Brad Arthur deserves to be right royally pissed off with the way all this has played out. Between the players showing him no loyalty and the club having no idea how to negotiate a new deal, Arthur has been sold short. Despite the criticism he receives here, Arthur and the Eels systems have developed some top class players, as evidenced by the big money being offered to poach our players. By all reports, the money difference wasn't huge and yet they keep going. Niukore I get wanted to return to NZ but the other 2 are weak as piss not showing the same loyalty that Arthur shows his players. I beleive it's not about Arthur or our coaching as we are definetely making most players at our club better players. That leaves the club/board/R&R team as the problem. The fact that deals were not done much earlier in the year is unforgivable. The club has stated it couldn't have done any more, and at this stage I agree with them. The problem is, these deals should have been done by June at the latest. Did the club not realise how good Mahony and Papa were at that point? Or did they think, if we wait long enough, they'll start playing shit and we can get them for a bargain? The great Jack gibson always said winning starts in the front office. Well, with the team we have running things, there is certainly no need to hold our breath waiting for the next premiership. It may well be another 30 odd years away.
Arthur is doing his job and doing it well. He deserves more support from the club and the players.
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The board has done a decent job up to this point of making us relevant though they have no developed. The coaches have in some instances, the players have, the junior pathways have, they havent.
Big mistake letting mahoney go. Big mistake. Still can't believe it.
Not really.
It's a fair post ScottX, the identifying of talent and not locking it up earlier is the major fail here. Using a rigid salary cap stance has flopped on these negotiations.
Isn't BA on the R & R committee though?
If he is then he is just as much to blame as the rest of the committee.
The way it looks to me is the committee hold off on offering contracts so they can see what other clubs offer and we might end up getting them on the cheap.
The problem with this tactic is by low balling players, you end up losing the cream of the crop like Mahoney, Papali'i and to a lesser extent, Niukore.
I'd say BA is on it as far as squad planning goes and the players he wants. I don't think he's actually in there negotiating contracts.
Agree 100%
Reading that Arthur and Mahoney have a 'strained' relationship now. LOL. Arthur should tell him to pack up his bongos and fuck off now. Our window is already shut for 2022. No way the club will play united after this off season. I hope they all see time in reserves while we develop their replacements.
Scott, as much as I think we need these players to have a decent 2022, I also totally agree with how you feel because that is exacctly how I feel. I don't know how I can support the players that have decided to leave in 2023 next season. As fans we are not for sale and this shit cuts deep.
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