Off the Record: Rugby League Transfer Gossip #16
Ferres to Wigan?
Brett Ferres is persona non grata at Huddersfield, unsurprisingly, after he took the idea of team bonding to strange new levels. The Giants want him gone and a move to the Sydney Roosters has already broken down. But we hear that Wigan are interested in bringing the England forward to the DW Stadium. Ferres’ tough, direct playing manner is the style that Shaun Wane likes in his teams and the back-rower may resurrect his career with the Warriors. But Ferres and Huddersfield don’t seem short of options, with Widnes and the Newcastle Knights also showing some interest.
Chasing their tail
The new owners of one club have been left holding the bag after they took over. One of our spies told us how this new group has been doing the rounds, making calls to buy things needed for the club and to book venues, to only found out that the previous owners have left them with quite a few debts to pay off. These owners were left in the dark and now are very red-faced. What a nightmare.
Mad Madge
Is Michael Maguire starting to get on people’s nerves at South Sydney? Talk is growing at Redfern that the playing group are becoming fed up with his hardline, intense approach. Souths botched the handling of the prescription drugs saga and the exit of Dylan Walkers has left a bad taste in the mouth for many. There’s already been a few other departures, with Isaac Luke to the Warriors and Chris McQueen to Gold Coast, and now Adam Reynolds has asked for a release and been knocked back. The Rabbitohs will have Sam Burgess back, and that’s something, but Greg Inglis could be gone in 12 months time. Maguire is a tough operator who likes to flog his players on the training paddock and it seems a few of his charges have had enough. Something to keep an eye on.
Hot halfback
A handful of clubs are trying to prise a talented young scrum-half away from one of their rivals. This kid made his Super League debut a few years ago and has spent time in the lower leagues on dual registration in recent seasons. The halfback, who is tied to his club until the end of the 2016 campaign and has played for England at youth level, has found first-team appearances limited. A few clubs want to snap him up but we understand his current team is keen to keep the exciting playmaker. A battle is looming for his services.
Magic mystery tour
Where will Titans dynamo James Roberts end up? After Gold Coast right royally stuffed his re-signed contract with a fake signature, Roberts is hot property in the NRL market. It seems everyone wants a piece of the speedy centre, from the Dragons to Souths, Panthers, Broncos and even the Tigers. It’s no surprising despite his past issues, Roberts is a gun and will play Origin footy in the next few years. Despite their cap issues it appears as though Brisbane will probably secure the Indigenous All Star, as the Kempsey-born flyer doesn’t want to return to Sydney.