Billy Moore has branded it a “disgrace” that NRL players can sign with rival clubs a year in advance as the league legend strongly advocated for trade windows.
The former Maroons forward has spoken out after several players recently announced they’d be moving clubs in 2023 at the completion of their current deals.
Eels pair Isaiah Papali’i and Marata Niukore will switch to the Wests Tigers and Warriors respectively following a swansong campaign in blue and gold while young Sharks playmaker Luke Metcalf is also heading across the ditch in about 12 months’ time.
Premiership-winning Penrith second-rower Viliame Kikau is off to Canterbury in ’23. Many Panthers fans were far from pleased when a photo leaked late last week showing the forward in a Bulldogs polo alongside coach Trent Barrett and general manager Phil Gould.
As it stands, players can formally negotiate with rival clubs when they come off contract on November 1. ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys told the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday that the current trade model “is not the right balance”.
Any changes to the system will be discussed by the NRL and the Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) when they renegotiate the game’s collective bargaining agreement, which ends in 2022.
The RLPA could argue that players only have a short timespan to maximise their earnings. If they’re forced to wait to sign contracts, injuries or form could negatively impact their salary.
While V’landys acknowledged that viewpoint, Moore is pushing for drastic change.
“Anyone who looks into the fish bowl that is rugby league sees that contracts have become meaningless,” Moore told AAP.
“I’ve been vocal about this for a long time and the system is a disgrace. The biggest losers are the fans and sponsors and the only person who benefits from it is the player’s manager.
“There is no other sport in the world where people sign a contract the best part of a year in advance and then play out their current contract.
“It’s a fallacy to say when the (contract’s final) season ends you can’t go find a new club and move your family if you need to.”
The solution, according to Moore, is having specific end-of-season and mid-year periods for player movement.
“I’m a big fan of trading windows because it concentrates the energy around the movement of players, rather than it happening all year long,” he said.
“On the Monday after the grand final the circus can start and clubs can begin trading and making deals for next season.
“You look at the AFL and the English Premier League and the amount of publicity they generate is extraordinary.
“Nobody’s actually playing yet it gets all the column inches.
“Then I’d have one midway through the season, which allows for adjustments inside your roster to compensate for injuries.”
mushi
Roar Guru
That ship sailed with professionalism Albo. It's like hard core music buffs saying it's all commercial. Or theatre goers saying movies are just pretty people not actors.
Albo
Roar Rookie
I want the contracts to protect the future of the game. I fear the game is in the hands of greedy carpetbaggers just looking to milk the game for what they can get out of it. The NRL goose that laid the golden egg is looking more and more like a feather duster.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
On the one hand i don't get why a club would want a system where you are taking the risk of signing a player 12 months before he can play for you. Maybe in a sport like soccer or cricket where serious injuries are fewer. But You sign Niokore for 2023 and in Sept 2022 he does a pec, or an ACL. Or he has repeated concussions and has to retire, and now it is back to the drawing board. On the other hand, i don't get why all trades can't happen in the off season. Yes it would potentially disrupt pre seaosn training with some late starters but clubs already make allowances for rep players who play more games etc. And if an MLB player can literally be traded from Los Angles to New York overnight, surely an NRL player can relocate up the eastern sea board over a couple of months?
Exitstrategy
Roar Rookie
What’s the issue ? Is Billy saying that negotiations a year out are unfair for the fans , the club or the players doesn’t everyone benefit from forward planning . Players can organise there families , clubs can budget organise marketing bring on juniors create support structures engage with the fans and community . Moving clubs is a big step , money , culture , premierships, 2023 Foundation Club ( Rare ) , Growth for Player & Club having time to clearly negotiate and see it’s a good fit . Happy to be educated on differing views, I’m still wondering What is the actual issue that Billy Moore is referring to?
The Barry
Roar Guru
I respectfully disagree. I think the mid season transfer has been a good addition to the game Why have quality players wasting away in reserve grade at one club when they could be playing firsts elsewhere and both clubs and player all agree
Rellum
Roar Guru
I want to see the trading window to be the off season and that's it, no mid season transfers. I you need fill ins get players from the State leagues.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It’s silly to think that if they put a deadline in place for when you can start negotiating a contract that everyone would stick to it We had that, remember? You weren’t supposed to start negotiating until 30 June had passed and we’d end up with dozens of contracts signed on 1 July By announcing them straight away, it puts an end to the speculation and 12 months of will he, won’t he… which I think is far more destabilising than knowing what will happen in 12 months time It’s swings and roundabouts. Sometimes you gain one, sometimes you lose one. Plenty of players this year were moving on for 2022 and still put in This “contracts are meaningless” nonsense comes up every couple of years. Contracts protect players and clubs, but like any contact anywhere in the world it can be amended or cancelled if both parties agree
no one in particular
Roar Guru
League contracts end on 31 October, next season contract begins 1 Novemeber.
The PTA has disbanded
Guest
Some clumsily revisionist history there, Relaxed and Comfortable. Obviously choosing to completely ignore the hundreds of players who switched clubs in the 60's, 70's and 80's in order to advance your fictional "blame everything on super league" argument.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
I don’t like the current system and I don’t like players and clubs continually breaking contracts. Only thing I know is Billy shouldn’t be making decisions.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Yeah. It's Billy Moore. Seems like a decent chap, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Yep. Most of the so-called problem stems from childish media articles pretending there's something taboo about players negotiating with prospective employers (the horror), plus the occasional leak. I imagine Kikau and the Dogs would probably have announced it by now anyway. The argument doesn't make any sense - it wouldn't stop deals being done in advance.
mushi
Roar Guru
So you want the contract to benefit someone that isn't a part of that contract?
mushi
Roar Guru
Anyone see the irony in an article Billy complaining about system and then liking the alternative because it generates column inches?
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
I thought it was talking about in article about ‘at contract signing time’, not in middle of contract
JGK
Roar Guru
They do if you don't have a contract! On the other hand, what if Kikau scores 20 tries and wins the Dally M and Clive Churchill this year - he won't get any more from the Bulldogs will he?
JGK
Roar Guru
Isn't that what's happening?
JGK
Roar Guru
Because the clubs get the make the rules as to what constitutes bringing the game into disrepute. In reality, it is a low bar (see Tyronne May) but clubs pretty much only exercise it to get rid of players who they are paying too much. So for the players, the contract is already a fragile one.
Paul
Roar Guru
I'm confused about at what Billy was referring to when he called the current system of signing early contracts a "national disgrace"? How is the current system a disgrace? Because no other code does it? If players who have signed a new deal and were tanking before joining their new Club, fair call, but if anything the players are still going as hard as they can for their old Club. I also wonder where that would leave a new Club like the Dolphins, if Billy's suggested change was implemented? Presumably they'd not be able to enter the market till mid 2022 and would then have what players they could get, plus whoever they could get after next year's GF. If they were stuck with the options, you can bet Bennett and the Dolphins would be talking "a scandalous failure of policy" - or worse.
HENRIK
Guest
I always thought they could only Negotiate for the season 12 months in advance. ie" Sign now to play 2023, not 2024. When did it change ?