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BRL Player
- Mar 6, 2008
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Titans' $3m offer to Storm captain
By Brent Read
November 01, 2008 CAMERON Smith's resolve to stay in Melbourne is being tested by an offer from the Gold Coast which could earn the Test hooker more than $3 million.
Titans chief executive Michael Searle declined to comment on the size of any deal, but it is understood the Gold Coast is willing to table a five-year deal worth $2.5m.
Smith's estranged manager Jim Banaghan confirmed he had third-party deals in place which could net Smith a further $125,000 a season over the life of any contract with the Gold Coast.
That means he could expect to earn more than $600,000 a season should he sign with the Titans when his contract with Melbourne expires at the end of next year.
"Our cap position in 2010 would make it very hard for any club to top our offer," Searle said.
The Storm is desperate to keep its skipper and has put contract talks on hold with several other players as the club attempts to make Smith a competitive offer.
A number of the club's first-graders are off contract at the end of next season, including Steve Turner, Will Chambers and Ryan Hoffman.
The size of the Titans' offer illustrates the task Melbourne faces in retaining one of the game's best players. Money isn't the only factor for Smith. The Test hooker's desire to return to Queensland, something he has spoken about in the past, is another factor in the Titans' favour.
"Cameron is a former Australian captain, he's one of the highest profile players in the game," Searle said.
"I have been in contact with him just to let him know that we're happy to talk to him.
"We made a tentative offer to him before the end of his relationship with Jim Banaghan. It's fair to say we would like to keep talking to him."
Searle said Titans coach John Cartwright, in camp with Smith in his capacity as an assistant to Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart, had reinforced Gold Coast's interest.
"I believe John Cartwright has had a brief chat to him in camp to say we're very, very keen," Searle said.
"We'll wait and see whether he will make a quick decision or whether he's prepared to sit and wait."
Melbourne has locked up several of its stars this year, including five-eighth Greg Inglis and half-back Cooper Cronk. However, those signings have swallowed much of the club's space under the salary cap.
It is understood Melbourne is willing to offer Smith a four-year deal worth $1.6m, meaning he could be forced to turn his back on more than $1m to stay with the Storm.
"It's one thing to be a professional footballer, it's another thing to negotiate a professional footballer's contract," Banaghan said.
"There's a very short time at the top. In my experience of doing this for 15 years, I have never seen any player walk away from $1million."
The bidding war for Smith comes as the Storm star prepares to take his place in the Australian side for Sunday night's World Cup match against England at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.
Smith will be a pivotal figure in that game, although England coach Tony Smith spoke of his side's plans to target half-back Johnathan Thurston and his ailing shoulder.
Thurston will have a fitness test on the shoulder he injured in Australia's World Cup win against New Zealand.
Given his importance to the Kangaroos, Thurston is likely to be a focal point of England's attack as it attempts to exploit any lingering concerns the Australia No7 may have with the shoulder.
The tit-for-tat over the respective halfbacks comes a day after Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart predicted the contest between the arch-rivals would be a tough one.
"He will get tested at some stage," Smith said of Thurston.
"We're not going to go out of our way. But it's pretty well publicised he has a crook shoulder. I'm sure some of the players in my team will test him out at some stage."
Smith also hinted England enforcer Adrian Morley would be promoted to the starting side. Morley did little to douse talk of a fiery Test match, warning he and his team-mates were ready to fight fire with fire.
"I think our forward pack has been a match for the Kiwis and the Aussies over the last few years," Morley said.
"If we have a chance of winning this tournament we need to stand up and be counted."
Well obviously I'm not the only one that thinks this is a great investment for the team. I stand by my prediction of a Smith / Prince combination being the key to a premiership. I'll keep my fingers crossed this one comes through.
By Brent Read
November 01, 2008 CAMERON Smith's resolve to stay in Melbourne is being tested by an offer from the Gold Coast which could earn the Test hooker more than $3 million.
Titans chief executive Michael Searle declined to comment on the size of any deal, but it is understood the Gold Coast is willing to table a five-year deal worth $2.5m.
Smith's estranged manager Jim Banaghan confirmed he had third-party deals in place which could net Smith a further $125,000 a season over the life of any contract with the Gold Coast.
That means he could expect to earn more than $600,000 a season should he sign with the Titans when his contract with Melbourne expires at the end of next year.
"Our cap position in 2010 would make it very hard for any club to top our offer," Searle said.
The Storm is desperate to keep its skipper and has put contract talks on hold with several other players as the club attempts to make Smith a competitive offer.
A number of the club's first-graders are off contract at the end of next season, including Steve Turner, Will Chambers and Ryan Hoffman.
The size of the Titans' offer illustrates the task Melbourne faces in retaining one of the game's best players. Money isn't the only factor for Smith. The Test hooker's desire to return to Queensland, something he has spoken about in the past, is another factor in the Titans' favour.
"Cameron is a former Australian captain, he's one of the highest profile players in the game," Searle said.
"I have been in contact with him just to let him know that we're happy to talk to him.
"We made a tentative offer to him before the end of his relationship with Jim Banaghan. It's fair to say we would like to keep talking to him."
Searle said Titans coach John Cartwright, in camp with Smith in his capacity as an assistant to Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart, had reinforced Gold Coast's interest.
"I believe John Cartwright has had a brief chat to him in camp to say we're very, very keen," Searle said.
"We'll wait and see whether he will make a quick decision or whether he's prepared to sit and wait."
Melbourne has locked up several of its stars this year, including five-eighth Greg Inglis and half-back Cooper Cronk. However, those signings have swallowed much of the club's space under the salary cap.
It is understood Melbourne is willing to offer Smith a four-year deal worth $1.6m, meaning he could be forced to turn his back on more than $1m to stay with the Storm.
"It's one thing to be a professional footballer, it's another thing to negotiate a professional footballer's contract," Banaghan said.
"There's a very short time at the top. In my experience of doing this for 15 years, I have never seen any player walk away from $1million."
The bidding war for Smith comes as the Storm star prepares to take his place in the Australian side for Sunday night's World Cup match against England at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.
Smith will be a pivotal figure in that game, although England coach Tony Smith spoke of his side's plans to target half-back Johnathan Thurston and his ailing shoulder.
Thurston will have a fitness test on the shoulder he injured in Australia's World Cup win against New Zealand.
Given his importance to the Kangaroos, Thurston is likely to be a focal point of England's attack as it attempts to exploit any lingering concerns the Australia No7 may have with the shoulder.
The tit-for-tat over the respective halfbacks comes a day after Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart predicted the contest between the arch-rivals would be a tough one.
"He will get tested at some stage," Smith said of Thurston.
"We're not going to go out of our way. But it's pretty well publicised he has a crook shoulder. I'm sure some of the players in my team will test him out at some stage."
Smith also hinted England enforcer Adrian Morley would be promoted to the starting side. Morley did little to douse talk of a fiery Test match, warning he and his team-mates were ready to fight fire with fire.
"I think our forward pack has been a match for the Kiwis and the Aussies over the last few years," Morley said.
"If we have a chance of winning this tournament we need to stand up and be counted."
Well obviously I'm not the only one that thinks this is a great investment for the team. I stand by my prediction of a Smith / Prince combination being the key to a premiership. I'll keep my fingers crossed this one comes through.
