News: NRL eyes radical end-of-season proposal for player transfers

[EaglesDontTweet]

By Adrian Proszenko SMH​

March 31, 2022 — 5.00am

The NRL is considering a new post-season transfer window to fix the problem of players appearing for one club while having already signed for another.

The NRL is about to commence talks with the Rugby League Players’ Association on a new collective bargaining agreement, and the salary cap is set to be the area of most contention. However, the other major focus will be on the best way to regulate playing movement between clubs after head office acknowledged fan dissatisfaction with the existing arrangement.

As it stands, players can sign for a rival club up to 12 months before they leave their current one, prompting the likes of Cameron McInnes, Viliame Kikau, Isaiah Papali’i and Marata Niukore to make early commitments elsewhere. The RLPA wants to maintain the status quo, but the NRL believes the introduction of transfer windows could provide a better model.
One of the potential options discussed at Rugby League Central is having just a single window after the grand final, meaning players could be forced to move clubs just weeks after making the decision to do so.

“That’s all up for debate and I don’t know where we will land,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo told the Herald.

Full story link...

NRL eyes radical end-of-season proposal for player transfers

The NRL has floated the prospect of putting off all player contract signings for the following season until the current one is completed.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Shoe1]

At least the early deals would be secret under this plan.

 

[Brookie Bob]

General NRL chat

Schu is still out I think..... Davey has to get a start on the bench this week.. if Boyle is in front of him in the pecking order that will do me. We don't need any more one dimensional forwards in the rotation. Boyle is just the same as Keppie who is the same as Sipley who is the same as...

silvertails.net

 

[jbb/james]

its broken and its more broken since these guys got in charge
fix it quick.

 

[DUFFMAN]

Not going to make any difference in players signing with a new club except it will be hidden unto a few days after the window opens.
If a player signs elsewhere and carry on so they get an early release then they shouldn't be allowed to play for the new club unto the current contract expires.
If that means sitting out a season unpaid then so be it.

Can't remember the details of Gordon Tallis but I remember him sitting out the 1996 season because he wanted to go play at the Broncos while still signed at Saints.

 

[Brissie Kid]

but but but AFL has this and it works... Yep, it works, because the AFL has no other competitor for its players.

Rugby league has been down this road before. There won't be any less in-season speculation and stories about players changing clubs. Players and clubs will just come to secret agreements to sign later, meanwhile the media will be out hunting to uncover it all. It also means that while NRL clubs can't offer NRL players contracts to sign, players will be free to be picked off by offers from Super League clubs and other codes.

 

[sheridanstand78]

They have to sort this out. For me its one of the biggest blights on the game that players are signed by clubs 12 months out from going there and expecting their existing club and its fans to put up with a player who has committed to go somewhere else.

I would like to see a transfer window that goes from the day after the grand final to day December 1st. That gives clubs 2 months to get this done and will not affect too badly pre-season training.