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ACT whip-round for Giteau
BY JOHN-PAUL MOLONEY
RUGBY UNION
31/10/2008 9:51:00 AM
An unprecedented push by a coalition of Canberra businesses could bring rugby superstar Matt Giteau home, perhaps as early as January.
Rumours have swirled in Australian rugby this week that Giteau is set to walk out on his Western Force contract a year early to link up with the ACT Brumbies for next year's Super 14 season.
While talks between the Brumbies and Giteau have related only to a potential deal from 2010, it was reported yesterday Queanbeyan-raised Giteau was considering leaving Perth a year early.
His former major sponsor, Firepower, whose massive $750,000-a-year support was the main reason he left the Brumbies in 2006, collapsed spectacularly this year, reportedly leaving Giteau $1million out pocket.
The Force has been unable to secure enough replacement sponsorship for the last two years of his contract, leading to a standoff between the club and its star player.
The Canbera Times understands Giteau's manager James Erskine has spoken with several Canberra business leaders who are ready to open their cheque books to help bring the Wallabies flyhalf home. Erskine could not be reached for comment yesterday.
While the identity of the businesses remains secret, it is understood they represent some of the 'usual suspects' in the Canberra sponsorship market, which includes real estate agencies and property developers.
Other potential sponsors are high profile Canberra businesses who have been closely aligned with sport in the capital in the past, such as Canberra Milk and utilities provider ActewAGL.
ActewAGL director of marketing Paul Walshe could not confirm his company's involvement in any business coalition, but he said sponsoring home-grown athletes had long been an area of interest to the company.
According to marketing research company Sweeney Sports, Giteau is the 55th most recognisable Australian sportsperson, ranked alongside NBA star Andrew Bogut and golfer Adam Scott.
He is, by Sweeney's ranking, the third most marketable current Wallabies player, behind only captain Stirling Mortlock and Lote Tuqiri.
Canberra businesses would likely need to raise $400,000 a year to match the reported third-party sponsorship on offer in Perth, where the Force has been scrambling desperately to keep its marquee player.
The Force released a statement late yesterday regarding Giteau, insisting it was not responsible for arrangements between players and sponsors, although it had ''assisted Matt to mitigate his financial losses of his current contract''.
Force chief executive Greg Harris said Giteau had not indicated to the club he wanted to exit his contract early.
''Matt is an extremely valuable member of our team who is adored by supporters and we'd like to think he will honour his commitments to the Western Force in 2009,'' Harris said.
The Brumbies have not been involved in sponsorship talks with Giteau's management because they are prevented from doing so by Australian Rugby Union contracting regulations.
However the Brumbies have been in general talks with Giteau since June about a possible return to his first Super rugby club from 2010.
Giteau re-signed last year with the ARU until 2012, but he secured an option to leave Perth after the 2009 season. That move was read as an indication he wanted to return home and Erskine subsequently contacted the Brumbies to formally express Giteau's interest.
Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan met with Giteau in Sydney in June and new coach Andy Friend visited Wallabies camp to speak with him in September.
Fagan said yesterday, ''I'm not sure how close he is to making a decision, I don't believe he's set himself a deadline, but we're hopeful he'll see fit to return home.
''Indications were that he'd be making a decision over the course of the next couple of months.''
If the Canberra business push proves successful in luring Giteau back in 2010 or earlier, it would be by far the biggest third-party sport sponsorship deal in ACT history.
ActewAGL, which part-owns Canberra Capitals major sponsor TransACT, provided tens of thousands of dollars to secure basketball star Lauren Jackson for her final seasons in Canberra. Canberra businesses arranged sponsorship last year to convince Brumbies winger Clyde Rathbone to extend his stay.
The ACT Government even played a role in helping re-secure former Canberra Raiders halfback Todd Carney last year, when Chief Minister Jon Stanhope offered Carney an ambassadorship role for junior sport.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au:80/n...u/1348354.aspx
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