ARLC chairman Peter V’landys is set to scrap the controversial August 1 signing deadline and revert back to the original date before it was changed in 2020.
The deadline was originally changed from June 30 due to the impact of Covid-19, with teams stuck in Queensland scrambling to fill their roster without reserve grade players ready to plug holes.
In 2022, clubs have capitalised on the August 1 deadline to “troubleshoot” their roster according to NRL360 co-host Paul Kent, who was “disappointed” the NRL didn’t predict the impending chaos.
There have been a number of late moves including the Roosters signing of Matt Lodge and Oliver Gildart and the Storm’s acquisition of David Nofoaluma — moves that won’t be possible next year.
“I spoke to Peter V’landys just before we came on air… Peter has had enough of this late movement up until August 1,” The Daily Telegraph’s Buzz Rothfield said on NRL360.
“What he is going to do next year, take it to the commission, take it back to June 30.
“Very wise move, stops Nofoaluma going to Melbourne late, Lodge to the Roosters late, Gildart too.
“It was introduced last year only because of Covid, because a lot of teams were stuck in Queensland and in desperation had to get players late.”
Kent explained he believes that historically the NRL blocking mid-season deals is a “part of the magic of this competition” and V’landys’ potential move is a “win for common sense”.
“The whole thing is a win for common sense, it needed to happen, I am disappointed it was allowed to happen this year, I think it was an oversight that they have allowed it to happen,” Kent said.
“The fact is, this is wrong for so many reasons this August 1 deadline, it is allowing teams to troubleshoot their rosters.
“The part of the game’s appeal is your 30-man roster gets you through the season, and it is the attrition and the endurance to last the season and to get to the finals in a good state of fitness.
“If you can’t do that for whatever reason… so be it, but that is a part of the magic of this competition.”
The NRL360 panel also discussed the impact mid-season poaching has on clubs in different stages of their season.
For the lower teams, offloading players is a chance to free up cap space to be used elsewhere and give their stars experience under different coaches, who can teach different things.
The competition’s elite also are able to fill holes within their squad — but for those in the middle vying for the last spots in the top eight, mid-season transfers only harm them.
Clubs like the Raiders and Sea Eagles, who are fighting to slot into the top eight, are not able to attract star players, but are also unable to loan anyone while the top four only become stronger.
“For a game that has been founded on tribalism, it just cheapens that whole concept because for the weaker clubs, what does it say for their fans,” Fox League’s James Hooper said.
“They don’t get anything out of the fact that the strong clubs sit back and know the deadline is looming, know they have got time.
“Look at the Storm, how many players did they go after from Reece Walsh to Adam Doueihi… the list went on.
“That can’t be sitting well with the clubs down the bottom of the ladder.”
“For those middle teams… they get no benefit out of it, and I actually believe they are harmed by it because they can’t troubleshoot,” Kent said.
“The middle teams are not attracting players and they aren’t loaning players because it is just too tight, they need all hands on deck.
“They were being impacted, it was basically strengthening the top four teams who have the ability to go and pick the eyes out, as has happened, of the bottom four teams and just target their better players.”
V’landys set to scrap controversial signing deadline as top clubs ‘troubleshoot’ mid-season
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