Your telling me if Catalan threw 3/400k at the club, you'd still prefer to keep him and see him walk away for nothing in 16 games time? We need to be smart here for me, as I said before I don't think Tom is the difference between relegation and staying up, but that money could be the difference in our ability to build a competitive squad for next year.

I assume so.

Yes but that will not be the sort of money will it, this is rugby league.

Catalan have money to burn, Tom is a very special player and we have seen that sort of money, paid for a player in RL even 20/30 years ago. Around that figure was apparently the figure we turned down for Tom from Wire a couple years back. Obviously circumstances are different now.

Am I right in thinking that we will get some compensation for Tom anyway?

No we’ll get nothing if he leaves at the end of the season as i expect is the case here.

As for 300 to 400k to go 4 months early? I’ll have some of what you’re drinking please. If he goes now we might just scrape a five figure fee.

The difference is the length of contract and any money paid would impact his contract. I would usually expect it to be from next season but one thing about Vastman, he I believe is fed information from the club to get out to the forum. He was initially in denial that TJ had signed for Catalan but now not only the fact he had but it was good business for us and it removes an unsettled player which suggests more immediate. I may be wrong but we should know soon.

So we won't be entitled to the compensation associated with his development then?

No he is too old and will be out of contract.

Only counts until a player is 21.

Absolutely not and I have to ask why you’d ever think we would. We have got more than our money back with Tom. We deserve nothing in that respect, the debt was paid long ago.

Lewis Murphy then you’d have a case.