Contract situation could derail NRL premiership dreams this season.
Manly five-eighth Kieran Foran said the club needs to let star centre Steve Matai leave the club in order to keep the nucleus of the team together from next year onwards.
The departure of Glenn Stewart to South Sydney next season has caused a ripple affect throughout the tight-knit NRL club, with several players voicing their displeasure to the board how they handled Stewart’s
Matai is said to be interested in signing for the New Zealand Warriors for four years at an overall worth of $2.5 million.
Foran admitted there is still some issues between the senior players and the team management for letting Stewart go to the Rabbitohs but insisted the situation was not lost.
“I guess there are issues to be sorted,” Foran said.
“I think the club underestimated Glenn Stewart’s departure and we said all along ‘Gif’ was a massive part of building this culture here and as players we probably felt that he deserved a contract put in front of him.
“I guess all the boys are mates with him and they are probably disappointed.
“I wouldn’t say there is disharmony, our results have shown on the field that we are getting on good here.
“But I believe there are issues higher up than just the playing group.
“Whether or not that (the salary cap) was the reason Glenn was forced out I am not so sure.” Foran has also been linked to a move, but the star Kiwi playmaker said he would see out his contract at the club, which ends next year.”
Foran said Matai should move clubs not so much to resolve issues at Brookvale, but so the International player could earn a wage close to what he is worth.
“In Stevie’s situation I believe he has taken unders for a lot of years to stay at this club and if he can now set his family up and get a big money contract elsewhere I think the club should assess that,” he said.
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