THE Western Force yesterday confirmed several key players were owed money, with the ACT Brumbies the prime option if Matt Giteau seeks a release from his multimillion-dollar contract with the Perth-based club.

This comes after the Herald revealed yesterday that many Force players, including Giteau, were reconsidering their contracts with the franchise after they were not paid by the team's sponsor, Firepower, this year. Giteau may be owed more than $500,000 and other leading players Drew Mitchell, Ryan Cross and Cameron Shepherd are owed more than $100,000 each. The Force are also owed hundreds of thousands of dollars from their Firepower jersey sponsorship.

Last August, the Herald revealed Giteau was contemplating seeking a release and returning to the Brumbies, which prompted immediate denials despite the player seeking advice from influential rugby officials about his legal rights. Nine months on, the Brumbies remain hopeful their former star will return to Canberra - officially in 2010, but possibly next season.

Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said yesterday: "As far as we're concerned, Matt has a playing contract with the Force and ARU for 2009 … but we've made it clear we'd love to have him back here in 2010. I haven't sat down with Matt to have that discussion, but I'll certainly be seeking to in the near future about the 2010 season."

Fagan added that the Brumbies were also interested in securing Mitchell. "He would be one we'd take a look at," Fagan said. "There's not a lot of experienced fullbacks around and he's certainly one who we would be keen to have a discussion with. We've got some good wingers, but we are skinny in the fullback department, following Julian [Huxley's] illness. We did talk to Cameron Shepherd this year, but he decided to remain in the west."

Force chief executive Greg Harris yesterday said in a statement in response to claims of "late payments" by Firepower that Rugby WA "was unable to speculate on the amount of monies owed to its players", as these were separate arrangements from the players' Force and Australian Rugby Union contracts.

"We are currently working through some critical issues with a small group of players who have third-party arrangements with the company," Harris said. "The players have made us aware of the issues and as a responsible employer we will do everything we can to achieve the best possible outcome for those whose third-party arrangements are under duress."

Harris, who said retaining Giteau beyond 2009 remained the Force's "top priority", added that Rugby WA was seeking alternative arrangements "to offset shortfalls in third-party player arrangements".

Fagan also confirmed Waratahs assistant coach Les Kiss would be a candidate to be part of Andy Friend's coaching staff at ACT next season if he missed out on the NSW head position following Ewen McKenzie's departure after Saturday's Super 14 final.

"We're talking to a number of potential coaches," Fagan said. "With regards to Les, if he misses out on the main job at the Waratahs, he would be keen to have a discussion. But we won't get in the way of him pursuing the main Waratahs position."

The ARU, meanwhile, has formally announced that David Nucifora will take over as general manager of its high-performance unit next month.

Nucifora, a former Wallabies hooker who for the past seven seasons has been a Super coach with the Brumbies and Blues, yesterday said he did not intend his new position to "be a desk job".

Nucifora said he and ARU chief John O'Neill were keen for the position to be "an 'out-there' type of role, working with coaches, development programs and just making sure the best practices are being put in place in all areas". Nucifora, who will be based in Sydney, will also work closely with new Wallabies coach Robbie Deans. They have already held discussions.