A cut-price homecoming
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A cut-price homecomingBY PETER FITZGERALD AND CHRIS DUTTON
22/02/2009 10:11:00 AM
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...px?storypage=0
MATT Giteau said his decision to return to the ACT Brumbies next season was never about the money.
Giteau confirmed rugby's worst kept secret yesterday, announcing he would rejoin the Brumbies for two seasons from next year, in a deal worth about $1.1million.
The deal will include:
$110,000 from a Brumbies contract, the maximum an Australian Super 14 franchise can pay a player.
About $600,000 from an ARU top-up contract
About $400,000 in third-party sponsorship from a Canberra business consortium.
The consortium is headed by some of Canberra's biggest commercial hitters including ACTEW chairman John Mackay, ACTTAB chief Tony Curtis, Colliers International's Paul Powderley, Stephen Johnston of Macquarie Bank and Canberra Milk boss Gary Sykes.
Giteau's contract with the Western Force was believed to have been worth about $1.5million per season for three years.
About $750,000 of that was from third-party sponsor Firepower, which went bust last year.
Giteau missed out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments as a result of the company's demise.
The 26-year-old, who has played 64 Super 14 matches and 65 Tests for the Wallabies, allegedly knocked back a $1.6million offer from ET Mining last week to remain in Perth, money which would have made up for his Firepower losses.
The flyhalf had already decided he was ready to return to Canberra and play with the Brumbies for at least the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Giteau denied money or an alleged fallout with Force coach John Mitchell played any role in his decision.
''If it was about the money, I'd still be here [in Perth],'' he said yesterday.
''I had to make a decision and I decided to go back to play where it all started.
''The decision was a matter of me wanting to go back to the Brumbies, certainly not a matter of just wanting to get away from the Force. With all the [financial] promises that were made and weren't met ... to still honour my contract as far as to play out where I said I would in Perth, I feel very proud of that.
''[The Mitchell saga] didn't come into my mind, there was no reason related to that at all.''
Giteau came to his decision on Tuesday night.
He informed his family on Wednesday before signing a transfer of clubs form to confirm the move.
He said he consulted several of the Brumbies players before making his decision but admitted making the final call to leave the Force was ''pretty tough''.
''I talked to a few of the guys at the Brumbies. You obviously want a fully informed decision,'' Giteau said.
''To make the right decision you need to get as many options and points of view as you can and I did that but ultimately, you have to come to the decision yourself and that wasn't easy.''
The Brumbies were yesterday rejoicing.
Chief executive Andrew Fagan described the No10 as ''a superstar of international rugby'' whose signing would have positive flow-on effects.
''With membership, sponsorship, general crowd numbers and interest in the game in Canberra, Matt's marketability is enormous,'' Fagan said.
''His on-field ability will ensure the Brumbies have an even more formidable line-up for the next couple of years but his off-field influence is a great coup for us as well.''
Giteau's inclusion into the Brumbies team next year will ensure coach Andy Friend has the most dominant backline of any of the four Australian franchises at his disposal.
Friend had minimal involvement in luring Giteau to Canberra, having not spoken to him since the middle of last year.
''Matt's done it at the highest level, he's a huge competitor, it's a great coup for the club,'' he said.
''He's one of those blokes who, wherever he plays, he plays well.''
Giteau's announcement comes seven days before he and his Western Force teammates take on the Brumbies in Canberra in what looms as an enthralling Super 14 contest.
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CHEERLEADERS ROCK!!! 
Originally Posted by waratahjesus
Supporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
. But the point is still there - how was the money obtained, because from the cheap seats it appears to be exactly the same. The Force weren't fined because of who the sponsor was, they were fined because of the how.
