Danny Ward a Titan?

[Eel 33]

No, p*** off you poor excuse for pommy journos. We don't want your outcasts in our new team. Titans management, don't do it.

[DeeGan]

This potential signing has me in two minds, why?



1. Danny Ward is what I like to call a "young bull" (young prop with that grunt you need up front and he will get better as he matures) with big match experience at club and international level. We as a new club are looking for the "cream of the crop" and as far as props go he is one of the best available for 2007.

At the minute we have Luke Bailey who IMO is the best prop in the game when fit. We also have the emerging Anthony Laffranchi who is a local boy destined for perhaps higher honors in this game after a breakout season in 2005 with the Wests Tigers. Laffranchi if need be can pack into the second row as well.

I believe a contending NRL team needs a really good three man prop rotation in the modern game, signing Ward gives us that. If we are looking at what will help find success in 2007, the Ward signing does make sense.

2. "We will sign the person before the player", a quote I agree with though I would like to think we are not going to toe the line of being morally above a player guilty of a making a mistake that better players in the past have made e.g. Brad Fittler when as Australian captain was arrested for a alcohol related instance. There is a fine line here.

I don't know the FULL STORY on Danny Ward. I know of the drink driving conviction, I know of a run in with coach Tony Smith when in France - whilst the drink driving is inexcusable, do we have the right to label him "damaged goods"?

edit - After re-reading the article, I notice there is two drink related instances prior to the drink driving charge - hmm.

"Damaged goods" at 25? I don't think so. A mate of mine from school beat worse demons at the age of 33 and is now a successful real estate agent in Sydney. The trappings of being a professional sportsman though is a different kettle of fish.

The IRL board needs to come down on the NRL and Super League ensuring tougher penalties are handed out to players who are guilty of alcohol related offenses that damages our game.

"One bitten, twice shy"

If Ward comes back a better person after this recent sacking, I believe he is deserving of a second chance. For all we know he may just look at community initiatives in the UK promoting awareness about drink driving.

Will signing Danny Ward damage our reputation? IMO no - from memory he is not a serial offender, he is a young guy guilty of making an inexcusable error in better judgment.

edit - there is potential for 'egg on our face' here due to the player in question striking out three times' though. Do we believe a new team, a new country can steer this guy in the right direction?

Again, if Michael and John think Ward will not fit in with the culture we are bringing to the NRL, he won't be signed. We as fans IMO should be looking at this from all angles, not just the one reported recently.

This will be every bit as interesting as the possible signing of Prince and Mathers.

DeeGan

[Kingytek]

Very True Deegs,
If Titans felt that he would be a good signing then they could possibly look into a 1 Strike option rather then 3 because of previous behaviour. Make it publically known if we have to and have it written up in the contract etc. If this was the case and we offered the edited contract to him, he may not accept knowing that his actions can result in a sacking.

[DIEHARD]

Please Titans, just put a big red line through his name and move on.

[DeeGan]

BTW, the same quote from Carty can be used re: the possible signing of Ward which simply put is "There has been no pre-contract agreement signed by any of them. We'll continue to monitor the positions we need to cover as we get closer to June 30"

DeeGan

[DeeGan]

From bbc.co.uk

Ward apologises after Leeds exit

Great Britain prop Danny Ward has issued an apology after he was dismissed by Leeds earlier this week.

The 25-year-old was sacked less than four weeks before the start of the new Super League season after a series of unspecified breaches of club rules.

It is believed up to four Super League clubs have already expressed interest in signing the player.

"Danny is deeply embarrassed and upset by the contract termination," said his agent Ron Hill in a statement.

"He would like to apologise to all the supporters, chairman Paul Caddick, chief executive Gary Hetherington, head coach Tony Smith and all his playing and working colleagues at Headingley, for any shame he has brought upon the club.

"His unreserved thanks go out to everyone associated with his success in rugby league culminating in achieving Great Britain status and many honours as part of the successful Rhinos team.

"There will be no further comment from Danny on his dismissal as he looks forward to trying to resurrect his career in pastures new."

Wakefield, who have a squad vacancy following the collapse of Craig Hall's move, and Castleford have both expressed some interest in Ward.

"Danny is a player I admire, and we have one place open on the 20-20 rule. But I would prefer a centre or winger," said Wildcats coach Tony Smith.

"We're not going to rush in and spend money now. Something always crops up."

Ward made 135 appearances after joining the club from Dewsbury Moor in 1999 and was a member of their Grand Final-winning team in 2004.

He is understood to have had a run-in with Smith while the club were in Perpignan for a match against London last year.

A conviction for drink-driving at the end of 2005 was another black mark against the son of former Leeds captain and coach David Ward.

Hill is confident Ward will secure a new deal by the time the season begins on 10 February.

The main obstacle is the 20/20 rule, where each club can have a maximum of 20 players earning more than ?20,000.

Hill said some Super League clubs had room to manoeuvre within their salary cap, but had already taken up all the places available in the 20/20 rule.

BBC Sport also understands that the new Australian club, Gold Coast, had expressed an interest in signing him for their inaugural 2007 season.

Good to see from Danny Ward - I hope this most recent issue is dead and burried with the media letting him get on resurrecting a promising rugby league career.

A big loss for Leeds, for the Rhinos sake I hope Jamie Pea**** can fill the void given we will also be without Mark O'Neill for the start of the season.

DeeGan

[Kingytek]

Sometimes people know when they have stuffed up and they do change! See how he goes this year and maybe who knows!

[The Original Idiot]

Now I say go hard for Stuart Fielden, forget Ward.

[DeeGan]

Now I say go hard for Stuart Fielden, forget Ward.

Most definately, though typing that is easier than actually doing it with the big man most likely commanding top dollar. With Bailey signed, the need for another world rated prop is not a priority with Laffranchi in our stable as well.

I would make a play for Scott Prince first

DeeGan

[Queenslander]

I would go hard for Scott Prince first

And hope that the Tigers play "hard-ball" with him

[DeeGan]

And hope that the Tigers play "hard-ball" with him

Edited my post

DeeGan

[Queenslander]

Edited my post

DeeGan

You know what?...i didnt even notice that .....

I would go hard for Scott Prince first

[Super Cronk]

The British contingent at NRL newcomers the Gold Coast Titans may soon double after the Titans joined the queue for rugby league bad boy Danny Ward.

After securing flying Irish winger Brian Carney for their 2007 debut season, Gold Coast coach John Cartwright has his sights set on props with sacked Leeds forward Ward high on the list.

Titans executive director Michael Searle confirmed English reports that they had expressed interest in the Great Britain frontrower who controversially had his contract torn up by Leeds last week.

The 25-year-old prop was dumped for "a series of breaches of club rules over the last 12 months".

But his sacking has not quashed demand for Ward - his agent Ron Hill said he had already spoken to four English and "several" Australian clubs.

"There are still a number of options on both sides of the water," Hill told The Guardian newspaper of Ward who played his last game in Leeds' Super League grand final loss to Bradford in October.

Searle said Cartwright's priority was finding a front row partner for Test prop Luke Bailey.

"The next marquee player we would be looking would be a frontrower," he said.

"Danny's name has come up with our head coach (Cartwright).

"Front rowers is something we will certainly be looking at on the market after the anti-tampering deadline lifts on July 1."

Ward - the son of former Leeds captain and coach David Ward - played 135 senior games for the Rhinos and earned his first Great Britain cap two years ago.

The "deeply embarrassed" prop issued a statement shortly after his sacking to apologise for his behaviour at Leeds.

Ward may look to sign with an English club for the new Super League season starting on February 10 before heading to the NRL.

Ward's former Leeds team-mate Richie Mathers is also in the Titans' sights.

"We have a strong interest in Richie. Negotiations are on-going with his management - we are not in a hurry," Searle said.

"Fullback is a position we need to fill and by all reports in the UK he is the next Great Britain fullback.

"We will monitor him closely over the next couple of months."

Searle said the Titans were already waiting nervously for the anti-tampering deadline to expire to approach the likes of Wests Tigers halfback Scott Prince.

"It's like waiting for Christmas," he said.

"Lots of clubs will be interested in Scott by then (July 1) so that will bump up his price and the Tigers may have re-signed him by then.

"But at the moment we already have four halfback options."

smh.com.au

[The Original Idiot]

^ I wonder who the other three halfback options are. Still anxiously waiting the next player signing, there hasn't been one for ages!

[DeeGan]

I have it on good authority that Danny Ward will not be a Gold Coast Titan

DeeGan