Wests Tigers has become a war zone with coach Jason Taylor the first casualty, unceremoniously sacked after just three rounds of the current season. Yesterday, Mitchell Moses copped a double whammy.
The 22-year-old had been offered a reported million dollars a season by the Tigers, but Moses requested an immediate transfer to Parramatta.
Wests Tiger not only refused his request, but withdrew their offer, leaving Moses with 100 per cent of nothing.
Aaron Woods and James Tedesco have now become the club’s top priorities, and whatever is left over will be the new offer to Moses.
Thanks for nothing.
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Wests Tigers must be careful with the revised salary cap not yet released, with the chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission, John Grant, barely holding onto his job through recent negotiations.
The club could so easily over-commit if the new cap is lower than anticipated, leaving the Wests Tigers decision makers and board with egg on their faces.
So it was just bloody-minded to refuse Moses his transfer.
After all, the Wests Tigers was the only club Moses wanted to play for having been denied his real wish to wear the same coloured jersey his legendary uncle Benny Elias wore for 234 games with Balmain.
But when Moses was six that dream went west when the NRL amalgamated Wests and Balmain into Wests Tigers.
Despite that decision, playing for them was the next best alternative with Balmain gone.
But it was never going to be the same for either club which had strung together nearly 100 years of history, tradition, heritage, pride, and passion.
Irreplaceable.
Wests Tigers has none of those assets, and never will.
It’s even worse for dyed in the wool Balmain supporters with Wests owning 75 per cent of the club, Bamain just 25 per cent and Leichhardt, Balmain’s fortress, rarely used by the Wests Tigers.
So for the kid in short pants who always had a football in his hands, and even slept hugging it, he’s been sold short, and has every right to feel disillusioned, and cheated.
It will be interesting to see how long Woods and Tedesco take to decide if they stay, or jump ship.
In the mean time Mitchell Moses will be forced to play the waiting game.
Gus Paella
Guest
What would Dawn Fraser know about running an NRL team?
Kilgore Trout
Roar Rookie
Go Ivan ! He has put the fire hose on in the sheds , and look at them run . If he could pick up a class forward in letting Moses go early , it would be a great result . There is no denying Moses talent and potential , but I think most coaches would prefer their halves to just play at a good consistent level every week than to get one brilliant game in every ten . Consistency is what makes a professional NRL player . I do spare thought for the "four" . It appears to me their agent is just looking to line his pockets as handsomely as possible , having creating a hostage scenario over the last year or more , and has given no though to his clients . He has been conspicuous by his absence, allowing his clients to bear the brunt of all the negativity . It seems like a perfect time to come forward and take some heat and to earn just a little of your sizeable commission . I think it is relevant because these players have acted on his advisement and at present they are just coming across like spoilt petulant amateurs .
tigranes
Guest
Turbo Woods is an Origin prop and one of NSW best and toughest players
turbodewd
Guest
The problem is the the attitude of Aaron Woods. He is blase about the game. He lacks fire. His stats are misleading. How about stats on metres WALKED during the game. Watch the bloke. He's never run nor hit hard in his life. Watch his tackles closely - soft grabs. Overrated prop. He is the problem.
GC Dave
Guest
Particularly a club well short of NRL standard players, John.
John
Guest
David, you expect a club to release a player to another club without trying to get something back in return? Really??
Moonboot
Guest
If this was another code, the Board would have been sacked long ago...
Ray
Guest
That's right, she was born and bred in Balmain, a lifelong Tigers supporter, knows the game back to front, family that played for them and many years on the Balmain board or committee. But you reckon Marina Go and Rosemary Sinclair have the goods. Sheesh.
Sammy
Guest
But even if Balmain's share capital in Wests Tigers RLF Pty Ltd is diluted down to 1%, the Tiger emblem will still be protected by the NRL who don't want to undo 20 years of building brand recognition for Wests Tigers. This suits Balmain - their fans and members can sustain the illusion that West Tigers is a continuation of Balmain Tigers, while Wests Ashfield Leagues Club Limited provides most (eventually all) of the funding.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
A cruel lesson .
Mike from tari
Guest
Seems to me he should have taken the offer, but who is to blame, anyway he should be man enough to see out his contract.
souvalis
Guest
TMM and Blake A. are playing behind some pretty good cattle..M.Moses has only had that benefit once when he represented his country last year in the Prime Ministers side..scored 3 tries..right now he's a frustrated angry young man..he can play all right,the sooner he gets out the sooner he'll show it.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Is it odd that the whole time the Taylor saga was boiling away, we all were lead to believe the "BIG 4" didn't want to sign because he was the coach... then the minute he is sacked, Moses wants out, and other players are reportedly looking elsewhere as well? Perhaps media pundits had it completely wrong? Or maybe it is all coincidence and unrelated.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
This makes no sense, they are well within their rights to keep him on their paycheque for his contract. Yes its a bit bloody minded if they dont play him, but he is still one of their better halves on the books. People were blowing up deluxe about Cowboys keeping Ponga for this year, yet how screwed would they be if they left him. Somehow the Tigers are the bad guys because Moses didnt take the million bucks? Youre kidding.
matth
Guest
At six I wanted to be a fireman, but then when I got no credit for setting our house on fire so I could put it out, I just gave up on my dreams.
Rick
Guest
Moses is not worth the money he was reportedly asking. The idea that the Board would have even entertained the thought of coming close to that figure demonstrates where the real problem at the Tigers lies. the Board is a joke. it is time for the chairman to Go.
Alex Tricolas
Roar Rookie
Not buying it. Balmain means a lot to many Wests Tigers fans, even the young ones. Maybe it was his uncle's dream, but the dream that kids of Moses's generation grew up with was to emulate their Wests Tigers hero Benji Marshall. As for feeling cheated, I would say that Moses has not actually earned the right to demand the silly money that is being talked about. Uncle Benny and cousin Isaac have done a good job of talking him up, and the media have gone along for the ride. But regardless of his potential, he is not a million dollar player yet. Never was a fan of Jason Taylor, but he is spot on labelling this young crew as disrespectful. As for the Eels, they have drunk the Kool Aid.
Albo
Guest
They could afford Cronk if they let the now over hyped "big 3" go ! But I doubt Cronk would be interested in taking on such a disastrous challenge under that pathetic management team.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Lordy, is this an article about Mitchell Moses or the largely unpopular merger of the Tigers and Magpies ? If your Ivan Cleary of course your not releasing Moses, he needs every ounce of talent he can muster. Moses is a well paid professional so should get on with it, he will be an Eel next year although I like Gutherson, the guy is a good footballer and would be a lot cheaper than Moses methinks. The Eels should save there dough and invest in a quality forward or two.
steveng
Roar Rookie
That won't happen Joe, Parra can wait till the end of the season when Mosses is off contract, but on the other hand the WT can't afford to have Mosses playing 'half pie' and being disgruntled in their side. This is especially that they have signed Brooks (whose not as good) to supposedly pair them in their half's. They can't afford Cronk, so where to now? This is (as I made the comment) the same scenario to what Farah had at the WT. Mosses has the potential to become a great player. The bottom line and what is very apparent, is that he needs to get out of the WT as he won't achieve that there, even with Cleary there. His actions speak louder than his words!.