Your definitely correct, pretty much how i remember it, he certainly signed while under contract with Wakefield, at that point he would have had a live contract with the club (if i remember rightly he was out long term injured at the time).

As regards Wakefield having first option that was how is agent reported it at the time (not that makes it 100% ), he's roughly same age as jack croft and isaac shaw so would have also been covered by the same transfer protocols they were.

Its all a bit hypothetical as at minute no sign of him going anywhere although it was only a 2 year deal which expires in 2025 so who knows

I'm not being critical here but how many players who chose to leave wakefield, despite being looked after by the club have commanded so much attention?
I dont get it - he walked, I'm happy with TJ and LW next season.
Murphy is gone and we surely move on without him, he clearly didnt want to stay with Trinity!

I think the difference here, for me anyway, is that he didn't leave to go to another rival club. He went to a far better league for a chance of a lifetime.
I kinda still think of him as a Wakefield player.

Whereas Tanginoa or Miller went to a rival so they are now just a note in the history book

Fair comment - you're more tolerant than me PT - once they've chosen to go I tend to blank them out .
TJ was a bit different because he committed to our cause, for years, when he too could have walked.

Same as my thinking. Couldn’t care less about Tanginoa etc but Murphy is different. And if we have a clause we’d be silly not to look into it at least.

Murphy went to the NRL because in terms of coaching, competition, environment and payment it's streets ahead - especially at a top club like the Roosters. It's like moving to SL from the championship. Speak to any kid playing RL over here and 99% would fancy a move there. It's a short career and you'd kick yourself later if you didn't give it a go if offered the chance.

It may be it doesn't work out like it didn't for the likes of Mathers, Watkins, Williams etc or he could end up like Young, Whitehead or even Sam Burgess. If Wakey were on the ball they would've negotiated some sort of clause where they get first dibs on him somehow if that doesn't prove a restraint of trade.