There has been so much debate around the NRL’s most profitable club, the Brisbane Broncos, and their inept performance against reigning back-to-back premiers Sydney Roosters last Thursday night.
From Anthony Seibold’s remarkable statistician memory recalling a Sydney Roosters thrashing to the Melbourne Storm in 2016 to the Broncos players not facing their own media obligations to explain the defeat and a spicy old-fashioned rugby league feud between NRL hall of famer Gorden Tallis and Matt Lodge played out in the media, it’s been one hell of a week for the Brisbane Broncos as they try to escape the furnace.
But is Brisbane’s downfall to do with their current recruitment and retention or has it got to do with the current NRL salary cap model and how our future NRL stars are profiting earlier with over-inflated contracts before serving a rugby league apprenticeship?
Like any trade, you level up, you do the hard work on less pay and once you’ve climbed that mountain you’re fully qualified. The NRL should not be any different – in fact major sports organisations like the NFL and NBA apply this methodology in their contract systems.
News Corp reported on 23 May the NRL rookies contracts could be capped to limit player market blowouts, and since the salary cap era has exploded from $5.5 million in 2014 to $9.5 million today there has been some questionable spending on future talent.
Most infamous are Ash Taylor and Anthony Milford. Both signed their mega-deals in 2017 and have since failed to live up to the million-dollar expectations.
Now, we can’t begrudge a player trying to earn the most they can during a playing career that might end tomorrow but, but we do need a model that helps clubs develop and keep players longer while also enabling them to keep their experienced players at their club to maintain the fabric and culture of a team.
During the 1980s and 1990s some older players would give back and play reserve grade, giving the younger players a chance to play against seasoned veterans to learn their trade and understand how to become an NRL player.
As we look to the future, the NRL need to introduce rookie scale contracts from ages 18 to 23. These contracts would increase incrementally annually. They would still reward players if they break out and make a State of Origin team or play for the Kangaroos, but these pay upgrades would be sensible. Once they’re free agents, players can use their achievements as a bargaining tool for their next contract.
Protecting players and clubs from player agents who manipulate their true value before their time is also important.
David Fifita in line for a huge contract bump at the ripe old age of 20 years old. He has played three State of Origin games but will soon be one of the pack leaders and one of the highest-paid at Brisbane after only 37 first-grade games.
David Fifita (Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
I’m all for players earning as much as they can, but paying players millions of dollars on potential does a disservice to the player, who hasn’t completely earnt that contract. The ones who suffer are the poor fans of the club, as they get screwed from roll-of-the-dice decisions of the administration.
What Thursday night highlighted for the Broncos was that even a rich club is not immune to questionable spending. Mortgaging the future on potential is a risky ride, especially when there is no-one in key positions to properly show them the ropes.
Nothing beats experience at the top level, and I hope the NRL looks to create reform to keep teams at a competitive level.
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