After recently losing out on the signature of exciting backrower Josh Papalii, the Parramatta Eels have hit the panic button and forked out on young Brisbane Broncos utility Corey Norman.
The three-year deal reportedly worth up to $1.5 million is a ludicrous amount for a kid who has been scratchy at best for the Broncos.
When will Parramatta ever learn?
Norman has been moved to fullback by current coach Anthony Griffin in an attempt to spark Brisbane’s misfiring backline. But a move to the Eels will ensure the youngster returns to his preferred position at five-eighth.
Even prior to new coach Ricky Stuart’s arrival, Parramatta have been mediocre at best when it comes to their recruitment and retention. When will the people involved in these decisions be held accountable?
Buying players for the sake of buying players is a gross misuse of funds and Norman’s signing is yet another example of how desperate this club has become.
Is Norman’s acquisition a good move? Sure.
Is he worth over $1.2 million? No way.
Chris Sandow is already on a deal worth around $550,000 a season and fans are yet to see the little halfback live up to his price tag. Now Norman will join the side from 2014.
You can’t knock a club for wanting to attract big name players and if it means spending some money, then by all means, go for it.
But when those players are Sandow and Norman, questions need to be asked.
How many other players will they lose over the next 12 months because so much of the salary cap is taken up by these men?
In 2011 the Eels headed to retirement homes across the land and picked up Chris Hicks, Paul Whatuira, Chris Walker and Carl Webb. They played a combined total of 21 games that season.
All the while losing Feleti Mateo, Krisnan Inu, Kris Keating and Jonathon Wright.
They followed that up last season by grabbing Ben Roberts, Taulima Tautai, Sandow and the Tonga brothers, Willie and Esi.
Who has been making these decisions?
“Corey has all the attributes to have a successful career in the NRL,” coach Stuart said at a press conference on Monday afternoon.
“He is big and confident, has all the skills and has served a good apprenticeship under some pretty decent playmakers up in Brisbane.
“We can’t wait to get him down here and make him a part of our team and culture.”
The Eels were right to chase Papalii. The destructive forward is the kind of player that can help create the right kind of culture at a club.
It is yet to be seen whether Norman is even capable of performing on a weekly basis.
Now that Norman has turned his back on the Broncos, you have to wonder how many more games he will get under Griffin at Brisbane.
With the side struggling and in the mix for free agent Josh Dugan, the Broncos are well within their rights to send Norman back to the Queensland Cup for the rest of the season.
If the losses continue to pile up and Dugan is lured north, Norman may find himself playing lower grades for the remainder of 2013.
Even if Dugan doesn’t sign with the Broncos, coach Griffin still may decide to banish the utility.
Veteran Scott Prince is no certainty to see out 2013, after a slow start to the season at number six. But whether Griffin wants to play the Parramatta-bound Norman is up to Griffin and Griffin alone.
Gaz
Guest
Norman showed promise and perceived potential during his stay at the Broncos – no doubt. But so has all the players at that club and most, including Norman, have been found wanting relative to the amount of time and effort put into them by the whole Broncos organisation. An organisation that until recently were living in hope that a miracle would happen and those showing potential reached it. Stuart has spent his money betting on the potential of one player and I hope for all stakeholders, none the less Norman, that he reaches it one day. It’s a lot of money however for a bet that might not succeed.
planko
Guest
He is all yours mate....Nobody else would pay that kinda dough for great winger.
Ricardo
Guest
What an absolutely pathetic article.. geez
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
The Contribution Value Ratings placed him 6th last season out of the entire competition. He's more than inside the Top 10 fullbacks in the competition. Not only that he is the only player in the competition to have appeared 4 times in the Top 18 performances using the CVR. All of those games were from fullback with each score being over 1,000.
Curtis Woodward
Expert
I think Hayne is too big aswell. Needs to stay out of the gym for a while.
peeeko
Roar Guru
Collo, actually with Blake Austin , i remember that after that newspaper reporting Phil Gould went on twitter and said it was totally inaccurate and irresponsible by his manager and placed unrealistic expectations on the young man. i think Tyran Smith the manager likes to announce these big deals to make himself look good
Jeff Cook
Guest
Mr Oikee I have to point out the Broncos have the whole of Brisbane junior league to choose from. " all their juniors are now gone " And i may also ask who are the GC , if not local derby ?
maximus182
Roar Guru
Curtis mate spot on, can't believe no one in the big name papers has come out an question this signing. I think The Grill Team baulked at it and said the Eels 'paid overs'. Is there someone doing recruitment at Parra or is it up to the coach? Kearney signed Roberts and Sandow in what have both proven to be dud and mediocre decisons respectively. Does Rick Stuart have a history of similar signings? Didn't he sign up Anthony Tupou for $450,000 a year who has been downright hopeless over the years. The eels in my opinion have a very bleak future ahead. Jarryd Hayne can not carry a team, and he has lost that fire, desire and relentlesss competitiveness he had in 2009. Just look at the way he appraoches kicks in goal, he dowdels to the ball. Billy Slater is over the the ball carrier like a hungry greyhound.
PJ
Guest
whats Papali ever done abpart from hit Gallen when he wasnt looking?
oikee
Guest
Is that the Manly way of doing the books Eaglejack. ;) No wonder Manly got Brett stewart under the cap, looking at your shonky figures.
Collo from Blacktown, probably heard of me..
Guest
No worries Planko, sorry about the miinterpretation of your exaggeration, I actually thought you meant what you were saying..
eagleJack
Guest
Exactly right peeeko. The Daily Telegraph love getting the figures wrong. They hear that a player on a 4 year deal will make $500k in his final year. So they report that he is getting a $2m deal over 4 years. When in reality he is probably getting Year 1: $250k Year 2: $300k Year 3: $400k Year 4: $500k A $1.45m deal over 4 years doesnt sound as good and won't sell many papers. But it is far more realistic given players tend to get paid more in their final years of a contract.
planko
Roar Guru
I not sure but I would like to see them try him at centre and five eight. I know they have tried him there before ?
Collo from Blacktown, probably heard of me..
Guest
Agreed peeeko... They love to specualte.. There was an article that last year where it was sprouting Blake Austin was on a contract of up to $700K for 2 years for Penrith. He hasn't started this year in FG, and thats after Lachlan Coote is out for the year. They throw Humble in there... All journo's love to sensationalise..
planko
Roar Guru
Firstly 2009 is 4 years ago. I said he is not in the TOP 10 NRL Fullbacks. I was exaggerating for effect about the 20's however EASTS have a guy playing on the wing who is better than Hayne at FB and Lowe the guy who will be back in the 20's for Canterbury this week is better than Hayne. I think you will find that it is the Parramatta board who can't count. For 800k they should have said "See ya".
Collo from Blacktown, probably heard of me..
Guest
He won the Dally M.. Played a GF.. Played for NSW as a fullback.. Gimme 9 fullbacks from the 20's that are better than Hayne at fullback? Just out of curiosity? And the bloke from 20's at parra can't count, because he'd be in FG if that were the case...
Curtis Woodward
Expert
I dont think the Broncos are going to sign Dugan and not play him.
planko
Roar Guru
Peeko I agere most players would be lucky if they were on 80% of what gets mentioned in the paper.
Curtis Woodward
Expert
Have to agree. Plenty of good fullbacks ahead of him. But where else can you play him?
Curtis Woodward
Expert
Not getting what your insinuating?