Is it possible that any Tigers fan wouldn't want him to play here? Can't be.
I reckon that every team would give up quite a bit to get a Thurston. Some just don't want to. It takes a lot of work and restructuring.
IMO, whichever way you look at it, not making a play for Thurston doesn't make sense. Yes it would be a lot of work, but it would be worth it. I will explain why I think that:
In terms of $$, until I see a print out of the wages, P & L, whatever, then all this talk about us not having the cap space is pure speculation. Also, recently the cap was increased by about 1 million. Have the Tigers already spent that too? Surely not!
For those saying that we don't have the funds, I am guessing you have seen our books. I am also guessing you have seen the Bulldogs books and know that they do have the cap space to go for him?
The Roosters just went crazy with player purchases, Melbourne are still recruiting, so are the Sharks. Cowboys just signed Scott long term. Is this cheating the cap or creative accounting? Who knows, but all these clubs have found the money when it counted, so why can't we do that?
Maybe we are afraid of being outbid, or maybe we afraid of rejection.
On being Outbid: We should definitely throw our hat in and if we lose then so be it. I can wear that. I'd rather give it a good whack and lose than not try at all. Like it or not, not even trying IS defeatist.
On Rejection: Being afraid of rejection by JT himself is not defeatist, it's just an inferiority complex. True, he might not want to play here, but I could wear that if he came out and said it. At least we would have tried.
As a famous saying goes "It is better to have bid for Thurston and lost, than never to have bid at all".