Penrith punish rusty Roosters
10 hours ago | Aidan Edgecomb
St George Illawarra retained boom halfback Mathew Head and teenage prop Justin Poore but the NRL club's chances of re-signing NSW forward Brent Kite appear to be fading.
Kite, who is being chased by Manly and Canberra, expects to make a decision within "the next day or so".
"I've had a few sleepless nights lately," said the 23-year-old Kite, who will line up for St George Illawarra against Wests Tigers on Sunday at Oki Jubilee Stadium.
"It's a pretty big decision for me and my family.
"I won't be rushing into it."
Queanbeyan product Kite tonight said if he rejected St George Illawarra's offer it was a close call between the Sea Eagles and the Raiders.
Kite is buoyed by the recent privatisation of Manly which has enabled the club to lure quality players such as Test forward Ben Kennedy to Brookvale.
City Origin hooker Mark Riddell said he expected to make a decision on his future by Wednesday but was favoured to stick with the Dragons.
Discarded Blues fullback Ben Hornby tonight said he wanted to re-sign with the club but was in no hurry to make a decision.
"As long as I get a deal I'm happy with," said Hornby, whose manager George Mimis met with Dragons chief executive Peter Doust today.
"However long it takes is however long it takes."
Hornby added it would be a shame if the club lost Kite.
"He's had a real big year and obviously that's driven his price up," he noted.
"With the salary cap we can't keep everyone."
Doust said he anticipated finalising negotiations with Jason Ryles, Hornby, Kite and Riddell next week.
Head and Poore today re-signed with the club until the end of 2006.
Head's signing comes a day after the club released another young halfback - Brett Firman - to join the Sydney Roosters.
The 22-year-old Head has been a fixture in the No.7 jersey this season and said he hoped to play his entire career with the Dragons.
"I never wanted to leave the Dragons so I am very happy negotiations are complete and I can just concentrate on footy," Head said.
Poore, 19, has been one of the club's real surprise packets, playing all but one of the 14 games.
"My goal was to make my debut and hopefully play a handful of games," Poore said.
"To become a regular in the 17-man line-up has been exciting.
"Being a local junior and having had Brownie as a coach since grade, I'm rapt to re-sign for another two years."