Warriors will chase Lomu
July 26, 2001

The New Zealand Warriors rugby league club will continue to chase All Black great Jonah Lomu, but will wait until October to continue discussions.

The Warriors made an approach to Lomu earlier this month, but club chief executive Mick Watson said the situation "got a bit out of hand."

Lomu comes off contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union at the end of this year prompting the Warriors to open negotiations.

Watson acknowledged the club would have to decide whether it had the money to sign Lomu, but he and former Warrior Matthew Ridge have had encouraging talks with the player's manager Phil Kingsley-Jones. Watson re-affirmed any deal with Lomu would hinge on third-party sponsorships, with the All Black among either code's highest earners.

"It blew up a little bit in our faces," Watson said of the initial discussions. "We were looking for a quiet chat with his manager. It got a bit out of hand from our perspective.

"We'll get back to Phil in October. That was the deadline.

"There's still a chance. It has come down to a financial decision - if we're prepared to pay the money. We have some things to discuss when we sit down at our next board meeting."

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