The standoff between the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney over Brandon Smith has degenerated into exactly what you’d expect between the 1908 foundation rival clubs – a total sh**fight.
Like rival mob bosses attempting to broker an uneasy ceasefire the level of distrust is off the Richter scale.
The Roosters are adamant the deal for Smith to switch to the Rabbitohs mid-season is being driven entirely by the Bunnies.
The Rabbitohs fiercely deny this.
The Bunnies claim the Roosters told Smith on Tuesday he was being parked in the NSW Cup for the remainder of the season once he returns from a knee injury.
The Roosters fiercely deny this.
Where the truth sits is anyone’s guess. When you strip it all back what the two clubs are really haggling over is money.
And in the big scheme of every club having an $11.8 million salary cap this season it’s only small beer.
The Roosters claim South Sydney have told them they’re only prepared to take Smith off the Tricolours for $160,000.
Not a dollar more.
The Bunnies say it’s the Roosters who are trying to hit the go button on the deal.
The Rabbitohs claim the Roosters want Souths to pay $200,000.
So they’re arguing over $40,000. Which in the big scheme of things is a very small percentage of an $11.8 million salary cap.
The Bunnies say they haven’t got the money. As of 3pm on Wednesday South Sydney had supposedly increased the offer to $170,000 for the remainder of the year.
Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up.
We’ve also been told young gun five-eighth Sandon Smith is currently being shopped around by his agent.
The Brandon Smith contract is a problem for the Roosters because the Kiwi international hooker is on a deal worth around the $925,000 mark this year.
If the Roosters can move Smith now it means the club can save around $150,000 to $200,000 this season.
The Roosters are also trying to shift English international Dom Young for the same reason – to free up salary cap space.
Why are they clearing the decks so much? Because they need the money to be able to sign Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans for next year.
Sure they can upgrade other emerging and existing players but the reality is the Chooks are also cleaning house for when the Cherry-Evans deal is eventually rubber-stamped and announced.
We’re saying Smith to the Bunnies will happen by the end of this week, Young to the Newcastle Knights will also happen and then the big play is DCE to the Chooks.
When that gets announced is also anyone’s guess. But there’s plenty of good judges in the game who’ll tell you it was all agreed some time ago.
