I'd imagine if the Cowboys had have signed Roberts, they would have released a bunch of players (Moga, Linnett etc.) to compensate. I think it's an area that definitely needs to be fixed up. As Bennett said when he was able to sign Boyd, Blair, Gavet etc in a short space of time, things like this shouldn't be able to happen or be rewarded like it is, but that's usually how it happens. Sure enough, we gave up Hoffman, Barba etc and if memory serves, the Broncos had a pretty good season.
Wayne's comments fell on deaf ears the first time, but I hope after all this chaos, the NRL does something to even this up because at the moment it stinks. Players like Taupau and Walker are making agreements that they're off to clubs for 2017. Their clubs, Wests and Souths, catch wind of it and say 'why wait' release them and then sign players who they know will be committed for the long haul and won't slack off when times get tough and they're having to pitch in more because they're surrounded by players who can't do the job the coach wants of them.
It's really messy and I want to see the committee they have make this a priority, clean it up and make it more professional. Because right now, if I'm a Titans or a Tigers fan I'd just be feeling sick.
On the bright side, it's good to see the auditors aren't asleep at the wheel. At 28 years old, Burgess should be valued as the best forward in the game and for him to be picked up when everybody's roster is supposedly settled on the sly was just wrong. I think if they lose Luke, Walker, G. Stewart, Olive and McQueen I could accept it but even then the timing of it all just rubs me the wrong way.
As for Manly, either some reporters were telling some porkies about DCE's deal or they're getting away with something because being able to sign both Walker and Taupau in the middle of the silly season is just wrong. Walker is an Australian Test player at the tender age of 20 and looks to have a hell of a career infront of him. Souths poor exit and his drug binge shouldn't change that and he should still be valued as a marquee signing in this day and age. The only explanation I can accept here is that because of Walker's drug issues, Souths were able to void the contract and since Walker had already accepted a deal to go to Manly in 2017, was given a ridiculous back-ended deal. That's the only story I can accept and if that's the case, it highlights the earlier issue where clubs are able to sign marquee talent on the cheap by signing them to long-term deals before the pre-season even begins, causing the other teams to do what's best for everyone.
That could be especially bad if some clubs are colluding with one another and honestly I wouldn't be surprised if some clubs have been in the recent past. I remember one club had signed one of their star juniors to a ridiculous contract and the new administration saw how ridiculous it was and did everything to get rid of them. What ended up happening is that the CEO negotiated a deal with a club he worked for, gave them an awesome deal and this club which had already spent millions on new signings were able to get this star player on the cheap. If this CEO was serious, couldn't he have saved money by offering him to a lesser club?