Quade Cooper going to NRL?

[DPK]

DANNY WEIDLER
August 8, 2010

COOPER'S DUAL AMBITIONS

QUADE COOPER has had plenty of issues off the field but he is without doubt the biggest star in the Wallabies side. Down the track he is sure to cause some serious headaches for the ARU for on-field reasons - word is that he harbours a not-so-secret desire to become a dual international. Back in the days before rugby was a professional game and the likes of Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri and Mat Rogers were hired guns, it was something that Ray Price, Michael O'Connor and Ricky Stuart and plenty of others achieved. But Cooper is keen to reverse the trend. It probably won't happen when he signs his next contract but it is something he wants to explore before too long. Cooper is about to enter the serious phase of negotiations with the ARU because his current deal runs out this year. There are league teams looking at Cooper, and former Wallabies coach John Connolly has no doubt he would cut it. ''He could be the man in rugby league, no question,'' said Connolly. ''He would be targeted in defence and would need to tighten that up, but if he did that he is a player who could reach the top in the NRL.''

Taken from a "Monday Maul"-esque article I read on League HQ. Seems like wubbish, if you ask me.

 

[RugbyFuture]

id say it exists, that he likes league that is, but its not that serious

 

[Ruggo]

What a load of crap.

 

[cyclopath]

I think it deserves as much consideration as any of Weidler's work - about the same length of time as the attention span of his average reader.

 

[DPK]

I think it deserves as much consideration as any of Weidler's work - about the same length of time as the attention span of his average reader.

Does anyone know if Weildler is an ex-player? He gives that particular... aura.

 

[stoff]

They can't afford him is my first thought. Also wonder would he be eligible to play league for NZ?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

This would be exactly the kind of thing that would bolster the flagging game that is RL. No idea what QC (Quade Cooper)'s intentions are though. I'm just happy that the deluge of defections to the 13 man code abruptly halted once we had professionalism. That says something I think.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

To be honest I can definitely see Cooper running out in the NRL in about 5 years

 

[Ruggo]

They can't afford him is my first thought. Also wonder would he be eligible to play league for NZ?

Ha ha, Brad Thorn in reverse.

 

[louie]

like most of that he writes it's most likely bullshit.

if it was possible to SBW a handjob through printed media he's done it.

i've seen a anyone who wnats to prove he's one of the boys more in my life.

 

[RugbyFuture]

They can't afford him is my first thought. Also wonder would he be eligible to play league for NZ?

in league everyones eligible to play for any country is what i figure from their "world cup" where 1 player plays for like 16 countries at a time

 

[cyclopath]

Does anyone know if Weildler is an ex-player? He gives that particular... aura.

No. He is related by marriage to a mate of mine actually. Don't like his work though. Was a decent guy when I met him...a few years back.

 

[Gagger]

Cooper is about to enter the serious phase of negotiations with the ARU because his current deal runs out this year.

The only reason this piece of crap exists

 

[barbarian]

Yeah wouldn't be surprised if Cooper is doing a 'reverse Thurston', ie having public thoughts about League right around contract negotiation time.

 

[Crow]

I don't think that the ARU is going to even consider stiffing him this close to the WC. And given the current salary cap crackdown in RL, I'd be very surprised if any club would be willing to go anywhere near the RU package.

 

[TOCC]

current salary cap crackdown?

Its quite the contrary, the NRL clubs have just been granted another $400'000 to work with under the salary cap

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

current salary cap crackdown?

Its quite the contrary, the NRL clubs have just been granted another $400'000 to work with under the salary cap

Presumably to avoid any further Storm-like embarrassment. I'm not a fan of salary caps anyway.

 

[#1 Tah]

didnt he just re-sign with the reds? also they have allowed 3rd party deals in the NRL now. We might see something like this:

@hodgo678 (Matt Hodgson) Wants to thank @Altitudeteam for my new house get to see it 3 more days

 

[Ash]

The NRL have always allowed 3rd party deals, but if the club arranges the 3rd party deal, then after a set amount the deal falls as part of cap. (The rules are actually somewhere along the lines of the 3rd party being a club sponsor then it is included in the cap, but if the club talks to them to arrange a deal then they are pretty much a sponsor, as I understand. Players can earn money from other deals that does not have to be included; but the NRL tries to audit these very stringently. The NRL investigating Cameron Smith for one such deal with Fox was what set off the whole Storm cap cheat scandel.)

The set amount was upped this year from 150k to 300k.

And yes, Cooper re-signed with the Reds, but the rumour was hinting that after the current deal that Cooper may be interested in the NRL. NRL love getting rumours or quotes from top rugby players saying that they may be interested in playing in the NRL one day. Years ago NRL rumour columns had the Giteau saying the same thing every now and again.

 

[kpark88]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/quade-cooper-in-secret-talks-with-parramatta-eels/story-e6frfgbo-1225904646096

QUADE Cooper has held secret negotiations with the Parramatta Eels as the Wallabies star weighs up a shock defection to the NRL.

In a bombshell that will rock the Australian Rugby Union, Cooper is contemplating walking out on the code at season's end after his management flew to Sydney last week for talks with Eels boss Paul Osborne.

Osborne refused to comment last night but The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Queensland playmaker Cooper and his manager Richard Colreavy have spoken with the Eels CEO.

At the core of Cooper's concerns is a two-year top-up offer from the ARU.

The offer is so unpalatable that the 22-year-old is prepared to turn his back on the Wallabies' 2011 World Cup campaign.

Cooper verbally agreed to a two-year deal with the Reds in June, but the ARU component of his contract has yet to be sealed - which means he is technically a free agent.

The loss of Cooper would be a devastating blow for the Wallabies and coach Robbie Deans, who is building Australia's Cup campaign around Cooper's attacking wizardry.

Cooper was tight-lipped when contacted last night but revealed he has thought about playing in the NRL.

"I can't say too much," said Cooper, who goes into Wallabies camp next Tuesday after serving a two-match suspension. "I enjoy watching the NRL and wouldn't rule it out.

"Right now, I'm playing rugby, that's my focus. I don't know what's going on there [negotiations with the Eels]. It's been a tough two weeks for me being suspended, so I just want to get back on the field."

Asked if he harboured a desire to be a dual international, Cooper said: "It's too much to be thinking about being a dual international but any footballer who has the opportunity to do it would think about it.

"I'm concentrating on playing for the Wallabies and I'm looking forward to the next few weeks in South Africa."

Cooper's manager declined to comment last night. But it is understood Colreavy will continue talks with the Eels over the next week.

Parramatta sensation Hayne is seen as a crucial bargaining chip because he and Cooper have struck up a friendship via Twitter.

The Eels could do with some attacking spark at the scrumbase after coach Daniel Anderson yesterday dropped young playmaker Daniel Mortimer, who has struggled to replicate the form he showed in his rookie season last year.

The Eels have been searching in vain for a senior mentor for Mortimer, launching unsuccessful attempts to lure Trent Barrett, Brett Kimmorley, Cooper Cronk, Matt Orford and even Brent Sherwin.

Former Wallabies coach John Connolly said that Cooper, who has had burglary charges withdrawn following mediation in July, would be a revelation in the NRL.

"He is a rugby league player through and through," Connolly said. "He'd be very successful in the NRL.

"The challenge for him would be to tighten up his defence. But he is a very talented young man who can be a success in both codes.

"He would be a great five-eighth in rugby league. He's a good distributor and he's got the attacking game to test defences."