Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds [and now sam scott young]

[RugbyFuture]

Gasnier deal at Reds gains legs

* Bret Harris
* From: The Australian
* March 31, 2010 12:00AM

MINING magnate Kevin Maloney may help Queensland secure rugby league convert Mark Gasnier with a third-party sponsorship.

.

However, the Reds are in real danger of losing star five-eighth Quade Cooper to Western Force.

Gasnier, who is coming off contract at French club Stade Francais, is being chased by the Reds and Super 15 expansion franchise Melbourne Rebels.

Maloney had backed the VicSuper15 consortium which was provisionally offered the Melbourne licence, but withdrew after a disagreement with the ARU on the ownership model.

The licence went to the bid headed by media magnate Harold Mitchell instead.

Maloney's company The Mac Services Group does a lot of business in the Queensland mining industry and he has already lent his financial support to the Reds' coaching staff headed by Ewen McKenzie.

There is speculation Maloney will provide Gasnier with a third-party endorsement if he agrees to play club rugby for Southern Districts in Sydney.

"One of my companies which is based in Queensland has a small sponsorship with the Reds," Maloney said.

"If I was asked to provide a third-party deal (for Gasnier), I probably would.

"I'm tied up with Southern Districts and Mark Gasnier (a former St George Illawarra Dragon NRL star) comes from that area.

"If he wanted to play a few games down there, I'd look at it. If not, I wouldn't enter into it."

Maloney also revealed he would consider becoming a private owner of the financially-troubled Reds, who have been bailed out by the ARU.

But he did not think the Reds were ready to embrace a private ownership model.

"I looked at that with Melbourne," he said.

"It was hard to get there and I lost interest.

"The ARU has a desire to privatise all of the franchises, but I don't think it's on top of the QRU's agenda.

"They have a very good chairman in Rod McCall, who will get them back on the right track.

"It's like any investment, you look at the structure and who's involved. John O'Neill (ARU chief executive) recently said investing in a rugby union team was like going to the races, but you can't find anything more speculative than the mining industry."

Meanwhile, there was strong speculation yesterday that Cooper would leave the Reds to join his close friends David Pocock and James O'Connor at the Force.

Cooper's management said he would not make a decision on his future until he had renegotiated his contract with the ARU, which will delay offering him a top-up until after his court case on a burglary charge is heard in July.

He is also considering a lucrative offer from a leading French club.

Pocock and O'Connor are believed to be urging Western Force to sign Cooper, who would solve its five-eighth problem.

When Wallabies five-eighth Matt Giteau left Perth to return home to Canberra this year, the Force recruited South African Andre Pretorius and when he broke down they picked up New Zealander David Hill.

With Cooper at five-eighth, the Force could sign a foreign hooker, which is an area of need for the team.

The winless Force will be boosted by the return of Pocock (finger injury) and prop Matt Dunning (concussion) for its match with the Stormers in Perth on Friday night, while outside back Scott Staniforth has been given a clearance to play the rest of the season after completing a short-term contract.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...-reds-gains-legs/story-e6frg7o6-1225847702295

 

[Reddy!]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

It would be great to sign Gasnier, would just create alot of buzz up in league dominated QLD.

 

[RugbyFuture]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

to me this would be a win win win all around if maloney was allowed to do everything he said he was open to. the QRU would get money, the reds would get an owner and be properly managed, get gasnier to come back from europe with achance at the wallabies, great buzz for the game in league areas, get gasnier playing a couple for southern districts would pick them up a bit in table standings maybe and get some attention in sydney, so it would be great. but its not gonna happen, i think Gas will get the third party deal with the reds but thats about it.

 

[Ruggo]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

Don't bother with Gasnier. Take that money and use it to keep some of our current talent.

 

[TOCC]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

i wouldnt say no to Gasnier, but at the same time his not exactly sitting high on the priority list.

On top of that, do the QRU really want someone dictating where they can play there players, if Gasnier signed with the Reds but then played club rugby in Sydney would it open the door for further developments like this.

I suppose if he makes the Wallabies and the extended season he probably wont have many opportunities to play club rugby anyway.

 

[HG]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

Don't need another mungo ball player.
Let him go to the Melbourne mob.
Have we not learnt our lessons of the past?

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

yeah, Gasnier doesn't excite me as a player. If he can't stand out in the Top 14, what chance the S15? And the Wallabies?

I doubt he'll come to QLD or Sydney. I think he wants to keep away from the league media. Melbourne most likely I would've thought. Perth at a stretch.

 

[en_force_er]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

Gasnier would be a solid Super 15 winger. Sadly his asking price would probably be alot more than a solid Super 15 winger is worth.

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

Gasnier would be a solid Super 15 winger. Sadly his asking price would probably be alot more than a solid Super 15 winger is worth.

yep. Which is exactly why we don't need him. Davies, Morahan (x2), Shipperly, Kimani S, Hynes, Ioane. We're not struggling.

 

[fatprop]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

Gasnier would be a solid Super 15 winger. Sadly his asking price would probably be alot more than a solid Super 15 winger is worth.

yep. Which is exactly why we don't need him. Davies, Morahan (x2), Shipperly, Kimani S, Hynes, Ioane. We're not struggling.

Yeah, I don't see the value in him for the money he is requiring as a winger/13/12.

 

[Jethro Tah]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

I doubt he'll come to QLD or Sydney. I think he wants to keep away from the league media.

Similarly with Sony Bill, this is one of the reasons why he quit league and moved to France (along with the € of course) instead of going straight to Super 14. Getting Cheika at Stade may change his decision.

 

[RugbyFuture]

Re: Kevin Maloney willing to back the reds

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26928812-23209,00.html?from=public_rss

Sam Scott-Young willing to invest $1m into Queensland Reds

By Jim Tucker
April 01, 2010

Straight-Talking former Wallaby Sam Scott-Young is ready to invest $1 million in to Queensland Reds if their form surge on the field is backed up by reform in the boardroom.
The staggering plan to put his money where his mouth is as a part-owner is far more than one-eyed passion for the state jersey he wore 81 times in the 1980s and '90s.

"Footy is business and it has to be run that way," said Scott-Young, a self-made success story who has built his wealth through selling orthopedic products.

"It's exciting that the Reds are finally on the rise.

"The way I see it, winning, more bums on seats, selling the brand, bringing in sponsorship and a shake-up of ideas is very feasible to give an investor a return.

"Yep, one million . . . that's the amount I'm prepared to invest and it may be a year from now when the right changes are ironed out to make it a goer."

Scott-Young has handed $50 to Queensland Rugby Union chairman Rod McCall as a token so that when it is time to talk seriously, they will.

His seven-figure offer is not a bailout for the cash-strapped QRU, which on April 17 will declare a heavy net trading loss for 2009.

It's backing for the fresh start he hopes is coming and the one-time backrower known for his abrasive, up-front streak is no less when he spells out what has to change.

"There has to be a clean-up, constitutional change and maybe it has taken hitting rock bottom for Queensland rugby to see that," he said.

Scott-Young said he saw only benefits in the running of Queensland rugby being overhauled by a rescue package from the Australian Rugby Union and implemented by a five-man committee, involving McCall, former chairman Dick McGruther and ARU boss John O'Neill.

"The Reds need to be separated from the QRU as an entity, have their own, small board where the buck stops and a real business model," he said.

Scott-Young's aims are holistic as well.

"You don't want a team of dumb bums," he said.

"I'm a big advocate of players being mentored by business people, studying and using their spare time far better."

Scott-Young is a strong advocate of the transformation being charted on the field by coach Ewen McKenzie and the sizzle of halfback-captain Will Genia.

Genia won't get everything his own way in Durban on Sunday morning (Queensland time) when the Sharks are expected to swarm at the Reds with a physical forward assault.

It is one reason lock Adam Byrnes, the side's most abrasive forward, is set to return to the Reds pack.

"We're definitely considering him because his style will be useful for the thrust and parry of a physical match like this," McKenzie said.

Flanker Daniel Braid, fit again after knee ligament trouble, will be a big asset.

more investors lining up

 

[disco]

What we (the reds) need is to sign as many of the current squad as possible. Gasnier will won't to much money & I wouldn't want to lose a player like Morahan because Gasnier demands a starting place.

Let the Rebels have him, it's time the word loyalty comeback into rugby from both sides of the fence.

 

[Biffo]

What we (the reds) need is to sign as many of the current squad as possible. Gasnier will won't to much money & I wouldn't want to lose a player like Morahan because Gasnier demands a starting place.

Let the Rebels have him, it's time the word loyalty comeback into rugby from both sides of the fence.

The cost to the Reds would be the same for Gasnier of Morahan. The ARU pays the top-up and third parties any sponsorshiop money. Payment for S14/15 players is the same for all players for all teams. The Rebels to be an exception?

 

[Pfitzy]

Scott-Young has handed $50 to Queensland Rugby Union chairman Rod McCall as a token

Barely a token. Chuck them a case of rum at least.

 

[Sully]

I would rather throw money at Hynes and Cooper neither have signed yet!