Quade Cooper Defection

Diamondmaker

Quade Cooper said to be meeting with the Paramatta Eels in the NRL.

A defection that would rock the Wallabies to the core or pre contract posturing, apparently he is not locked in by the Wallabies ( but he is on a 2yr Reds contract ) in another gaffe similar to what allowed Rocky away to Leinster.

EXCLUSIVE: QUADE Cooper has held secret negotiations with the Parramatta Eels as the Wallabies star weighs up a shock defection to the NRL.

In a bombshell that will rock the Australian Rugby Union, Cooper is contemplating walking out on the code at season's end after his management flew to Sydney last week for talks with Parramatta boss Paul Osborne.

Osborne refused to comment last night but The Courier-Mail can reveal Cooper and his manager Richard Colreavy have spoken with the Eels chief executive.

At the core of Cooper's concerns is a two-year top-up component from the ARU, which is so unpalatable that the 22-year-old is prepared to turn his back on the Wallabies' 2011 World Cup campaign to play in the NRL alongside Eels star Jarryd Hayne.

Cooper verbally agreed to a two-year deal with the Reds in June, but the ARU component of his contract has yet to be finalised - meaning the Test sensation is technically a free agent. The loss of Cooper would be a devastating blow for the Wallabies, whose Cup campaign is being built on his attacking wizardry.

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Cooper was tight-lipped when contacted last night but said he had entertained the prospect of playing in the NRL.

"I can't say too much at the moment, obviously I enjoy watching the NRL and I wouldn't rule it out," said Cooper, who goes into Wallabies camp on Tuesday after a two-match suspension.

"Right now, I'm playing rugby, that's my focus. I don't know what's going on there (negotiations with the Eels)."

Asked if he harboured a desire to be a dual international, Cooper said: "It's too much to be thinking about being a dual international but any footballer who has the opportunity to do it would think about it."

buck65

Diamondmaker wrote: »

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That's the bit that gets me the most about this whole thing.:D

Seriously though would be a massive loss to a team with very few OH options.

JustinDee

Probably just his agent 'talking', to be honest.

Judgement Day

Cooper commits to union

August 13, 2010
http://www.scrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/121208.html

Quade Cooper has denied reports linking him with a move to rugby league and although he has not ruled out a future change of code, has committed his short term future to union.

The out-half wants to scale the heights of the 15-man game before considering a change. Cooper played both league and union growing up and while he retains an interest in league, he wants to continue with the Queensland Reds and wear the gold jersey at next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Despite some controversial off-field activity which included a burglary charge in 2009, Cooper's form and ability to unlock defences have made him a key man at club and country level, and his verbal commitment to a two year deal will come as some relief to those running the sport in Australia.

And while he admitted there has been interest from NRL clubs, he has unfinished business in rugby union.

"I've always had (league) in the back of my mind because I like watching league and I loved playing it but at the same time I've enjoyed rugby and I haven't really achieved too much in the game as yet that I want to achieve," Cooper told AAP.

"I have been chased a little bit (by leagues clubs before) but at the same time it's pretty hard to leave when you haven't achieved anything. My first three years with the Reds we were last, third last and second last.

"To leave on that note, there's two ways to go about it. You can want to leave because you are not doing well or you can face that challenge and say you want to stay and be on that wave when it does come in. You would think it's just around the corner and if you left now you would miss that."

Australian Rugby Union chief John O'Neill hinted that the player's agent was behind the speculation over a move, but said Cooper could expect a reasonable increase in his contract in negotiations set for Friday. But O'Neill also indicated he shouldn't forget the support shown by the ARU and QRU following burglary charges in December.

"He's got the world at his feet in our game," he said. "He's got a World Cup next year, he's a player we want to retain and we're confident in the coming week or so we'll have a satisfactory deal done.

"Think all of what we've done with Quade in the last six months shows great support for Quade ... the ARU and QRU could not have done more."

Australia coach Robbie Deans denied he had any concerns about Cooper's future.

"There is no dalliance with league,'' the New Zealander said. "Quade's expressed to us that not only does he love what he does but he wants to continue doing it."

© Scrum.com

GiftofGab

This guy has the abilty to be a union legend. I would never want to see him change codes

Stev_o

Himself vs Benji Marshall would be one of the best match ups you'd ever see.

Judgement Day

Quade Cooper has re-signed with the Wallabies until after the 2011 World Cup thereby ending weeks of speculation (and worry for some of us) that he was going to switch to League. Full story here: http://www.scrum.com/australia/rugby/story/122754.html

Stev_o

Judgement Day wrote: »

Quade Cooper has re-signed with the Wallabies until after the 2011 World Cup therebyconfirmingweeks of speculation (and worry for some of us) that he was going to switch to League next year. Full story here: http://www.scrum.com/australia/rugby/story/122754.html

That would be my own opinion else he's looking at doubling his market share once this finishes up.