It all began in January this year when St George signed Ben Hunt for approximately $6 million over six years, which is one of the most expensive signings of the game.
Regardless of whether you believe Hunt has earned his massive payday or not, that isn’t the biggest issue that has arisen from the monster deal.
The biggest effect of the signing was the rapid inflation of the player market, which has resulted in player managers using Hunt’s value as a benchmark for their clients.
Their argument is if Ben Hunt can make over $1 million a season being a club player with no Origin or international experience, why shouldn’t players like Mitchell Moses from Wests Tigers be making the same money?
Moses was asking for over $750K from the Tigers, which, as history has shown, was found to be an unacceptable amount.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
This is all intertwined in a still-running battle between the NRL and RLPA about next year’s salary cap, which needs to be resolved before it becomes a Cricket Australia-style slugging match.
The riddle the two sides are arguing over is an age-old sporting conundrum. Is it better to pay current players enough to secure a life after football, or to fund the next generation of stars?
The same dilemma has plagued the Australian Rugby Union for years, with a flailing Super Rugby enterprise looking more fragile every day and the Wallabies being continuously thrashed worse than a late 2000s Origin Blues team by the Kiwis.
The simple fact of the matter is nobody wants to go watch union, and one symptom of this is the fact most of their stars (Israel Folau, Karmichael Hunt and Marika Koroibete) are all poached from rugby league and not extracted from their own grassroots.
The NRL is thankfully not facing the same problem, with many young players coming up through the ranks such as Kalyn Ponga and Nathan Cleary showing the funding of the up-and-comers is paying its dividend.
They can’t afford to grow complacent though, and that is why they are so reluctant to give in to the demands of the RLPA without some haggling.
Funding of junior sports is always a preventative rather than a cure, and it might seem like you can short-change them in exchange for keeping stars such as Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk in the game.
However, every legend of the game began as a small kid in a loose footy jersey drinking Gatorade after a Saturday junior game with his mates. If you don’t give them the proper opportunity to play, we’ll end up with games filled with millionaire 40 year olds, and that’s only acceptable in tennis.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
The rule books were changed not that long ago, and look where they are at. Scrums will still take ages, and penalties will still command 3 points . Just make it 13 a side ,and keep the ball in play longer.
Chris
Guest
Then with the world governing body of Rugby Union going to change the rule books and make it less complicated this could be the perfect timing for Rugby League to go back to Rugby Union. Be great to see NRL club season and SOO alongside internationals with the AB's, Bok's, European teams and the Lions all under one game alongside 7's.
Chris
Guest
Your rights started to drop ( apart from SOO ) when the backward IC was formed, 'Show me the money" was the term fans used but now it should " What has the IC done with the money ".
nerval
Guest
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I'd be concerned if with the supposed extra money poured in from 2018 by the NRL ,plus the new stadiums doesn't improve the crowds and grassroots. When you have crap scheduling. oval stadiums such as ANZ ,it'[s a hard ask to get fans to come out in force ,when they can see it live on FTA. The female patronage comment warrants response.Female participation is the fastest growing element of rugby league.And female fans make up a growing % of the attendees.The code has females involved in officiating games.And many females are involved in voluntary work in the juniors.It's not just a one code factor. Rugby league has experienced problems such as this in the past ,so you are wrong.When violence was part and parcel of the game in the 80s ,grassroots was affected as was the general attitude toward the code.Jim Comans on the judiciary changed that attitude and issues with the players . The code has its problems no argument on that basis,but it doesn't have the racial issues of the other code, which appear to pop up on a regular basis. Now (NRL)they are looking at a tough response to domestic violence and not before time.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I'd be concerned if with the supposed extra money poured in from 2018 by the NRL ,plus the new stadiums doesn't improve the crowds and grassroots. When you have crap scheduling. oval stadiums such as ANZ ,it'[s a hard ask to get fans to come out in force ,when they can see it live on FTA. The female patronage comment warrants response.Female participation is the fastest growing element of rugby league.And female fans make up a growing % of the attendees.The code has females involved in officiating games.And many females are involved in voluntary work in the juniors.It's not just a one code factor.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
In trouble where, crowds in Sydney ATM yes no doubt a problem,Yet new stadiums to help arrest and grow those crowds are being constructed or in the throes awaiting of construction in Sydney. You do understand the scheduling issues with the code at present, where Tv stations dictate who should play.From 2018 the NRL dictates the teams playing on the current time slots.That should assist crowds where at least clubs should get a better rub of the green, and agree not all of the time. The migrant groups have always had an impact o soccer grassroots, circa postWar with the huge influx of Italian,Pom and Greek migrants.The A league crowds have remained static their tV ratings still battling.,the crowds come for likes of Arsenal and Liverpool. TV ratings have dropped on FTA ,some to Pay ,others appears to other streaming methods. Record memberships for the bulk of Sydney NRL clubs,indicates financial commitment not there prior. All this at a time, when the code has neglected grassroots, and been left at the gate by lack infrastructure improvements to date. The so called Indigenous code whilst having 21,000 at Spotless,could only must 75,000 TV ratings on Sydney Gem,despite all the publicity for the Battle of the Bridge(whatever).Brisaben is going backwards also ATM. Rugby league has at least RLWCs planted one this year, sponsored,with Govt grants, and further ones set for 2012 and 2025 in England and the USA and Canada. The sky has not fallen in.It has its problems,but it has had problems for 100 plus years.
nerval
Guest
Cronk is a Souths Acacia Ridge rugby league junior.
nerval
Guest
No he didn't, Flea. Read Don's posts and learn.
Republican
Guest
..........League is in trouble here and while Union has always been a niche code, this is unfamiliar territory for the former. The migration diaspora of Australia today is influencing code patronage dramatically. Soccer will continue to dominate at the GR and soon at the commercial top end here in Australia, while to its credit, the domestic indigenous code i.e. Australian Rules Footy will hold its own by virtue of its domestic status and ability to foster a strong female patronage. While Rugby was always likely to fade into obscurity in Australia, League now also faces a big challenge, evidenced by a steady decline at the GR in markets i.e. Sydney..........
Conan of Cooma
Roar Rookie
Grassroots is getting support? What a crock! My young fella's team only JUST got their jerseys for this year due to funding issues. The crowds are still toothless, hand-and-neck-tatt bogans that swear at the ref and abuse opposition players/parents. They are using signage from 6 years ago showing players the kids don't even recognise, and unless you are based somewhere near Sydney you have F all chance of getting visits from first grade players, which really helps the kids with their confidence. The ship is sinking.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Well whatever they played prior, (and the Kurley Beales,Campeses,Folaus all played junior rl ),they Cronk ,Vuni and NAS have chosen wisely since.
Birdy
Guest
Cronk went to St Lauries a RU school. Read above comment.
frnq
Guest
Cronk, Vunivalu and NAS from Storms, what sport did these guys played before NRL? Tunnel Ball?
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
That similar comment was around 50 years ago ,when European migration was at its zenith. Little has changed.The top comps remain in Europe and that will be the case for ages.
rop
Guest
There is only a future for 2 Football codes in Australia. The World Game is going to be undisputed number one, that leaves one more code for number 2. Battle it out among yourselves ;)
Birdy
Guest
Lol. Cloud formations, stiff necks , wingers with frost bight. Its all coming back.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
That was my favourite. Practicing scrums on the exact same patch of grass against a tree for half of every training session ever and then showing up on a patchy mud pit and getting pinged for things no one had a clue about.
Jimmmy
Guest
Same Birdy. Same with Wally Lewis. Because I played in the backs I really got to know a lot about cloud formations.
Jimmmy
Guest
Someone who has some idea. He had a Broncos scolarship if I Remember correctly. Yes he played Union but he always played league so of course he is a grassroots player!