The Lote Tuqiri Thread

[Queenslander]

$600,000 to lure Lote

Peter Badel
February 10, 2007 11:00pm
Article from: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

WALLABY star Lote Tuqiri is prepared to rock the Australian Rugby Union and return to league if bidding NRL clubs deliver a financial package in excess of $600,000.

As Tuqiri enters the decisive stage of negotiations, The Sunday Mail can reveal the dual international will consider taking a significant pay cut to complete a code switch.

It was rumoured NRL clubs would lack the financial muscle and corporate resources to lure Tuqiri in the face of a massive four-year, $3.4 million offer from the ARU.

The Waratahs flyer earns an estimated $700,000 a season from his present deal, which expires after the World Cup in October.

But Tuqiri insists money is not his solitary concern, giving hope to NRL suitors who admit they cannot trump the ARU's fiscal power.

Tuqiri's business mentor Les Ross will meet the Roosters for a third time this week, and said the 27-year-old's asking price was not too exorbitant for elite footballing talent.

The NRL's marquee stars Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer and Mark Gasnier all earn upwards of $600,000, with their contracts bolstered by sponsorship deals.

"League clubs can be very competitive. They have the money and the corporate resources to find the funds for Lote," Ross said.

"The clubs are aware of Lote's asking price and it's up to them to structure a deal within the capacity of their salary cap and sponsorship arrangements. To get to the negotiating table the league clubs would have to table something competitive to that on offer in union.

"But Lote does not expect to earn a million dollars just by running on to a football field. He's not a money-hungry individual. It will be a balance between his personal and family needs and being appropriately rewarded for his ability."

While the majority of NRL clubs would baulk at offering a base contract of $600,000, Tuqiri could feasibly secure $500,000 a season, then top up any deal with $50,000 in NRL-sanctioned third-party agreements.

Tuqiri would also be able to use his brand to capitalise on additional corporate opportunities -- potentially pushing his package beyond $600,000.

Speaking before departing for South Africa with the Waratahs, Tuqiri said if money was the over-riding factor, he would have already committed to the ARU until 2011.

"I have to be happy," he said.

"As footballers we live a pretty good life as it is, but there's no use chasing the cash if you aren't satisfied within yourself.

"I must admit I'm pretty confused.

"I like rugby, but there are attractions about league.

"The international scene has come a long way since I left -- you do get itchy feet from time to time."

Ross said the Titans and Souths had emerged as major players in the fight for Tuqiri's signature, and the Gold Coast was offering a centre spot in a bid to entice him.

"We're very interested in Lote and we'll be making a formal offer at the end of the month," Titans managing director Michael Searle said.

Asked if the Titans could afford $600,000 a season, Searle said: "It would be very hard to fit a player under the cap at that price . . . but we believe we offer some inducements, such as lifestyle and a return home, that could attract Lote."

One club unlikely to snare Tuqiri is the Storm, who re-signed former Queensland Origin custodian Billy Slater a fortnight ago.

"But I was very impressed with Peter Holmes a Court (Souths co-owner) and Michael Searle," Ross said. "I had lengthy meetings with both of them. They understand the culture of rugby league and the vision for Lote.

"When Lote returns, we'll sit down, put all the offers on the table and he'll make a call. The ace up the sleeve for the Queensland clubs is that he'd be relocating back home."

The Sunday Mail

[Poida]

Roosters target Tuqiri

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23214,00.html

By Dean Ritchie
February 14, 2007

POWERFUL Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis yesterday became involved in his club's bid to sign Australia rugby star Lote Tuqiri.
It is understood Politis has met with Tuqiri's adviser Les Ross.

"We would love to have Lote in rugby league," Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan said.

"And if he wants to do that and stay in Sydney, then we'd love to have him in a Roosters jumper.

"Lote has been genuine in the meetings we have had and understands the salary cap constraints facing rugby league clubs."

South Sydney co-owner Peter Holmes a Court confirmed his club met with Ross last week.

[Poida]

Roosters likely wont get him.

[~Wild Child~]

Roosters likely wont get him.

Agreed..The roosters can target him all they like...They won't get him *hopes*

[Poida]

Agreed..The roosters can target him all they like...They won't get him *hopes*

He will likely go to one of the Qld teams. ( Hopes its Cowboys)

[~Wild Child~]

He will likely go to one of the Qld teams. ( Hopes its Cowboys)

lol
Apparantly he is being coveted by the Broncs...May the best team win.

[DIEHARD]

He'll likely return to rugby league and likely a Queensland team.

So I'm happy about that possibility.

It would be between Titans and Broncos, with Broncos being the favourites.

I just want him back in rugby league!

[Tamwelg]

He'll likely return to rugby league and likely a Queensland team.

So I'm happy about that possibility.

It would be between Titans and Broncos, with Broncos being the favourites.

I just want him back in rugby league!

As much as the Broncos are favourites because that was his old club, they have less room to move with their salary cap then the Titans do. I'd love to see him at the Titans, but I like DIEHARD will still be content knowing he is back playing rugby league.

[~Wild Child~]

Lote's mind in two places

From Peter Jenkins in Kimberley
February 15, 2007

NEW South Wales coach Ewen McKenzie claimed last night that history was repeating itself as Lote Tuqiri battles to find his best form during multi-million-dollar contract talks.

As Tuqiri prepares to fly home next week to sort through a barrage of offers from five NRL clubs and the Australian Rugby Union, McKenzie was not surprised at his wing star's admission he is fighting to block out the distractions.

"I discussed it with him back in August," McKenzie said as the Waratahs prepared for their clash with the Cheetahs in Kimberley on Sunday morning (AEDT).

"We always knew at some point it would weigh on his mind," he said.

The ARU has offered Tuqiri a four-year deal worth around $3 million through to 2011, but now are poised to lift the figure close to a $4 million package.

While uncertainty over the future of Tuqiri and key teammates remain, the Waratahs produced a brutal training run yesterday.

Five players - Adam Freier, Jeremy Tilse, Sam Norton-Knight, Josh Valentine and Wycliff Palu - finished the session with an assortment of head cuts, facial grazes and bloodied noses.

An opposed drill of eight-on-eight, dubbed the Ring of Fire by the Waratahs, left McKenzie beaming at the hard-nut attitude.

"A coach always enjoys seeing a bit of blood spilt," he said.

[DIEHARD]

Reds make play for Tuqiri

QUEENSLAND Reds yesterday made their pitch for Lote Tuqiri as his business adviser called on all parties interested in him to table their offers as soon as possible.

Tuqiri will arrive in Sydney today following the Waratahs' three-week stint in South Africa, with clubs from both codes queuing up for his services.

The Australian Rugby Union has already made a $3 million offer over four years but Tuqiri knocked that back before Christmas.

The ARU has given the Waratahs, Reds, Western Force and Brumbies until tomorrow to table bids for him, including third party endorsements.

NRL clubs Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters are also in the mix.

"The deadline we were working to was February 28 but we want to bring it forward as much as we can," Tuqiri's business adviser Les Ross said yesterday. "We're saying to them all try to bring your packages forward. Lote is a human being and with all this going on it's the biggest decision in his life.

"We all want the decision to be made as quick as possible so we can all focus on footy."

Ross said there was no favourite to secure Tuqiri despite speculation he was keen to return to his home state of Queensland.

"This decision will be made on a number of considerations including the impact on his family, his financial needs and his lifestyle," Ross said. "It will be a balance between the three and depending on who you talk to in NSW or Queensland they'll talk up the strength of their argument.

"Lote would love to live closer to his family but he also understands it's not always possible."

Ross met Reds coach Eddie Jones yesterday, a day after the Queensland Rugby Union appealed to the state's corporate sector to get behind an offer for Tuqiri.

The Reds would be desperate to lure the Waratahs wing north given their dearth of outside backs.

There is also a widespread belief Tuqiri played his best football since switching codes during Jones' four-year reign as Wallabies coach.

"The Reds are obviously very, very keen on trying to acquire Lote," Ross said.

Brisbane is favoured to snare Tuqiri, given he spent three years with the Broncos before switching codes in 2002. Talks with the club have been put on hold until next week when Broncos officials return from the World Club Challenge in England.

One of Tuqiri's first ports of call this week will be South Sydney, with Rabbitohs co-owner Peter Holmes a Court keen to expand on the club's vision for the future.

"We've said very clearly it's about football and he's got to like what we're doing from the football side," Holmes a Court said.

"That's why we'd like him to sit down with our football department this week and we can put forward our position to be competitive."

Gold Coast will make its formal offer to Tuqiri next week, with club officials quietly confident they can deliver the package necessary to snare the dual international's signature.

"Working within the bounds of the salary cap, you can't match what is being thrown around by rugby union," Gold Coast managing director Michael Searle said.

"We can certainly offer him very reasonable financial compensation, but more than that we will be pitching the lifestyle and opportunities available to him and his young family on the Gold Coast."

Searle said he would also use the endorsements of Tuqiri's close friends Chris Walker and Mat Rogers to help his cause.

The Australian - http://www.news.com.au

[~Wild Child~]

Rabbitohs test Tuqiri's conviction

• Stuart Honeysett and Brent Read
• February 22, 2007

SOUTH SYDNEY will not wave an open chequebook at Lote Tuqiri unless the Wallaby is genuine about returning to the NRL.

Tuqiri was given a tour of Erskineville Oval yesterday by Rabbitohs owner Peter Holmes a Court and spoke to coach Jason Taylor and trainer Errol Alcott. The winger is off contract with the Australian Rugby Union and exploring options in both codes.

Tuqiri, 27, has had feelers from the Waratahs and the Queensland Reds in rugby, while league clubs Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cronulla have expressed interest.

He would be forced to take a massive pay cut if he returned to the NRL, given that any club is unlikely to compete with the $3million, four-year deal on the table from the ARU because of salary cap constraints.

Souths have shown no fear in spending big under co-owners Holmes a Court and actor Russell Crowe after going on a huge recruitment drive last year, netting Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell and Nigel Vagana.

However, Holmes a Court said the club refused to throw money at players with the wrong motives.

"I'm not saying Lote is looking for a cheque; I know other people out there might be," he said. "We want to make sure all the people that come to this club are coming for the right reasons and that means we don't sit there and talk money before we talk football."

Tuqiri emerged from his 30-minute chat with coaching staff to declare he had been impressed by the Rabbitohs.

"They're on the way up and I'm just here to get that and get a bit more information on where they're going and what they're trying to do," Tuqiri said. "I found Peter Holmes a Court to be very smart in the way he's dealing with and running this club, mate.

"I think he's got some good ideas ... the way he hasn't been brought up in the rugby league world (means) he has different ideas on things and a different perspective."

Tuqiri said he was keen to take advantage of the Waratahs' bye this weekend to establish interest from all parties.

He conceded he was unlikely to make a decision before the Waratahs' next game, against the Western Force next Friday. "I'd like to get it out of the way sooner rather than later, and just coming here today was part of that," Tuqiri said.

"I'm getting an inkling of where to go with some teams and dot every I and cross every T before I make a decision. This will be the last contract (I sign) for playing in Australia of either code, so we'll just see where we go."

Tuqiri said he was unlikely to visit every club interested in him but conceded he was keen to see what his former club Brisbane could offer.

"Brisbane will always be there," Tuqiri said. "I'll be talking to (coach) Wayne (Bennett) over the next week or so."

Bulldogs officials will meet Sonny Bill Williams' management today to finalise a new contract. The Dogs have tabled a three-year deal worth $1.5million, a significant upgrade despite his knee injuries. Williams has managed only 42 games since his first-grade debut in 2004, yet the offer would make him the club's highest-paid player.

* Canberra is expected to name workaholic lock Alan Tongue as captain today.

Injured Wests Tigers pair Benji Marshall (shoulder) and Brett Hodgson (knee) will know today whether they can play in a trial against Souths-Logan in Brisbane on Saturday night.

Warriors five-eighth Jerome Ropati has re-signed until the end of 2009.

Former Queensland hooker John Doyle retired yesterday following the latest knee surgery.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...012431,00.html

[bigjim]

http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.a...E23214,00.html

Just came across this link on another site.

This may be old news, but I was confident that the Titans had the best chance with Lote. After reading the above link it would seem maybe the Broncos return to favour.

Has anyone heard further news regarding Tate's future.

[~Wild Child~]

http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.a...E23214,00.html

Just came across this link on another site.

This may be old news, but I was confident that the Titans had the best chance with Lote. After reading the above link it would seem maybe the Broncos return to favour.

Has anyone heard further news regarding Tate's future.

As far as Tate is concerned..no news is good news..for the Bronc's anyway.

[HighTitan]

Stuart weighing Tuqiri option
By Brent Read and Wayne Smith
February 26, 2007

LOTE Tuqiri is a target for the Sharks, but not so important that the club will risk losing youngsters such as Paul Gallen, Reece Williams and David Simmons, coach Ricky Stuart said yesterday.

The Sharks are among a number of NRL clubs bidding for the former Brisbane and now Australia rugby union wing, who has indicated he will consider returning to rugby league when his Australian Rugby Union contract expires at the end of the year.

The ARU is also in the process of formulating a revised bid for Tuqiri, although the union is expected to reduce its initial offer of close to $1million a season.

Tuqiri turned down an offer from the ARU just before Christmas, believed to have been a three-year deal worth about $2.4 million, which had an immediate sign-on component built into it.

"We certainly value Lote," ARU chief negotiator Pat Wilson said yesterday.

"We put in a healthy and attractive offer before Christmas based on him committing to rugby exclusively.

"We respect his right to explore other options but any offer we table in future will reflect that position."

Stuart has already met Tuqiri, and the coach is convinced the player is serious about a return to rugby league.

The Sharks and Australia coach is in the process of putting together a formal offer with the help of outside sponsors, which he hopes will be lucrative enough to convince Tuqiri to remain in Sydney and play with the Sharks.

"He would be outstanding for the club," Stuart said.

"He brings versatility as a player, he brings a great profile to the club.

"I'm really keen to sign him. He's a really important target for us.

"I have a figure in my head of what I think he's worth to the Sharks. It's a matter of him wanting to come.

"The most important thing for me is that he wants to play for Cronulla. I won't be signing any player for the sake of a contract.

"They have to want to play for the club, and support what we're trying to promote in terms of culture and attitude.

"I don't say that lightly. I'm adamant about that."

The difficulty for the Sharks and other NRL clubs bidding for Tuqiri - Gold Coast, Brisbane and South Sydney - is the fact that they must find room to pay him under the NRL's $4 million salary cap.

Stuart made it clear that the Sharks could ill-afford to use $400,000 of cap money on any player, particularly given the fact that Gallen, Simmons and Williams were among a group coming off contract at the end of the season.

That's where external sponsors are expected to play a key role in the Sharks' attempt to sign Tuqiri, who has indicated that he will be reticent to drop money in comparison with rugby union.

Gold Coast officials have been exploring outside sources while Souths majority owners Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe are expected to tap into their array of business contacts.

Brisbane is the wild-card, and Tuqiri will hold further talks this week with the Broncos and coach Wayne Bennett when they return from England.

"I won't be signing a player that's going to risk me losing players such as Gallen, Williams, Simmons and some of the junior players we're trying to re-sign," Stuart said.

"It's not worth signing a player if you're going to lose other players. It has to be third-party agreements that get him what he wants."

Queensland Rugby Union chairman Peter Lewis confirmed yesterday that the Reds were interested in signing Tuqiri, but he conceded that New South Wales would win out if money alone decided the issue.

"There has been some interest from the corporate community in supporting Lote with third-party sponsorships, and we've targeted a couple of them," Lewis said.

"We are quite genuine in our approach to him.

"It's no secret the Reds are skinny on outside backs.

"It's a case of asking Lote what he wants to be.

"We're told he'd rather be in Queensland and we're told he believes he plays his best rugby under Eddie Jones, so we're not without hope."

Nevertheless, Stuart believes Tuqiri is genuine in his desire to return to the NRL.

If Tuqiri does return, and if he signs for the Sharks, Stuart is looking at moving him from the wing, where he says Tuqiri's talents are wasted.

"If he's going to play for money, he will stay in rugby union," Stuart said.

"I honestly think he wants to come back to rugby league. I think he feels he's achieved what he wants to achieve in rugby union."

Gallen has meanwhile given an indication that he may explore the open market before deciding where he will play in 2008.

The NSW Blues back rower has begun talks with the Sharks after previously expressing his desire to remain at the club beyond this season.

"I was thinking about having a look at other options," he said.

"There have been some talks going on. I don't get involved in it. I did a few years ago and it put pressure on me."

The Australian

Source: www.foxsports.com.au

[Capital_Shark]

Good to hear from Stuart. While I'd love a player like Tuqiri at my club, I wouldn't be all too concerned if we didn't get him. He's a centre at best in league and they just aren't worth a sniff of what he's asking.

Interesting that Ricky said he wouldn't afford $400,000 to any player .. Look out Noddy, I see a pay cut.