THE Sydney Roosters are close to signing Bulldogs prop Mark O'Meley for 2008 - a move that highlights the farcical nature of yesterday's decision to scrap the anti-tampering deadline.
NRL club chief executives voted to abolish the contentious June 30 rule, allowing any player to sign with any club at any time.
O'Meley is today permitted to join a new club despite not coming off contract at Belmore until the end of 2007.
The Daily Telegraph understands he is already close to joining the Sydney Roosters, although no deal has been finalised.
O'Meley's possible switch was predictably denied yesterday, but his manager Wayne Beavis admitted he had rung the Bulldogs to ask whether the club had "given up the ghost" on their Test prop.
O'Meley could attract more money elsewhere given the Bulldogs have outlayed huge cash to retain Sonny Bill Williams and Willie Mason.
O'Meley's impending move 18 months before his contract expires – the type of signing that is now sanctioned – will cause anger and confusion among fans.
Beavis read a Daily Telegraph report last week where it was suggested the Bulldogs were poised to lose international props O'Meley and Roy Asotasi.
The story prompted Beavis to ring Bulldogs officials.
"I rang them and asked had they given up the ghost on Mark. They said 'certainly not'," Beavis said.
"But everyone will be interested in Mark. I'm sure at the appropriate time he will be well sought after.
"I've spoken to Mark but not to any other NRL clubs."
Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan denied his club had approached O'Meley while Bulldogs CEO Malcolm Noad said that his club was still hoping to retain the representative forward.
"There hasn't been any discussion at all," Canavan said.
"(New buy) Nate Myles can play front-row. We have David Shillington, Shane Shackleton and a heap of good young juniors.
"Mark would command a lot of money. We want to see how the others come on."
Noad added: "We're confident of keeping him – we'll be doing our best."
O'Meley said recently about his chances of staying at the Bulldogs: "It all depends, you've got to look at who they are keeping and who they are losing."
At yesterday's meeting, the CEOs supported a new system that will give a player's existing club the final right to negotiate with the player before he signs with a rival team.
"The clear fact is that June 30 was not working and in practice I think the market in some ways has been operating without that rule for some time," said NRL chief executive David Gallop.
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It was taken from the Daily Telecrap but WTF ???? And people complain about the anti-tampering deadline ? This will be more of a farce...
NRL club chief executives voted to abolish the contentious June 30 rule, allowing any player to sign with any club at any time.
O'Meley is today permitted to join a new club despite not coming off contract at Belmore until the end of 2007.
The Daily Telegraph understands he is already close to joining the Sydney Roosters, although no deal has been finalised.
O'Meley's possible switch was predictably denied yesterday, but his manager Wayne Beavis admitted he had rung the Bulldogs to ask whether the club had "given up the ghost" on their Test prop.
O'Meley could attract more money elsewhere given the Bulldogs have outlayed huge cash to retain Sonny Bill Williams and Willie Mason.
O'Meley's impending move 18 months before his contract expires – the type of signing that is now sanctioned – will cause anger and confusion among fans.
Beavis read a Daily Telegraph report last week where it was suggested the Bulldogs were poised to lose international props O'Meley and Roy Asotasi.
The story prompted Beavis to ring Bulldogs officials.
"I rang them and asked had they given up the ghost on Mark. They said 'certainly not'," Beavis said.
"But everyone will be interested in Mark. I'm sure at the appropriate time he will be well sought after.
"I've spoken to Mark but not to any other NRL clubs."
Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan denied his club had approached O'Meley while Bulldogs CEO Malcolm Noad said that his club was still hoping to retain the representative forward.
"There hasn't been any discussion at all," Canavan said.
"(New buy) Nate Myles can play front-row. We have David Shillington, Shane Shackleton and a heap of good young juniors.
"Mark would command a lot of money. We want to see how the others come on."
Noad added: "We're confident of keeping him – we'll be doing our best."
O'Meley said recently about his chances of staying at the Bulldogs: "It all depends, you've got to look at who they are keeping and who they are losing."
At yesterday's meeting, the CEOs supported a new system that will give a player's existing club the final right to negotiate with the player before he signs with a rival team.
"The clear fact is that June 30 was not working and in practice I think the market in some ways has been operating without that rule for some time," said NRL chief executive David Gallop.
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It was taken from the Daily Telecrap but WTF ???? And people complain about the anti-tampering deadline ? This will be more of a farce...
