Chris Sandow has been branded sometimes “unreliable” and “a pain” by Warrington chief executive Tony Smith, following the Australian playmaker’s sudden departure from the Super League club.
Smith says he is neither surprised nor disappointed Sandow has walked out, with the former NRL star failing to show for the start of pre-season training on Monday.
The club say they were notified by Sandow’s agent he had decided not to return and see out his contract, which runs to the end of the 2017 season.
“To leave it to the last minute before pre-season training started is pretty ordinary,” Smith told Total Rugby League.
“Surprised? No. Disappointed? No”
The former South Sydney and Parramatta player is understood to be in Australia preparing for a boxing match against Todd Carney on December 9.
His exit from the club, and possibly the Super League, prompts speculation of an NRL return.
But Smith’s spray could dent any hopes Sandow might hold.
“He was OK for most of it and at sometimes he was a pain in the proverbial,” Smith said.
“He brightened us up at different stages and was exciting to watch for a while but he became a bit unreliable.”
“We saw glimpses of what he is capable of after that. I don’t think he was as near as comprehensive as he was in the first half of the season.”
“I can honestly say because of what he overall contributed to our squad and our team, I’m not too bothered,” Smith added.
He said Sandow’s departure will mean “a few less grey hairs” around the club.
Karl Fitzpatrick, Warrington’s head of operations who is due to take over as chief executive in January, earlier described the no-show as “a clear breach of contract”.
“We will be retaining his registration until further notice. We, the club, are disappointed that Chris has decided not to return, we are already under way in monitoring a potential replacement both internally and externally.”
Sandow made a tremendous start to the 2016 Super League season, winning player of the month for February and March before sustaining a torn hamstring which kept him out for two months.
He also injured a knee in Warrington’s 12-10 defeat by Hull at Wembley in August but returned for the grand final, which the Wolves lost to Wigan.
The 27-year-old helped the Wolves into the Challenge Cup final and Super League grand final this year, both of which they lost.
He spent four years with the Rabbitohs from 2008-11 before moving to Parramatta and resurrected his career with Warrington in 2016 after leaving the Eels midway through a troubled 2015 NRL season in somewhat similar circumstances.
