The ugly situation at the Wests Tigers involving Ryan Matterson further highlights the problem with signing players to multi-year deals only for things to turn sour.
It’s a blight on the game that seems to be occurring every year when a player becomes disgruntled with his current situation and, despite having several years left on his contract, changes clubs.
We’ve seen the likes of James Roberts, Kodi Nikorima and Waqa Blake switch clubs midseason, while Reagan Campbell-Gillard will be paid by the Panthers for a few more seasons despite playing for the Eels from 2020. Given his patchy form and the length of the deal, it’s a massive gamble by the club.
I don’t know how feasible it would be, but I believe a system where players are restricted to signing one-season deals would be much better. If for example, it was in place now, we’d have every club having 30-man rosters, with each player signed up for the 2020 season only.
It would certainly end the farce at the Bulldogs which resulted from back-ended deals and has left the club in dire straits for the past few seasons.
Any off-field indiscretions, suspensions and injuries would have a much bigger impact on a players’ career, and perhaps we’d see fewer repeat offenders like Sam Burgess if he was on a season-by-season deal.
Now obviously injuries are part of the sport, so it would be tough for a player to do his knee in Round 1 and therefore not have a chance to impress his current club or future club.
Elite players like Cameron Smith, or indeed most of the Storm team, would be wrapped up fairly quickly while others would have to play well and behave off the field as they are competing for spots.
The idea of this system is that it keeps players honest, both on and off the field. If a player gets dragged from a pub at 3 am, gets into a fight, or does something else that hurts his reputation, there are dire consequences.
Teams can lock away any player from their current roster at any stage during the season, while a dedicated transfer window late in the season allows teams to poach rival players to boost their squad.
terrance
Guest
Gee, a couple of knock-knee sooks just took out a quite a few posts from a range of posters and the article writers. a very sad reflection on the site. All that was accurately noted was that: "Uber, sorry Adam, that last post was concerning, you are ''33 years old and have followed the game for 23 of those year". You may have ''followed'' the game, but you haven't ''understood'' the game, especially around the RLPA wanting the best for players and that players have options outside the NRL (it ain't the inbred AFL). "Uber, sorry Adam, you are 33 years old? That's concerning. I thought you might have been in early high school, probably year 8, maybe year 9 (potentially year 11 at a disadvantaged regional school). My apologies. "Maybe there should be, for me (and a few others) a ''Roar mentor'' or ''Roar corrector" to assist you, but also Nat, Ethan, Adan Haywood and Adrian Megale, amongst others, into the future with their articles and posts."
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
I don't need mentoring from you. I actually write articles and contribute to the site. Your contribution is limited to petty commentary and trying to sound smart. The fact you feel you could mentor me smacks of extreme arrogance and says a lot about the quality of human you are. Move on flog
terrance
Guest
Uber, sorry Adam, you were corrected by not only me (especially about the RLPA) but by other posters about how unrealistic your article was. Learn from your errors, move on, and hopefully write better articles in the future.
elvis
Roar Rookie
Ahh I thought you were saying everyone came onto the market in a two week period.
Nat
Roar Guru
As above, knowledge isn't for everyone. Some cannot tell the difference between a concept and a fully fledged plan but if they cannot grasp the difference between Floored and Flawed I wouldn't bother engaging them.
Gus O
Roar Rookie
I’m not moving to a club if i don’t know who ill be playing with... or what position i’m likely to be playing. It is a recipe for player managers to completely own roster management of clubs.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
You didn't correct me, you just disagreed with my opinion. You do understand that this is a sports opinion site right?
Louis McIntyre
Roar Guru
I apologise for the spelling mistake mate. Don't take my opinion seriously it's fine by me. Luckily those in charge of the game won't be taking yours too seriously on this matter either. Just so you know I think you've made some really good contributions to this website, just not this one.
terrance
Guest
Doubt that's going to happen.
terrance
Guest
Unfortunately Uber, sorry Adam, my contributions are more realistic and stronger theoretically than your articles. Correcting is not trolling.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Perhaps you are right, a 2 year limit could work. Thanks for the feedback, you're probably the only one here that can actually provide feedback without resorting to childish insults. A few commenters could learn a thing or two from you
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Thanks. I look forward to your next article or do you just troll this site? Good contribution
terrance
Guest
Uber, sorry Adam, after this poorly thought-out article and posts, I think your credibility went from ''low'' to ''no'', so who you take seriously is not an issue.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
If he does he knee next year and is never the same again, I’m not sure the fans would be happy that he’s there another 6 or 7 years. Besides, JT would be signed up immediately by the Cowboys. Also the word is flawed not floored. I’m not going to take you seriously if you can’t spell
Louis McIntyre
Roar Guru
Floored from the players perspective (and the rlpa as mentioned above). Answer me this, would JT13 prefer a ten year ten million dollar contract or a one year 1.2 million dollar contract?
terrance
Guest
so it could potentially happen.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Naaa.. you got to step up for that to happen..
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Only current clubs can sign their players at any stage. Otherwise a transfer window sorts out the rest. I feel this system would keep players honest, remove back ended deals that have destroyed the Bulldogs and ensure players behave themselves knowing they don't have a few more years at their current club.
terrance
Guest
Uber, sorry Adam, I don't won't to write an article, ever. I don't see a need. I think it's better my time is spent correcting flawed articles, theories and posts like yours. That keeps me content and helps the readers. What's wrong with a player moving club mid contract or mid season (so long as the squads are settled by 30 June)? It helps a lot of players earn more (not just the higher earners) than they could have in their short careers and extend the careers and earnings of a lot of fringe players (the majority of players who switch clubs mid season). The problem is Adam, your are coming from the ''fans'' perspective (i.e. the nuf-nufs), and I'm not saying the fans are not somewhat important, of course they are, they need the by the pay-tv and streaming services and watch Ch9 to help fund the game. But players are the ''talent'', who have a short period to earn as much as they can in a brutal sport, and if the can change clubs to earn more, good on them. The average worker can change jobs to earn more money with a few weeks notice. Good on them. The ''talent'' that moving clubs helps most is the journey man who is playing q/nsw cup who is in the nrl top 30 squad with six or so months on their contract left and hanging for an opportunity, stuck behind a few players in their NRL squad. Then another NRL club needs to fill a gap through a couple of injuries and offers that player a contract for the rest of that season and the next. Happy days for that player (and his family)! DP Schaefer will be wetting himself after reading this!
terrance
Guest
Uber, sorry Adam, listen to Louis, your theory is poor and extremely floored. NRL players have a range of employment opportunities, and will take a longer term contract in yen, canadian dollar, euro, US dollar, UK pound or even (bar the exchange rate) the NZ$ for their short careers. Extreme short term contracts, no player or their manager would agree. They aren't uber drivers. Think before posting.