RUMOUR James Roberts to re-sign for three years

[Super Freak]

IN-DEMAND Brisbane centre James Roberts did his chances of a rich new NRL deal no harm with a double in the Broncos’ big win over Canterbury.

The Broncos smashed the Bulldogs 42-12 on Thursday night, with Roberts’ two tries part of a second-half onslaught that all but ended their opponent’s finals hopes.

The 24-year-old is off contract at the end of the year and has reportedly been approached by at least five other NRL clubs as he seeks a significant rise from his current $300,000 per season deal.

Roberts’ manager Jeremy Donovan has said he won’t accept less than he is worth just to stay at Red Hill, where seven of his teammates have recommitted to the Broncos in the last four months as coach Wayne Bennett lays the foundation for a premiership charge.

Kodi Nikorima, who signed a three-year extension this week, said he has been pestering Roberts to follow their lead.

“I’ve been in his ear for the last couple of weeks now, telling him to re-sign,” he said.

“I feel like we’ve got something we can do, something great we can build on. I hope he re-signs.

“He had a lot of off-field issues but I feel like he’s grown up and really matured into the player everyone knows he can be.”

Roberts took his season tally to 13 tries after his latest effort against the Bulldogs, running 13 times for 149m, showcasing his blistering speed on a number of occasions.

“All we’ve got to do is get him the ball and he does the rest,” Nikorima said. “He’ll build on that.

“The one thing he’s improved on, James, is his talk. It goes unnoticed out there but the boys definitely feel it.”

The win took Brisbane to second place on the NRL ladder as they prepare to take on Parramatta in Sydney next week.

Captain Darius Boyd is due back from injury, meaning Bennett will have to find another spot for Nikorima, who had a solid game filling in at fullback.

Bennett said Nikorima, set to take over from Ben Hunt as halfback next season, was no guarantee of even being in the squad.

“If he doesn’t think I’ll be the next picked, that’s his call,” Nikorima said.

“I’ll back him 100 per cent. I love this team, I love this club. Whatever he decides, I’ll just go with it.”

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...p/news-story/86d94603679651e9f524a434698ba536

 

[Alec]

I'd be happy if we could offer him 550 or something, would be great for a player who can consistently create something from nothing

 

[Foordy]

The problem is the NRL and RLPA need to get this fucking cap sorted for next season so clubs know exactly what they can offer players.

Some clubs are likely going to have to have "fire sales" if they have worked off a wrong figure to avoid cap breeches; while other clubs may have extra space available if they worked of a conservative cap estimate

 

[tommy]

The problem is the NRL and RLPA need to get this fucking cap sorted for next season so clubs know exactly what they can offer players.

Some clubs are likely going to have to have "fire sales" if they have worked off a wrong figure to avoid cap breeches; while other clubs may have extra space available if they worked of a conservative cap estimate

It's a complete fucking joke tbh. No other competition in the world is this amateurish. About 6 or 7 months til the start of next season and nobody has a clue what it is going to be.

 

[Morkel]

"Roberts’ manager Jeremy Donovan has said he won’t accept less than he is worth just to stay at Red Hill, where seven of his teammates have recommitted to the Broncos in the last four months as coach Wayne Bennett lays the foundation for a premiership charge".

That doesn't sound good. He's probably pitching it to James as the best chance to get a big contract, but it also puts him in danger of having to walk out on us, even if he doesn't want to.

 

[pagey]

Surely they would need to work on a percentage increase depending on the overall cap. You couldn't possibly wing it !

 

[Sproj]

I love KNik! You can tell he really wants to be a Bronco, what a little champion.

As for Roberts, if we don't offer him 550k at least + TPAs, we are idiots.

 

[Foordy]

Surely they would need to work on a percentage increase depending on the overall cap. You couldn't possibly wing it !

these are NRL clubs, they aren't that smart ...

most of them were working on a figure of 10 million, but once the forced the NRL into a corner with the demand for a grant of 130% of the cap, the NRL started trying to reduce the cap size.

if the clubs were smart, they would have got the cap figure signed, sealed and delivered first ... then forced the NRL into the corner for the 130% of the salary cap grant

 

[pagey]

these are NRL clubs, they aren't that smart ...

most of them were working on a figure of 10 million, but once the forced the NRL into a corner with the demand for a grant of 130% of the cap, the NRL started trying to reduce the cap size.

if the clubs were smart, they would have got the cap figure signed, sealed and delivered first ... then forced the NRL into the corner for the 130% of the salary cap grant

Yeah! Either way you look at it , it's a shambles. Should have been sorted along time ago .

 

[Unbreakable]

Pay him whatever he wants, as long as it's not ridiculously unreasonable. We've lost enough talent over the last 24 months, we'll deal with the salary cap repercussions when the time comes, first and foremost priority is keeping this lightning quick bastard.

 

[mitch222]

Realistically, what other team could actually afford Roberts at this other than Newcastle which he would die if he went there?
I know his manager wants him to get paid but teams are running out of room in the salary cap at this stage in the season so even if he did go to open market, there would be few teams he could get into with his asking price.

 

[pagey]

Pay him whatever he wants, as long as it's not ridiculously unreasonable. We've lost enough talent over the last 24 months, we'll deal with the salary cap repercussions when the time comes, first and foremost priority is keeping this lightning quick bastard.

Between $500 - $600k . He hasn't made a representative team yet and gagai is apparently getting $600k .

 

[Foordy]

James Roberts Inks New Deal!

After the 24-year scored a double to finish the game out Thursday, it is understood Roberts has inked a new deal with the Broncos, believed to be 3-year and worth around $1.4 million dollars.

Roberts has been under a strict drinking ban, and a monitored welfare program, after an alleged incident at a Gold Coast nightclub in January and another altercation with security in August 2016 at a Brisbane pub. The Broncos fined Roberts $20,000 forced him to attend a rehabilitation centre in Thailand.

But it seems James Roberts is now on the straight and narrow and the Broncos have rewarded the former Dally M Centre of the year with a long-term contract that keeps him at the club until the end of 2020.

Roberts has scored 13 tries in 2017, currently equal third on the try scoring list for the season.

http://www.5thtackle.com/james-roberts-inks-new-deal/

 

[Foordy]

take the above article with a grain of salt given the source ... but if true and we got him for that price, it is a bargain!!!

 

[PerthBrissy987]

Plus tpas hope we are paying him well tbf hes an absolute weapon

 

[Waynesaurus]

You would think if he wanted to leave then Newcastle would have stumped up plenty of dollars and he would be heading there, instead they have had to settle for Moga.

$1.4M over three years would be a bargain, the boy is a game breaker, he makes things happen and is just great to watch.

 

[Unbreakable]

If that figure is accurate, we're getting James Roberts for 3 years at roughly the price it would've cost us to keep Hunt for 1 season, lol. I think I know which I'd prefer..

 

[PerthBrissy987]

Pay him hunts 1.2 mil