Yes, that's correct.
A player can state at the start of his final year his decision.
Just as Garath Ellis did when he informed Leeds he was leaving.
He knew,his club knew and could plan and Gareth concentrated on playing and had a wow of a season as a GF winner.
Everybody happy and none of this rumour mill ruining the game,and players and fans looking at next year whilst the business end as yet to come this year.

Are you so naive to believe that you would get answers on an audience with night?

Gareth Ellis is a class act though. Of course, loyalty goes both ways and all that.

What it would do is get rid of all this covert whispering mid-season.

Your in your last year of your contract you can (your agent can) negotiate from the previous November it's out in the open.Does'nt matter what standard of player you are.

The club should now be fully concentrating on play-off issues,but as you can see on this board it's the last issue on everybody's mind.
I'm sure it's deflected from playing issues at the club aswell.

With the new system in at least half a dozen of the present squad would have been sorted and announced months ago.

Ignore them then, and when the official announcements are made, then you can be happy or sad for real.

And I agree, this is the same every year. It just takes all the focus from the most important part of the season.