NRL transfers news: Wests Tigers rift with Josh Aloiai deepens, Seyfarth wants to stay
The divide between Josh Aloiai and the Wests Tigers appears unfixable after a series of public barbs overnight.
NRL
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Wests Tigers have cancelled a scheduled meeting with Josh Aloiai as the situation between the club and its star player becomes untenable.
The Tigers hierarchy were due to meet with Aloiai’s manager Tyran Smith on Wednesday but the club has now put off the meeting after both parties traded public barbs on Tuesday night.
While it has become clear Aloiai has almost certainly played his final game for the club the Tigers will now work towards receiving compensation from the Sea Eagles in order to release the prop a year early.
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Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis said the meeting served no purpose.
“What would be the utility of the meeting”,” Hagipantelis said.
“Josh has made his position very very clear to the club and publicly as has the club. Unless there is a proposal for some resolution what would be the purpose of the meeting?.”
Manly boss Stephen Humphreys denied any deal had been struck between Aloiai and the Sea Eagles.
“We rate Josh very highly both as a player and a leader,” Humphreys said. “He’s contracted to the Wests Tigers for 2021. We are very interested in attracting him to the Sea Eagles from the 2022 season. We’ve had some discussions with him and his manager about that. We remain hopeful.”
Hagipantelis said a breakdown in contract negotiations between Aloiai and the Wests Tigers has led to the 25-year-old asking for an immediate release to join Manly.
But in retaliation to Wests Tigers and Hagipantelis’ gardening threat, Aloiai dug his heels in with a comical Instagram story.
Aloiai photoshopped his head on a gardener mowing a lawn with the caption “I’ll make sure it’s a super fast track boys”.
Aloiai quickly deleted the post which Hagipantelis labelled “disrespectful”.
Hagipantelis said there was no chance the club would entertain letting one of their best players go a year early.
“He is either a Wests Tiger or he is mowing the lawns at Leichhardt or Campbelltown or painting the change rooms at Concord — as long as he fulfils his contract,” Hagipantelis said.
“Anecdotally we are told he has come to an agreement with Manly for 2022 and 2023. I was informed that the ‘22 and ‘23 deal may be contingent on a release for 2021.
“There will be no release of Josh from his 2021 contract unless the club agrees to an advantageous outcome. We had entertained negotiations with Josh so one can assume (he has a more financially rewarding offer elsewhere).
“Perplexing and disappointing that a failed contract negotiation would be met for a release with a level of disrespect to the current employer.”
Hagipantelis said the Tigers had been used as a doormat for too long.
“There will be no release of Josh from his 2021 contract unless the club agrees to an advantageous outcome.”
“The days of players or others thinking they can use the Wests Tigers as a stepping stone are over,” Hagipantelis said. “You don’t come here to bide your time. You fulfil your contract and then you are free to do as you wish.
“There is a perception the Wests Tigers could be bullied but now it’s time for perception to meet reality – we will not be bullied by anyone.”
“The chairman, coaching staff players or ground staff – if we commit to the Wests Tigers then we fulfil that contract.”
The Sea Eagles have identified Aloiai as a replacement for Addin Fonua-Blake.
The Aloiai news follows that of Josh Addo-Carr’s decision to remain in Melbourne and is similar to the exit of Ryan Matterson from the Tigers last year after just one season.
Hagipantelis will meet with the NRL next week to campaign for restrictions on what players can earn should they break their contracts. ARL chairman Peter V’landys has floated the concept that players cannot earn more than their current deal if they exit it early and Hagipantelis wants the idea explored further.
“It’s a line in the sand across the game,” Hagipantelis said. “We are aware of numerous instances where players have asked for an early release. It shouldn’t be happening.
“If you seek a release from a club on compassionate grounds then you should not gain a commercial advantage.”
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Wests Tigers are set to secure the signature of one rising forward as Aloiai agitates for a release from the club.
Alex Seyfarth, who is currently a free agent, is close to signing an one-year extension at Concord after making his NRL debut this season.
Seyfarth, an under 18s and under 20s NSW Blues backrower, is about to secure his immediate future at the Tigers.
Forward Luke Garner has two more years left on his deal at the Tigers but it’s believed the club have explored the option of moving him on.
Like Aloiai, Garner could end up at Narrabeen after the Sea Eagles inquired about his services.
The other very expensive piece of the Tigers forward pack puzzle in 2021 is Russell Packer, who has one more year remaining on his deal believed to worth around $750,000. The Tigers have attempted to offload Packer to a rival but have no takers for his services.
Rising backrower, Sam McIntyre, who made his NRL debut in 2020 for the Tigers and played 12 games, has joined the Gold Coast Titans on a one-year deal.
The Tigers might have missed out on Josh Addo-Carr but could welcome Penrith young gun Daine Laurie, who is close to agreeing to terms, as soon as this summer.
Laurie was set to sign a two year deal from season 2022 but the Tigers are in talks with Penrith about the possibility of an early release for the outside back.
Elsewhere, Sea Eagles hooker Danny Levi could be forced to look for a new home in the English Super League after failing to garner any interest in the NRL for 2021 and beyond.
While the talented former New Zealand Kiwis rake won’t rush into a decision, the free agent is facing the prospect of trying to resurrect his NRL career via a stint in England.
At Bondi, playmaker Drew Hutchison has extended his time with the Sydney Roosters for a further 12 months.
Hutchison, who was called into Trent Robinson’s outfit at the back end of the season following an injury crisis, is set to compete with the likes of Lachlan Lam, newly signed Adam Keighran and young gun Sam Walker for a spot alongside Luke Keary in the halves.
Boom outside back Jason Saab remains hopeful of securing a release from the final two-years of his deal with the St George Illawarra Dragons.
It’s believed the Dragons are actively working to find a suitable replacement for Saab before an approval for a release, on personal grounds, will be granted.
Saab was close to securing a deal with the Sea Eagles, which involved a player swap with Reuben Garrick. But the arrival of new coach Anthony Griffin at Wollongong put an end to that player swap arrangement.
Griffin wants to be confident the Dragons are not disadvantaged by letting Saab walk away from the club two year earlier than expected.
Saab has managed seven games since making his debut in 2019 but is a highly rated prospect and was named in Brad Fittler’s 2020 emerging NSW Blues squad.
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