Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:25 pm  

rich86 wrote:

Surely 2 main squad members (one a "marquee" signing) not getting a sniff of the first team could be described as a big deal though

But he did get a sniff at the first team and was far from "marquee"

Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:28 pm  

Gotcha wrote:

People don't always get their desires, infact they very rarely do. Just because someone desires something does not mean it will happen.

If Luke Burgess wants to go to Australia and isn't really that bothered about whether he plays in the NRL or in some semi-pro lower grade, what's to stop him (visa conditions not withstanding)?

Irrespective of whether Leeds have or haven't offered him a new deal or not, in the age of freedom of contract all the leverage lies with the player. If he decides the grass is greener somewhere else, there's sod all the club can do about it once his contract is up.

I can't see how anyone can seriously argue that isn't the case?

What we've got here is two players on the fringes of the first team who have been told they can go elsewhere to get first team rugby. Excuse me if I don't regard it as some major disaster from which the club will never recover.

Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:33 pm  

I would guess that Luke decided a long time ago that he wanted to go to Aus and to not renew his Leeds contract.

If Leeds did offer him a new contract he has obviously turned it down.

I like him and think he's a good player but him not playing for us for the rest of this year will not change the outcome of the season for the Leeds Rhinos.

Maybe GH wants to concentrate on a more long term replacement for Luke and that's why he's available now?

Good luck to him I hope he does well in Aus but I expect the Aussies will be expecting another Sam and get Matthew not Andrew (Johns)

Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:40 pm  

Rats leaving a sinking ship?

Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:42 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Irrespective of whether Leeds have or haven't offered him a new deal or not, in the age of freedom of contract all the leverage lies with the player. If he decides the grass is greener somewhere else, there's sod all the club can do about it once his contract is up.

I can't see how anyone can seriously argue that isn't the case?

Who is arguing that?

But back to reality, last year Burgess was not out of contract, he was a year off been out of contract, and was happy in his game. That was when in Leeds control was the opportunity to offer a new contract. They didn't.

Early this season Burgess was by far our form prop. He did an interview in the YEP where he stated that he was playing for a new contract. He wasn't offered a new contract.

Since then he was dropped, and despite his replacements not putting in the requied level of performance he has not had a look in. He has now asked for a release from his current contract to enable him to play first team. At the same time he has implied that he "may" now go to Australia at the end of the season when out of contract.

This is all not too dissimilar to when Lee Smith went. The club never got round to offering him a contract, they should have offered it a year earlier when he was asking for it, and when he was at the top of the game, but didn't. Smith left, then the club came back cap in hand realising their error.

Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:43 pm  

Think it's all a bit strange. Not a good sign unless an awesome signing in comng in!

Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:47 pm  

sgtwilko wrote:

Think it's all a bit strange. Not a good sign unless an awesome signing in comng in!

Only a few players constitue as an awesome signing such as: Benji Marshall, Inglis, Hayne, so be prepared to be dissapointed

Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:48 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Irrespective of whether Leeds have or haven't offered him a new deal or not, in the age of freedom of contract all the leverage lies with the player. If he decides the grass is greener somewhere else, there's sod all the club can do about it once his contract is up.

I can't see how anyone can seriously argue that isn't the case?

Come on Andy, nothing should surprise you on here any more. Don't you know, a player who has expressed a long held desire to leave Leeds and who refused a new conrtact is every reason to get het up at GH for not making him stay!!!!!

What we've got here is two players on the fringes of the first team who have been told they can go elsewhere to get first team rugby. Excuse me if I don't regard it as some major disaster from which the club will never recover.

Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:49 pm  

Gotcha wrote:

But back to reality, last year Burgess was not out of contract, he was a year off been out of contract, and was happy in his game. That was when in Leeds control was the opportunity to offer a new contract. They didn't.

Early this season Burgess was by far our form prop. He did an interview in the YEP where he stated that he was playing for a new contract. He wasn't offered a new contract.

"You have nothing to back up that we offered him a new contract. You have nothing to back up that he turned down a new contract"

Sound familiar?

And yet here you are not five minutes later, stating as fact what Leeds did and didn't do and what Luke Burgess did and didn't want.

You can't have it both ways.

Re: Cross & Burgess... Get us out of here : Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:51 pm  

I guess the hint re Burgess is in the wording of the statement made

"His demands to leave "

quite a strong wording when you think about it?