David Klemmer has been painted as a money-hungry player with no regard for his teammates.
A week of Klemmer bashing followed our revelation last week that he was Newcastle-bound after some third-party deals fell over.
Klemmer has not been crying poor. His manager may well be, but not the player.
For the record, Klemmer is on great money at the Bulldogs. I have seen his contract for this year and the next two seasons. I have not seen what he was on last year, but I have been told it was about $400,000.
Other things to worry about: If anything, David Klemmer might be slightly underpaid according to his market value.Credit:AAP
This is how his deal worked this year: standard contract $650,000; third-party arrangement $100,000. Then in 2019: standard payment $665,000; marquee payment $125,000; third-party arrangement $100,000. In 2020: contract $665,000; marquee payment $125,000; third-party deal $100,000.
In other words, if his third-party deals fail to materialise, he will make $2.23 million from 2018 to 2020, and more than $2.5 million if his third-party contracts are honoured. Pretty good coin. Not the kind of money that would lead to Klemmer crying poor.
He would hate that his teammates might think he is comparing his salary to theirs.
Greg Eastwood was on $800,000, or close to it, for the second year of his two-year contract, but only $200,000 in the first year. It was a classic back-ended deal.
If Jason Taumalolo is worth $1 million a season, on form Klemmer is worth at least $800,000. So the Bulldogs giant may be slightly underpaid.
Newcastle have cash to burn and need to pay $1 million plus to lure Klemmer north. Newcastle great and Channel Nine commentator Andrew Johns thinks it’s a lot of money, but also says Klemmer is what the club needs.
Enough about the money. There is an underlying issue unsettling Klemmer.
He is dealing with some personal problems. Klemmer is not a straight-forward person. He has some serious issues with his family and we will leave it at that.
Klemmer is forever grateful to his wife, Chloe, and her family.
Hughes: I'd never use brother’s death in a sledge
The David Warner–Jason Hughes incident has gotten out of hand.
It’s no secret the Hughes family are very angry with Australian cricket. Specifically, the NSW players who were on the field at the SCG the day their son, Phillip, was struck and tragically killed.
Several Blues players told the coronial inquest into Phillip’s death there was no vicious sledging or threats of violence towards Hughes while he was at the crease on November 25, 2014. Warner was one of those who was on the field that day. Clearly the family does not believe him or the other players.
Going public: David Warner’s wife, Candice, described the comments directed at her husband as “very hurtful”.Credit:Channel Nine
The bad blood spilled over at Pratten Park last Saturday when Jason, the brother of Phillip, was fielding for Western Suburbs while Warner was batting for Randwick Petersham.
The next day, Warner’s wife, Candice, slammed Jason’s sledging of her husband as ‘‘abusive’’ and ‘‘going too far’’. It quickly sparked a school of thought that Jason had raised his brother’s death and the inquest in his sledging of Warner, causing him to leave the field. Hughes vehemently denies that suggestion.
The fallout from the sledging incident left Phillip’s father, Greg, in tears.
Hughes says his attack on Warner related to the sandpaper scandal. He says he told the exiled Australian opener he shouldn’t be allowed to play at all.
Hughes says once Warner returned to the crease he made no further comments. By that time many journalists had arrived at the game and were listening for sledges. None were heard.
Many in Australian cricket believe Candice Warner is trying to position herself and her husband as victims to try and turn the tide of public opinion.
Hughes says he would never use a family tragedy as the basis for a sledge on the field. Phillip’s death is a topic the family still struggles to speak about, even as the fourth anniversary approaches.
Eagles and Des must fix two broken Turbos
There will be the usual denials, but there is a far greater challenge for Des Hasler and the Sea Eagles than luring Kieran Foran back to the northern beaches.
There is a rather long shadow being cast over the playing group by Trent Barrett. Manly’s management and Hasler will be trying to sell the club to two players who before this year seemed certainties to play out their careers with the Sea Eagles.
Jake and Tom Trbojevic grew up playing for the Mona Vale Raiders and dreaming of playing for Manly. Their love of the club was almost detrimental to their careers as rival clubs knew they would never leave. They signed four-year deals a couple of seasons back and gave no genuine indication they had ever looked elsewhere.
In past years, Jake would never have said a negative word about the club. But in recent times that has changed. He has been outspoken in his support for Barrett. And he wants to be coached by Barrett again in the future. This is not spin coming from the Barrett camp.
Tom feels the same. We’re sure Hasler can work his magic and get the brothers onside, but it is just another problem he needs to tackle – and he needs to do it as a priority.
Brisbane centre James Roberts is another who wants to play for Barrett in the future. Roberts played under Barrett in the Panthers lower grades, where the coach made a real name for himself and established loyal followers.
Roberts has been painted as a loyal disciple of Broncos mentor Wayne Bennett and many believe the fleet-footed centre will hit the eject button on the Broncos now Bennett won’t be there long-term.
Staying put: James Roberts is unlikely to follow Wayne Bennett to Sydney – or move to the Gold Coast.Credit:AAP
Reports have suggested Roberts could end up back on the Gold Coast on a big-money deal. There is more chance of him leading the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl victory. Roberts has a very close relationship with Bennett, who played a big role in turning his life around on and off the field.
That doesn’t mean he’s going to follow Bennett’s every move. Roberts is quite comfortable in Brisbane for the time being, having signed on until 2021.
He doesn’t see Sydney as the best place for his personal development. The 25-year-old isn’t ruling out returning to the harbour city in the future, but playing under Bennett isn’t a necessity.
Academy reward
Ivan Cleary is everyone’s favourite punching bag at the moment, but he had his decision to swap clubs mid-contract vindicated when he walked into the Panthers Rugby League Academy at the start of the week. It was just a sketch on a piece of paper last time he was at Penrith. He was overwhelmed by what he saw.
Cleary put it all on the line to return to Penrith – including his friendship with Wests Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe. “We are still friends, but we have not had a lot of dialogue recently,” Pascoe said.
Seat of power
The musical chairs coaching game is finally over at the Sea Eagles, in more ways than one. Outgoing coach Barrett listed his complaints about the facilities, including a lack of chairs for players.
No such problem for returning coach Hasler.
That way: Manly chairman Scott Penn and newly appointed Manly coach Des Hasler.Credit:AAP
Hasler turned up early for a junior representative induction and testing session on Thursday at the club’s Narrabeen training facility and helped staff set up the room, which included … setting out 30 plastic chairs.
Hasler’s early days in his second coming as Manly coach have impressed many.
He attended a board meeting on Wednesday and insisted the dispute with Barrett be settled. A few hours later it was.
Chip off the old bloc
It took just two rounds of the A-League season for the Wanderers’ infamous Red and Black Bloc fan group to disgrace themselves. Yet to play a home game, the supporter group hurled objects at a photographer at the SCG last Saturday night.
Former Fairfax and veteran AAP photographer Brendan Esposito was hit in the back of the head with a can of Coke and a water bottle during the match.
His laptop was also drenched by a drink thrown at him.
Foolish: The Red and Black Bloc did their reputation no favours at the recent Sydney derby at the SCG.Credit:AAP
AAP has made an official complaint to Football Federation Australia. Esposito also claims coins were thrown at him, something that could have caused serious injury. You can expect little action will be taken.
Someone should warn Mudgee locals. Western Sydney will play their first home game in the wine region next Saturday night against Brisbane Roar.
Esposito will also be in attendance and is considering wearing a helmet and armour.
Still the King
Since being found in possession of cocaine last year, former Sharks chairman Damien Keogh has ended his time as a sports administrator. But he was welcomed back to the one club he can forever call home.
The three-time Olympian was warmly received at the Sydney Kings’ 30th-anniversary celebrations at half-time of the game against Cairns last Sunday. A fan favourite, ‘‘Three-O Keogh’’ was given one of the loudest cheers when presented to the Kings faithful.
Danny Weidler is a reporter with Channel Nine news.
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