Off the Record: Rugby League Transfer Gossip #14
Money troubles
Talk comes to us of a lower-league club struggling to pay its bills. This side, which plays in the Championship, is on thin ice financially we are led to believe. They have been doing well on the field in terms of results in recent seasons, but off the field things are much darker and its future could be precarious.
Bunking with Bailey
The signing of bad boy Ryan Bailey by Warrington has certainly split the Wire fans. Some think the former Leeds hardman deserves a second chance, others think it’s a disastrous move from Tony Smith. But quite interesting is Bailey’s choice of flatmate in Cheshire. We hear Bailey is living with fellow new arrival Tom Lineham, who has joined from Hull FC. The 31-year old prop and the 23-year old winger, the original odd couple.
Pushing for pay
One club outside of Super club been taking a pasting on Twitter from several different sources. This semi-pro outfit has been accusing of not paying its players, both by its current and ex-players. Certain individuals have been bombarding management with their requests to be paid on social media. It looks like they have, for now anyway, but we think there is more to come on this front. Tweet on.
Big guns return
Brisbane are plotting some big name raids to strengthen their NRL squad. Ben Te’o is keen on a return to rugby league, after a sojourn in Irish rugby union, and appears likely to rejoin his old club. And word spreads that Wayne Bennett trying to pry Greg Inglis north as well. A move to the Broncos by GI fell apart back in 2010, for a number of reasons, but there is a chance the fullback could be at Suncorp Stadium in 2017. The expectation is that skipper Corey Parker will have hung up his boots at the end of 2016, which will help make room for the Aboriginal dynamo.
Gone Grevsmuhl
The squeeze to fit Sam Burgess in at Souths has already claimed Dylan Walker and boom rookie Chris Grevsmuhl may be next. Tipped as a future Origin player, Grevsmuhl had an awesome 2015 season and has a bright future in front of him. But the Rabbitohs are struggling for cap space and the young Queenslander could be sacrificed. Penrith are after the 22-year old forward, while Gold Coast still have money to spend after missing several targets. The Panthers appear favourites to land the Sydney-based Grevsmuhl.