Taken from Sporting Life

[i"Leeds Rhinos' players will share the £50,000 prize fund if they win Sunday's Gillette World Club Challenge, according to New Zealand international Greg Eastwood.

The cash incentive has been offered by Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington as the Super League champions look to repeat their 2008 triumph over Melbourne Storm and make up for last year's defeat by Manly Sea Eagles.

"Gary had a chat to the boys and went through the bonuses, about what the club would give us," Eastwood told Australia's Rugby League Week magazine.

"It's good money - but we've got to win first. He said they would give all the prize money to the players."

Brian McClennan's men have had an indifferent start to the domestic season, with two defeats from their opening four matches, and Eastwood admits Sunday's clash at Elland Road may have been a distraction.

"Brian McClennan, all he's been talking about since I got here is Melbourne and what we're going to do against them," he said.

"That's good in a way but on the other hand, maybe it's possible to focus too much on Melbourne and let our guard down and we have lost against Wakefield and Castleford."[/i

Interesting, but concentating on Melbourne doesn't excuse loose passes and missed tackles. They are the basics of the game.

Will that count on the cap?

Wouldnt worry about it, Heathington is not slack ass or a cheat.

Me thinks that maybe Mr Eastwood will be invited in for a little chat on what he says to the press.

Yup, think so

Although i think Greg shouldn't really be saying this sort of stuff in the press right now, its good to see that the club still rewards the players by sharing all the prize money (should we get it) with them. dare say a lot of other clubs might rely on prize money to pay the day to day stuff.

As for salary cap, I'm sure it doesn't count. Plus it'll only work out as about £3k each if its split between 18

Only???!!!

Even if it is £3K, I wouldn't mind £3K going on top of my wage at the end of the month.

Reminds me a bit of CC '99 - when they rolled all the prize money together and would only be paid out if we won it. Which we did.

They should have put together that package earlier in that decade and we may have seen different outcomes!!!!

Of course it will

Was GH right to discuss this bonus before the start of the season?

I don't see what difference that would have made, and can't see how this could have effected our early season form.

Am I the only one that now feels the players attitude and McLennan should be questioned?

Surely if prize money like that was to be had then every player should have been busting a gut to have the opportunity to play in the that game? Hence why I don't see a problem in offering it at start of season.

Where the problem is, is why the feck have the players not be performing to a level that gives them a spot? And why as the coach not been giving other players an opportunity to "bust a gut" to get that opportunity? Despite the squad strength, is this team picking its self?

Im not a strong believer for dropping players. For Salford/Wakey Bluey could have dropped Burrow and McGuire. They would have hurt and suffered but also the team would have been worse off without them. The whole team is lacking confidence. The only way Burrow and Mags are going to fire again is by consistently getting minutes on the pitch and listening to Blueys advise on what to do next time out.

90% of the Rhinos side are too professional and experienced to be left out of squad because of form. Maybe the younger boys but not the seniors.

I don't buy into this supposed lack of confidence. The team KNOW they are good enough to have won 3 GFs on the bounce FFS. More likely that coaches and players are busy putting the defensive structures in place and that these haven't been perfected yet. Once we resume creating pressure through our defence the results will come, hopefully with a bit more attacking flair.

The question I was asking was, if an opportunity is available to earn such extra money, surely every player would want to be a part of that team? and if that is the case we should have seen players putting in far better performances so far than what we have seen. Otherwise it begs the question, as to whether certain players are guaranteed spots regardless?

Judging by your last sentence there, you obviously feel a players form should have no basis on getting picked, and that history is the deciding factor.

Would you like to give some idea of who these players are that are not getting an opportunity in the first team and why they would be better options than the incumbents?

You don't drop players unless you have better options to replace them with. Having lost Delaney, Ablett and now Donald the 17 does, IMO, pretty much pick itself.

I'd be slightly worried about indicators to Eastwood's motivation for being here at all if the main thing he wants to talk to the Aussie press about is how much money he stands to make.