Maybe its about time we just recognised the benefits clubs achieve through formalised twinning/ development/ partnering with an NRL club?

SL players who have gone over there generally come back a bit better (even those who haven't played much first grade) and fringe NRL players (and miscreants) can come over here for game time.

His contract always had a release option at the end of this season if he got an offer from the NRL. If you don't accept such clauses then you will never be able to make signings like Hiku. That is the reality of Super League at the moment.

Welcome back.

So why the smoke screen of "compassionate grounds" if the exit clause was triggered?

Any chance you could get shut of him before 3...

Unless I have missed it, there has been no club statement as yet on Hiku's departure and the reasons for it.

Let's just ask Karl at Bevan statue at 2pm.

Was there no mention of this at the meeting along with flogging season tickets ?

I can't wait for Bonfire Night, at least then Halloween will be well and truly over. It's nightmare after nightmare on Buckley Street.

No, which is why I'm going along to ask at 2.

The article stated will be confirmed by wire next week

If this happens than it's a real blow for us and super league

It also raises concearns about what's going on at the club we were unable to convince barba to sign and now hiku is off at the first opportunity !!

Not a good move to just allow him to go and not a good sign for SL in general that any decent player will up sticks at the first offer

It now raises the question do we play him ?? I personally say drop him and send him home now no point. Hanging on to him if he doesn't want to be here or was this the agreement with him see out the end of the season and go to warriors next year if it was announced as a johns style signing in to see end of season out then back to nrl than fine but this whole thing just shows we're not learning our lesson with regards to nrl players

To be fair why would he want to be part of our shambles at the minute. I wouldn't want to turn out and put my career and reputation on the line under our coaching regime at the minute. They're making good players look dire and average players look like total amateurs.

Honestly I would clear out every coach at the club and start again, we need to remove the comfort zone that seems to have been created.

Peed off that we haven't got a song for him. He's at the wrong for that now. Sick of hearing der der der and wire wire wire.

Just spoken to karl fitzpatrick at statue its true he is being released END OF.

Fair enough if that's your view, but why is that on this thread? Anyone thinking that Hiku leaving is anything to do with our coaching team is surely deluded: there are much bigger issues in SL than whether Smith and Agar are in charge of the Wire!

Indeed this is a SL issue as stated by paul youane. These clauses have to be put in contracts...bet your life barba has got one. There is only ONE way around this and that is to make the competition more lucrative and desirable to play in (as the weather isnt going to get em here)....and we do that by scrapping the salary cap. There is no other option....only mediocrity and decline.