Cameron Munster has shut the door on the Dolphins for 2023 today with the star half fronting the media today and announcing he will see out his contract at the Storm.
Melbourne Storm officials are seething after the Dolphins expansion team coach Wayne Bennett doubled down on the club’s plans to pinch star half Cameron Munster from the Victorian NRL club.
The Queensland and Kangaroos representative isn’t off contract until the end of 2023, but the Dolphins are still trying to get him to join their inaugural season next year or – failing that – secure his signature for 2024.
Not this time, Wayne. Cameron Munster has vowed to see out his current Melbourne Storm contract that expires at the end of 2023 despite interest from new franchise the Dolphins
‘Wayne’s Wayne. He’s probably just trying to stir the pot. But it’s nothing to do with me,” Munster told reporters.
‘There’s a bit of speculation but I’ve never, myself or my management, asked for a release from next year.
‘I’m contacted to the club until 2023 when my contract ends and I’m not going to lose myself by asking for a release.
‘I’m committed to the club and I want to see out my contract and I don’t want to be one of those people that says I want to leave.’
As for 2024, that door remains ajar with Munster remaining non-commital on his future beyond his current contract.
‘If it happens it happens,’ he said.
‘I haven’t really spokem to my partner Bianca or my manager wharsoever on going any further.
‘My main goal is winning a premiership with the Storm this year and next year.’
Munster might need to take a pay cut to stay at the Storm because of salary cup restrictions
Under NRL guidelines clubs can not officially make contact with players over contract negotiations until 12 months before their contract is due to expire.
That means the Dolphins cannot make any formal offer to Munster until November 1.
However the Storm are fuming over repeated public comments from Bennett confirming his club’s interest in signing Munster.
After lodging a complaint against the Dolphins in May, the Storm has now lodged a formal complaint with the NRL.
Storm chief executive Justin Rodski spoke to the NRL on Friday addressing their concerns.
‘We have spoken to the NRL and asked the question about the comments,’ Rodski said.
‘Cameron is contracted to the Storm in 2023 and we are not releasing, nor have we granted permission to speak to other clubs.
‘While we appreciate there is ongoing speculation in regards to his future from 2024 and beyond, we have another club referencing our player when he is contracted.
‘We think it should be looked at by the NRL.’
Munster could command top dollar at the cashed-up Dolphins because he is a proven NRL premiership winner and elite player at State of Origin and international level
Bennett revived the Cameron Munster issue during the week when he spoke to SEN’s Pat and Heals and confirmed the new club was definitely still targeting Munster as a marquee signing.
‘He’s a part of the long-term view, absolutely he is,’ he said.
‘If we don’t get him in ’23…certainly ’24 is on the table for us and hopefully it is on the table for him.
‘Cam probably won’t be there next year, but we’ve got one or two at mind that we are working with at the moment to get them over the line.’
It comes after the Storm lodged an initial complaint in May because the Bennett publicly said the club was interested in signing Munster.
Bennett has laughed off complaints about his intention to sign Cameron Munster for the Dolphins and insists the club has done nothing wrong
The Dolphins coach said at the time the expansion club had done nothing wrong.
‘(Munster is) still in the process of him talking to Melbourne, finding out what his future is there, and talking to us in between,’ Bennett said.
‘The NRL haven’t told us we have broken any rules, they are the governing body, so we will continue doing what we are doing.
‘One thing about Cam is he’s the guy laughing, because he has plenty of offers, plenty of opportunity.’