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Roosters skipper sorry for Finch
By Adrian Proszenko
July 19, 2006
SYDNEY Roosters captain Craig Fitzgibbon says he feels "sorry" for Brett Finch after the club's decision to offload the troubled playmaker.
Finch is contracted to the Roosters until 2007, but has been given permission to negotiate with rival clubs and is unlikely to remain at Bondi Junction next season.
"I have spoken to him and that's why I admire him so much," Fitzgibbon said today.
"The amount of pressure that gets put on him, I feel sorry for him.
"But he just turns up every week and he puts himself out there in front of everyone and just competes and just does the best job he can.
"That's why I admire him, the fact that he goes for it.
"It's got to get to him eventually but he doesn't seem to show it for us.
"That's someone you can (have) a lot of admiration for, the way he keeps turning up."
Parramatta, which is looking for a five-eighth after the loss of Wests Tigers-bound utility John Morris next season, has expressed an interest in Finch and is the team most likely to snare him.
However several other clubs are also interested in his services, with Brisbane understood to be one of them.
Fitzgibbon, who was involved in an ugly onfield altercation with Finch in last month's loss to Canberra, said the constant speculation about Finch's future had to eventually take its toll.
"It's obviously hard on him, more so than us," Fitzgibbon said.
"We'll support him in any decision he makes or the club makes.
"He's been here for a number of years now and done a terrific job for us.
"He'll still take the field and do his best, he's a quality player.
"Everybody knows, the way he just competes out there, he'll do the job for us."
Finch was the hero after potting the winning field goal during New South Wales's State of Origin opening win over Queensland, but has had a massive fall from grace since.
The 24-year-old was dumped after a poor performance in Origin II and played just 18 minutes during the Roosters' win over the Sharks last weekend after coming off the interchange bench.
Fitzgibbon was adamant Finch had a role to play for the team this season despite being demoted to the bench.
"He hasn't been dropped, it's a 17-man game," he said.
"It's horses for courses. We thought on the weekend that (utility) Craig (Wing) was the way to go and he played really well.
"The way the game panned out (coach Ricky Stuart) had to limit his interchanges.
"Sometimes, if he went on then the game would have suited Brett, we would have put him on, albeit at seven.
"We'll be looking to him to help us out against the Bulldogs."
Teammate Braith Anasta also sympathised with Finch's plight.
"It's hard on Finchy, at this time of the year, he's got the rest of the year to play," he said.
"It's difficult, but there's not much we can do about it, not much I can do about it anyway."
AAP
So do we buy him or what?!
By Adrian Proszenko
July 19, 2006
SYDNEY Roosters captain Craig Fitzgibbon says he feels "sorry" for Brett Finch after the club's decision to offload the troubled playmaker.
Finch is contracted to the Roosters until 2007, but has been given permission to negotiate with rival clubs and is unlikely to remain at Bondi Junction next season.
"I have spoken to him and that's why I admire him so much," Fitzgibbon said today.
"The amount of pressure that gets put on him, I feel sorry for him.
"But he just turns up every week and he puts himself out there in front of everyone and just competes and just does the best job he can.
"That's why I admire him, the fact that he goes for it.
"It's got to get to him eventually but he doesn't seem to show it for us.
"That's someone you can (have) a lot of admiration for, the way he keeps turning up."
Parramatta, which is looking for a five-eighth after the loss of Wests Tigers-bound utility John Morris next season, has expressed an interest in Finch and is the team most likely to snare him.
However several other clubs are also interested in his services, with Brisbane understood to be one of them.
Fitzgibbon, who was involved in an ugly onfield altercation with Finch in last month's loss to Canberra, said the constant speculation about Finch's future had to eventually take its toll.
"It's obviously hard on him, more so than us," Fitzgibbon said.
"We'll support him in any decision he makes or the club makes.
"He's been here for a number of years now and done a terrific job for us.
"He'll still take the field and do his best, he's a quality player.
"Everybody knows, the way he just competes out there, he'll do the job for us."
Finch was the hero after potting the winning field goal during New South Wales's State of Origin opening win over Queensland, but has had a massive fall from grace since.
The 24-year-old was dumped after a poor performance in Origin II and played just 18 minutes during the Roosters' win over the Sharks last weekend after coming off the interchange bench.
Fitzgibbon was adamant Finch had a role to play for the team this season despite being demoted to the bench.
"He hasn't been dropped, it's a 17-man game," he said.
"It's horses for courses. We thought on the weekend that (utility) Craig (Wing) was the way to go and he played really well.
"The way the game panned out (coach Ricky Stuart) had to limit his interchanges.
"Sometimes, if he went on then the game would have suited Brett, we would have put him on, albeit at seven.
"We'll be looking to him to help us out against the Bulldogs."
Teammate Braith Anasta also sympathised with Finch's plight.
"It's hard on Finchy, at this time of the year, he's got the rest of the year to play," he said.
"It's difficult, but there's not much we can do about it, not much I can do about it anyway."
AAP
So do we buy him or what?!
