We have to stand firm. A contract is a contract unless both parties agree to mutually terminate. There is no compassionate grounds. Only the Eels now wanting to keep him on more than they were originally offering when he agreed to sign with us.
We have to be clear to IP and his management, that they need to acknowledge what is fair & reasonable:
- We have made roster decisions since his signing based on him being here & how much cap space he is taking up. For example, if he didn't sign it may have completely altered our offers to Luciano & Kelma, we may have gone all out to re-sign Garner & we may have upped our 'supposed' offers to Briton Nikora & Angus Chrichton.
SURELY HIS MANAGEMENT & IP UNDERSTAND THIS and the ramifications it can have for our Club for years.
Now what is possibly fair & reasonable, is that if IP wants us to agree to a contract termination, we must sign another backrower of similar value & qualities as a replacement. The onus must be on his management to help in these negotiations and the arrange the difference in salary for this NEW player to come from the Eels.
There are probably only 2 backrowers (maybe 3) that I would consider:
Liam Martin
Angus Crichton
Jack Howarth (for his potential to be the next big thing)
So let's say Liam Martin wants $650k, then Eels must pay the difference to what IP would be paid by us.
Thoughts?