WTF is going on, did Ikin come in and crunch numbers and realize it makes no sense. I bet clubs are trying to rob us blind. Its not worth it in the long run if so. Diabolical and stupid, the leaking from our media owners is killing us I think.
I'd say the Broncos would've said to Lodge and TPJ that if they can find a new contract then they won't stand in the way if they want to leave... and if it helps them to move straight away then they'll grant it.
Players and managers need that approval from the club when they're under contract before they can get serious with negotiations.
The manager then needs to build up some hype and let everyone know that their player is on the lookout for a new club and they can go straight away.
The media has then runaway with the "can leave now" as a headline, when in reality the Broncos are likely just broadening the options available to the players to assist with getting them off the books and all they really want is the player's salary gone for 2022.
There's very little time left to finalise the top 30 (Aug 1 is the cutoff) and there's no way the Broncos can replace two guys that are on $1.3m between them in 4 weeks or so, unless a team is open to a trade... which becomes difficult logistically especially with the salaries being talked about.
To me it's a media beat up.
No doubt the Broncos have likely told Lodge several times that he can leave if he finds a club... and 1910 has indicated that the deal was done between knights and broncos until his manager came in and ask for more money, which blew up the deal.. that can quite easily be construed as a "you can go, no the deal is now off, but you can still go if you can find a club"
I'd say ultimately Broncos want one or the other off the books totally next year to use on the spine... I dont necessarily think they want both gone, but the managers are playing everything out in the media and Broncos will probably end up letting both go.
