Dakink
21-02-06, 12:34 PM
Cowboys out of race for Prince
By Brent Read
February 21, 2006
THE chances of Scott Prince remaining at Wests Tigers next year improved yesterday when North Queensland decided not to make an offer to the Australia halfback.
Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr and coach Graham Murray decided at a meeting yesterday not to enter the race for Prince, who has been granted permission by the Tigers to speak to the NRL's three Queensland clubs.
The Cowboys' decision leaves Brisbane and Gold Coast competing with the Tigers for Prince's signature.
Broncos coach Wayne Bennett is expected to speak with Prince today before chief executive Bruno Cullen flies to Sydney tomorrow to have a meeting with the halfback and his manager, Steve Robinson.
Titans chief executive Michael Searle is also likely to hold talks with the pair tomorrow.
The Broncos and Titans have until February 28 to lodge formal offers.
Privately, however, the Tigers had viewed the Cowboys as their greatest threat.
North Queensland stood a genuine chance of luring Prince back to the club nine years after he made his first grade debut in Townsville.
Prince still owns property in the city and his partner, Kristy, spent time in Townsville when Prince was overseas on last year's Kangaroos tour to the UK.
However, Parr said the club had decided it was too early to make a decision on playing staff for 2007.
"We won't be offering Scott a contract at this stage," Parr said. "We weren't prepared to do that until we assessed our own players' form during the year. We're happy with the squad we have got.
"All I can say is the timing isn't right at the moment."
Parr said the club would reconsider its position if Prince remained off contract after the NRL's June 30 anti-tampering deadline.
However, that looks an unlikely proposition, with Prince and the Tigers desperate to have a decision by March 3 - a week before the premiership starts.
Prince's halves partner Benji Marshall will have to wait another two weeks to find out when he can return from off-season shoulder surgery.
Marshall, expected to return in the early rounds of the premiership, visited the specialist yesterday. He will return within a fortnight for further examination and could even be available for the club's opening premiership game against St George-Illawarra.
There was no such luck for Sharks forward Paul Gallen, who will miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery yesterday on a bulging disc in his back. Gallen, the Sharks' best forward last season, could miss up to five weeks.
Manly five-eighth Travis Burns could miss Saturday night's trial against the Tigers at Brookvale Oval after being charged with a grade one dangerous throw by the NRL match review committee yesterday. Burns could face a one-week suspension.
South Sydney teenager Beau Champion was the only other player charged yesterday (grade one careless high tackle).
He will plead guilty but will not accrue enough penalty points to be suspended.
The Australian
Interesting - though they are well served in that department. I personally think he will remain at the Tigers, though this serves the Titans well with their attitude of making an offer and refusing to be enticed into a bidding war.
By Brent Read
February 21, 2006
THE chances of Scott Prince remaining at Wests Tigers next year improved yesterday when North Queensland decided not to make an offer to the Australia halfback.
Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr and coach Graham Murray decided at a meeting yesterday not to enter the race for Prince, who has been granted permission by the Tigers to speak to the NRL's three Queensland clubs.
The Cowboys' decision leaves Brisbane and Gold Coast competing with the Tigers for Prince's signature.
Broncos coach Wayne Bennett is expected to speak with Prince today before chief executive Bruno Cullen flies to Sydney tomorrow to have a meeting with the halfback and his manager, Steve Robinson.
Titans chief executive Michael Searle is also likely to hold talks with the pair tomorrow.
The Broncos and Titans have until February 28 to lodge formal offers.
Privately, however, the Tigers had viewed the Cowboys as their greatest threat.
North Queensland stood a genuine chance of luring Prince back to the club nine years after he made his first grade debut in Townsville.
Prince still owns property in the city and his partner, Kristy, spent time in Townsville when Prince was overseas on last year's Kangaroos tour to the UK.
However, Parr said the club had decided it was too early to make a decision on playing staff for 2007.
"We won't be offering Scott a contract at this stage," Parr said. "We weren't prepared to do that until we assessed our own players' form during the year. We're happy with the squad we have got.
"All I can say is the timing isn't right at the moment."
Parr said the club would reconsider its position if Prince remained off contract after the NRL's June 30 anti-tampering deadline.
However, that looks an unlikely proposition, with Prince and the Tigers desperate to have a decision by March 3 - a week before the premiership starts.
Prince's halves partner Benji Marshall will have to wait another two weeks to find out when he can return from off-season shoulder surgery.
Marshall, expected to return in the early rounds of the premiership, visited the specialist yesterday. He will return within a fortnight for further examination and could even be available for the club's opening premiership game against St George-Illawarra.
There was no such luck for Sharks forward Paul Gallen, who will miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery yesterday on a bulging disc in his back. Gallen, the Sharks' best forward last season, could miss up to five weeks.
Manly five-eighth Travis Burns could miss Saturday night's trial against the Tigers at Brookvale Oval after being charged with a grade one dangerous throw by the NRL match review committee yesterday. Burns could face a one-week suspension.
South Sydney teenager Beau Champion was the only other player charged yesterday (grade one careless high tackle).
He will plead guilty but will not accrue enough penalty points to be suspended.
The Australian
Interesting - though they are well served in that department. I personally think he will remain at the Tigers, though this serves the Titans well with their attitude of making an offer and refusing to be enticed into a bidding war.