Rugby league is a real man’s game, played by big, beefy, heavily tattooed bad-asses. And run, it would seem, by the most polite and cuddliest sports administrators in Australia.
For while the rugby league player fraternity does still have a minority element who are quite capable of offending the public at large and frightening small children just walking down the street, it seems as if rugby league’s bosses are working overtime to make themselves the ‘nice guys.’
Perhaps this is fair enough. After all, we’ve all found ourselves furiously over-tipping an unimpressed waitress after a friend has self-nominated himself to behave as ‘designated dickhead’ on a night out.
Even still though, some of the decisions made by club bosses this post-season have seemed rather generous.
One doing the rounds this past week was the Titans’ Scott Prince negotiating to play for English club Hull FC next year. Which is ok, except he’s under contract, so nothing’s going to happen. Right?
Wrong. Apparently Titans CEO David May (himself from Hull) is happy to give Scott a ‘Tally Ho Chap’ and wave bon voyage to the side’s chief playmaker as a show of respect for Prince’s hard work at the club.
Which is very nice of him. But how does not having an NRL calibre halfback for 2013 benefit us fans per se?
The last time the Titans did something similar, letting their best outside back Matt Peterson go to the English Super League mid-season, the team struggled for more than a year to find a replacement with a procession of plonkers (remember such guns as Brenton Bowen, Smith Samau and Ben Jefferies?) filling his place.
Sure knocking back Prince’s request might make for awkward Centre of Excellence barbecues, but does letting go of a contracted player so they can earn more money really fall under compassionate leave?
This is just one example of the club’s recent magnanimous nature.
Currently the Titans have two key players in Bangkok to play for the Philippines rugby league side, and had enough charity inspired socks this year that Dave Taylor doesn’t even know what colour he’s supposed to be squeezing over his massive calves next season.
Which is great. You can’t really knock charity (although it may be nice if the themed jerseys from the clubs were a tad more subtle) and, considering some NRL club’s won’t let their players go for fully fledged Test matches, for the Titans to allow some of their best players to play in an exhibition international at the Royal Thai Police Station Field is fantastic for the international game.
Elsewhere in the comp, it seems as if Sonny Bill will be allowed to box, record a rap album and be a Big Brother intruder during his stay with the Roosters. Timana Tahu is putting his body through the paces at off-season footy carnivals.
And then there are the scores of players running around on dimly lit, pot hole-strewn touch footy and oztag fields to the average punter’s eternal embarrassment over the summer.
And hey, maybe this ok. Professional athletes interacting with the public and having hobbies and all. It is however certainly is a world away from the cutthroat world of American sports currently starring on our screens, and the argument over whether players hold too much sway over both their club CEOs and the game’s administrators at large is an argument I think is worth having.
Because after all, in the big bad world of sport, sometimes nice guys finish last.
Follow Chris on Twitter: @Vic_Arious
PJ
Guest
They are well over th Cap hence why Prince is being shoved out - they have no money to buy a replacement, heck they have no money to pay bills and staff entitlements either!
Global
Guest
Im pretty sure the Titans are letting Prince go for 2014, he will still be playing next year. And considering most commentators suggest Prince shouldn't have got a 5 year contract to begin with it should be win-win... But then that's not a story though...
Adam Everitt
Roar Rookie
Scott Prince would go extremely well over here. I question the idea of giving a player his age a 3-year deal though.
Pollock
Guest
It's no secret the Titans are strapped for cash so would not be surprised if that was the main factor in letting him go. Unfortunate as they will struggle without him
mushi
Roar Guru
I think if you release a player from their contract at their request you don't pay them out.
josh
Guest
NRL contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on. No one seems to get done for breach of contract (SBW etc...). Clubs willing let go of players with years left on them (which surely they need to pay out). Its ridiculous.
Dane Eldridge
Expert
I've seen players cocooning themselves in the off-season. I've seen them cocooned in Northies, The Empire, Carmens, Star City....
Manly Man
Guest
Steve Menzies has played the most Rugby League first grade games of all time. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I suggest Prince has given yeoman's service to the Titans,both on and off the field.If he has the opportunity to secure a big contract in his twilight years ,good luck to him,and to the management for showing some humanity. The club deserves plaudits for allowing players a gig in the Phillipines.They are promoting the game,not on the grog in the USA/Bali or Broome.Life's a risk so is driving a car. There is a guy by the name of Steve Menzies plying his trade in France.He could well have continued to play in the NRL,judging by his form of late. We are short on memory,when it was stated how will South's cope without a halfback after losing their top one.Enter Reynolds from within the club's backyard.The Dogs also had their top halfback from within,despite buying one from Manly. You cannot cocoon players during the offseason,unless they decide to leap off a helium balloon,49kms above this rock. Moderation??? Are you kidding?
Kevin
Guest
Truth is prince Is a bit long in the tooth, they might as well let him go and peruse another half, maybe another quennslander ?
oikee
Guest
:) So what can they do, if they really had to be serious we would not let the players play Origin, it is too disruptive. Price leaving is silly, strike a line through the Titans for next year if they dont get a decent replacement, which might be coming in a Canberra half, either Williams or M'crone. They will still be too inexperienced to win a tital next year at any rate. I think rugby league has to stay loose, if we tighten the reigns to hard we could cause mayham , even Kaos. I like the way the game is shaping, we have alot going on throughout the year now. More promotion of rivalry and multicultural rounds is needed. We have a good multi cultural mix in league, now with the Asian guys high-lighted as you poiinted out.
View from the hill
Guest
Plenty of Indy car drivers from USA risking life & limb in V8s yesterday. You can't lock up athletes. It is unfair & often they are doing greater good for their sport. What if Izzy really wants out of GWS? Are we to see him made play AFL even if his heart isn't in it? Playing sport requires you give your whole effort. if players want out they should be let go. If players want something in off season to keep them fresh for the real season later then let them go.