Wests Tigers ready to offer Joey Leilua a lucrative deal, but leave Adam Doueihi hanging
Wests Tigers are on the verge of finalising a lucrative deal that will keep Joey Leilua – but are ready to snub South Sydney young gun Adam Doueihi for the sake of $350,000.
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While Wests Tigers close in on signing the volatile Joey Leilua to a lucrative deal, the exciting Adam Doueihi has been left standing in the cold amid concern he is being short-changed.
Leilua could make the move from Canberra to Concord this week in a deal that will pocket the rampaging centre $1.8 million over three years.
But the Tigers’ hopes of also signing South Sydney young gun Doueihi are not nearly as positive at this point after they were said to baulk at paying Doueihi just over $350,000 for this year.
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Doueihi is on a reported $500,000 for 2020 although the Rabbitohs have already chipped in more than $150,000 just through monthly salary instalments since November.
Most would probably deem that makes Doueihi an absolute bargain for a 21-year-old who is equally comfortable playing fullback, five-eighth or centre.
Souths are saying they don’t need to move Doueihi to stay under the salary cap this year so if the Tigers want him they can pay what he is worth.
It is believed another Sydney club is also interested in Doueihi while Melbourne is a potential option, although Doueihi has indicated that he doesn’t want to leave Sydney.
Meanwhile, Canberra will pitch in about $400,000 of Leilua’s $700,000-plus contract for 2020 with the Tigers then expected to pay Leilua $500,000 for 2021 and $600,000 for 2021.
Negotiations almost fell over on Wednesday when the Tigers apparently threatened to take their offer off the table but those problems related to a $100,000 discrepancy which was smoothed over later in the day.
The parties were believed to be back working on trying to finalise a deal on Wednesday night.
If it eventuates it will be a welcome boost for the Tigers after they missed out on signing Latrell Mitchell and Jai Arrow over the summer.
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While Leilua is regarded as one of the NRL’s most temperamental players, there is no disputing he is also one of the most dangerous and can provide the Tigers with exactly the type of x-factor they desperately need.
The Tigers are trying to sell it publicly as if they are not panicking to land a significant signing but if they miss out on Leilua or Doueihi it could be a huge opportunity missed.
It is understandable the Tigers are keen to sign both players for a bargain rate given some of the dud deals they have done in recent years.
But the Tigers can also ill-afford another season to go by where they fall short of a top eight target given they own the NRL’s longest finals drought having not made the play offs since 2012.