https://wwos.nine.com.au/2018/07/06/10/ ... warrington Channel 9 reporting “glamour club” Wire are set to sign Blake Austin on a “long term deal”. Our offer for the long term deal seems to have fended off Parramatta for his signature who want him but on a shorter contract. https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/06/27/par ... placement/ Also in LRL: https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/re ... on-wolves/

https://wwos.nine.com.au/2018/07/06/10/ ... warrington Channel 9 reporting “glamour club” Wire are set to sign Blake Austin on a “long term deal”. Our offer for the long term deal seems to have fended off Parramatta for his signature who want him but on a shorter contract. https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/06/27/par ... placement/ Also in LRL: https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/re ... on-wolves/

It says St Helens in the video on the final link.

Does anyone else get the feeling that these days, English clubs like us are just used as a "back up plan" by Aussie players' agents, to leverage negotiation power when they are shopping around for NRL clubs, when the players don't particularly want to come and in the back of their minds know that if as a last resort they have to go to England, it's easy enough to get out of the contract and go home if an NRL option appears the next year?

Back in the winter rugby days, when the Aussie and English seasons were at different times, you got top players like Meninga and Blake coming over in their off seasons.

Then in the early days of SL, it became more something that Aussie players would do at the end of their career, to extend their career by a couple of years when they wouldn't be able to get a gig in the NRL any more.

Then for a while in the mid 2000s, when the pound had a very strong exchange rate against the Aussie dollar, SL clubs had financial power relative to the NRL and so for a while England became a credible destination for top Aussie players mid way through their careers, with the likes of Lyon, De Vere, King, Monaghan, Barrett coming over.

But now the value of the pound has dropped, the NRL salary cap is much bigger, we're just a back up option.

The quality of NRL signing has fallen in the past few years but also so has the quality of attitude. Who knows what Blake Austin would be like, he might be great, but when you read these articles in the Aussie press it doesn't exactly fill you with confidence that they are coming for the "glamour" of Warrington, but just one iron in the fire of an agent shopping their client around and if all else fails they can park them over here for a year.

Just seen him in the Raiders v Bulldogs game. 15 minute cameo that was pure class. Completely changed the game.

Long-term for Aussies these days is 12 months!

apparently he knocked back a four year £335k per year deal from Canberra....

I'm sure we can more than match that and tag another year on......

We can more than match it. We can out bid any aussie team...twice!

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/07/07/mir ... ting-side/

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/07/07/mir ... ting-side/

Austin suggesting there will be an announcement this week https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/07/08/bla ... a-raiders/ Doesn’t say who, but seems unlikely it will be with the Raiders, Eels, us and Saints mentioned.

Austin suggesting there will be an announcement this week https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/07/08/bla ... a-raiders/ Doesn’t say who, but seems unlikely it will be with the Raiders, Eels, us and Saints mentioned.

And Leeds. But at £335k a year I doubt we would pay that unless Ryan Hall moves on and we have some spare cap towards his salary.

I would expect a late improvement of the offer from Parra after yesterday’s game but I guess we’ll see. I think we are just being used again. Can live in hope though. I don’t think he offers us as much of a half backs game as Roberts *should* have done, but would still be an asset considering the small pickings available...

Moley saying it's a "done deal"
Austin to Wire.

Done deal. Announcement tomorrow/Tuesday.

Fantastic signing. Top class player.

I did tell you lot the other day on the Eastmond thread but got shot down and one of your lot had never even heard of him. You have got a class player. Man of Steel in 2019

Please don’t show us a video montage of his performances, as not really worked out as that.

Or maybe they were taking the Mick out of you as there was already two pages of posts under the Roberts thread about Austin by the time you broke the news to us?

Lol

Honest Mozzas Bookies here. Place your bet, on

Odds on him turning up injured and having no pre-season
Odds on him listing surfing as a hobby then wondering where the beaches are
Odds on someone saying he'll be fine when the pitches firm up
Odds on someone saying it takes a while to settle in, beyond round 20

I'm not even entertaining bets on him being onto his agent the first time he sees the Wakefield away dressing room and telling him to get the airport taxi running.

In all fairness though ,Morrissey, the Roberts clan could still be traumatised from encountering the Beast from the East.

That's no way to talk about Big Sarah from Orford

Does Blake Austin have a family? Might actually work in our favour if he has no baggage, so to speak. Did I imagine it, or did someone say he’s got English parents and has been to the UK before?

Grandmother I think. Could be Ethel.

I think it was more likely $335k a year, about £187,500. So if we guarantee him £800k over 4 years that would seem about right. Not sure he’s worth it but he’s young enough and there aren’t many halfbacks available of his quality... not the sort of classic ‘little general’ scrum half I was hoping for to guide us round the park though... maybe we can get a Gale or Drinkwater style player alongside Austin.

That’s if it’s even true - still a rumour for me until it’s announced.

I think I met her when my mum took me to get my primary school pants in Stockton Heath forge. Great lady, and if her grandson can stitch this squad together, no matter how unfashionable it may look, then we should be okay...

He could be our Maestro, and a good Ambassador. We certainly don’t want another Princess...

he was rumoured to have knocked back a $2.4 million four year deal from Canberra ($600k a year)

$2.4 million aussie dollars is £1.3 million quid.

£1.3 million quid divided by 4 is £335,000 per year.


the average NRL salary is $370k aus dollars so earning $600k for him was a good wage. The top names however all earn $1million a year.

he's a quality player though and i'm more than happy to see us pay £300k plus.....