Report from the Wakefield's local paper.
Wildcats set to replace one Tiger with another
WILDCATS chiefs are locked in `inter-continental` talks that could tie up two contracts by the weekend writes Stephen Heptinstall.
Whitehaven `half-back` Sam Obst returned to Australia for his `off-season` break on Wednesday of this week.
But the Belle `Vue-based` club and the player's agent have gone a long way down the contract track already.
Chief executive Diane Rogerson told Express Sport: "Taking the time difference into account, I'm hoping that we can put a deal together by Friday.
"It's all sounding very hopeful. All the figures have already been discussed; it's now just a matter of the formal process if you like."
Diane confirmed that the contract will be for one year - initially - for the former Sydney Roosters and West Tigers `half-back` who made his first grade appearance Down Under in 2001 and who will be 24 at the end of next month.
She added: "As most people know by now, we'd been talking to Tiger (Paul Handforth) for quite some time and we had been hopeful that we could get a deal together.
"But that wasn't to be and we needed to act relatively quickly. Not only did we need to replace Tig' but also Albert Talipeau.
"With Liam Finn, who's still with us, we started last season with three players who could cover at hooker and `half-back`.
"With Sam - hopefully - Liam Finn and Liam Campbell, who's come up through the Academy we will have the same number in terms of cover."
But recruiting fresh faces also has its down side: "What really frustrates me is that as soon as you start looking to sign other players you get reports that Ben Jeffries is going to Wigan or Leeds.
"It's absolute rubbish. Ben's with us for next season and we're looking to him as a `long-term` member of the squad so when he comes back from his break we'll be talking contract extensions.
"We must have one of the youngest teams in Super League. We're about building a team not dismantling it.
"Next season we'll start with 21 players from the existing squad already in place. If you look at the top teams in the competition that's how they've achieved their position.
"Last year we concentrated on putting the pack together - a unit that will grow, develop and get better over the next four or five years.
"This year we'll be starting to build a team around that."
And the first stage of that is likely to be the retention of pack man Duncan Macgillivray.
The Aussie joined Wakefield towards the end of last season but did enough to earn a new contract offer.
"We're still in negotiations with Duncan but hopefully we'll sort it all out shortly," confirmed Diane.
Meanwhile, Wildcats club captain Gareth Ellis has been named in the `19-man` selection squad for Great Britain's opening `Tri-Nations` Series clash with Australia on Saturday.
29 October 2004