What was the club to do? Tell him he could not go unless we got £100k or whatever? And have one very unhappy bunny twittering away how crap the club is and winding his brother and everyone else up? Probably getting paid but not playing?

Maybe not 100k but ostensibly yes, I'd expect the club not to let an 18 year old dictate terms 1 year after signing a 3 year contract. I'd expect them to listen to realistic offers and act in the best interests of the club first and if necessary tell him he couldn't go.

If any teenager behaved in the way you suggest I would expect there to be a discipline policy and the club to follow that procedure. I'd be astonished if a major organisation employing lots of young men were bullied into accepting a token fee for a highly rated young player by concerns that he might sulk.

you still havent clarified what you deem a reasonable fee to be. given that we got 100k for sam, a full england international with a few years 1st team under his belt then clearly we arent going to get anything even in that ball park for george, who at this point in time is unproven potential. So what would you consider a realistic fee and what would be a token fee?

As dilligaf said we would be guaranteed 25k in 2yrs at end of his deal provided he went to another SL club, so I'd suggest If we got in the region of 20-25k NOW ( and hence saved his wages for next 2 years on top off that) then that would be reasonable.

ffs he'd just go anyway, and take his chances that he'll be cleared to play in Oz. Nothing to do with concerns that he might "sulk"; everything to do with Realpolitik. Same as we had to with Sam. Better some compensation than none at all. Better a reasonable ambassador for the club than a very angry and bitter one.

Regardless of whether its morally right or not.

You're missing the point. The club didn't offer to sell him. Realpolitik is what's written in black and white. No manager in the world would tell a teenager to walk out on a contract in the way Sonny Bill did. Morals have nothing to do with this and nor does what we received for Sam. The club for one is in a much stronger position now than then for one thing. If we've accepted 10-20k for george then its sent a green light to all other young players at the Bulls to solicit offers from the NRL as the Bulls will roll over. There's no evidence to suggest this new regime (in part) would allow this

As for a fee I've mentioned 50k +.

If you sseriosly think we can command a 50k fee for a u20 yet to make his debut you need a reality check.

Wire offered 80k for sam before he had made his debut.

£20K up front then £15k after 10 first team games then another £15k after his first international call-up. That is how you pay for potential. Doesn't front load the deal. Allows for further payments as he develops

But george isnt sam!. Plus wire are worst culprits for throwing silly money at players in sl. If we got 50k for george it would be excellent business for club, but i just cant see anyone paying that much.

That is 100 % accurate!!! George is on less money than he would of been if he would of stayed at the bulls!!
I know he isn't sam , but he has seen sam transform into what can only be called a major celeb out in aussie.
Sam has just signed one of the biggest sponsorship deals ever given to a rugby league player and is living in russell crowes apartment looking over sydney harbor (which is also where george is going to live) and george is hoping all this will come his way , and lets be fair who can blame the young lad!!!

He has also disappeared from the 'pen pictures' of the squad on the official website.

None of the players have squad numbers either which points towards earlier allocation of numbers and those bearing no resemblence to what they will end having

There's also no Marc Herbert or Vinny Finigan though to be fair. (Or at least, they're not at the time I post this)

We didn't command, demand or even ask for 50 pence. The Bunnies approached the Bulls and if we allowed him to leave for marginally more than we would have received if he was OOC we might as well have no management at all.

at the end of his current deal he would have got 25kish fixed compensation payment from another SL club (£100 a week for 5 years).Offset against that would be his wages for next two years, a conservative estimate would be 10k a year so 20k. So we would have received a grand total of 5k!. And Afaik the compensation deal for youth products only works if they go to another SL club, so if he had gone to souths anyway then we wouldnt have received a penny and still have paid out the extra 20k on wages.

Assuming 25k transfer fee from souths then we have 25k in our hand now plus save a further 20k in wages.


So its not as cut and dried as your trying to make out.

however while I cant see another club paying a straight 50k for an unproven youngster, I could see a deal like another poster described earlier where we got 25k payment now and further installments once/if he attains certain career goals which is pretty common practice in other sports.

I'd think it was safe to hazard a guess that the squad numbers have been removed in preparation for the official squad numbers being announced tomorrow. As shop staff will have a list for the shirt launch event and it will get on here pretty much straight away anyway.

As Dilligaf mentioned it does seem strange that finigan and herbert are missing, Even if there hasnt been an opportunity for a photo yet they could have just a stock one like they've done for elima. Guessing its a cockup by whoever manages website. Other thing I noticed was Raynors day release for training must have started as they've got a photo off him in front of the RAB wall.

Knowing who does the Bulls photography, and knowing he has been on holiday, I suspect that - and the only-recent arrival of Herbert - might explain the missing pics?

The squad was anyway only updated on the website yesterday or today.

Doubt its a Rhino-up, tbh.