I can confirm we have tabled an offer to Klemmer - actually this offer was made in February & included $150k TPA. Total package $750k which for the time being will operate as our maximum contract per player : Woods; Teddy; Moses; Brooks. $600k + TPA. All with annual reviews which by 3rd year could translate to $750k +$150k tpa.
Klemmer wants min 3 years ( ideally 4) & would sign for us for $900k 1st year - which rightfully we won't / can't pay.
Will probably remain at dogs for $600k + $200 TPA. = $800k.
Provided Farah moves on in 2017 to ESL or off field role we should be smooth sailing with cap, but have drawn a line in the sand re maximum $ contracts and contract terms ( 3years).
We are prepared to pay Farah up to $450k to move on next year. I cannot fault his professional attitude at training and have no evidence of him undermining Taylor in anyway. As previously stated he works a lot with Craig Sandercock and genuinely appears to have accepted his new role.
Chris Lawrence is simply an outstanding clubman and is very close to finalizing a restructured deal with the club, though Tim Sheens is now chasing hard from the UK -in simple terms we can't lose either way. Lawrence; Sue; Joel Edwards & Tyler Cassel are the best one on one defenders in the club. Lawrence has found a long overdue home in the second row and is a standout amongst the entire squad in terms of really loving the club and its supporters.
Harry has indicated he won't go over $1million in TPAs p.a. and would only ever consider buying 100% of club. As of Monday he now appears to have lost all interest in buying the club, but stands ready to assist with TPAs - he appears to take advice from Pascoe, Dawn Fraser, Aaron Woods and Robbie Farah, plus 1 Board member and 2 other commercial sponsors. He really likes Dawn but unfortunately Dawn doesn't really have a handle on football talent, though she is a staunch supporter of the club. Its no coincidence that Dawn's loyalties lie with the Balmain side of the joint venture and as such she can be relied upon to support those local juniors! Whilst Wests are virtually carrying the club officially, approximately 70% of all commercial sponsorship is linked back to Balmain connections within the club both current and historical.
Please don't misconstrue any of this as being an untenable relationship, on the contrary this 'tension' may prove to be a positive in terms of forcing quantifiable results. Mark O'Neils appointment illustrates how much clout the Balmain side of the joint venture still has - he is really close with Dawn Fraser. The retention or otherwise of the head coach will be a decision primarily for the Wests side of the joint venture - Taylor is seen as nominally a Wests appointment, Potter was a Balmain choice, Wests will likely be the principal shareholder by June when a decision on the coach will be made. At this stage Taylor is right in proclaiming he has 100% support at Board level, and whilst things remain in flux and this may change, it is likely he will survive unless the team falls well below 50% wins. A top 8 finish guarantees his job for a further 12 months and whilst Balmain reps have met with Cleary twice he now has a snowflakes chance of being appointed as their formal involvement in the joint venture is a best tenuous. Cleary at one point was in line for O'Neils job which would have been a Trojan horse ploy to get him into the club, but he showed himself to be a man of honour when asked by a Board member whether he was prepared to sign a declaration that he would not coach for at least 3 years - he would not sign this waver. It sounds messy I know but believe me when I say the team is now solely focused on playing and that Pascoe is doing an outstanding job as CEO. In summary there is a demarcation - players play and the admin team run the show with a highly tuned GPS.
I WOULD BE COMPLETELY GOBSMACKED IF WE DON'T MAKE THE GRAND FINAL IN 2017, THIS YEAR AS PREVIOUSLY STATED TOP 8 IF WE PICK OUR BEST AVAILABLE 17 EVERY WEEK!
As for SOO Daley has told the club only Woods, Farah & Teddy are under any serious consideration.
