With Tyrone Peachey’s management laying planks for a backflip, it’s time for the Gold Coast Titans to ratify policy and allow all recruits to renege ad infitum.
Peachey’s imminent betrayal isn’t a signal for the friendless club to just give up and move on to different cattle – like actual cattle – it is an opportunity to legislate its reputation as a bargaining chip.
Not only could an unlimited cooling-off period save revenue wasted on token legal threats, it could be the catalyst to finally attract much-craved talent.
The club could begin by making the bold move of replacing its recruitment unit with a committee of industry specialists headed by Sam Ayoub and Gavin Orr, bringing it in to line with reality.
Reform should also acknowledge the definition of ‘compassionate grounds’ for players to include unforeseen circumstances such as regret or building a house.
Additionally, Titans administrators should be authorised under club charter to continue doing whatever suits Penrith.
Whispers of Peachey reneging once again brings in to focus the issue of player recruiting, and whether Gold Coast should bother doing so.
Tyrone Peachey. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Via his manager’s delicate negotiation technique of making crude public accusations against the club, the Blues utility looks set to backflip on the template contract he signed earlier this year, which ties him to the Titans on a deal for three years with an option for none.
Gold Coast bosses responded by threatening Peachey with the prospect of sitting out for three seasons, much in the same manner Bryce Cartwright did this year in the defensive line.
However, he appears ready to follow through with his threat, snapping a long streak of successful recruiting for the Gold Coast stretching all the way back to 2015.
It was here that Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans signed a multi-million dollar agreement with the Glitter Strip organisation, but took advantage of the club’s wafer-like resolve by urgently recalling himself like a needled strawberry.
The incident lead to radical amendments to the NRL’s Round 13 transfer rule, with the changes stipulating that no stakeholder was ever allowed to like Cherry-Evans again.
Such lack of appeal for the Gold Coast has long plagued the NRL, with league administrators forever concerned by the region’s high number of shonky plastic surgeons and hustlers, and why footballers don’t find this alluring.
This is why the club must consider radical options like one-way unlimited backflipping rights, or simply adopting the methods of more successful organisations.
They could do worse than mirror the Melbourne Storm, who have recently re-signed Cameron Smith under the breeziest of negotiations.
Reports are the skipper has agreed to the club’s terms ‘In Principle’, which isn’t legal speak, but the name of his new boat.
farqueue
Roar Rookie
Ah Dane... You are the island oasis in the middle of the sea of...refs robbed us... penalty try...rules are rules even if they are stupid. Thank you.
Jockstrap
Roar Rookie
Titans is where you go to get a huge pay check and given up on footy . You just put your feet up with nothing expected of ya.
Bunney
Roar Rookie
Brilliant Dane! The prospect of getting out of your contract the moment a pang of regret hits, might just be the lure the Coast need to sign some more big name players! So many good lines. "...an option for none" is a ripper! :-)
kk
Roar Pro
Hi Dane, 'Recalled like a needled strawberry' is the linebreaker of the week and 'In Principle' will inspire Skipper Smith to set the best spinnaker of his career. The Titans are lucky in so far as they are free of Hayne, Cartwright and DCE. Add Peachey (with compensation) to that lot and play on. His best is over. The Peachy Affair may lead to the RLPA offering commission FREE services and sole compulsory registration with that body for all teenage players instead of the current system where agents sign them up at the first showing of potential.
Nat
Roar Guru
"Gold Coast bosses responded by threatening Peachey with the prospect of sitting out for three seasons, much in the same manner Bryce Cartwright did this year in the defensive line." Gold. I'd be interested to see how Peachy handles this if they don't release him. His career is on the upward trajectory with a Blues jumper but after 3years of sulking, he'll be 31 and lost any value he's earned. Be it NRL or ISP, no one wants to play with a bloke who doesn't want to be there.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Very entertaining article. I can't help but feel Peachey has been poorly advised along the way, but I suppose he's an adult and needs to be responsible for his decisions, even if he didn't quite understand what he was getting himself into Seems in both codes the gold coast is seen as the last chance saloon by players of all stripes
Edward Kelly
Roar Guru
Also nice work Dane, lots of zingers.
Edward Kelly
Roar Guru
I think all fans are well and truly over the contract reneging be it players or coaches. The NRL should be encouraged to continue its clamp down on player agents.
Larry1950
Guest
If the Titans hold Peachey to his contract & he decides to not appear for pre-season training, do they have to pay him? I'd be just issuing him with a breach & fine equivalent to that weeks wages for every session he fails to attend and he'd eventually work out that it's hard to build a house & feed the family without an income. Just treat the situation like you had a big contract player on a season injury list, make do without him and stuff his manager. Surely the NRL has a vested interest in ensuring their competition's contracts have some meaning.
Paul
Roar Guru
I guess if Peachey sits out his contract with the Titans, he'll have plenty of time to help finish his house.