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It’s not often here on The Roar that a columnist, Roarer or even a fly-by gibberer gives the NRL a big wrap, but headquarters deserve one today.
We received a press release yesterday with really good news. Somebody is thinking sanely down there.
The NRL trumps have decided enough is enough and have pretty much stamped out the ludicrous ‘Round 13 rule’ whereby if a player signs a fat contract with a rival club he is well within his rights to backflip.
The reason doesn’t matter, but if he, his missus, his management team, or the local grocery shop owner felt he could squeeze a bit more out of his current club and therefore avoid relocation, he would be able to do so.
This stupid loophole, that was wide open to exploitation, will be closed if the NRL Players Association does the right thing and ratifies the change in the next day or so.
If you haven’t caught up with the news, the NRL proposes there will be a 10-day ‘cooling off period’ after contracts are signed.
In its media release, the NRL spelled out the exact parameters of its suggested new rule.
If approved:
– A player may sign an extension of his contract with his existing club at any time
– A player may sign with a new club only during the final year of his contract
– A 10-business day cooling off period will apply to all contracts
– A club signing a player is prohibited from making an announcement until the “cooling off period” has expired.
Bravo. This is one for good sense and player credibility.
The Daly Cherry-Evans saga has been a blight on the 2015 season. If I had a dollar for every headline and word written about his AC/DC leanings, I’d never have to work again!
In one news cycle, DCE is a dead-set Titan. He is the club’s new playmaker, their potential saviour. In the cycle after the next, he’s staying at Manly.
I wrote a column back in February which was critical of Cherry-Evans’ early season intentions and guessed at the potential ramifications such a move could have on Sea Eagles fans.
The whole will-he-or-won’t-he scenario was a farce and the repercussions at Brookvale will simmer, probably forever.
Many Manly fans will welcome Cherry-Evans back if he backflips, but the rusted-on variety (and I know many) will view him as a transient character who found a way to screw his employer for more dollars.
The Round 13 rule was stupid to begin with and there have been a number of stars who exploited it for reasons known only to themselves, their managers, and perhaps their better halves.
The NRL’s head of football, Todd Greenberg, the change was a result of frustrations from fans and clubs around the current structure, allowing situations to continue to play out over months.
“I think everyone agrees it is unseemly to have months of speculation about whether a player is going to a rival club,” he said. “Our view is a 10-day cooling-off period is an acceptable solution for all involved.”
Amen to that.
But the second part of the proposed changes to contractual arrangements could be canned by the RLPA. It reads as follows:
“A player may sign with a new club only during the final year of his contract.”
I really can’t see that one working and I am doubtful the Players Association will give it the rubber stamp.
For example – and it’s only that – Benny Barba might have two years to run on his deal with the Sharks, but let’s say coach Shane Flanagan doesn’t like what he’s producing and punts him to the bench – or worse.
Does this proposed rule mean that Barba must stay at the Sharks for the next two years and can only negotiate with a rival club in his final year?
Well, that’s exactly what it says. Make your bed mate, you will lay in it forever. That scenario is not going to work.
Out-of-favour Barba would be stuck in a system where the coach cannot cop him. He might be unhappy there for the next two years but cannot negotiate with anyone until his final contract year ticks around.
Neither player not his club could possibly benefit in this scenario.
There is lots of fine-tuning to be done. Having said that, I want to applaud the NRL for acting on the ludicrous Round 13 ‘backflip’ rule.
There was a growing cancer in our game and it is being cut out for the good of all parties.
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