Nelson Asofa-Solomona has turned his back on up to seven NRL clubs interested in his service, quitting the NRL to take up a full-time deal in boxing.
News.com.au can exclusively reveal the NRL’s biggest man has quit rugby league indefinitely to pursue his dream of becoming a heavyweight boxing champion.
The 115kg enforcer has also become the first off-contract player to shun the mega bucks of R360 and also the riches on offer in the English Super League.
The former Melbourne Storm forward has signed a full-time boxing deal and could earn up to $1m a year in his new sport.
Plans are already underway for a rugby league super fight with another high profile NRL behemoth.
Replies
I've said it before and again here we go.
Our recruitment team are so predictable, and follow a flow chart.
Identify Talent - Check
Woo Talent - Check
Miss out on Talent - Check
Make announcement of resigning/upgrading current player - Check.
Wash Rinse Repeat
Harsh BE but fark if you aren't right do we have any guy that can close a farken deal.
Kalomatangi next mate I give is a 1/3 chance.
33% chance you reckon.
I say 5-10% Max
We have 10% of 1/3rd of o chance
Just wait a couple of days and they feel the pressure, the next club release will then indicate how we have signed a new, up and coming superstar junior to play flegg or similar.
That we are identifying and investing in youth, how good are we at scouting talent yada yada yada.
Sounds great but we get no substance. Smoke and Mirrors, just smoke and mirrors.
It's so depressing as a fan, how are we struggling as a big club to sign players. Is it TPAs or something, just upset we haven't signed anyone as a lomax replacement and if we do it's a winger from Russia no one has heard off knowing this recruitment team.
Absolutely, it's depressing if expectations are unrealistic. I’d love a galaxy of stars backed by sugar daddies like the Broncos, Roosters, Souths, or a Dogs' sombrero. Even the Warriors had their Watson castles and helicopters. That’d be dandy.
Look at the Panthers. They showed the real blueprint. Coaching, culture, systems, alignment. Built from the inside out. They’ve lost more stars than anyone. No big chequebook band-aids. No easy way outs. No pie in the sky stuff we want. It took them ten years.
If success is what we want, that’s the model. At least until proper sugar daddies show up, better than a Spags. Until then, we can only vent frustrations for therapautical purposes.
I've been involved in some big cultural change regimes, big picture stuff effecting massive organisations. One thing rings true time and time again no matter how big or how small the organisation that you are trying to change. It all begins when selling a vision for the future.
Sell the vision and people buy in. Gus at the Dogs, Politis and Co at the Rorters, Cleary at the Riff. They sell a vision to start with. The Eels have changed since Ryles came in, no doubt. Some see the vision and buy in Addo Carr is a prime example, Mitch another one, others not so. I have some serious doubts though that selling the vision is not as good as it should be when recruiting targeted in demand stars of our game from other clubs.
It feels like we nearly fall into them or we are the last man standing with salary cap space and we fit the players short term desperate need. There is something or someone still missing from our Management jigsaw that can close a contract.
The real Blueprint is an interesting argument as well HOE. A lot can be said for the Penrith model, but a lot can be said for the Melbourne, Rorters and to a degree the Brisbane models as well. I'd like to see the Eels embrace all models , develop youngsters continuously but also buy when it suits us. In recent times the Riff have had to buy players themselves, they havnt relied on just from within, Think Our own Blaize Talangi or Isaiah Papalii "wests". Even they need to compliment the conveyor belt of players they produce at times, I feel we too must buy at times.
Don't forget release story about how Ryles didn't want said player we missed out on anyway, and how bold and brave it was to have pulled out of the chase.
someone think of the juniors!!!
-
4
-
5
-
6
-
7
-
8
of 8 Next