This because the November 1 restriction has been abolished and it is now a free for all
The NRL has confirmed the player market is now a free-for-all with the November 1 rule abolished
September 09, 2014 12:00AM
THE NRL’s contracting system is already a mess and it is about to get even uglier.
The NRL player market is now officially a free-for-all as the November 1 rule does not exist.
Player-agents and clubs were told in a meeting late last month that they can sign any player at any time to a new contract because the November 1 rule is a myth.
It will likely see clubs out of the finals make formal offers for stars playing in the finals this month.
Brisbane’s off-contract stars Ben Hunt, Sam Thaiday and Josh McGuire can now receive formal offers from rivals as can North Queensland’s Jason Taumalolo.
Now the November 1 rule is gone, an NRL star could sign a five-year deal one day and then another five-year deal with a rival club the day after.
Previously, NRL clubs were told not to make contact with a player until that player is in the final year of his contract starting November 1.
Paul Massey, head of the NRL’s Accredited Player Agents Scheme, told an agents conference last month that the rule did not exist.
While some managers and clubs were already flaunting the rule, they can now it do it without fear of repercussion.
The NRL confirmed to The Courier-Mail that the only rule governing the signing of a player was that clubs can’t entice a player to break an existing contract.
“Clubs are prohibited from approaching a player to switch clubs where doing so would require the player to breach his playing contract with his current club,’’ an NRL spokesman said.
“This is based on a general prohibition at law regarding inducements to breach contract.
“Clubs may, however, approach a player at any time about joining their club for the period commencing after his contract has expired.
“So, for instance, if a player is signed up until the end of the 2015 season, other clubs can express interest in signing him in 2016 but cannot seek to have them join their club in 2015.’’
The Canberra Raiders’ struggle to enforce the contracts of players who have agreed to terms is a prime example of how muddied the NRL’s contract waters are.
Now there is a free for all on signing players, expect NRL stars to sign deals years in advance of their current contract expiring.
A player would be smart to sign a future deal when they are at the peak of their powers rather than wait for an inevitable injury to lower their market price.
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