HONESTY is the best policy, or so the saying goes, but it seems like it has landed Mickey Paea in a whole host of hot water this week.
Hull KR chairman Neil Hudgell is clearly upset with Paea's agent, Darryl Mather, for comments which basically blamed the Robins for Paea not signing the new contract he was offered at MS3 Craven Park.
But when Mather was happy to blame KR's "uncertain future" for Paea leaving last week, the player himself had already told Hudgell it was because of a big-money offer from Hull FC. Two very different stories.
There's no question Hudgell defends his club at all times, with his passion visible through his comments.
But judging by what he's said on the Paea issue, he has clearly been left incensed by last season when Shannon McDonnell claimed all season long that he wanted to return to the NRL, when in fact he'd purchased the furniture of Joel Clinton ready for his switch across the city.
Hudgell says Paea should be open and honest about his intentions out of respect to the club's board and, more importantly, the fans. But the difficulty for the player is that now he has 'come clean' to Hudgell and others, he must now face the wrath of the red and white fans for the rest of the season.
Reading between the lines, Hudgell has more of an axe to grind with Mather for his comments about KR's uncertain future and those of the coach, which is now sorted.
And while all these rumblings have gone on, Hull FC have sat back and said very little, other than Peter Gentle saying an offer was on the table and they wanted a quick response.
Can you blame Hull for wanting to keep their business in house? Absolutely not! Had Paea remained quiet about everything and waited until the off-season to announce this news, he'd only have had to face the wrath of KR's fans on derby day next season anyway.
Instead, his honesty to Hudgell has landed him in a great deal of trouble now. Eventually he must publicly explain his decision and explain it to the players he's running out on the field with for the next three months.
It should also force Hull FC to make a statement on the matter, not to mention the fact his agent now looks rather stupid too.
Mather was only trying to protect his client from the undoubted grief of moving across the city, but Paea now has nine games to endure before making his move.
Fans, of which Hudgell clearly is one, want to know what their out-of-contract players are planning, but it is rare that these things become so public.
Paea telling Hudgell that he's signed for their arch rivals, which Mather denied, clearly fuelled Hudgell's fire and caused him to snap back by making the move public.
Why? I suppose speculation on the future of a player of Paea's quality can cause unrest in a dressing room, just like the speculation about coach Craig Sandercock's future did.
Having been made public by Hudgell, it forces a line to be drawn under the saga and expect statements to be made quickly by Paea, Mather and probably Hull FC.
FC may have claimed they wanted a quick response on the matter, but it had already been agreed at the time of these comments, if what Hudgell said is true.
But should that be a surprise in this rugby league mad city?
Whilst everyone tries to keep things in house, the dynamics of rugby in our city make this almost impossible.
Honesty may well be the best policy in life, but sometimes in rugby league it does go on to backfire.
