I don't see why something like that couldn't be put together.

Look at Baldwinson to Fev deal....

I'm glad that he said getting him back in RL is the idea,even if not with us.

I'd love us to get him obviously but having him back and ready for the RLWC would be a big boost

I don't quite see how Bath can expect to get a higher transfer fee than they paid. Not sure that they have added value.... you could argue he is now damaged goods!

If Bath are asking a deliberate high fee to try and keep him that would be folly as if his heart is not longer in it he will be little use to Bath and they would be better using the funds to replace him elsewhere.

Much will depend on the terms of the original transfer, first option clauses etc.

The original transfer fee was reported as £500k

Offer £250k and a condolences card.

that sounds more GH

Ford has said he has sat down with Sam and he has not asked to leave and expects him to fullfill the remainder of his contract
[urlhttp://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-Rugby-Mike-Ford-sat-Sam-Burgess-expects-stay/story-28106702-detail/story.html[/url

Ford is saying lots of things at the minute.

I think both Ford and Farrell are wetting themselves right now. I think they were both very much involved in getting Burgess into Union and into the England squad. This has cost Bath and the RFU a lot of money and it's turning into a very public disaster.
Both Ford and Farrell's England jobs are very much in doubt now and of course if the move ends up leaving Bath very much out of pocket then his job there could be in doubt.

In the same way as Hetherington is using the public media to try and push a deal one way, Ford is doing just the same to try and cover himself.

Surely Burgess can't stay after this length of deliberation? everything he does wrong now will be scrutinised even more than before and his commitment to the game and the club will constantly be in question.

It's a bit like when Offiah decided he wasn't going to play for Widnes anymore. At that point it was pointless in Widnes doing anything than trying to get the highest transfer fee possible from Wigan.

I very much doubt Ford's job is in any doubt at all, he has a good record and is very well thought of and none of this negative stuff is anything to do with him. He has consistently backed and rated Burgess very highly and correctly has played him since January as a 6. He must be almost as devastated as Sam with some of the almost slanderous comment reported in the media. However I would guess messrs Lancaster, Farrell, Roundtree, & Catt are all dead meat

All this in an odd way has been positive for League and very negative for Union as the media has now swung around against the Burgess critics with more and more comment regarding England's real woes and positive stuff about Sam's England performances.

Add in the headlines that "former League star" SBO is getting for his match deciding skills on the field and his sporting behaviour off it and all in all a good week for League PR. With GH's timely headline grabbing 'Leeds interest in SB' this has also sent a signal not only to Union but to the NRL too that at least Leeds can match the big transfer fees if required.