Benji link and a $2m payday help lure Kiwi Blair to Tigers

[tom620]

Brad Walter
July 13, 2011

Blair switch … Adam Blair will provide the embattled Wests Tigers with a timely tonic. Photo: Steve Christo

WESTS TIGERS are today set to finally confirm the signing of the New Zealand Test forward Adam Blair on a four-year deal believed to be worth up to $2 million.

Blair, who is considered one of the best forwards in the game, has been strongly linked with the Tigers since the Herald revealed on March 24 that he was a recruitment priority for the club, but no announcement has been made until now.

The 25-year-old's impending arrival has sparked rumours of unrest at the Tigers, particularly after the long-serving prop Bryce Gibbs and boom forward Andrew Fifita were released to Cronulla for next season.
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There has also been speculation linking the Tigers with the Canberra fullback Josh Dugan, but chief executive Stephen Humphreys this week emailed the Raiders to reassure them that his club is not plotting a play for the NSW Origin star.

Gibbs had only recently agreed to terms for a three-year extension of his contract from next season.

Fullback Wade McKinnon and utility back Tim Moltzen have also been granted releases from their deals with the Tigers and there has been speculation about the futures of back-rower Chris Heighington and winger Beau Ryan.

The Tigers are today also expected to announce that Moltzen's release to join St George Illawarra next season as a replacement for the Newcastle-bound fullback Darius Boyd has been finalised, while McKinnon is headed to Hull KR.

Heighington, who has a British passport, has had approaches from up to five Super League clubs but does not want to play in England at this stage and will serve out the remaining two years of his contract with the Tigers. Ryan is also under contract to the Tigers for next season.

The Tigers are also expected to confirm that Parramatta centre Joel Reddy is joining the club next season but the major announcement will be the recruitment of Blair, who is one of the biggest signings in the joint venture's 12-year history. The Kiwis vice-captain was also sought after by Sydney Roosters, Parramatta and the Bulldogs, while the Storm did not want to lose him.

An obvious appeal for Blair at the Tigers was the presence of the New Zealand skipper, Benji Marshall, whom he has played alongside at Test level since 2008\. The pair helped lead the Kiwis to victories in the World Cup and Four Nations.

Blair was not on big money in Melbourne and the club could not match the Tigers offer, which was described to the Herald last night as his ''big payday'' after six years behind the likes of Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater in the pecking order at the Storm.

The Storm are in talks with the former Test back-rower Ryan Hoffman, who coincidentally is a Wests Tigers junior, about returning to Melbourne from Wigan next year after being forced out of the club at the end of last season due to the salary cap scandal.

Meanwhile, the Sharks yesterday announced the signing of Newcastle hooker Isaac De Gois, Knights prop Mark Taufua and Dragons front-rower Jon Green, while Matthew Wright has re-signed. De Gois has signed a three year deal, while Taufua, Green and Wright will be with the club until the end of the 2013 season. The new signings follow the recruitment of Gibbs, Fifita, the Parramatta halfback Jeff Robson and Gold Coast second-rower Sam Tagataese, who has already joined the club after securing a mid-season transfer before the NRL's June 30 deadline.

Canberra yesterday extended the contract of the back-rower Shaun Fensom until the end of the 2014 season.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/benji-link-and-a-2m-payday-help-lure-kiwi-blair-to-tigers-20110712-1hca3.html#ixzz1RtvDK6Km

 

[tom620]

i hope this is correct:
"Heighington, who has a British passport, has had approaches from up to five Super League clubs but does not want to play in England at this stage and will serve out the remaining two years of his contract with the Tigers."

Cant believe it. Will be watching the Tigers website like a hawk!

 

[Discussion_Bot]

WESTS TIGERS are today set to finally confirm the signing of the New Zealand Test forward Adam Blair on a four-year deal believed to be worth up to $2 million.

Blair, who is considered one of the best forwards in the game, has been strongly linked with the Tigers since the Herald revealed on March 24 that he was a recruitment priority for the club, but no announcement has been made until now.

The 25-year-old's impending arrival has sparked rumours of unrest at the Tigers, particularly after the long-serving prop Bryce Gibbs and boom forward Andrew Fifita were released to Cronulla for next season.
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There has also been speculation linking the Tigers with the Canberra fullback Josh Dugan, but chief executive Stephen Humphreys this week emailed the Raiders to reassure them that his club is not plotting a play for the NSW Origin star.

Gibbs had only recently agreed to terms for a three-year extension of his contract from next season.

Fullback Wade McKinnon and utility back Tim Moltzen have also been granted releases from their deals with the Tigers and there has been speculation about the futures of back-rower Chris Heighington and winger Beau Ryan.

The Tigers are today also expected to announce that Moltzen's release to join St George Illawarra next season as a replacement for the Newcastle-bound fullback Darius Boyd has been finalised, while McKinnon is headed to Hull KR.

Heighington, who has a British passport, has had approaches from up to five Super League clubs but does not want to play in England at this stage and will serve out the remaining two years of his contract with the Tigers. Ryan is also under contract to the Tigers for next season.

The Tigers are also expected to confirm that Parramatta centre Joel Reddy is joining the club next season but the major announcement will be the recruitment of Blair, who is one of the biggest signings in the joint venture's 12-year history. The Kiwis vice-captain was also sought after by Sydney Roosters, Parramatta and the Bulldogs, while the Storm did not want to lose him.

An obvious appeal for Blair at the Tigers was the presence of the New Zealand skipper, Benji Marshall, whom he has played alongside at Test level since 2008\. The pair helped lead the Kiwis to victories in the World Cup and Four Nations.

Blair was not on big money in Melbourne and the club could not match the Tigers offer, which was described to the Herald last night as his ''big payday'' after six years behind the likes of Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater in the pecking order at the Storm.

[Source](http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/benji-link-and-a-2m-payday-help-lure-kiwi-blair-to-tigers-20110712-1hca3.html)

 

[GNR4LIFE]

hell yeah :righton:

 

[watersiders]

2 million bucks on this guy? You have got to be [This word has been automatically removed]ing kidding me! No way he is worth it!

I know he is good, but that money could be far better spent if you ask me, thats like 6 promising juniors or 2 current good players.

 

[Tigerdave]

Well, I hope it will be announced and the money? phew yeah that is a bit pricey, hope he's worth it

"Heighington, who has a British passport, has had approaches from up to five Super League clubs but does not want to play in England at this stage and will serve out the remaining two years of his contract with the Tigers. Ryan is also under contract to the Tigers for next season."

Interesting, so if that is accurate, then we've only lost Gibbs, Fifita, Moltzen and McKinnon

 

[tom620]

i am not so up to speed on the contracts within the nrl, but who else is on an average of 500k a year?

its the same as benji's upgrade (4 years at 2 million)

Blair better win the golden boot.. :stuck_out_tongue:

 

[alien]

blair was one of the best props in the world a few years ago. i wonder if he will move back to prop because a good prop or 2 is what we need to buy considering gibbs, fifita and payten are leaving.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

blair was one of the best props in the world a few years ago. i wonder if he will move back to prop because a good prop or 2 is what we need to buy considering gibbs, fifita and payten are leaving.

500K to play in thr front row? i hope not

 

[westy81]

Another good prop is what we needed in the team Gibbs wasn't doing anything but giving penalties and we have young props comin up into 1st grade to learn from the experienced guys like Galloway and Blair, Blair will be a good acquisition to the team at prop he is experienced and has played alot of tests for NZ
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[GNR4LIFE]

blair was one of the best props in the world a few years ago. i wonder if he will move back to prop because a good prop or 2 is what we need to buy considering gibbs, fifita and payten are leaving.

Matt Bell is suppose to be at pretty good odds to be signed aswell

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Another good prop is what we needed in the team Gibbs wasn't doing anything but giving penalties and we have young props comin up into 1st grade to learn from the experienced guys like Galloway and Blair, Blair will be a good acquisition to the team at prop he is experienced and has played alot of tests for NZ
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Posted using RoarFEED

you don't want to spend 500K on a guy and then waste him in the front row :brick:

 

[bigsiro]

GREAT GREAT SIGNING
Front Row, Second Row, Third Row, Fourth Row…WHO CARES?
This is the most high-profile player I can think of us signing as a joint venture (except right at the beginning of the merger).
Regarding the price - sometimes you have to pay a bit over for the real quality players.
Better than the alternative: not signing him and regretting it.

This is awesome. AWESOME!

PS - Gallen played front row in origin II and it was one of the greatest ever origin performances.

 

[alien]

blair was one of the best props in the world a few years ago. i wonder if he will move back to prop because a good prop or 2 is what we need to buy considering gibbs, fifita and payten are leaving.

500K to play in thr front row? i hope not

we shouldnt be spending $500,000 on him to play anywhere. hopefully its only $300,000 from the salary cap and $200,000 is from a 3rd party

 

[bonstonker]

blair was one of the best props in the world a few years ago. i wonder if he will move back to prop because a good prop or 2 is what we need to buy considering gibbs, fifita and payten are leaving.

500K to play in thr front row? i hope not

we shouldnt be spending $500,000 on him to play anywhere. hopefully its only $300,000 from the salary cap and $200,000 is from a 3rd party

highly unlikely.
people need to remember you only get 300k total per team for 3rd party payments.
we were told when lote signed that a good chunk of his contract was from 3rd party deals.
i'm sure benji has some as well.

every club would be trying to use all 300k of the allowance each year.
so i doubt there was much left if any that would go towards the blair contract.

 

[happy_tiger]

2 points
1 Does anyone know if this info is on the mark ??
2 I thought the maximum one player could get in 3rd party deals was $150 k ??
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Is this the tonic our 2011 season needed also ??

Not overly keen on Reddy , but didn't he come to grade as a fullback at Parra ??

If it is true about Reddy ,lets hope his signing is as good as the last fullback we got from Parramatta

 

[happy_tiger]

The Age is running the same story . Is this finally happening :righton:

 

[alien]

2 points
1 Does anyone know if this info is on the mark ??
2 I thought the maximum one player could get in 3rd party deals was $150 k ??
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Is this the tonic our 2011 season needed also ??

Not overly keen on Reddy , but didn't he come to grade as a fullback at Parra ??

If it is true about Reddy ,lets hope his signing is as good as the last fullback we got from Parramatta

I would have thought Reddy would play right wing as he used to be a very good finisher outwide and in my opinion he was a bit under-rated. brown could be given first shot at fullback next season

i still say we need to buy a good prop if blair is going to play 2nd row. im not sure why we need to spend $500,000 on a 2nd rower when we have ellis and dwyer 😕

 

[happy_tiger]

2 points
1 Does anyone know if this info is on the mark ??
2 I thought the maximum one player could get in 3rd party deals was $150 k ??
\
\
Is this the tonic our 2011 season needed also ??

Not overly keen on Reddy , but didn't he come to grade as a fullback at Parra ??

If it is true about Reddy ,lets hope his signing is as good as the last fullback we got from Parramatta

I would have thought Reddy would play right wing as he used to be a very good finisher outwide and in my opinion he was a bit under-rated. brown could be given first shot at fullback next season

i still say we need to buy a good prop if blair is going to play 2nd row. im not sure why we need to spend $500,000 on a 2nd rower when we have ellis and dwyer 😕

Alien Makes no sense If Brown will get first shot at fullback next year why is it not happening now . Sheens has something else in mind I think

 

[smoking_gun]

blair was one of the best props in the world a few years ago. i wonder if he will move back to prop because a good prop or 2 is what we need to buy considering gibbs, fifita and payten are leaving.

500K to play in thr front row? i hope not

we shouldnt be spending $500,000 on him to play anywhere. hopefully its only $300,000 from the salary cap and $200,000 is from a 3rd party

highly unlikely.
people need to remember you only get 300k total per team for 3rd party payments.
we were told when lote signed that a good chunk of his contract was from 3rd party deals.
i'm sure benji has some as well.

every club would be trying to use all 300k of the allowance each year.
so i doubt there was much left if any that would go towards the blair contract.

Actually it's 300k from CLUB sponsors. A player can get paid anything from anyone as long as they aren't affiliated with the wests tigers club. Like Nathan cayless from parramatta. He used to "work" at a real estate company 1 day a week and was paid 150k a tear off this company.