NEWS Matt Lodge is all out of bubblegum

An enduring theory among NRL journalists is that Kevin Walters needs to offload a middle forward to free up some cap space. Top of that list would be Matt Lodge, who is hoovering around $750k (~ 4 million Dobbobux) a year until 2022, with a two year option to extend. Matt has done nothing wrong, but is nonetheless pestered on how he'd like to be sold at a slave auction:

“It’s up to the Broncos what they want to do. To be honest, it‘s out of my hands. I’m just focused on playing good football, I have a contract here ... you have to ask them where things stand.”



“I’ve never lacked any confidence. That (last week‘s game) is the first time I’ve put three games together in nearly two years. I was just playing busted and playing with a broken leg, but I’m at a stage in my life where I don’t care about criticism. I’m in a happy place and I love playing footy so the more I’m on the field the better my match fitness gets and the more I enjoy it. I can now start doing my job for the team and keep building on it."

“Being a senior forward leader is kind of a made-up thing. I’m 25 years old, I missed four years of NRL. I‘m still learning my trade. I don’t want to be that big figure that leads everyone. I just want to do my job.”

Cowboys livestock baron Micheal Luck rules out a move north:

“We won’t be signing Matt Lodge. We are looking at other areas of our roster.”

Looking elsewhere.

McHunt

 

[Sproj]

This is where we're at now. Cocky ***** like Penrith marching in and using our desperate cap situation to their advantage. "Oh yeah we'll have one of your better forwards, but only if you pay half".

It might be tempting to take them up on it, but personally I would be telling them to get fucked. Have Flegler for half his wage.

This is our reality now, we are a basket case and a desperate club, so we need to expect this to happen.

 

[Wolfie]

If we pay half his wage this club needs burning to the ground. We are already paying a huge amount of money for Bird and we could do with him playing for us right now. We are getting no benefit from subsidising his move to the Dragons.

 

[theshed]

If we pay half his wage this club needs burning to the ground. We are already paying a huge amount of money for Bird and we could do with him playing for us right now. We are getting no benefit from subsidising his move to the Dragons.

Could say the same for Macca.

 

[Foordy]

Could say the same for Macca.

we're not really subsiding Macca ... the only subsidy the Dragons got for him was the amount we paid him prior to his move. once he moved, we stopped paying him

 

[Sproj]

we're not really subsiding Macca ... the only subsidy the Dragons got for him was the amount we paid him prior to his move. once he moved, we stopped paying him

And so what benefit is this to us?

 

[theshed]

we're not really subsiding Macca ... the only subsidy the Dragons got for him was the amount we paid him prior to his move. once he moved, we stopped paying him

Yeah we spent over 200k to finish he rehab and supply his preseason training and then let the dragons have him for a reduced price for the rest of the season.

 

[Wolfie]

Could say the same for Macca.

Yep, but at least we arent subsidising a huge amount of his contract if anything.

 

[Locky888]

The modern fast pace game has made Lodge obsolete. You need mobile forwards in todays game.

 

[pagey]

The modern fast pace game has made Lodge obsolete. You need mobile forwards in todays game.

Myth , you just use him in shorter bursts . He proved his worth against parra Game 1 and penrith.

 

[Kimlo]

Myth , you just use him in shorter bursts . He proved his worth against parra Game 1 and penrith.

Nelson Solomona does just fine. There's still definitely a place for big forwards, I'll give Lodge a few games in a row before I judge him.