From stuff.co.nz
By ROBERT LOWE
New Zealand Warriors coach Ivan Cleary says he has changed his opinion about the National Rugby League's anti-tampering deadline, and believes it should be moved to the end of the season.
The Warriors have several players coming off contract, including experienced centre Clinton Toopi, who confirmed yesterday that he would be moving to English club Leeds next year.
Others whose futures are still up in the air include fullback Brent Webb, and forwards Awen Guttenbeil, Evarn Tuimavave and Epalahame Lauaki.
Cleary, who is in his debut year as a first-grade coach, said yesterday that the whole issue of player movement was a bigger distraction than he had realised.
"It's probably getting worse by the year." he said.
"Certainly, in this day and age, there's a lot more player movement than there was five or six years ago.
"It's a distraction, there's no doubt about it, but it's one that every club is dealing with, unless they change the rules."
His own view about the timing of the anti-tampering deadline, at present set at June 30, had changed.
Under the anti-tampering rules, players coming off contract cannot negotiate with rival clubs unless given permission.
"I actually thought it used to be okay – it was in the players' interest in a way," Cleary said of the June 30 threshold.
"But seeing what I've seen over the last few years, I think it would be far better if it got pushed back and everyone concentrated on what they're doing at the moment and dealt with that later."
With Toopi being on a sizeable pay packet at the Warriors and the club having salary cap constraints, the centre was given permission to look at options in the English Super League.
The 18-test Kiwi has signed a three-year deal with Leeds, with the Warriors saying they were unable to match what was being offered.
Toopi, 26, has made 128 appearances for the Warriors since his NRL debut in 1999,
But he has struggled for game time in recent weeks, being dropped to the bench after returning from last month's Anzac test and then missing the past two matches.
With wingers Manu Vatuvei and Todd Byrne injured, he has been reinstated to the interchange for the visit of competition leaders Brisbane on Sunday.
Cleary described news of Toopi's departure as marking a sad day for the club, but life went on.
"Anyone who is on big money, you have to think long and hard about," he said.
"At the end of the day, Clinton made the decision that he wanted to go. He has his and his family's best interests at heart and he has taken up an opportunity that, if he left it any longer, might not be there."
Toopi did not speak to journalists after Warriors training yesterday.
In regards to Kiwi fullback Webb, who has been linked to a possible switch to rugby, Cleary said he "would love him to stay", but it was a case of working out what was best for the club.
"We're considering our options," he said.
"It's a tough period for players, for management. I guess it's a bit of a jig-saw. We're trying to fit it all together."
By ROBERT LOWE
New Zealand Warriors coach Ivan Cleary says he has changed his opinion about the National Rugby League's anti-tampering deadline, and believes it should be moved to the end of the season.
The Warriors have several players coming off contract, including experienced centre Clinton Toopi, who confirmed yesterday that he would be moving to English club Leeds next year.
Others whose futures are still up in the air include fullback Brent Webb, and forwards Awen Guttenbeil, Evarn Tuimavave and Epalahame Lauaki.
Cleary, who is in his debut year as a first-grade coach, said yesterday that the whole issue of player movement was a bigger distraction than he had realised.
"It's probably getting worse by the year." he said.
"Certainly, in this day and age, there's a lot more player movement than there was five or six years ago.
"It's a distraction, there's no doubt about it, but it's one that every club is dealing with, unless they change the rules."
His own view about the timing of the anti-tampering deadline, at present set at June 30, had changed.
Under the anti-tampering rules, players coming off contract cannot negotiate with rival clubs unless given permission.
"I actually thought it used to be okay – it was in the players' interest in a way," Cleary said of the June 30 threshold.
"But seeing what I've seen over the last few years, I think it would be far better if it got pushed back and everyone concentrated on what they're doing at the moment and dealt with that later."
With Toopi being on a sizeable pay packet at the Warriors and the club having salary cap constraints, the centre was given permission to look at options in the English Super League.
The 18-test Kiwi has signed a three-year deal with Leeds, with the Warriors saying they were unable to match what was being offered.
Toopi, 26, has made 128 appearances for the Warriors since his NRL debut in 1999,
But he has struggled for game time in recent weeks, being dropped to the bench after returning from last month's Anzac test and then missing the past two matches.
With wingers Manu Vatuvei and Todd Byrne injured, he has been reinstated to the interchange for the visit of competition leaders Brisbane on Sunday.
Cleary described news of Toopi's departure as marking a sad day for the club, but life went on.
"Anyone who is on big money, you have to think long and hard about," he said.
"At the end of the day, Clinton made the decision that he wanted to go. He has his and his family's best interests at heart and he has taken up an opportunity that, if he left it any longer, might not be there."
Toopi did not speak to journalists after Warriors training yesterday.
In regards to Kiwi fullback Webb, who has been linked to a possible switch to rugby, Cleary said he "would love him to stay", but it was a case of working out what was best for the club.
"We're considering our options," he said.
"It's a tough period for players, for management. I guess it's a bit of a jig-saw. We're trying to fit it all together."
