Storm warn Dolphins over player poaching

3 years ago 346

Melbourne manager Craig Bellamy has fired an aboriginal informing changeable implicit the bow of recently minted NRL rival the Dolphins, saying the Storm won't beryllium releasing immoderate contracted players without the committedness of important compensation.

Bellamy's comments to the Sydney Morning Herald travel lone days aft the NRL announced the Dolphins volition go the competition's 17th team, entering the apical league successful 2023.

Wayne Bennett volition manager the Redcliffe-based nine and a fig of players person already been linked to joining the caller team, including a fig of Storm stars.

The likes of Christian Welch and Brandon Smith are off-contract adjacent twelvemonth and tin legally beryllium approached by rival clubs arsenic of November 1, and the Dolphins are expected to caput hunt them arsenic aboriginal arsenic adjacent month.

But 1 subordinate who continues to get linked to the Dolphins is Cameron Munster, who is contracted to the Storm to the extremity of 2023 and truthful can't beryllium approached until November adjacent year.

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Munster has spoken publically of his tendency to determination location to Queensland and play for the NRL's caller team, portion Bennett is keen to reunite with the five-eighth who helium coached for Queensland during past year's State of Origin series.

Bellamy, though, sounds similar helium won't beryllium letting Munster - and different contracted players - permission the nine earlier their declaration expires.

"Munster has made that constituent himself a fewer times," Bellamy said.

"With each owed respect, they're not meant to beryllium approaching our players until November 1. If they're not doing it publicly, they're astir apt doing it privately.

"I don't cognize what the Dolphins' plans are, but I cognize determination volition beryllium a fewer of our players they mightiness target.

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"They volition person a batch of money. If players are tempted by money, they volition beryllium a bully accidental of getting them. But determination are different things too wealth for immoderate people.

"If they privation idiosyncratic inactive connected contract, they volition not beryllium leaving unless we get thing for them. I'm not adjacent definite what they tin springiness america due to the fact that they don't person immoderate players.

"We're not conscionable going to springiness a subordinate distant who fits into our system. And everyone astatine the Storm is connected committee with that opinion."

While Melbourne can't artifact the likes of Welch and Smith leaving erstwhile their declaration expires, Bellamy hopes those players volition take to re-sign with the Storm alternatively than beryllium tempted by the imaginable riches connected connection astatine the Dolphins.

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