Unhappy Rogers wants out, Tuqiri to go too
01 December 2006
By BRAD WALTER and GLENN JACKSON
Sydney Morning Herald
Wallabies star Lote Tuqiri is set to join a reportedly disillusioned Mat Rogers in a switch back to rugby league.
South Sydney revealed last night that the Tuqiri is their No.1 recruitment target for 2008 if he confirms a desire to switch codes again.
The Tuqiri/South Sydney revelations followed speculation last night that Rogers was planning to seek a release from the final year of his Australian Rugby Union contract to join the ***ans a season earlier.
"Russell Crowe is a huge fan of Lote Tuqiri and if he wants to come back to rugby league we would make him our priority signing for the 2008 season," Souths chief executive Shane Richardson told the Herald.
"I imagine Brisbane would have the best shot of getting him but we would definitely want to talk to him."
Cronulla are also keen on Tuqiri, and NRL chief executive David Gallop yesterday confirmed that the former Broncos Test winger's management had contacted him about the possibility of another code switch after next year's rugby World Cup.
"I was contacted by one of his advisers a few weeks ago," Gallop said.
"We had a discussion and I said that of course we were interested in him coming back to the NRL but we don't sign players, the clubs do.
" I also told them we wouldn't be able to do him any favours under the salary cap rules."
Rogers is already contracted to Gold Coast from the 2008 season but Channel Nine last night reported that he was so disillusioned with rugby union that he was considering bringing forward his return to his former code by a year.
***ans managing director Michael Searle said last night that while he had not heard directly from Rogers, he would seek him out today to gauge exactly where he stands.
While Searle acknowledged Rogers would have to take a "pretty big pay cut" if he were to quit rugby union, he said the ***ans still had room under their salary cap for 2007
"We haven't heard anything about it, but if he was [disillusioned] we'd be foolish not to sit down and talk to him," Searle said.
"We've got a bit left in the cap but he'd have to take a bit of a hit."
Asked last night if the ARU would be prepared to release Rogers, Flowers said: "I'm not going to speculate on things before they happen. I don't propose to enter into that territory.
"Mat's contracted to us next year. With rugby it's quite different too. He's not only contracted to the ARU, he's contracted to NSW as well.
"He's only just returned from the Wallaby tour and he played two full internationals at No.10.
"But I'll certainly be seeking clarification from Mat, because we want a team of players who are absolutely committed to the rugby World Cup."
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