No we don't. We want to come to an arrangement with Pryce's club to allow him to talk to us.

If you can't see the difference, then...well, I pity you.

Indeed, I don't think we're talking to Leon behind St Helen's backs and encouraging him to just walk away from his existing commitments.

Rather like you then.

Exactly. Unlike certain NRL clubs who quite openly have been in discussions with Orford or about him to his knowledge.

does anyone else think that orford sudden urge to have holiday in america and hence be unavailible for negotiations is basically an attempt to reduce the compensatio figure. We're placed in situation where we cant announce a new halfback signing because a/ it weakens our negotiating position and b/ we probably need some off orfords cap space in order for RFL to accept the new players registration (and I assume until he's registered insurance wouldnt cover him training with us). So by dragging process out and disrupting our pre-season Orford hopes we'll accept a lower compensation figure? doesnt affect him yet as NRL pre-season doesnt start for a while yet. He's basically left it until last possible minute to formally request his release and hence ensured he got the maximum possible wages out off us in the meantime. He hasnt come out off this with a shred of dignity or honour in my eyes.

Hope he gets piles.

I hope he gets DVT on his way home from holiday.

strange that cos until about 10 days ago opinion was pretty evenly split on leeds board as to who was you best hooker in buderus and diskin. Now suddenly because diskin had the temerity to ask for a release hes a reject ( hard to be a reject when youve just agreed a new deal but thats by the by).

Always amazes how fast fans turn on a former player once he leaves. Leeds fans better hope burrow does leave as a significant portion are already stating he's no good already. Going to be hilarious watching them backtrack if the rumours turn out to unfounded. He'll be back to being greatest thing since sliced bread overnight

Just to pick you up on a slight inaccuracy, it is Orford's agent who is on holiday, not Orford. But nevertheless to wait to ask the Bulls for a release to coincide with your agent going off on his jollies doesn't sound much like a mistake to me

mis-read that bit but same net effect in terms off timing.

note these comments from an earlier report.


so mimi's is happy to continue talks with the NRL clubs but refuses to talk to us - delaying/negotiating tactics pure and simple.

wp.me/pIMbK-1f My blog post taking in the Orford situation. Re: all the comments hoping he gets injured, I can understand people are upset but to wish that on someone is farcical and you should all be ashamed of yourself. Yes, Orford's screwed us over well and truly, but why wish that on someone?

wp.me/pIMbK-1f My blog post taking in the Orford situation. Re: all the comments hoping he gets injured, I can understand people are upset but to wish that on someone is farcical and you should all be ashamed of yourself. Yes, Orford's screwed us over well and truly, but why wish that on someone?

Orford IS on holiday right now actually.

He is in Broadbeach Queensland.

Sure , he's been on holiday for 6 months(!), but I think the original poster was quoted as saying "on holiday in America" which Mission rightly corrected, as that is where his agent is.

The BBC also report Orford is in America but I did think it was his manager!

I think the T&A says manager in America, so I'd tend to go with that being the most accurate here

Well he hasn't 'screwed you over' has he?

He was a good player for you... but he got an offer to do the same job in a better place.

And at the end of the day... being a pro Rugby League player is a [uJOB.[/u


I don't know what job you do for a living... lets pick one at random... you can work in a factory in Ireland making dresses.

So you work in this dress making factory in Ireland...you earn a good amount of money. They have told you that you can live in a nice Irish house, the beer in Ireland is good, the food is great and the dress making factory will probably be the best dress making company in the whole of Ireland. So you tell them you will work for them making these dresses for 3 or 4 years because it sounds great.

But you find it rains every day, the accommodation they have given you to live in isn't that crash hot, you cant understand what the locals say, the food is cráp, the beer is vile and the company you work for turn out to be pretty poor at dress making.

You feel fed up.

Some one then comes up to you and says 'hey Aaron... come and work in my dress making factory back in bradford. The money wont be quite as good... but at least you will be able to understand what the locals are saying, you will be able to drink warm bitter in pubs again and you will be with your family and friends. Come home son. We will even throw a whippet and a flat cap in for you.'


Would you go?




Of course you would.


What the Ox has done is no different.


Build a bridge and get over it.

I'd be up front with my current employers about it at the very least. I don't know if anyone blames him for actually being homesick (I certainly don't) but seeking employment in secret whilst contracted and waiting until you have extracted every last penny from your existing employer before leaving them in the lurch with no time to find a replacement is just shows him to be completely void of any honesty, decency or integrity.



IMO.

Matt Orford a good player for us?

LMAO, dont think so.

You can deny that when he was on the field he was a good player. He beat the eventual SL champions on his own.

But it is highly unlikely that a factory in Ireland will operate with a fixed term contract and a requirement for a third party to agree to a registration for me to work there.

So, come back with a good analogy and we might listen to you.

Didn't Sonny Bill Williams use the Bus driving job as a comparison to his former manager when he left lol?



Do you post as Bullschamp on BBC?

I thought Orford was a good player for us, and was certainly better than Deacs was in his last 2 season for Bradford.

I dont blame hime for wanting to be at home with his family, I expect I would miss my family too if i was on other side of the world.

It didnt work out, and people change their minds, that doesnt mean it is disengenuous.. In fact, I myself have given backword on a job before starting, and pulled out of buying a house in the last 12 months - does that make me as disengenuous as him?

He is an adult, so are we, he has made his choice, he will be replaced, and we will be fine. I wish him success back home, and have no ill feeling to him at all, those that do baffle me..

What difference does it make? Honestly?

He played more games for us last year than Deacs played for Wigan, he won man of the match for probably 50% of those games he played, and we will replace him with a younger aussie with a lot more games in him, a point to prove, and earning less money.. win win if you ask me. (which you didnt)

I'm not too sure on this one. I liked him as a player in the NRL and was thrilled when we signed him. He had some excellent games for us but got injured.

IIRC, most on here said that Sam would be mad not to choose Aus over England - doesn't the same apply for Orford. I'd love to have a fully commited Matt Orford in our side, but if he doesn't want to be here then what can we do. Okay, he shouldn't have signed a 3 year contract, but if he is genuinely homesick (i'm still not sure he is, seen as this cropped up whilst he was back home) then he can't help it.

I do think he should have handled it better, and told the club that he didn't want to come back as soon as he felt that way. That's the only think I hold against him, he's been taking our money happily until it's time to show up for pre-season training.

Anyway, it will all be over in a couple of weeks, and we can look forward to having a new 7 who wants to play in the RA&B (Hopefully)

He should have handled it a lot better.

Yeah - personally I have no issue if he wants to go home. It's all this perceived sneakiness (for that is all it is, we will probably never knowwho said what) that has really damaged his reputation as a person for me. If he'd been straight with the club/fans from the start then he could have left with a bit more dignity in tact.