Bell rings the changes

Photo: Photosport

Dean Bell.

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THE Warriors' new recruitment chief has warned league's player-agents that the club will not be a soft touch and will stop over-paying players.

Dean Bell, whose appointment to head the club's recruitment was the key change in their off-season shake-up, says he will be much stricter on player salaries and says there is a feeling the club has been "over-paying" players.

Bell, on tour with the Kiwis as their football manager, told Sunday News: "We should be paying players what they are worth.

"I will take a fairly hardline approach. I am quite conservative with my own money, so the last thing I want to do is pay over the odds."

Bell says he wants salaries more closely tied to a players' achievements and matchwinning ability. "You've got to have certain levels a player needs to be able to attain on the field to be able to earn that money, and if you are paying him over the odds, that sends the wrong message out," he said.

"Players who have a massive influence on us winning games should be the highest-paid players. There should be a tier system – a regular international player getting the most.

"I like players to really earn their money, not get it handed to them, because you want them to be hungry."

Bell also said that after the success of British forwards Adrian Morley and Gareth Ellis in the NRL, he can see the club recruiting at least one English-based player in the near future, while he is also prepared to mine the rugby union ranks.

While in England, Bell has met with leading agent Andy Clarke and is considering buying a player-tracking database system from him. He has also met with Wigan assistant coach Shaun Wane, and says he originally hoped to use Wane as a scout before he decided to keep working at Wigan.

Bell says part of his role is to "formalise" the club's worldwide scouting structure. He will also produce a "succession plan" for every position so the club can see the gaps in their team more clearly.

Intriguingly, it's clear he will have the final say on all signings – while he says he expects a consensus with head coach Ivan Cleary and assistant Tony Iro, he added that if there is "stalemate – it's my head on the block".

Bell said the club still wants to sign a winger for the 2010 season, but is also prepared to go without and give younger players a chance.