Headline on the RLW web site says Arthort confident that Norman will re sign.
I am now starting to wonder whether it will happen & if it does what price will it be? As much as I am hoping that he will stay, I am wondering if he will price himself out of the eels, I doubt the amount he is asking for at the moment if he is worth that amount up front.
When contract talk regarding him first started a figure of $650K was mentioned, its then gone up to figures from $700K, $750, the last one was $800. at a point where Penrith pulled out, now I read elsewhere its up to $850.
At the time of the Souths game there was a common figure saying he was about to pen a contract worth approx., $2m for 3 years, meaning around the early asking price seemed about right that is in the $650 - $700K a season, now its up to the $2.4m - $2.55 range. What really is going on & what is driving this inflation driven talk?
I actually wonder with the NRL talking about having 3 managers under the microscope, the managers as a whole are driving as much as they can in the up front contracts rather than the TPA & other figures which may mean they are worried that TPA's will be looked into players & managers wide, maybe also the NRL is feeling the pressure to actually do something about it all. Likely means that Norman is some sort of new testing ground for contract signed, as he is likely the first high profile player to pen a new contract since the saga commenced.
As some have suggested here that its likely that many of the TPA payers associated with the eels & other clubs are pulling back as a result of the saga, & money is not going to be as free flowing as previously.
Arthur has said in the past, & the club has put an upper signing limit on players, reason that Jnr ended up going. So we now face this situation with Norman, what is the upper limit & at what value do we place on him in the team?
Bearing in mind that we had to lose Peats for this year & no hope of resigning him, with others on the unknown list still to come, I am thinking that there needs to be a line set somewhere at around the $700K, meaning top of $2.1M over the 3 year deal.
If there is a delay, & while he wants to stay & BA sees him as vital with Foran, sure he has others he wants to keep or chase as well. Makes me wonder if the delay is also going to mean a weight & sea until the saga is finalized & we are not hit with a reduction in the Cap next year.
http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/arthur-confident-norman-will-re-sign/
Written by GREG PRICHARD, May 22, 2016
NOT a lot of good has happened to the Parramatta Eels of late, but coach Brad Arthur seems convinced star five-eighth Corey Norman will re-sign for next season.
“I’ve said all along the main thing is we desperately want to keep him and he desperately wants to stay,” Arthur says.
“And when that’s the case it usually works out and it’s just a bit of toing and froing and I’m sure we’ll come to an agreement sooner rather than later which can only be best for both Corey and the club.”
The Eels have been hamstrung in their bid to re-sign Norman because of the massive salary cap drama engulfing the club.
They haven’t been able to get near his asking price yet, but are hoping that once it becomes clear how much they can spend on players for next season they can get close enough for him to agree to terms.
Replies
I am sure the good old NRL will find even more reason to add some further TPAs onto us ext year, onto of what they have already loaded us up with, to make it as difficult for us as they can. They don't want to punish us for just this year, but for years to come. Seems so procedurally fair to me, NOT!
If BA & Norman BOTH state that he wants to stay ("we desperately want to keep him & he desperately wants to stay") then thats good enough for me. The rest is hot air & negative speculation.
Keyboard gremlin?