Dragons coach Anthony Griffin has revealed Tariq Sims’ reaction to contract negotiations between the Blues star and the club taking an unexpected twist.
“He’s been really good. That’s just something that we’ll deal with going forward – something for the off-season,” Griffin said after the Dragons’ 20-16 loss to the Rabbitohs, where Sims was taken to hospital.
On Friday Nine’s NRL insider Danny Weidler reported that Sims was in talks with the Dragons over his desire to extend his contract beyond its current term, till the end of next season. However St George Illawarra told Sims there was “no future deal” and he was free to look elsewhere for a new club for next year.
“His management had a chat to our management a couple of weeks ago and he’s contracted to us until the end of next year, so as I understand it, yeh, at the moment they’ve given him permission to have a look around,” Griffin confirmed on Saturday night.
“As I understand, there was a question asked about wanting to extend [his contract].
“That might still happen, but at the moment, we’re not looking that far ahead with Tariq. Nothing’s ever off the table. It was just a conversation, as I understand it, that was had a couple of weeks ago.”
Sims had a rough end to the season – and possibly his Dragons career – on Saturday night, copping a nasty head clash with South Sydney’s Jacob Host that forced him off the field with a concussion and badly split lip that reportedly required an emergency visit to see a plastic surgeon.
“He’s got a really bad laceration to his lip. I just saw the photos of it, the doctor showed me. He obviously was concussed but he’s got a really bad laceration to his lip,” Griffin said.
In Nine’s post-game show, his retired footy star sister Ruan said her brother did not make any outrageous requests to the Dragons in his contract negotiations, and that he wanted to end his career with the Red V, where he has played since 2016.
“He did want to stay there. He wanted to retire there,” she said.
“He’s got a couple of good year left in him. He wasn’t asking for the world, my understanding is he wasn’t asking for huge money, but it’s the nature of the game.
“He is my brother but I think he is an asset to any club he ends up in.”
League great Peter Sterling said “any club would be happy to take him at the right price”, given his impressive NRL career, but to leave the Dragons he would be searching for a longer deal.
“You’re buying an Origin player who is in great form, you’re buying a good citizen on and off the field, so you know what you’re getting,” Sterling said.
“He’s 31 now so he’s still got a couple of good years in him but with all players its about getting him at the right price. I’d imagine there are clubs out there who are very keen for his services.
“I guess it’s the fact Tariq might’ve wanted a longer contract, which the Dragons weren’t happy to entertain, so if he is going to sign I’d imagine he’d be looking at a three-year deal.”
Blues coach Brad Fittler added that the Dragons’ decision to squeeze out Sims might actually be a blessing in disguise for the second-rower.
“I think the timing is good,” Fittler said.
“It’ll be good for him going to another club. The Dragons aren’t necessarily on the way up in my eyes and I feel like he can go to another club and make a real difference. So I feel like he’s going to love the back end of his career.”
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