It is the end of a long season for Parramatta. Officials were hopeful of giving their long-suffering fans some good news after speaking with Matt Orford and his management during the week. Alas, Bradford want the premiership-winning halfback to honour the remainder of his Super League deal.

From Smh

Alas. Ha ha. Australians are funny.

What the hell are Parramatta doing talking to a contracted Bulls player! They either have our permission or the SMH is wrong, after all talking to a contracted player would contravene anti-tampering rules wouldn't it?

The guy clearly doesn't want to come back, and we should cut him loose!

The club may be in a position similar to the Deacon situation at the beginning of this year.
Deacon was offered the chance to be a player/coach at Wigan. He asked Bradford for a release.
Bradford said only if we get someone of quality to replace you.
We then got the call from Orford's agent and the rest is history.

If Orford wants to go, I'm sure the club will put in provisions that we either get a transfer fee or a suitable player from else where is coming as a replacement.

I feel if it's either, it's the 2nd option and we're hammering out a deal

However, if Orford is coming back and will honour his contract then I really think that we need something in the press to confirm this.

how obvious is it that orford wont be returning?
the only disturbing thing is that your club hasnt had the decency to tell you yet

I know the father of a current bulls player and i asked him the Orford question will he/ won't he be returning? and the reply was "he's totally cleared his locker out and taken all his stuff back to Australia and he isn't returning", apparently its pretty commom knowledge around the bulls inner circle.

IF that's true, and personally I don't hold the "I know x,y,z's family member/neighbour/milkman etc" rumours, then I'd say the club are seeking a replacement and are wanting to offset Orford's departure with the new player's signing.

As for the "club not having the decency to tell us" I would point out the club are attempting to attract fans back with the 10k pledge. I'm sure it's been mentioned on here somewhere.

So, with that in mind, WHY would the club announce the loss of a star player without someone of equal or better quality lined up to replace them?

It probably also means that we were all lied to at the fans' forum.

Or that we weren't and Orford will report for pre-season in November with the rest of the squad.

Given that what we were told at the fans forum is that Orford has given the both the club and Mick Potter assurances that he will honour his contract. That's Orford himself, saying it direct to the club.

That is not aussie paper talk. That is not "guy in the pub who knows x,y,z's neighbour's cat and he said it" rumour.

Yes the silence from the player, his agent and the club is deafening on this issue. But until one of those 3 makes a statement either way, then we can assume that Orford will be back.

Fingers crossed!

The club may know what's happening and have to keep it quiet. As any negotiations would be difficult as the player or other club would have them over a barrel.

Why would the club say now that Orford isn't coming back and lose potential pledges?

If anything they should wait till the deadline before saying that he's 100% not coming back.