Giant let down by chairman Ken
Published Date:
21 August 2008
WHEN is a big announcement not a big announcement?
When it's about season tickets, of course.
I had this awful feeling that Huddersfield boss Ken Davy's big news would end up being about something just the wrong side of mundane.
The Giants supremo had promised the "biggest announcement in the modern history of the club" at half time in Saturday night's clash with Catalans Dragons.
I don't know what the crowd who turned up to take advantage of free admission on the day and the thousands watching at home on live TV were expecting.
Darren Lockyer signing for 2010 via a video link, perhaps?
But when Davy unveiled his £80 season tickets - mirroring the £100 deal that has served his 'other' club, Huddersfield Town, so well - the sense of anti-climax was almost tangible.
A great deal? For sure.
But the biggest and best news ever? I think not.
The problem for Davy now is that when the Giants do sign Darren Lockyer, no one is going to turn up to listen to the announcement for fear of being duped by offers of cut-price admission.
HOW many troubled Australian half backs do Wigan want?
The Warriors already have Tim Smith, the former Parramatta player who quit the Eels after a string of alcohol related incidents.
Now Todd Carney, sacked by Canberra and blacklisted by the NRL after a similar catalogue of drink-fuelled trouble, is being touted as a target for Brian Noble's side.
Both are undoubtedly talented players, but both have more baggage than the average man in the street would take for a year overseas.
It seems ridiculous that Carney, having been told he cannot sign for another Australian club in 2009, could be welcomed on to these shores by the Rugby Football League.
If he's banned there, surely he should be banned here too?
I know we used to send our convicts to Australia, but I think it's a bit rich of them to try sending us their bad boys after all these years.
At a time when the NRL has more than a few problems with the behaviour of some of its star names, I would have thought one way to make the lessons sink in would be to close the loophole that allows them to come and get big money in England while they serve their time.
As for Carney, I wouldn't want to see the boy go hungry. I'm sure he could make a few Euros playing union in France if he gets bored in the interim...
TALKING of France, the Bulldogs have finally cut their losses with Sonny Bill Williams.
The Sydney giants will receive around £400,000 compensation for the loss of the the Kiwi superstar, who tore up his newly signed four year deal to ink a $3million contract with Toulon.
Canterbury had plenty in their favour: the law, the courts and the backing of the NRL.
But the reality is that they cannot force Williams to play for them.
And that, no matter what, is always the bottom line in any sport.
It's just that most players, unlike Williams, are not prepared to risk jail and asset seizure to make their point.
The full article contains 539 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
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Last Updated:
21 August 2008 8:31
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Halifax