'Honour it': Players cop terse warning over broken contracts
ARLC chairman Peter V'landys has promised to look into the NRL's ongoing contract issues in a bid to stop players leaving clubs early.
It comes amid a standoff between the Dragons and Francis Molo, who has stopped showing up for training after his release request was denied.
The front-rower remains on leave and was not named for the side's trial this weekend.
In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, the game's leading decision-maker admitted there needed to be changes to the current system.
"I'm an old-fashioned person and if you do a contract, you honour it," V'landys said.
Peter V'landys has weighed in on the Francis Molo contract saga.© Getty
"A contract is a contract, unless there are circumstances well beyond your control – if it's unforeseen, then fair enough. You get the benefits of the contract, so you should honour the contract, that's my view.
"Your word is your word. To be fair, a lot of the time it's caused by the manager, not the player. We will certainly have to look at it because you can't leave it the way it is.
"We will work on the RLPA with it to ensure it's balanced. The RLPA's argument is that sometimes the clubs get rid of the player, so it's got to go both ways."
Molo only signed a two-year extension with St George Illawarra midway through last season and remains one of the club's highest-paid forwards.
The club also allowed both Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax to walk out on their deals early, despite both starring for the Red V and playing State of Origin in 2024.
Ben Hunt walked out on the Dragons with a year to run on his contract.© Getty
V'landys did not speak on the 30-year-old's situation in particular, but urged players to show more loyalty to the clubs paying their salaries.
"You have to show some loyalty and honour the contract," he said.
"I'm a man who believes in loyalty and honouring contracts. Honour your word. That's my principle, that's what I believe in and that should be the case here."
According to the Herald, the ARLC has "no issue with players shifting on genuine family or compassionate grounds" but will revisit the issue of capping contracts for wantaway stars after it was first raised five years ago.
