come onto the market soon, then they would have a crack at him as well.

Sydney Morning Herald sports reporter Brad Walter says he has had a ring around and several other clubs are also considering a bid for Lauitiiti, including Cronulla, Manly, Parramatta, the Bulldogs, the Roosters, Canberra and Wests Tigers.

Walter says the Lauitiiti story is hogging the sports headlines in Sydney, with no one talking about anything else.

Mike posted:
Reports from Aus say that Stacey Jones is about to come availalbe in teh next few days. His manager is Frank Endacott. We have already been in contact with Happy Frank about Ali Lautiti who was released by the Warriors yesterday, apparently offering $500,000 AUS per year contract. Another 11 teams are interested in the player and it is unlikely we would be able to sign him for next season given he is out of contract now.

Interesting. Our salary cap problems should be alleviated next year with the retirement of Lam and Craig Smith and perhaps Pongia, and possible departure of O'Connor to Widnes to finish his career at his home town. Stacey Jones has been dropped by the Kiwi Test team which is a real shock, but whether they would be prepared to sit out the season to come here next year does seem unlikely.

I think it's going to be down to the salary cap. It is almost impossible that the salary cap will be removed by the RFL so surely we want to work towards a more even wage bill? Big name Australasians generally demand a good pay packet. There's talk of Jones, Seuseu and Lauatiti coming, I'd have assumed they'd demand more money than the likes of Lam, Pongia, and O'Conner combined. We can't afford to reduce the size of the squad further. Not making such signings may run the risk of not having a decent front line.

Also has it been confirmed that Smith and O'Conner will be retiring? I was under the impression they might stay on one more year. I thought that is what O'Conner pointed towards after his testimonial. It would be preferable to getting in half a squad.

From what I can see Maurice will have to perform a very difficult balancing act, trading between, squad strength, squad size, wage bill and wage structuring. I just hope he gets it right!

I can understand them signing Jones but Lautiti! we dont need anymore backrowers! we need a good prop (Seuseu hopefully) and a good center.....no a World class mother of a center! so for me it would be
Lam Out
O'Connor Out
Pongia Out

Jones In
Seuseu In
1 World class centre (who can actually pass to his winger!)

robjoenz posted:
Big name Australasians generally demand a good pay packet. There's talk of Jones, Seuseu and Lauatiti coming, I'd have assumed they'd demand more money than the likes of Lam, Pongia, and O'Conner combined. We can't afford to reduce the size of the squad further. Not making such signings may run the risk of not having a decent front line.

Also has it been confirmed that Smith and O'Conner will be retiring? I was under the impression they might stay on one more year. I thought that is what O'Conner pointed towards after his testimonial. It would be preferable to getting in half a squad.

I'm not sure what Pongia is on but I'd imagine Lam and O'Connor are on pretty big salaries. I'd heard O'Connor might go to Widnes being his home-town club to end his career, but I'm sure in a recent interview Craig Smith effectively said this season will be the last for him. Pongia also must be getting close to retiring - it's bad when 3 of our 4 props have a combined age of about 100!

I'm not sure about the contract situation for other players at the end of this year. Cassidy springs to mind as someone's whose deal is up, as mentioned elsewhere we have a lot of 2nd rowers so he may be offloaded despite all his years of service. I think all the kids are ok but maybe Newton, Mark Smith and perhaps Aspinwall may also be due renewals this year? I agree we don't want to make the squad smaller, but it's worth remembering Chairman Mo has been known to go for a older big name to get backsides on seats at the expense of a younger, longer-term but less known prospect.

Fraggle,
Too true, I thought he had done that in offloading Briscoe to Hull then he could keep a one armed Radlinski but perhaps his salary is such that no one else can afford him without busting their salary cap.
Came on to the site to say that we do not need another back row forward as we have already got more than enough and Tickle/Hock/Allen/Hansen need gametime but enough of you have already got there with the same idea.
We do not want to get in the Leeds mode where we sign anybody who comes up, we need a threequarter sooner rather than later if we are already reduced to playing 2 standoffs and a second row forward in the three quarters. Jamie Lyon would be a much better signing. :conf:

ive got faith in maurice hes got a cunning plan. if i where in his shoes i would sign them for orrell with a small clause that if needed they could play for wigan as well!!

I've been to NZ a few times over the years and was always impressed by Stacey Jones, the folks down there treat him like a God. The one thing that always stood out about him though was his loyalty to club and country. As anyone who has ever witnessed the New Zealanders OBSESSION with all things rugby I'm sure will agree it would be a huge wrench for someone with SJ's undoubted commitment to Auckland to leave for Australia never mind good old Blighty. It would be the best signing in recent times but sadly I don't think it will happen, cap or no cap.

I think Jones is brilliant and think if he was an Aussie he would be talked about being the best in the world as is Andrew Johns, but as he's from NZ he can't be because you've got to be an Aussie.
I personally would not want him to come though because i would like to see Wigan win trophies with an all British squad( and Eire). There is enough tallent in Wigan nether mind Britain and Ireland. the only thing stopping us is the salary cap and signing Jones would just make matters worst.

I think SJ is a real talent but sometimes you can put too much money into one player and if they become injured your stuck then...Ai is also a great player and think he would be another great one to sign but again money wise I know he would be one for next year when some of our guys have retired but do we really want to shell out so much for 1 player when we have some great new talent coming through who we've invested time and money only to sell to another club again