BY DAN

Alright everyone settle down. Take a second and a breath and maybe have a seat before I drop this information on you.

The Canberra Raiders and the Warrington are still negotiating for the release of Danny Walker.

Last week the Raiders walked away from discussions after ‘unreasonable’ transfer demands from the English club for their star hooker. This week the Wolves have recoiled in horror after the Milk offered Danny Levi in exchange for the English rake. They in turn demanded Tom Starling be sent over instead. No mind about if either player actually wanted to go (though given Levi’s limited prospects in the NRL maybe he was more open to it?), Canberra rejected the offer. At least according to TBRRugbyLeague.com.

Like we’ve said repeatedly over this process these vagaries of the back and forth aren’t that important. What is clear is that both clubs continue to search for a solution, no matter how many times it is reported that the teams have pulled the plug. This bodes well for Walker ending up in Canberra.

This is supported by the fact that there is currently one (1) NRL club involved in these negotiations. Whatever concerns about Souths alumni and current Warrington coach Sam Burgess shopping Walker to Redfern seems to have dissipated in this most recent reporting. That’s not a matter of ruling out the Bunnies. The Raiders are aware that organisation does it’s best work quietly. But if they were involved you’d think the Wolves would want to make sure Canberra were well aware – there’s money to squeeze after all.

Update: And more importantly Danny Walker clearly wants to come. As he told the Warrington Guardian

I’m contracted at the end of the day but if you ask any player, if you get the opportunity to go over to the NRL, it’s something you have to listen to and I’m no different. I’m not going to stand here and lie about it

I love playing for Warrington and I hope everybody knows how much I love that, but you have to listen to opportunities like this.

That’s about as far as a player can go to saying “let me chase my dreams” without actively shitting on his home club. This is undoubtedly good news for the Raiders. There is clearly a desire from Canberra to get him there. There is clearly an interest from Walker to come. All that stands in the way is finding the magic number that is needed to make it happen. Given the grand final hasn’t even happened and pre-season is still six weeks from starting in any shape or form, there’s a time for patience and it’s now. It seems more and more likely this will get done.

And obviously that doesn’t mean it’s going to get done. But the key thing is that each of these reports brings proof that the parties are closer to resolution rather than further away. I’m not sure at what point those negotiations prove fruitless, but while we get this back and forth it’s enough proof for me to suggest that they’re still being pursued.

As to whether Danny Walker is worth all this noise, I guess I’ll say I hope we get to find out.

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