If your managing the NRL salary cap for a team you simply cannot afford to be paying 1 centre $700k, let alone $850+. Mitchell knocked back a 2 year $800kpa Roosters offer. Centres dont do enough in a game TBH to warrant paying what Mitchell wants. A centre is not a spine player. Nor as important to a side as a good 13 or a yards eating offloading prop or a versatile backrower who hits hard in defence and has footwork and can offload & or bust tackles. Centres are down the pecking order hence Mitchell's wish to play FB or 5/8...basically anywhere that $1mpa is justifiable. We dont see him or want him in that role. Operating under the cap and not backending players means hes too much for a centre. End of story.
Foran is a spine player. We would look to replace Foran with another established spine player if Lewis, Cogger and Wakeham dont work out.