Motherhood statements like this, from Michael Searle show him to be short of credibility. His statement is at odds with the Gold Coast's actions so far; West Tigers, St.George and Parra fans would unlikely agree with him, going by the Gold Coast's pursuit of their players:.
West Tigers: Laffranchi (signed), Lolesi (attempted to sign but missed out),Prince and Marshall (targeted)
St.George: Bailey (signed), Greenshields (targeted),Simms and Head (said to be targeted also)
Parramatta: Petersen and O'Dwyer (signed), Delaney, Tim Smith, Moi Moi (targeted).
For a new team, there can be benefits to signing groups of players from particular clubs to help the side gel faster - eg Melbourne in their first year, with a core of players with Newcastle/Cronulla origins.
Searle is being hypocritical when it can be seen that Gold Coast is targeting certain clubs. Searle's example Steve Price emphasises the point. I'm sure the West Tigers would be a lot more upset to lose emerging stars Prince and Marshall to Gold Coast, than the Bulldogs were to lose Steve Price to the Warriors (Price is nearing the end of his career, and aparently wanted to leave anyway after the Coffs Harbour and salary cap fiascos).
In the leadup to the announcement of the 16th team, Searle got a lot of media mileage, spruiking that the Gold Coast Club was the more worthy applicant because it would help share the State of Origin burden by spreading QLD players between the Broncos, Cowboys and Gold Coast.
One has to ask, how is the signing of Brian Carney, and the pursuit UK based players Danny Ward, Sean O'Loughlin, Richard Mathers, Stuart Fielden, Paul Deacon and Jamie Lyon going to be good for Queensland Rugby League???
Rugby League these days is a business, more's the pity; but Michael Searle, spare us the PR BS about your club about what's good for the game; it just smacks of duplicity.
Unbearable,
First off, "motherhood statements" :laugh: I have never read that on a forum before - nice.
If you accuse Michael Searle of lacking in credibility, I have to ask, do you know what the word means? Let me help out:
Function: noun
1 : the quality or power of inspiring belief <an account lacking in credibility>
2 : capacity for belief <strains her reader's credibility -- Times Literary Supplement>
Let's get to the "motherhood statement" from Michael.
"We will be aggressive but we don't want to do anything that will be detrimental to rugby league. We don't want to destabilise the game.
"We're all about growing the game. We won't be predatory and we won't be offering huge sums to players to come up here. For most of them it will be a lifestyle decision.
"We won't target one team and look to get their top players up here.
"Obviously Steve Price going to the Warriors upset a lot of Bulldogs fans and we wouldn't want to do something like that"
We have signed;
1. Preston CAMPBELL (Penrith)
2. Luke BAILEY (St George Illawarra)
3. Brian CARNEY (Wigan via Newcaslte)
4. Anthony LAFFRANCHI (Wests Tigers)
5. Matt PETERSEN (Parramatta)
6. Luke O'DWYER(Parramatta)
7. Nathan FRIEND (Melbourne)
Seven players - correct me if I am wrong, but seven players from six clubs? Hardly targetting one club is it? As Michael said, "we are not being predatory and we won't be offering huge sums to players to come up here. For most of them it will be a lifestyle decision"
Here are comments from each player signed and their reason WHY they signed with us -
Preston Campbell ?It is special, the fact that they still think of me up this way and it is a big honour for me to be the first player the club is signing. I?ve actually been looking forward to this since the Chargers were taken out of the competition in 1998. I was always hoping that they would get a team up here and now it has happened. The opportunity to get the chance to finish my career where I started doesn?t come along that often so for that I?m grateful.?
Luke Bailey "I am excited by the challenge of helping start the new club and the opportunity to use my experience to help mould its culture. I have developed a good relationship with John Cartwright through my association with him at State Of Origin and I believe it to be a step in the right direction for me at this time of my career. Personally I am looking forward to moving to the Gold Coast. I have relatives there and I will definitely enjoy taking my young family up there.?
Brian Carney ?The decision to sign with the Gold Coast was one that I made with the knowledge and excitement of being involved in a brand new license and the opportunity for me to prove my worth week in week out in the toughest rugby league competition in the world.
This is a challenge that I can?t wait to happen and I know I will be proud to represent the people of the Gold Coast. The fact the club has been able to secure Preston Campbell and Luke Bailey is astonishing for a fledgling club. Those two guys will continue to attract quality players and the club is quickly being acknowledged as a real player.
I can?t wait to get to the Gold Coast and also play with a group of lads that are so passionate about their City. March 2007 will be a special time for us all as inaugural members of the Gold Coast team.?
Anthony Laffranchi ?It is definitely an honour to be asked to play with the new team on the Gold Coast. To be able to come home to play for the local team is something that I?ve really only dreamt about until now. There is something special about playing in front of a home crowd ? it?s so great to be given the chance to do it?.
Matt Petersen ?One of the biggest factors to consider when deciding to go to a new team is knowing you will get on with the coach and knowing other people in the team. I played under John when he coached the US team against Australia in Philadelphia last year and I know I will work well under him. It will be an exciting time for me to be a part of a start up and helping set up the culture on and off the field is appealing,?
Luke O'Dwyer ?When I first heard the news that the Gold Coast was in the competition I thought, ?wouldn?t it be great to be able to go back!? Now it?s a reality and I am really looking forward to being able to play in front of a home crowd and my friends and family. I remember growing up in the Tweed and my mates and I used to go to the Seagulls games and watch our idols play like Wally Lewis and others. For the juniors to be able to see first hand where they can end up will be a really good thing for Rugby League on the Coast.?
Nathan Friend (stuck behind QLD hooker Cameron Smith) ?It has been frustrating at times. I don?t regret my time with the Storm and I am really excited about going to the Gold Coast?.
Does it sound like we twisted their arm? The majority have personal reasons wouldn't say ranging from "coming home" to proving ones self in the premiere rugby league competition. Again, targeted one team?
Let's talk about some names you mentioned in your post.
Jamaal Lolesi - A Wests Tiger when we looked at him? I think not. He was a Canterbury Bulldog and free agent looking for a new team. Yes we missed out on him, though he was not a Wests Tiger - he was a NZ international that we showed an interest in moving on from Belmore.
Scott Prince - Don't compare Scott Prince's situation to that of Steven Price. Prince is born and bred in Mt Isa spending time with the Cowboys and Broncos before landing on his feet at Wests in which he has now resurrected his career. Price did not want to leave Canterbury, he made the decision to leave based on taking the contract that would best set him up after rugby league - a position a club or player should not be put in when he has played all of his footy there. But that's another topic.
Benji Marshall - You want to chastise Michael for showing interest in one of the hottest players in the game when he was looking at all offers on the table with his managers? Go right ahead, Michael would be out of a job if he did not put the club in a position to put our cards on the table.
Clinton Greenshields - Where are we on record as targeting a player with limited first grade experience? Greenshields has expressed his desire to head back home and we would be open to accomodating him if John Cartwright thought he could help us reach our goals over the next three years.
Ashton Sims and Matt Head - "Said to be targeted" - by whom? You got this from the forum where many a player (as we will discover in a moment) has been suggested by members.
Brett Delaney, Tim Smith & Fui Fui Moi Moi - as above, more forum talk. I can't remember Michael coming out telling the media or fans we were targeting any of these three. Tim Smith is a local and the media put two and two together, but haven't targeted him.
More gold to come...
In the leadup to the announcement of the 16th team, Searle got a lot of media mileage, spruiking that the Gold Coast Club was the more worthy applicant because it would help share the State of Origin burden by spreading QLD players between the Broncos, Cowboys and Gold Coast.
One has to ask, how is the signing of Brian Carney, and the pursuit UK based players Danny Ward, Sean O'Loughlin, Richard Mathers, Stuart Fielden, Paul Deacon and Jamie Lyon going to be good for Queensland Rugby League???
And your telling us this is the pass/fail mark when talking about the developement of QLD Origin players? Shall I remind you our first concern is putting together a team for the 2007 season - our recruitment policy has never been 'sign the Queenslander before the other player' bud. We will one day be in a position to "share the load", though it will take time. Look at NQ in their early days and compare that to now.
Whilst your at it pay a visit to the Titans Academy Elite squad. We are developing from the grass roots and will look at providing players to the Maroons in the future. "Rome was not built in a day" - Michael is a smart man and would not have dare dreamed up any idea that we were going to come in and share the burden with Brisbane and NQ in supplying talent to the QLD side from day one. Your twisting his words to suit your post - sounds like something from a failed 16th team bid personally.
Unbearable we are not going to please everyone at the Titans and no one is going to kid themselves in to thinking otherwise. You want to stick the boot in to Michael Searle who is has always been upfront and forthcoming when discussing player recruitement. Time and time again of late he has stated that 'we will not get into a bidding war for Scott Prince' and he (Prince) knows what we are offering him. The rest is up to him.
Spare us your soapbox posts - if you must, at least put more thought in to what your typing before stepping right on up.
Disgruntled bears fan perhaps? ;)
Enjoy the forums! :thumbsup: