Honouring contracts ..

[Woodsie]

'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.

 

[Disco]

If a player gets moved on by his club that players money still gets honoured, usually shared between the both clubs.

Simple fix if the player wants out, is they can't be registered for a contract of higher value than the one they signed for the term of that current deal.

So if say Hoppa had 2 more years at 200k, he can request to leave but he can only earn 200k anywhere else the next two years.

RLPA would hate that though

 

[frank stokes]

If a player gets moved on by his club that players money still gets honoured, usually shared between the both clubs.

Simple fix if the player wants out, is they can't be registered for a contract of higher value than the one they signed for the term of that current deal.

So if say Hoppa had 2 more years at 200k, he can request to leave but he can only earn 200k anywhere else the next two years.

RLPA would hate that though

Good idea but clubs would offer 3-4 year contracts and backload them... clubs create their own problems - they could all sign up to a code of conduct with regards to poaching and this would instantly be a non-issue...

Wont happen though as they are all just as guilty of poaching as each other - easier to blame individual players when the club does not get what it wants...

 

[Disco]

Good idea but clubs would offer 3-4 year contracts and backload them... clubs create their own problems - they could all sign up to a code of conduct with regards to poaching and this would instantly be a non-issue...

Wont happen though as they are all just as guilty of poaching as each other - easier to blame individual players when the club does not get what it wants...

I mean personally, I'm fiine with the market how it is.

 

[frank stokes]

I mean personally, I'm fiine with the market how it is.

Me too... if a player is not happy then he is not going to perform anyway...

I just cant cop to the whole "players need to honour contracts" line or even "its the player managers" - as though the clubs have no culpability...

 

[Frogz]

Not one mention of when a club moves a player on still on contract. Works both ways PVL

 

[BOZO]

Honouring contracts , Yeh Right .
There is no honor or justice in a Court of Law

 

[Cliffy's Jockstrap]

We are kidding ourselves on this, lying to ourselves if we take it seriously, and V'Landys who is no fool is simply blowing up some hot air to keep the punters quiet until the footy starts.

Modern Rugby League is simply a business like any other and almost all the players are simply career-building professionals like any other.

Any business knows it is a fool's mission to try and hang onto disgruntled staff because they are "valuable." No, they are not. And any staff with half a brain know that if the business decides to get rid of you that is what they are going to do.
Everyone can shed a sentimental tear about the past if they like but that is not coming back.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

It's a two way street. It seems that the NRL think it's okay for clubs to tap players on the shoulder mid contract to look elsewhere but its not okay if it is instigated by the player. If the NRL are going to fix it there needs to be the same rule for both clubs and players. Frankly I don't have nay confidence in the NRL.

 

[Once Was Brissie Kid]

If they bring in rules it will just be giving the ARU and French and Japanese rugby a free kick to negotiate without any competition from the NRL clubs. That's how ARU got Sailor and Tuquiri 20 years ago when NRL had rules banning other NRL clubs from negotiating.

But there's NRL clubs who'd rather a player went to RU instead of another NRL club.

 

[Ryan]

Gone are the days of the Menzies, Lockyer, Hindmarsh types. Offer the mercenaries $3 bucks and a hot pie per week more, they'd pull up stumps and change teams in a flash. It's a generational thing. Yep, I am completely ageist. Social media is a cesspool these days with all these entitled brats going off.

 

[Disco]

Gone are the days of the Menzies, Lockyer, Hindmarsh types. Offer the mercenaries $3 bucks and a hot pie per week more, they'd pull up stumps and change teams in a flash. It's a generational thing. Yep, I am completely ageist. Social media is a cesspool these days with all these entitled brats going off.

Ahhh I dunno about that, you can cherry pick the elite one club players but there were also tonnes back in the 90s and 2000s moving around regularly and rep players too. Fenech, Roberts, Carroll, Hill.

We often forget one of our greatest in Jamie Lyon walked out on a contract too.

On the flip side you still have your one club players like Slater, Gallen, Croker and Smith just retired or your current DCE's (albiet with a backflip), Jake, Munster, Yeo, Tupou who all look like being one clubbers.

Not to mention your younger stars like Carrigan and Cleary who will likely end up that way.

Like you are probably right there has been a slight shift but I think but I think any thoughts of a dramatic shift (in the salary cap era) is overblown and msinly nostalgia.

 

[manly al]

Probably the difference for some time now and with some contracts is the number of options and caveats that are included , usually in the players favor or at the instigation of player managers .
So a bit of a contrast to past eras but Beaver Menzies did show some serious loyalty to Manly in the late 90 "s .
Guys like Lockyer were apparently generously rewarded behind the scenes with other inducements in addition to their publicly stated modest contracts back in the day .
Again , so many get out or possible get out provisions in many contracts in recent times and for better or worse .
And does work both ways if either a player or their club may prefer to part ways for whatever reason
Recall how the Dragons made Talis sit out a season when he wished to move on under contract so regardless of any era , obviously legally binding contracts can still be enforced if taken to the limits

 

[Woodsie]

It's a two way street. It seems that the NRL think it's okay for clubs to tap players on the shoulder mid contract to look elsewhere but its not okay if it is instigated by the player. If the NRL are going to fix it there needs to be the same rule for both clubs and players. Frankly I don't have nay confidence in the NRL.

The difference is ... if the club decides to go in "another direction" ... the player is guaranteed his full contract value, and can choose to say stuff you .. and stay. Not ideal for the player. but his option if he wants.

If a player deliberately starts mopping and kicking tin cans at training and demanding a release to go to another club .. just for more money ... the club can be greatly disadvantaged ... how do Saints replace Molo 2 weeks before the season?

They're not the same ...

 

[Ryan]

Ahhh I dunno about that, you can cherry pick the elite one club players but there were also tonnes back in the 90s and 2000s moving around regularly and rep players too. Fenech, Roberts, Carroll, Hill.

We often forget one of our greatest in Jamie Lyon walked out on a contract too.

On the flip side you still have your one club players like Slater, Gallen, Croker and Smith just retired or your current DCE's (albiet with a backflip), Jake, Munster, Yeo, Tupou who all look like being one clubbers.

Not to mention your younger stars like Carrigan and Cleary who will likely end up that way.

Like you are probably right there has been a slight shift but I think but I think any thoughts of a dramatic shift (in the salary cap era) is overblown and msinly nostalgia.

Have to disagree there mate. I think the gap (i.e. what it would take) to get a player to want a change of club has significantly decreased. The younger generation lacks character, staying power, loyalty and intestinal fortitude in my opinion.

It's why it's so hard to have affinity or connection with players anymore. Tell me, honestly, do you feel connected to this current playing group as much as you did say 10 years ago (for example)? There's probably 6-7 players on this entire team I actually like and enjoy (in the past it was 22-23 out of 25). But for me, it's not about the players, it's the club, emblem and jersey I support.

 

[manly al]

Would think that Manly are in not too bad a place in relation to player connection and commitment .
Haumole , Saab and Paseka signed real long term now .
Koula , Garrick, Brooks on longer term deals or for a while yet .
Turbo , Jake and Burbo , general long term commitments as well as D C E .
Froggy and Alioia, Sipley and so on .
Certainly prefer Lehi and Bully to be signed on a bit more longer term basis .
Talau i ' m sure would prefer to stay on if practical .
Anyway , supporter - player connection , - player - club connection , again looks like in a quite reasonable state right now and ongoing

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

The younger generation lacks character, staying power, loyalty and intestinal fortitude in my opinion

Of course they do. They learned from their elders.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

The difference is ... if the club decides to go in "another direction" ... the player is guaranteed his full contract value, and can choose to say stuff you .. and stay. Not ideal for the player. but his option if he wants.

If a player deliberately starts mopping and kicking tin cans at training and demanding a release to go to another club .. just for more money ... the club can be greatly disadvantaged ... how do Saints replace Molo 2 weeks before the season?

They're not the same ...

Not the same at all but ... you assume all can-kickers are only after more money? Is that the only reason a player would ever be unhappy at a club?

Fair point about trying to replace a player 2 weeks out, but do you think clubs only ever try to shop players with plenty of notice?

Aside from your rare marquee type star, clubs hold all the aces in terms of bargaining power. This is the main reason behind the emergence of a class of dishonest manipulative opportunistic greedy amoral (but otherwise decent) player managers - an attempt by players to get a little more balance in the relationship with employers.

 

[The Who]

I have no faith in the accuracy of the salary listed on a contract. How can Easts, with no juniors, always manage to fit the most expensive-looking roster into its Cap?

 

[BOZO]

I have no faith in the accuracy of the salary listed on a contract. How can Easts, with no juniors, always manage to fit the most expensive-looking roster into its Cap?

That is because they manage the cap better

We have the same salary cap
We also have different people managing it

Not all Men are created equal
Some will be faster
Some will be stronger
and Some will be Smarter