Priddis to leave Penrith

[jenny]

League

Priddis to leave Penrith
By Philip Henderson And Todd Balym
July 06, 2007

PENRITH is set to lose all three of its 2007 co-captains next year, with premiership hooker Luke Priddis told today he was no longer wanted by the National Rugby League club.

Priddis has been given permission to speak to other clubs with the Panthers saying they will not stand in the way if he requests an early release from his current contract, which does not expire until next year.

Fellow co-captain Tony Puletua was last week told he could speak to other clubs, while Craig Gower has already been granted an early release to join French rugby union club Bayonne at the end of the season.

Should Priddis and Puletua both leave next season, it would leave the Panthers with just five members of their 2003 NRL premiership side - Luke Lewis, Rhys Wesser, Luke Rooney, Trent Waterhouse and Shane Rodney.

"It is pretty devastating news," Priddis told FOX SPORTS News. "Maybe I had my head in the sand because I didn't really see it coming.

"I've been carrying a bit of a (groin) injury over the last couple of weeks and although I'm happy with the coach's decision to rest me, I've been doing whatever I've been told to do to get the injury 100 per cent right.

"But to receive the news after the last couple of weeks, resting up obviously trying to make a comeback, which I would have thought would have hopefully been next week, it's devastating to be called into the office this morning to be told I'm no longer in Panthers' plans."

Priddis has missed the last two weeks and will not play tonight's NRL game with Wests Tigers at Telstra Stadium because of his groin concern.

Along with Gower, who will join French rugby club Bayonne at the end of the season, premiership-winning prop Joel Clinton has already signed with Brisbane from next year.

"Unbelievable," said former Panthers great Mark Geyer.

The Panthers had only just re-signed Priddis to a two-year deal last season - although the club has undergone a major shake up in 2007 under new coach Matt Elliott.

"I had the opportunity to leave the club at the end of last year but the club turned around and offered me a two-year contract, plus an option for 2009, so I was happy to take that," said Priddis.

'We were pretty settled in here and we were expecting to stay here for at least a minimum of two years. You do everything the coach and the club tells you to do on and off the field and then you're told that you're not wanted."

Priddis was rested for the third straight game tonight because of his groin complaint.

"When I was rested, I was told I looked a bit laboured on the field and obviously the injury that I was carrying they believed was hampering me.

"It's just hard to fathom when you're not given any feedback to get told all of a sudden that you're not wanted."

AAP

[chris_walker_fan86]

shame there all looking at leaving

[Titanium_BD1103]

shame there all looking at leaving

They aren't all looking at leaving.. they've all been told to go elsewhere by what can only be seen as a spring clean.. I mean even Wesser has been told his job is not safe.. and after another poor half of football, I can't say the management is stupid... just brave for doing it...

As for Priddis, apparently he is fuming about the fact that the Penrith club only told him this now, and reckons most of his options for a job in RL next season are now closed with places almost filled up... :hissyfit"

HOWEVER for a **RUMOUR**

According to sources at both Penrith and Bulldogs forums... there are rumours going around that Bulldogs management have had a chat to Priddis' manager about him coming to the blue and white... however that was before we re-signed Utai.

If we can't get a hooker from ESL such as Sullivan, this is certainly an option... I wouldn't worry about his age either, as it will allow us to train up a hooker for the future, either Dallas McIllwain, Daniel Holdsworth or keep training up Jamie Clark for a run in FG in a few years time.

As for issue of money, Priddis will go for a reasonable amount, but I don't think he'll want overs, he's already annoyed that Penrith have almost costed him a chance of playing NRL next sesaon, so he will want to settle his future before worrying about extravagant amounts of money.

The other rumour however is that the Bulldogs are after replacement hooker for the Eagles Matt Ballin, but something tells me now that the Eagles have lost Monaghan, that won't be happening anytime soon.

[mb63]

Elliott creating a negative impact at Penrith.Feel for Priddis

[chris_walker_fan86]

They aren't all looking at leaving.. they've all been told to go elsewhere by what can only be seen as a spring clean.. I mean even Wesser has been told his job is not safe.. and after another poor half of football, I can't say the management is stupid... just brave for doing it...

As for Priddis, apparently he is fuming about the fact that the Penrith club only told him this now, and reckons most of his options for a job in RL next season are now closed with places almost filled up... :hissyfit"

HOWEVER for a **RUMOUR**

According to sources at both Penrith and Bulldogs forums... there are rumours going around that Bulldogs management have had a chat to Priddis' manager about him coming to the blue and white... however that was before we re-signed Utai.

If we can't get a hooker from ESL such as Sullivan, this is certainly an option... I wouldn't worry about his age either, as it will allow us to train up a hooker for the future, either Dallas McIllwain, Daniel Holdsworth or keep training up Jamie Clark for a run in FG in a few years time.

As for issue of money, Priddis will go for a reasonable amount, but I don't think he'll want overs, he's already annoyed that Penrith have almost costed him a chance of playing NRL next sesaon, so he will want to settle his future before worrying about extravagant amounts of money.

The other rumour however is that the Bulldogs are after replacement hooker for the Eagles Matt Ballin, but something tells me now that the Eagles have lost Monaghan, that won't be happening anytime soon.

they can get better money at other clubs

[Titanium_BD1103]

they can get better money at other clubs

It's not always about Money... especially not with Puletua and Priddis..I think for them it would be more about a sense of belonging and assuring their future.. and besides, if they get released, Penrith will have to pay their contracts out.. which means the club that gets them will only have to pay for one season...

I reckon Puletua could be a good buy for the Titans, however I don't know if the GC can offer him adequate money, as a lot of players have already been bought.. but considering we had Frank... I reckon getting Tony might get them both and even if not, Tony is a great leader who could offer a lot to the club...

[Social Loafer]

Elliott

I've said enough about him in the past so will leave it at that.

[Ryan]

Elliott

I've said enough about him in the past so will leave it at that.

I was waiting for your post, you've run out of Elliot insults?

[PROMETHEUS]

It's not always about Money... especially not with Puletua and Priddis..I think for them it would be more about a sense of belonging and assuring their future.. and besides, if they get released, Penrith will have to pay their contracts out.. which means the club that gets them will only have to pay for one season...

I reckon Puletua could be a good buy for the Titans, however I don't know if the GC can offer him adequate money, as a lot of players have already been bought.. but considering we had Frank... I reckon getting Tony might get them both and even if not, Tony is a great leader who could offer a lot to the club...

On Priddis,he and his wife have set up the "Luke Priddis Foundation" to help parents of kids with autism and they have just enrolled their son in a special school,so to give him this news NOW is inept and uncaring by penrith.

On Puletua,he has had an erratic season and is a similar player to Carlaw..in fact T has been "soft" since they won the G.F and penrith dumped Gulavoe so i would say "thanks but no thanks" to T.

[jenny]

I was waiting for your post, you've run out of Elliot insults?

He's sharp as a tack Ryan...give him time

[jenny]

On Priddis,he and his wife have set up the "Luke Priddis Foundation" to help parents of kids with autism and they have just enrolled their son in a special school,so to give him this news NOW is inept and uncaring by penrith.

And they do a great job too...I have friends in Sydney who know just how much they do...Good People

[J-Storm]

I was waiting for your post, you've run out of Elliot insults?

I'm glad Schifty said it before I did. I agree with him 101%. Matt Elliott is a career & club killer. He did it in Canberra, Penrith now & who knows wherever next. I'm just hoping it's not next stop Melbourne :eyebrow:

[Ryan]

I'm just hoping it's not next stop Melbourne :eyebrow:

I hoping it is

[Social Loafer]

I was waiting for your post, you've run out of Elliot insults?

It's Impossible to run out when he just gives me so much more material each week

Elliott's sides have a tendency to shut up shop when they get a lead greater then 8 Points.
He has the amazing ability to turn fans against his coaching ability. Let's be honest here Canberra pretty much made the 8 Last year on the back on 4 Golden Point Victories, 2 of them had super human efforts from Todd Carney. He didn't coach that. Even when they went 20-4 in front I knew they would get run down.
The dropping and axing of Wallace just showed how clueless he is, and when a typical Westy turns his back on his Local Tevern and TAB to move to France you know there is issues within the ranks. Now he is asking Priddis and Puletua to look elsewhere???? Clueless...

and to top it off this..
Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23214,00.html
Elliott took over from John Lang at the start of 2007, and Priddis said several playmakers had been told in the pre-season to reel in their natural games under the new coach's style.

"At the start of the year, the more creative players were told that we need to put our tricks away in our bags in order to try and get the structure Matty wanted us to play," Priddis said.

"Most of the boys have gone away from their natural game and are playing the way that he wanted, and that's what I thought I was doing.
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Did I say when the season started that he would turn his team into a boring structured, up the middle, 1 out out, inside ball and Midfield bomb specialists. You need some creativity to win premierships, players like Marshall, Prince, Thurston have helped their sides by being creative..

[Ryan]

You did call it Shifty, maximum credit there.
Hopefully Titans can capitalise on this and reel in T.Puletua. I watched Hogdson and Stosic walk off last night screaming "fvck, there goes another 2 forwards....."