Tigers allow prince to scope move north

[The_Darkhorse]

Tigers allow Prince to scope move north

Wests Tigers have given premiership-winning captain Scott Prince permission to negotiate with Queensland-based National Rugby League clubs, signalling a race to secure his services for 2007.

The Tigers' decision is sure to draw interest from at least one of the three Queensland clubs - the Brisbane Broncos, the North Queensland Cowboys and new franchise the Gold Coast Titans.

Prince is the last big-name player yet to be signed by the Tigers.

A statement from the club says Prince and his manager will meet again with club officials at the end of February.

The statement says it is hoped the matter will be resolved before the 2006 season begins on March 10.

Prince was in imperious form during the Tigers' run to the 2005 premiership, winning a place in the Australian squad for the Tri-Nations tour, during which he made his Test debut.

The half-back, who is originally from the western Queensland city of Mt Isa, started his career with the Cowboys before moving to Brisbane to join the Broncos.

But it may be the Gold Coast who are most interested in his availability.

The new franchise have not yet signed a top-quality half-back and would see Prince as an ideal candidate for the role.

Were he to join the Titans, he would form an exciting combination with Preston Campbell in the halves.

[nq_gurl]

Prince willing to leave Tigers
By Steve Mascord
February 1, 2006

WESTS Tigers captain Scott Prince says he is genuine about returning to North Queensland or Brisbane next year.

Banned: No round balls for Tigers

But coach Tim Sheens wants at least two weeks to match any offer from his Queensland rivals.

Prince and Sheens, who arrived in Britain yesterday for the world club challenge, spoke for the first time since the club's surprise decision to allow the star half to speak to the Cowboys, Broncos and Gold Coast, effective immediately.

The request to hold talks with North Queensland and Brisbane - Prince's two previous NRL clubs - was seen in some quarters as an attempt to throw observers off the scent of the Titans, who have been heavily linked with him despite being previously banned from an approach.

But Prince said he would seriously consider returning to Suncorp or Dairy Farmers Stadium.

"I'd like to know, definitely, where they're coming from," he said after a gruelling 30-hour journey from Sydney.

"Obviously it's something I want to look at.

"It doesn't hurt to have a talk to them. I won't know where they're coming from until I speak to my manager."


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Sheens, normally reticent to discuss contractual matters, said the Cowboys, Broncos and Titans were presented to Wests Tigers as the clubs most interested in the 2005 Premiership skipper.
"We had indications he had interest from the three clubs, they were the three clubs he was interested in so we gave him permission to talk to them," Sheens said.

But while the joint-venture side wants the issue resolved by the kick-off of the 2006 Premiership, Sheens said that did not give agent Steve Robinson five or six weeks to table offers from Queensland.

"It was all about the manager going to those clubs and getting it organised quickly so we had a couple of weeks to discuss things once we got back and sort it out before the season started," he said.

Robinson may be required to table offers from the Queensland triumvirate by next week.

Sheens did not want to fuel speculation by commenting further and Prince said he had no problem with the mid-March decision deadline.

Wests Tigers was due to have its first training run on British soil late last night (AEDT), with Sheens refuting local reports he has already finalised his side with Daniel Fitzhenry at five-eighth to deputise for the injured Benji Marshall.

"Chances are, Fitzhenry and (Ben) Galea will share the position," he said.

"That's what happened in Gunnedah and I was happy with that."

Bradford has had its own pre-match drama with officials issuing a statement yesterday insisting coach Brian Noble was not about to bail out for Newcastle.

Noble, also the Great Britain coach, has been linked with the Knights post despite being under contract at Odsal.

Sheens, meanwhile, has been gathering information about the Bradford players from South Sydney's former St Helens, Gateshead and Hull coach Shaun McRae.

Wests Tigers assistant coach Royce Simmons has also canvassed veteran utility Brad Drew, who played against the Bulls for Huddersfield in a pre-season friendly two weeks ago.

The Daily Telegraph

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17999008-23209,00.html?from=rss