Hey guys, i'm from Australia and i support the Canberra Raiders, just wanted to ask if you guys know what the hell is going on with Matt Orford. This crap is dragging on way to long, I heard our Coach Dave Furner talk on the radio this morning about the Orford situation, he said he has spoken to Matt and his manager, but we are still waiting on Matt to sort stuff out with Bradford, do you guys have any idea about what sort of transfer fee is involved, i heard it was like 160K Australian, if we get Matt i wonder if Marc Herbert may be apart of the fee.

Has Herbie turned up at Bradford yet, i hope he can turn his form around and show his potential with you guys, he really struggled this year and only played 2 NRL games, we had him and Josh McCrone both off-contract this year and they were told only one will get re-signed, Josh McCrone started playing well and got the new contract, after that Herbie sort of dropped his bundle in reserve grade and lost the plot, his game was ordinary, so i hope a fresh start will do him the world of good, i think his best position is 5/8, he seems to struggle at halfback trying to direct the play.

Herbert has been granted his visa and was due to arrive last week. not sure if he's here yet though. He won't be part of any deal as he had been released so was free to go wherever he liked.

As for Orford needing to sort anything out with Bradford, theres nothing to sort. Orford asked for an early release and Bulls said yes, if we recieve compensation. All Canberra need to do is pay the money and he's yours. Pretty simple really. Sounds like Furner either doesn't understand the situation or isn't willing to stump up. Balls in his court.

I would imagine the only sticking point is the compensation, perhaps we're digging our feet in the ground a little on the amount? Who knows.

Well I'd imagine it's a case of the Bulls releasing Orford from his contract but refusing to give up his playing registration without compo.

That's the scenario that occurs to me, given we've signed Herbert. Similar to how when Karl Pryce went to union and although we'd released him from his contract we still had his player registration for league which was a different situation to Harris leaving Leeds as they DIDN'T hold his reg which allowed him to be registered as a Bradford player.

I know a couple of people in London and their working contracts have none-compete clauses in them which states they're not allowed to take up a position with a rival company within 2 years of leaving their current job.

Maybe we are but the amount of compensation will need to be sorted between the 2 clubs, not Orford. If the report is true it can only be assumed that Canberra won't pay the asking price so they need Orford to sort out a lower figure/free release with the Bulls. If they wanted to sort out a deal they'd would have been in touch with Bradford.

Wasn't there another NRL club in for Orford? Maybe this is muddying the waters a bit. Personally I'd prefer it was cleared up, get the lying toerag off our books then we can sort out our own roster for next year.

Parramatta are in for him.
Some of the latest blog rumour stuff; nothing more than we're guessing at;

[url=http://www.1eyedeel.com/forum/topics/a-orford-update?commentId=500401%3AComment%3A225426&xg_source=activityParra blog[/url

[i"As for which club he will sign who knows its between the Parramatta Eels, Canberra Raiders and the Melbourne Rebels are there abouts."[/i

This needs sorting, but what happens if any clubs in for him walk away from any deals?

If clubs do walk aaway are we in a lot of trouble

Unlikely but what if Orford thinks 'no one will sign me now, too late in pre-season prep and i am too old to sit it out for two years. I will have to return to Bradford and make the best of it'

As he has a 2 year deal left in his pocket and we have signed Herbert what the hell happens then?

we get rid of glenn hall, accept him as a quality player but loathe him for being a tw*t

I'd imagine that as he's requested a release (which to my mind is the same as tendering his resignation) worst case would be we would just grant his requested release without getting any compo, but leaving Orford without a club to go to and hence no wage coming in. Its not in his interests to allow it to get to that stage and quite frankly he lost the option of the final 2 years off his contract the instant he formally requested a release. If for some legal reason we cant do that then we could just not register him as a player and a very highly paid toilet cleaner until he got pee'd off and quit.

I'd take glenn hall over orford despite poor season he had last year and relative difference in their quality for one simple reason. Hall wants to play for us and Orford clearly doesnt.