Scary.....you know me better than your wife

What option does Hardaker have? Leeds hold the cards. He's contracted.

Ask Iestyn he too was contracted didn't stop him exiting when Wales came calling.

Can see GH paying a player a reasonable wedge and not playing - if Zac wants out he will leave and there is not a lot GH can do. The same happens in reverse in GH wants a player out so he can't have it both ways

Iestyn exited not because he wanted to but because he was allowed to, with compensation and several clauses.

Leeds decided in that case they were better off with the money than with an unhappy player, especially given the player would not be strengthening an opponent. They didn't *have* to do that, and they wouldn't have to do it with Hardaker. It's absolutely untrue to say there isn't a lot that can be done *if* ZH wants to leave.

If Iestyn hadn't have wanted to leave there would have been no need to allow him now would there?

Leeds could not have kept Harris GH had to release him they did the best deal they could in the circumstances. If Zac really wants to leave GH will do the best deal he can rather than have an unhappy potentially disruptive influence in the squad. The player holds all the cards - if Leeds had sacked him he would be free to move on - restraint of trade etc.

If GH wanted to dig his heels in - although like you, I doubt he would - Zak would still be registered as a Leeds player under RFL rules.

Harris's registration meant zilch under the circumstance of his switching codes. The club was in a far, far weaker position over that one.

Pratt was lucky to get as many chances as he did at Leeds.

His off-field behaviour made Jordan Tansey look like Kevin Sinfield in the professionalism stakes.

Yet they managed to get Harris to sign a significant contract extension the year before he went to Union, and thus demanded a substantial fee for the move. Not to mention the contract that allowed Leeds to take legal proceedings and win after his return in Bradford shirt.
Pretty f*****g good deal if you ask me.

The money that the Rhinos received from both Iestyn's sale to the WRU and also the compensation deal that the Bulls had to subsequently pay back to us surely makes this the most expensive single transfer contract in English RL history

Gawwy by plenty

Regarding Zak

I work with a guy that coaches at Fev Lions and knows Zak very well

Neither he nor I fully know what will happen regarding his recent indiscretions and not only in the England camp but also during the past 12 months at the Rhinos, but he did say that 3 SL clubs were willing to buy out his Rhinos contract

I was told at the start of the 2013 season that he was warned about his off field antics and how he could regularly be seen at the Xscape and with a bottle of the cold stuff in his hands throughout the week too

Zak is a tremendous young player without a doubt and one who could eventually become a great of our game if he fulfills his potential, Sadly he will have to make some huge sacrifices to his lifestyle if he wishes to stay at the Rhinos if what i have heard is correct

There's no smoke without fire and there's definately some truth in all these rumors regardless of what Leeds or England say publicly

I'm still not sure if Zak will be with us come the 2014 season with these offers on the table

So basically, what he wants is a club where he'll be allowed to go out on the lash during the week without anyone trying to stop him?

If that is the case, he's a bloody idiot. No such club exists.

Absolutely. I also like to think when Iestyn signed the extension he knew his club would benefit when he moved. He could have waited a year and gone for nothing otherwise. Credit to him as well in my book, despite what happened after when he went to Bradford.

I say again, there is a club, Leeds. Just depends who you are it seems. Bailey and Delaney are very often on the lash.

Agree with all that. But my point was that the club would have failed in any attempt to retain him, had it been minded to do so.

hull EC@