So the Melbourne Storm want a draft. If any club was going to re-ignite the debate it was going to be the Storm. It makes sense considering the Victorian club has a minuscule junior system and need to sign players from around the country to stay competitive.
But the draft doesn’t work. It just doesn’t. It may work in the AFL but it is not something that works in the National Rugby League.
Nevertheless, Storm captain Cameron Smith believes it’s time for a draft. “I think we need to bring a draft in, it’s fair for everyone,” Smith said.
“In other sports it’s spoken about as a bit of a joke the way we sign players mid-season and they’ve got to play a whole competition season knowing they’re going to be leaving in the next year.”
Well, it isn’t fair Cameron.
NRL clubs should be rewarded for developing kids and bringing them through their system. A salary cap exemption should then be made to keep that player at the club. That’s the key word in all of this. Exemption.
Melbourne would have never lost Greg Inglis if exemptions were made to keep him. A junior who becomes a superstar should never have to leave his club.
Beau Scott signing with the Newcastle Knights is another story altogether. Scott didn’t like the offer from the Dragons so he looked elsewhere.
Would it be fair for Queensland legend Darren Lockyer to have packed up his bags and move to Auckland as a teenager?
I am sure Newcastle fans would have been in uproar if, in the early 1990s, a young prospect by the name of Andrew Johns had had to move to Sydney and play for Cronulla or Balmain.
Let’s not penalise our heartlands or good junior development areas.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy also stirred the pot. “I think we should have a draft, I’ve thought that for a long time” he said.
“We’re about evening out the game and that’s one way of doing it. I know there’s some negatives to it as well with guys brought up in one area having to go somewhere else and play.”
“But at the same time I think guys going to another club, when they have to play the whole year or half the year at the club they’re at before they leave, I don’t think that’s good for our game”.
“It’s what we’ve been used to for so long and I think we’re a bit blasé.”
Well, fine. Bring in a two-week transfer period. Or even free agency. But let players go where they want and play where they want.
Terry Hill took the draft system to the High Court in 1991 because it was a restraint of trade. That was in ‘91, when the average player salary was a lot less than what it is now.
Imagine the field day a kid like Jack De Belin and his management would have if he was told he had to move to Canberra for half the pay he could make somewhere else.
It’s clear that a rugby league draft just wouldn’t work.
Matt Bungard
Roar Guru
If there was a draft, Souths would have had the first overall pick in their first three seasons after reinstatement. This means that they could've drafted Thurston in '02, Slater in '03 and SBW in '04. Yeah, I'm keen on a draft, then. :)
The Barry
Roar Guru
If we don't care about the rumours why not allow the negotiation of contracts but ban the announcement of signings until a window either in the season or post season. I'd imagine the negotiation process between a player, his agent, multiple clubs and potential third part sponsors is a complicated and time consuming process. This allows all parties plenty of time to negotiate deals, the rumours will abound but we won't have a situation where there are announcements before the start of round 2.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
That sounds reasonable, although it should be the clubs that are fined and punished.
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
Outlaw midseason negotiations and signings. If players do it, they should be fined and suspended, contracts rendered null and void and then everyone starts all over again at the end of the year. If players are good enough to keep it secret that's fine. People can spread all the rumors they want- after a couple of years of hounding players about possible secret signings and getting no response, it will die down. I follow Major League Baseball in the US; players there can not sign a new contract until they are free agents. The press are constantly speculating about where they will go but no one cares. Outlaw the practice and live with the innuendo- at least the fans won't have to hear their favourite players announcing their departure from those fans' teams with a year to go on their contract.
Gareth
Guest
I don't get what problem the draft is intended to fix. Evening out the comp? Unnecessary. Even the most consistently successful teams with huge financial resources and television exposure don't manage to win year after year. In the first round of this year, we saw how many games decided less than 5 minutes out from full time? All I can think is that it's some kneejerk reaction to midseason transfers and early announcements of end of season transfers. And I don't see how the draft is likely to change that. It's just another commodity to trade, and an incentive for the spoon. There's probably no good way to enforce rules around player transfers. There will just be handshakes, under the table deals and controvention of rules that are nearly impossible to police. And in the end, all it does is show the character of the players involved. Idris and Myles embarrassed themselves last year by playing disinterested football for their former clubs. Mitch Brown may live to regret his decision to seek out a starting spot at a club that doesn't have a clear starting spot for him. James Maloney on the other hand is showing no sign (yet) that his heart isn't with the Warriors. Time will tell, as it's only Round 3. And beyond that, there's plenty of blokes who are willing to get paid unders to stay at the clubs they love.
Allsports
Guest
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Because sometimes they stuff things up in a really big way as a warning (*waves to Gold Coast United*) and sometimes they do things right that you can copy (*waves to the AFL Independant Commission*). Sometimes they also do things that are a mixed blessing (*waves to State of Origin and the Kick a Vic campaign*). Ignoring what they do is simply the kind of narrow minded, dumb, ignorant and incompetant thinking that has left rugby league where it is today.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
The Barry Agreed.As the saying goes signed sealed and delivered.M Rogers went to ru,the Sharks fans knew beforehand and wished him well.Snowden was officialy to sign with the Noahs Arks and reneged at the last minute to the tinkles of Tinkler's millions.He put in for the remainder of the season Snowden was givern a right royal reception when Wayne and his men of the Round Table played on sunday arvo.Life goes on.Fans are concerned about one thing, winning ATM,the admin, income courtesy of a close comp that Tv stations yearn for. Just bring in a Aug.Sep window,and police it,like customs do when you bring in food from OS.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
OK bring in a draft,if you can, and teams that are way down the ladder come September or at least August, may not excactly be trying their hardest,in order to secure top picks.The fans get dudded all in the name of having a stronger(????) team the next year.The last thing I ever want to see in Code 13 is a hint of tanking.IMO that is worse than signing early in the year.That is plain unadulterated shafting your fan base. Yes early seasons signing by other clubs is a blight on the game,so bring in a July/August window,anyone signing earler than that gets hit with a heavy fine ie clubs/mgrs and players. Lets not forget having a close competition is what retains the fans interest.Its a nonsense to suggest that having continually dominant clubs is a good thing. The novelty value wears off.Having different premiers in the NRL gives all fans an opportunity to get a slice of the action. St george(with all the money and stars) dominated for 11 straight years,and they were so outstanding, that you knew they were assured of two points the day they played.That is why the code brought in the limited tackle rule. I agree it is a free enterprise system and you live and die by your efforts,but in a free enterprise system everyone should have the opportunity to start from a level playing field,else like the small cnr grocer he is screwed.And I believe many clubs are working toward that aim of being self sufficient.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I think everyone needs to chill out about the draft. Do we need a draft to even out the competition ? No - because as pointed out above we've had 9 different premiers in 11 years or whatever. That figure could have been higher if the Storm hadn't rorted their way to two comps and four GFs. Pre-season all the hype was that this would be the closest season in years. Given that the AFL typically have a Top 4 that are miles above everyone else, a middle of the road next 7-8 and about four clubs at the bottom that are hopeless, they should be looking to League for better methods to evenly distribute talent and create a more even comp. We should be the ones laughing. Every round last year the AFL had teams at less than a $1.20 or $1.10 because of the uneven comp. We really don't need to be taking any tips from them on talent distribution and how to set up an even comp. I can't see why Melbourne need a draft - their talent identification and development programs are obviously working fine. If you allow that Melbourne are one of the best at this process, then a draft would disadvantage them as they usually finish at the top end of the ladder. I don't think Melbourne are the argument for a draft. A draft won't stop mid season signings to other clubs. If everyone calms down and accepts that guys like Beau Scott and James Maloney are professional sportsmen and will give 100% committment for the rest of the year, then what's the problem ? If we all accept that our club may pick up a couple of players in this fashion but may lose a couple also - what's the problem ? I'm a Bulldogs fan and we went through this last year with Idris. I cheered for him last year and I'm gonna boo him this year. I actually wish the bloke well and thank him for the effort he put in while at the Dogs. I didn't go out and burn my jumper and dreadlock wig or boycott games. Over it. Move on. Go Morris.
Allsports
Guest
LOL!!....Yes, a few hypens or abbreviations may be required. I suppose the Sri Lankan cricket team have the same problem and their shirts are alot smaller in size than NRL players so long names should be accommadated.
Curtis Woodward
Expert
Why do we have to look at other codes?
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Oikee, So what you're saying is it'd be really, really simple to draft them at 18 and then play them in the under-20s ...
oikee
Guest
I agree, and the game has to find a better way to go about this without the game looking amatuerish. Yes, the names on the jerseys, that is a must. Mind you , try fitting palesena or rangamutattlolo onto a jersey. :)
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
I love it when we get little snippets into the life of Oikee........
oikee
Guest
? what take kids in nappies away from family structure, ? mate i never grew up until i hit 37, and only then because i was hit with a divorce i never saw coming. Our under 20's comp is and will be the perfect formula for league young players. they travel around with the main team and play at the same stadiums. This gets them used to the big smoke, small smoke, the whole structure of the pressures of the NRL grind. And you can see that it is working, why tamper with that, why try to kill a structure that i think is the best we have ever had. Like killing the golden goose after it has laid one egg. And the amount of players who leave NZ, then return to NZ broken, is not ideal. Antother NZ team is a must for the future. It will help keep even more talent in NZ. I would even at some stage, when they get another team, enter a team in the QLD cup as well.
oikee
Guest
Why dont you rip into them Will. Your right, if we had the draft the clubs would sit around like baby birds looking for a feed. Forever with their mouths open, not caring about anyone but themselves. Much like the Storm have with News propping them up. ;) The Storm have got to start working hard on growing the game in Melbourne, stop sucking up to AFL clubs.
Matt F
Roar Guru
True, if they did offer them enough to sweeten the deal then it could be done. Whether 40% will be enough for the RLPA, or whether the ARLC will be willing to give them that much, is another issue entirely.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
"Even then the RLPA won’t agree to a trade/draft period." IC : Back a national draft and we'll offer you a guaranteed 40% share of rugby league's revenues over the 5 years of this deal. NRLPA : Done.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
By the way, posts like this are exactly why you need a Commission that is Independant of clubs. Maximus' points are all about this club or that club, and none of it is about the good of the code.