Martin Taupau from Tigers to Manly, Matt Ballin doing the reverse trip, Tim Lafai to the Dragons, Will Hopoate to the Dogs, Dylan Walker to Manly, Sam Burgess back to the Bunnies. These transfers kept the NRL in the headlines this off-season.
And it doesn’t stop there.
Where is James Roberts going to end up? What does his potential move mean for the outside backs at his new club? Is Peter Wallace still going to be in Panthers colours by Round 1?
While unanswered now, in a few weeks these problems will be solved and new ones will probably arise as all 16 teams battle to assemble a premiership-winning roster.
Many are calling for a change to the transfer market, but I haven’t heard of a solution that will work. Like most, I hate hearing of players who have signed for a different over twelve months away, but it is just a reality of the game.
A transfer window has been floated, but it wouldn’t be successful. Yes it works in the AFL, but they don’t have to contend with poachers from rival codes or overseas. Why would an in-form player wait until the end of the season to secure their future, especially when they are only one knee injury away from drastically lowering their market value. This would see Super Rugby and Super League offers more tempting when received mid-season.
We are stuck with the current model, making the off-season merry-go-around – in particular the buying and selling of centres – good for the game, as it keeps the NRL in the headlines for the right reasons at this time of year.
For die-hard league fans that search high and low for league-related stories, it doesn’t really matter, they can get their fix from reading The Roar everyday. But casual league fans and those who haven’t yet fallen in love with the game wake up each day to find league stories on the back page of the paper and as the lead bulletin on sports newsreels. This can only be a good thing.
And it is exciting. How are all the rosters going to end up? How is this going to affect the betting market? Is my club inline for any last-minute signings?
This season is shaping as one of the closest ever. Of the 16 clubs, 13 have genuine merits of making the top eight (sorry Titans, Tigers and Knights fans). While I can’t wait for March to roll around so we can get the season underway, all this transfer talk is whetting my appetite and keeping me interested.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Rodney, I like sport. One of them being football, the other being League. Sam, I support Parra and I am sure the players arent saints. I merely gave my observation of a bunch of Roosters players I saw recently in the City. They were very, very lucky to not be in the media right now apologising for what they were doing to a handful of women.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Someone achieving national team selection in his first year is considered a failure?
Samtwocan
Guest
Out of interest ! Who do you support Kaks ?
Musto
Guest
Apologies - the 12month NRL season tends to make one miss irony. BTW it looks like I will get a game before Jarryd Hayne at the 49er's . The media have pumped his tyres so they have exploded. Nonetheless I hope he gets a gig somewhere - he is having a go at least but it goes to show it should be done quietly...
Rodney Olsen
Guest
I just don't get the logic of some people, they don't like something yet they will continually go out of their way to read about and partake in conversations that they say they have no interest in and then complain that subject is getting headlines. How daft can humans get?
Rodney Olsen
Guest
Sav08, if it annoys you so much, stop reading about and commenting on sports blogs where people are talking ........ Sports.
Rodney Olsen
Guest
Doesn't happen in your favorite sport of soccer now does it? Rolls eyes.
Samtwocan
Guest
But would you have mentioned it if it was your teams players ? I don't doubt there is an element of baffooness in all clubs .
maxxy
Guest
sorry Musto, i meant the same as you. i was trying to be sarcastic
Pat Malone
Guest
No hint of jealousy at all in your comments. If you call failed as in making the national team within months then you are strange. They print it because people love it- deal with it
Yes man
Guest
A little touchy about your golden boys ?
Louis McIntyre
Roar Guru
Roberts was centre of the year whilst playing at a struggling club. That is probably worth being considered a top line player
Louis McIntyre
Roar Guru
But the transfer window is regulated in soccer, as in all competitions follow the same window and trade clubs across leagues? soccer has no threat from rival sports. The NRL could strike up a deal with the Super League but not Rugby Union. Players would be waiting until the end of the year to see what they could earn the following year/s and Big spending union clubs both here and overseas would tempt them with big coin. The NRL could do nothing about it and we would lose plenty of stars.
Sav08
Guest
No need to worry dude..... With the signing of the recent FOX pay tv deals Murdoch is again leagues Sugar Daddy and turns his Sydney tabloid again into little more than an NRL Fanzine to line his Pay tv commercial interests... Acres and acres of front /back page feelgood pr spin and NRL propoganda passing as 'news' .is assured..... typical is todays full page p7 'hysterical ' scoop' on that failed Union player Burgess and how good for the game his return is... blah blah..
Kaks
Roar Guru
Huh? I mentioned the Roosters because thats who's players I saw misbehaving. A journalist would have had a field day if they were around with the way the Roosters players were acting. Dont get angry at me seeing this, get angry at the fact that players who represent your club act like neandarthals
Samtwocan
Guest
Yeah go on slag the chooks , just can't help yaselves some ppl on here . Amazing how any story can be turned into slagging out whoever comes to mind .
Musto
Guest
Jarryd hayne to play in charity soccer game? really is that the sort of news you want . The season is 28 weeks so saturation means people turn off...
Kaks
Roar Guru
After seeing Beau Ryan and some of Roosters players in the North Sydney/Newtown area in the last few weeks and how they were behaving, I am sure there will be a negative news story about a NRL player shortly. No joke, I cant remember the last season where there wasnt a massive story about a player/group of players misbehaving. It's kind of sad really
maxxy
Guest
it keeps RL in the papers - who cares. another exponent of any publicity
Mals
Guest
"A transfer window has been floated, but it wouldn’t be successful. Yes it works in the AFL, but they don’t have to contend with poachers from rival codes or overseas. Why would an in-form player wait until the end of the season to secure their future, especially when they are only one knee injury away from drastically lowering their market value. This would see Super Rugby and Super League offers more tempting when received mid-season." It works in football - the biggest market of players in the world of sport so there is no reason why it can't work for rugby league. Have a mid-season and end of season transfer window.