Indeed. And I'm sure when he asked to be excused, the club would have said something along the lines of "Ok, but you accept that you won't be paid for that period?". I wouldn't think the club would just say "Yeah don't worry about it, we'll keep paying you large wages to sit at home."

Well, yes I suppose, but there is nothing to say Herbert wouldn't announce it (on twitter?) or tell friends, which all would mean the story would have been in the public domain pretty quickly. With the best will in the world it would be difficult to wind up your life in Aus and move over here without various others having to be in the know.

The clubs he turned down for a start.

As I understand it the Bulls have clarified with the RFL that they do not have to pay him and can retain his registration. That this process would seem to be ongoing and meeting with the club's hopes for compensation is supported by their willingness to allow Orford dispensation to remain in Australia rather than going down the 'breach of contract' route.

Were the NRL to allow any club to register Orford while he was contracted to us would set a precedent as far as the validity of contracts, the consequences of which would shake the foundations of the game. It would mean any player could simply leave Super league and get a contract in the NRL should a better opportunity arise.

I think it's a case of sitting tight. For all we know Parra and Canberra have agreed to the amount demanded by the Bulls and it's up to Orford to decide where he wants to play. Caving in is simply not an option.

...is the right answer.

Could not agree more.

Caving sets a very dangerous precedent to all other players which we just can't do. Otherwise you're pretty much inviting all other players to just leave when they don't want to play here anymore, regardless of what contract they're under.

then he's blatantly a liar! the bulls hold his registration to play RL and if anyone wants it then they must stump up.

I assume we're allowed to hold his registration for the next 2 years?

As long as he kept quiet i guess he had that option. But since officially asked for a release , he burnt his bridges imo, and no longer has that option.

And he blinked first.

im going to batter orford for this

You will have to get past his mummy first.

I doubt you could batter a fish.

Dead right. I understand that the so called severity of his shoulder injury that he insisted could only be rectified in Oz is now in question and that the "remedial" operation he had there was minor, and one that could have been done easily at the Bulls expense in the UK.

rlMimis groundedrl

[i"SFX hotshot George Mimis has spent the past two days stuck in Los Angeles and was last night desperately sweating on a return flight. Several clubs are keenly waiting for Mimis to return, none more so than the Eels, who want to know if they have nabbed Mimis's client Matt Orford."[/i

Complete this phrase;

George Mimis is a.....

(I'd like to just put a line of ****'s but I suspect I'd have to put, ...good agent for his clients, and his clients only....)