Rugby League Coaching Manuals

By Greg Prichard, SMH - Brisbane have asked star player Karmichael Hunt to tell them by Friday week whether he will accept the club's offer to re-sign him.

The Broncos put a deal on the table a month ago, believed to be worth $1 million over three years, but in the meantime there has been speculation that Japanese rugby is interested in the representative fullback.

Broncos football manager Peter Nolan and Hunt's manager, David Riolo, met yesterday and Nolan said afterwards that he had explained the club's need to establish where Hunt stood as soon as possible, particularly since the Broncos are also negotiating with another of the club's star players - five-eighth and captain Darren Lockyer.

Hunt and Lockyer come off contract at the end of this season.

"We can't change our offer," Nolan said. "We're restricted by the salary cap. We haven't tried to cheapskate Karmichael or anything. We've done our best and what needs to happen is for Karmichael to decide whether to accept the offer or not.

"We're playing our first-round game on Friday week, and I told David we need an answer by that day. We accept there is interest in Karmichael from rugby union, but it would be remiss of me to let that dictate the situation for us. I don't see why the club should have to wait much longer."

Nolan said the circumstances would have to be extraordinary for Brisbane to wait beyond Friday week.

Riolo said Hunt wanted to stay at Brisbane and did not want to play for any other club against the Broncos, but that he needed to fulfil his earning potential.

"I told the club I needed some more time to investigate whether there are any income-earning opportunities for Karmichael in Brisbane - away from the club itself - that would supplement his football earnings," he said.

"The club understands we can't do that overnight. The club would like an answer yesterday, so we'll try to speed things along. It was a very amicable meeting. The Broncos can afford to spend more, but they're restricted by the salary cap. We're a little bit away from where we'd like to be with the club, but negotiations will continue."

Riolo didn't wish to speculate on the chances of Hunt switching to Japanese rugby.

Meanwhile, Tim Moltzen looks set to win the race to play fullback for Wests Tigers in their first-round premiership game against Canberra at Campbelltown Stadium on March 16.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens yesterday unveiled a full-strength team for a trial game against Shellharbour in Shellharbour on Friday and Moltzen was named at fullback, ahead of other contenders including Shannon Gallant and Shannon McDonnell.

Sheens said before the team had played any pre-season games that the fullback spot was up for grabs following Brett Hodgson's departure to play in England and that form would be the key.

Tigers hooker and captain Robbie Farah, who did not play in any previous trials because he was recovering from back surgery, will make his return in the game.

 Exciting young halfback Chris Sandow has re-signed with South Sydney until the end of the 2011 season.