Newcastle Knights star Joel Edwards quits club
LOCAL junior Joel Edwards stunned Newcastle officials and left even millionaire owner Nathan Tinkler scratching his head in disbelief after the Knights back-rower yesterday rejected a new two-year deal with the club worth more than $300,000.
Edwards, born and bred in Cessnock, will quit the Knights at the end of the season after deciding to put himself on the open market.
Knights sources are adamant they are not aware of any rival NRL clubs chasing Edwards, making his decision even more baffling.
Not even the influence of coach Wayne Bennett was enough to convince Edwards to stay.
Knights CEO Matt Gidley confirmed the tough tackling back-rower won't be at the club next season.
"Joel's let us know he is not accepting our offer of a new two-year deal which is unfortunate,"Gidley said.
"He's a local boy who we wanted to keep and for a sub-50 game NRL player, I believe the offer we made him was a really good one.
"I'd be surprised if he will get a superior deal at another club at this stage of his career but that's Joel's decision and all we can do is wish him the best when he finishes up with us at the end of the season."
Gidley said Bennett and assistant coach Rick Stone both spoke with Edwards to reiterate the club's desire to keep him before he made his decision to leave.
Tinkler has been made aware of the development.
"Nathan's aware of it and is a bit shocked like the rest of us,"Gidley said.
"His response was, 'I can't work out why he wouldn't want to stay' given the resources we have now and with Wayne as coach.
"Nathan doesn't want to see any of our good local juniors leave the club so he's pretty disappointed as well but he knows we have done all we could to keep him."
Edwards did not want to comment about his future when contacted last night.
"I don't want to say anything. Can you just talk to Darryl (manager Darryl Mather)?,"he said. Mather could not be contacted.
The Daily Telegraph understands Edwards initially rejected a three-year-deal worth close to $600,000 from the Knights which had been on the table since before Christmas. But after the club's poor start to the season, Bennett put negotiations with all players on hold and the initial offer to Edwards was withdrawn.
When the Knights came back to the table, the new offer was for less money and initially, was only a one-year deal until the Knights added a further year in a bid to get Edwards over the line.
Replies
LIKE!
It's all well and good to want to leave a club to enhance your rep chances.... But you've gotta have the game too!!!
Look, I like this guy, and I've been saying for the last 3 months+ that we should be looking to sign him up, but I think he's a fair way off Origin selection, even for 2014 or 2015...
But like I say, I'd welcome him with open arms.
everyone agrees to terms with us but never sign. How confident are you crow?
Just think of the banners!
"MENAGE A RED"
The Rang Gang!
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